For the release candidate on Le Tigre we have some new information that comes from the wiki release notes just recently updated. Some of those are:

Havok Update

The Havok Physics Engine updates to version 2012.1 in the release candidate. In week 35 I reported that this version was coming. At the time we had just updated to 2010.x, I think. This update enables Havok’s terrain optimized that simplifies the physics shape of the terrain for improved performance. This feature can be disabled by region owners and estate managers with the Region Debug Console command “set optimize_terrain false“.

Some are reporting vehicle crossing are slower.

llGetSimStats

llGetSimStats() has yet to show up in the Linden Scripting Language (LSL)  pages of the wiki. Fortunately the release notes say:

Currently, this function accepts only [[SIM_STAT_PCT_CHARS_STEPPED]] as its parameter, which returns the % of Pathfinding characters skipped each frame, averaged over the last minute.  The returned value corresponds to the “Characters Updated” stat in the viewer’s Statistics Bar.

llCreateCharacter

llCreateCharacter the prime Pathfinding function gets a new option: CHARACTER_ACCOUNT_FOR_SKIPPED_FRAMES – The default value is true, to match pre-existing behavior. If set to false, character will not attempt to catch up on lost time when Pathfinding performance is low, potentially providing more reliable movement (albeit while potentially appearing to be more ‘stuttery’).

llGetObjectDetails

llGetObjectDetails this function has been around for a time. But, it is getting a new options:

OBJECT_PATHFINDING_TYPE – Returns the Pathfinding setting of any object in the region.  It returns an integer matching one of the following new constants:

• OPT_UNKNOWN – returned for attachments, Linden trees and grass
• OPT_LEGACY_LINKSET – returned for movable obstacles, movable phantoms, physical, and volumedetect objects
• OPT_AVATAR – returned for avatars
• OPT_PATHFINDING_CHARACTER – returned for pathfinding characters
• OPT_WALKABLE – returned for walkable objects
• OPT_STATIC_OBSTACLE – returned for static obstacles
• OPT_MATERIAL_VOLUME – returned for material volumes
• OPT_EXCLUSION_VOLUME – returned for exclusion volumes

More details about Pathfinding types can be found here.

We know this causes the problem of Mesh objects (such as vehicles) not being able to physically cross from a region running Havok 2012.1 into a region running an older version of Havok.

Due to the compatibility problems between the newer and older Havok physics engines only the RC in LeTigre is running the latest Havok upgrade.

Magnum

Maestro Linden explained the reason that Magnum channels were rolled twice Wednesday.” …the server version deployed by the roll to Magnum this morning was missing a small change. The version planned for today’s 5pm roll to Magnum includes that change, but is otherwise identical to what was deployed this morning.”

Magnum is running the same package it has run for the last two weeks. With the change that this update for week (42) includes the new code rolled to the main channel.

Blue Steel

This is the back side improvements hoped to improve server stability.

Region Visibility

Shug Maitland is reporting that diagonal regions, the four at NE, NW, SW, and SE corners, are more likely to not rez. See: Diagonal Regions.

Mesh Info Change

Sylvan Mole is working on a page in the Wiki titled: Mesh and LOD. It has a walk thought of Mesh Uploading using the Linden main viewer. An interesting, to me, part of a recent change is:

Step 2: Analyze IMPORTANT

• A mesh physics shape uploaded without using the Analyze button will result in the faces being double sided in-world. For instance: a single plane will upload as a double sided wall. A cube will upload as a hollow box. This is useful for creating simple shapes, but also risky as it can create areas that will trap avatars and other physical objects.
• Pressing the Analyze button changes all those double sided faces into single sided faces with respect to the normal direction. It also creates a physics shape that acts as a volume. Much like a prim, an Avatar or physical object interpolated with an Analyzed physics shape is neatly pushed out of the volume by Havok.

Summary

This information is from different sources than news I posted earlier in the week. There will be more information later today as Lindens talk in user groups. The Lindens don’t  keep on everything that everyone is doing within the Lab. We can see some information from different sources varies.