Category Archives: OpenSIM

OSGrid Update Week 4

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OSGrid has been upgrading the backside of the grid. My regions have been offline most of 2011’s weeks 3 & 4 as the database converts to a new format. The latest release of the simulator software has some changes. These are the ones I found interesting.

Terrain Files

The sim software can now handle terrain files made using Terragen. Once the grid is back up I’ll be checking out the new file type as it imports and exports Terragen (.ter) format. Also, this list of supported files types for terrain files was updated. Hopefully it will be easier to work with terrain in Photoshop and L3DT. Thanks Kevin Cozens.

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Editing Terrain or Raw Files with Photoshop

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Photoshop

Camera Raw Open

I needed to edit a terrain file for one of my regions in OpenSim. Trying to smooth the terrain with the terrain editing tools in viewers just was not working. Whether one is targeting OpenSim or Second Life it is the same process. Photoshop is where the challenge is, getting a terrain.raw  or terrain.r32 file open in Photoshop. This article shares the information I found and avoids a lot of the link rot that has set in on this subject.

Terrain and Camera

When searching Google one quickly realizes there is more than one type of RAW file. RAW files are used for images files created by many scientific applications… and especially digital cameras. When searching for terrain tutorials on Google use the negative term –camera (minus sign/dash and a word) to exclude information about camera raw files.
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OSGrid Update

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Photobucket

OSGrid Meeting in Wright Plaza

OSGrid is one of the larger Open Simulator (OpenSim) virtual worlds. The grid is funded by donations. Several friends and I have simulators connected to OSGrid. Just as SL is updating so too is OSGrid and OpenSim. On Tuesdays the developers have an in-world meeting at 11:00 AM PST in Wright Plaza to talk about recent developments. This is my summary of things I found interesting.  Continue reading →

Imprudence to Kokua Clarification

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It is not surprising many are interested in the coming Kokua Viewer and somewhat confused. Whether it be this or that and did you mean… So the Imprudence peeps have put up a new blog post. It is a very well written set of FAQ answers.

See: FAQs about Kokua

Even more clarification…

11/10 – It seems the Imprudence team got ahead of things. The Aurora Simulator is not going to change name, in spite of that being announced. So, it will be the Kokua Viewer and the Aurora Simulator. See Imprudence statement.

Also, while people are setting up Aurora Simulators and they previously did work on OSGrid recent changes on the OSGrid seems to have downed the Aurora sim’s connected to OSGrid. No one seems sure of what happened. But Artemis Tesla and I could not find any operational Aurora sims today, not that we know where they are all located or have any inside information. Our best authority said,”[02:59 PM]  Simpy Merryman: all aurora regions are offline including the mega and trolls – due to the fact that Aurora is currently not working with the latest core upgrade….“

Imprudence Viewer Morphs into KoKua Viewer

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The End of Imprudence Viewer

Today the Imprudence peeps announced that they are moving to the next stage of their viewer and naming it the KoKua Project. Kokua is a Hawaiian word meaning mutual assistance or helping out. Those formerly known as the Imprudence peeps got the KoKua name from Hamlet Au, the editor of New World Notes blog.

Version 1.4 of Imprudence Viewer will be the last. For now it is being developed in parallel with Kokua. The 1.4 version is planned for release late November or early December. Then all development will shift to the KoKua Viewer.  Continue reading →

Playing with Second Life Mesh

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SL OS Mesh OSGrid Second Life

Mesh Pedestal

I built a model I plan to use in my OSGrid regions. I don’t want to do a tutorial on Second Life Mesh. Gaia at Machinimatrix.org does those so much better than I would. But, I do want to pass on what I have learned without getting too techy.

I can say that mesh is working pretty well. It certainly is much easier to texture mesh than it is sculpties. One can have custom UV Maps and that is a big step up.

I also took a quick look around the ADITI Mesh Enabled Regions. I have included some images I captured.

Those that have played in the more recent Myst games (see Myst Online for the free mMOG) will recognize the type of pedestal. The ‘linking’ (like a teleport) pedestal (grass background) is made in two pieces.  Continue reading →

Information from Mesh Office Hours

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Second Life Mesh News

 

Second Life Mesh

Editing SL Mesh

 

Updated 2010-10-17

Everyone has questions about the new meshes now in open beta. Yesterday the Lindens in Nyx’s office hours had a meeting and answered many of the questions asked. I’ve separated out the answers from the chatter and added embellishment where I can. I have also fixed some spelling and punctuation… and probably added my share of mistakes.

You can find the transcript here: http://blogs.secondlife.com/thread/41151 Continue reading →