Servers

No roll out to the main channel this week. All three RC channels will get a new package. It will have a fix for Bug 11163 – llHTTPRequest returns 400 from some sims and not others. There are also some minor ‘improvements’, whatever those may be.

Get The Party Started

Viewers

The main release viewer is 4.0.3-312816. This is the HTTP/Co-routines viewer that rolled out not long ago. So, no change. 

RC Second Life Maintenance Viewer version 4.0.4.314012 – This RC has updated from 4.0.4.313759. I described this version in the TPD meeting coverage. If you are having crash problems with the main viewer, this is probably the RC to try as it has memory leak fixes.

RC Second Life Quick Graphics Viewer version 4.0.4.313948 – This RC has also updated (4.0.2.312297). The last version was having some problems working with the HTTP/Co-routine fixes that rolled out in the main viewer. Presumably they got some of those fixed. For more info on this viewer see the TPD meeting coverage, link above.

We don’t have any word on which of these might roll out first. You can flip a coin as well as I on this point.

Second Life Project Bento Viewer version 5.0.0.313876 – In week 14 this viewer was testing version 5.0.0.313150. Many of us are thinking this version has the final bone and attachment point sets. We are very near to this becoming a no change project working out only bugs with the existing model. So, if you have anything to say, get it said.

I see that AvaStar is in Bento Release 2.0.10 for Blender 2.77 and up. The main viewer for use with models going to the main SL grid is 1.7.1 for Blender 2.75 and a different release 1.7.2 for Blender 2.77.

As I read the change logs for AvaStar 1.7.x I get that most of the changes are in how AvaStar detects models using older rigs and updates them. I’m not bothering with 2.0.x changes as stuff is changing in the avatar and those changes repeat in AvaStar.

MayaStar doesn’t have a web site or blog that I can follow. But, Cathy Foil is very active in Project Bento, so I suspect MayaStar is updating in ways similar to AvaStar. You find MayaStar information mostly in the SL Marketplace.

I’ve heard talk in the groups that Bento works on OpenSim. I haven’t tried it. So, I would salt that pretty heavily.

Second Life Project Oculus Rift Viewer version 3.7.18.295296 – Charlie said, ‘I’m not gona kick the football.’ Still no update for Rift viewers. We know there are some problems integrating changes from the latest Oculus Rift updates.

I suspect building support for VR is very chaotic right now. We have new players coming in, lots of competition with varying degrees of compatibility and changing standards… do we have set standards for VR?

Since I don’t have a VR headset and am focused on building a new computer, I can be patient about the viewer version.

Happening

I tend to feel nothing is happening in Second Life™ unless the Lab is releasing new projects/features/viewers. But, that is just the geeky side of me. There are lots of events and fashion things happening. Daniel Voyager covers events more than I do.

I wonder if the number of SL Events is an indication of interest in SL? I suppose one could collect data and watch. But, that sounds like work. There are 50 events for today (4/19). They occur throughout the day as of 10 AM there are 5 before lunch that are DJ playing, a L$3,000 hunt, Maya class, fashion events (Hans Fashions), and various music events.

Some places have multiple events per day. Some offer opportunities to model and make money… yeah, show those ta ta’s off girl… But, all the fashion places advertising events today look like 2008 SL, at least to me. So, my first take is the event guide is horrible for fashion events… it can’t always be like this, can it? I mean places offering L$ are empty. L$ usually attracts noobs.

The music events all seem to be doing well and they are much more 2014?-ish… newer looking. This where the people are. Lots of nice mesh clothes. Some lag like crazy others are pretty nice.

The Destination Guide comes in two flavors; web and viewer. Finding new places to look at is the forte of the Guide. But, it has broken links and links to places where you have to be a member before you can enter. There are no error messages to explain why I can’t enter the destination… at least not that a noob would understand. But, there is always something there I haven’t seen.

GROUPS… I belong to a bunch of groups. During the day they are chatty. Listening… well watching, but you understand, these can educational. Firestorm Support alerts me to general problems that just started. So, if I am wondering if a problem is me or SL, that is my go to place. If there is nothing in Grid Status then I’ll get an answer there before the Grid Status is updated.

Builders Brewery provides answers to some interesting building questions. But, it is Blender-AvaStar that has interesting chat. Questions and answers of course. But, they have people that pay more attention to AvaStar and animation updates than I do. So, lots of good stuff going on there.

So, there is a lot going on… and I haven’t even talked about people getting busy with each other