Second Life & Sansar: What did we learn?

With 64-bit processors and operating systems we can more efficiently handle larger data chunks per clock tick. That also means that smaller data chunks are processed way faster. So, small is good.

But, we don’t know where the Lab will draw the line. A full 16-bit data word would allow a region to fill a 65,536 x 65,536 x 65,536 meter cube. But, in such a region everything would have to fit to an even meter. There would be no room for decimals. If we make positioning possible to the millimeter level, we need to move the decimal in the 65k number. So, the limit would look like 65.536 x 65.536 x 65.536 meter cube. That obviously won’t work.

You do the math

You do the math

That suggests the single data word idea is out. They may be developing with a Dword (Double Word) size, 32-bits. That gives a cube 2,147,483,648 meters. Adding decimals cuts it down: 214,748.3648m or may be 21,474.83648m.

New computers and OS’s use Qword data (Quad-word). That would make for truly gigantic worlds. I think it is over kill and likely has too much performance over head for the value reveived.

We also have heard Ebbe say the performance limit of how much stuff we can have in a region is reached before the size limit. Said another way, region content is more of a limit than region acreage.

1:02:00 – Some experiences will require database storage. Will Sansar have it? Ebbe says yes. While somewhat similar to what we have in Experience Tools. But, basically a key value pair system built into the system rather than tacked on as Experience Toold are.

1:04:00 – What about the cost of Rift and does it affect Sansar?

Ebbe is not surprised at price. Ebbe believes they, FB, are losing money at US$600 per unit. He expects the price to come down as things scale up.

Ebbe is glad they are coming out with high quality. With time HMD’s will become a must have accessory.

Ebbe never directly addresses how the cost will affect Sansar.

1:08:14 – Maxwell Graft – A tech question is asked I won’t repeat. Too complex. I think you’ll get the jest from Ebbe’s answer.

Sansar is targeting two platforms; PC and Oculus Rift. Over time they will support more HMD’s and controllers. Right now they are not leveraging OSVR (Open Source VR). Currently they are not developing for Mac. Apple is not supporting VR. Android and iOD are in the plan. There is a prototype for iOS that uses a cloud GPU. That ells me we may see Sansar for mobile before we see it for Mac. Don’t panic. That is a guess on my part.

They are not targeting Linux. The audience is so small. Linux will be way after Mac support is provided.

1:13:00 – Is it possible to embed audio navigation elements for visually impaired?

Ebbe does not expect Sansar to handle vision or audio impaired users until much farther down the road. While it is something Ebbe would like to do, they are not dealing with it now.

1:15:00 – Language translation. Text to voice and voice to text. Likely to use a Google service.

Voice is a big thing for someone blind from wearing a headset and using hand held controllers.

1:18:00 – The complexity of Sansar is sounding overwhelming to many. What will the Lab be providing to help experiences builders?

First they plan to make it as easy to use as possible. Consider. When providing unlimited design power keeping the design tools simple is a challenge. Ebbe thinks he can do better than they did in SL.

Community will help. Low land cost will help. Solution providers will come along and provide help. For now they, the Lab, are not wanting to compete with solution providers. A good marketplace with good content will make things easier. Buy or rent a meeting room and be up and in meeting easily and quickly.

There is the goal to provide greater concurrency, meaning more people in a region/experience. Also to provide instancing when that makes sense.

The answer to the question seems to be you are on your own. Very much like we are in SL. The Lab does not build your region for you. They setup the servers to run your region. Then the rest is up to you.

If you think Sansar is going to be way more complex than SL then you are reasonably going to panic at what may seem a harsh you’re on yur own. Remember, They are using there experience in SL to make Sansar easier to use. True it isn’t going to be easier on day one. But, I am not sure it will be that much harder.

Consider. You want to try a new home in SL. You get some land, which is cheaper in Sansar. In SL you learn to build with prims or go to the marketplace and buy a house. Then you learn how to lay it out and shape terrain.

It is almost the same process in Sansar. Skip learning to build with prims. There supposedly aren’t going to be any in Sansar on day one. You go right to buying a house. Or buying and editing cubes. Wanna bet whether the Lab makes some prim shapes available for free in the MP if they don’t have any prims built in?

1:23:00 – How will Sansar entrance pages work? Will there be a charge?

Ebbe thinks no charge as it is in the Lab’s interest to have these pages out there. There may be ways to put your own page into the system. Or for a fee have super duper web pages. Basically, we will have to see how advanced pages develop.

1:26:00 – Will Sansar have an open API?

Ebbe doesn’t know, yet. First they want to get C# working. Then move on to building compatibility with third party IDE’s.

1:27:40 – How to combat cheating and griefing?

The Lab will create some content to show what is possible. But, experiences will be by content creators. The Lab does not plan to build a lot of content.

So, they plan to provide tools for experience operators to police their creations and limit access. But, the Lab is not going to be their cops.

This brings up some interesting thoughts. I suspect we will have ban lists by experience. Otherwise a bas-ass could ban you on a whim from their experience and block you from all experiences. I doubt that will work.

I also expect a user that is getting banned from one experience after another to have their permissions reduced or even be blocked from all of the Sansar system. I expect the later would be extremely rare.

1:31:00 – How can one register for Beta?

There is currently no way. Around June they will allow people to apply to be in Beta. After that they will be taking in more and more people.

They want people that are willing to commit to some level of making Sansar better. Looky-lues aren’t what they are looking for.

1:34:00 – Here Thank You’s start… closing starts.

Ebbe thinks it will take some time for Sansar to reach a point where Second Life users can enjoy Sansar as they do SL. So, I expect little change in SL for 2016. That doesn’t mean Oz and crew won’t be polishing and adding to SL, they will. Bento is not the only trick they are promising for 2016.

3 thoughts on “Second Life & Sansar: What did we learn?

  1. Pingback: Lab Chat episode 2 audio on the Drax Files Radio Hour | Daniel Voyager's Blog

  2. Hm. Not as much info here as I would like for an ambitious project apparently only half a year from beta, and just one year from release. Seems like they’re still sorting a lot out.

    I have no idea how they’re expecting to properly categorize what will eventually end up being a very large variety of items, to have them integrate fluidly with various experience inventory rulesets. The only potential way I can see it working really well is with a crowd sourced tagging system of some sort. But if they do, it could be really great.

    • The Lab is not providing a ton of new information. What they are making clear is that many of the answers people want can only be answered by the designers building new places using Sansar.

      I agree on the sorting. Much of what they are building will use new ways of doing old things. I phrase it as they know what was done in SL and understand what is needed, but they are experimenting with new ways.

      Categorizing… everyone does it differently. I expect the Lab to provide the means to categorize, but I think the content creators will likely decide the categories. While that won’t be crowd funded, it will be the group of content creators making decisions.

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