Dolphin Viewer 3.4.3 – 26620

A new release of the Dolphin 3 Viewer is out. It has been updated to have the latest changes from the Linden Lab® Viewer and Marine Kelly’s updates to RLV 2.08.03.04.

The Lab’s updates include the code for Large Group Editing, handling the object properties Creator when there are multiple creators, and Maturity functions.

I’ve written a lot about the Large Group Editing so I won’t repeat that. The Creator thing seems self explanatory. The ‘Maturity’ things need a bit of explanation.

Lance explains them well in his announcement:

When you try to enter a region that has a higher rating than your preferences, you get a popup offering you to change your preferences and continue on your way, or not enter.

When you try to teleport someone to a region with a higher setting than that person has in their preferences you get a notification if applicable.

(Note: I have not been able to actually get to see such a notice, I am pretty sure it needs server side code as well which has not been rolled out yet.)

Bug or Not?

The Lab has changed how the viewer’s graphics settings work. Lance describes the change in his announcement.

I describe the change as a new limit. I’m not aware enough of the change to know why the change is there. But, it seems the QUALITY slider in the SL Viewer’s graphics settings cannot be moved beyond what the viewer thinks your computer can handle. Those settings can be over ridden by changing the individual settings.

When the viewer is installed it checks to see what video card and hardware you have. It then looks up the settings to use with your hardware in a table maintained by the Lab. This year has seen some changes to how the table is maintained and updated. I think part of that work on getting the table updated is part of the preparation for putting SL on Steam.

Whatever the purpose, some will see the limit as a problem/bug. I suppose it may be an attempt on the Lab’s part to try and get less tech aware users to stay with settings more appropriate for their hardware.

2 thoughts on “Dolphin Viewer 3.4.3 – 26620

  1. Personally, I would see a limited slider config as a big annoyance. But it’s probably aimed at the non-gaming orientated userbase who aren’t fit in configuring their setups and actually, I haven’t touched the main quality slider since… err, I can’t even recall.

    I just hope that LL links their internal database to an up-to-date resource, perhaps Steam’s own hardware guide, and a proper benchmark resource as a basis for their graphic limits recommendations. As of two years ago, it was a slightly frustrating moment when, after changing my graphics card, the viewer tried to tell me that the new and stronger midrange card could only handle the barely minimum options … because the the database was hopelessly outdated.

    • The viewer’s video card look up table has been getting attention over the last year.

      I think Like you, many of the long term SL users seldom use the graphics quality slider. So, it probably won’t be an issue. I would not have known about it if Lance had not pointed it out.

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