Changes

SL Server Side Appearance

by

The feature formerly known as: Server Side Avatar Baking is moving forward. Nyx Linden tells us today that the Sunshine code is now in the Beta Viewer branch. That means we have a working viewer with the near final features. So, far the server side is only running on the Preview Grid, ADITI. Look for the region SunshineTest.

If you find a bug, report it ASAP. Otherwise the bug will likely make it into the main release viewer.

Nyx was asked how quickly this feature would roll out to the main grid. Nyx and Oz have both said it is a bit of an awkward rollout and may take some time.

Read more

Server Side Avatar Baking

by

In the Open Source User Group meeting Oz Linden provided an explanation of how the new avatar baking system will work and some of the ideas they have for implementing it. I’ve added in the description of how things work now to provide contrast. I’ve covered this topic before. But, there is new information here.

Baking… Image by: Edsel L @ Flickr

Oz Linden pointed out that a large part of the viewer side avatar baking process is done in the local computer’s video card. Since there are so many different cards, driver, and driver versions the result is inconsistent. By moving the process to the server side the results will be consistent.

As it is now, users with the exact same input (think clothes) can get difference results (look different in the same clothes). Once this moves to the server side, the same inputs will produce the same result.

Read more

#SL News Week 38

by

Main Channel Roll

Simon Linden tells us there were problems with the Tuesday roll out. The problems were cosmetic. Things just did not rez correctly on a number of regions on the first start after the update. They are not sure what the problem was. Restarts seem to fix it.

In the Server-Scripting Group meeting at 12:21 the ‘second’ restart was 90% complete. So, while the roll out was behind, it was not too bad.

Release Candidate Roll

As I reported in: Group Edit Update Week 37, Group Edit is moving ahead. While I was thinking we were weeks away from seeing it on an RC channel it seems it will make it out Wednesday.

The Deploys thread in the forum has not updated so it is unclear what exactly is going to roll out tomorrow. Simon says a bunch of new localized notifications are included.

As long as Large Group Editing is part of it, a number of people will be happy. I think Baker is going to publish a blog post in the SL Blog. We will see how that goes.

Linden Projects

You probably saw the announcement by now: #SL New Linden Lab Projects.

Simon announced it in the Server-Scripting Group. He made clear that those working the SL side of things have almost no idea what is going on in those projects.

Havok

Another Havok release is coming. Andrew and Falcom are going to be figuring out how to make that roll through the RC channels. As you may remember, different Havok versions are a big problem for objects crossing regions.

Read more

Oh CRAP! JIRA Change

by

I’ve known a JIRA update was coming. I did not expect what I saw this morning. It was also the main topic of discussion at Oz Linden’s Open Source user group and Andrews Server-Scripting UG. Alexa Linden was at OZ’s meeting to help answer questions. See the announcement: JIRA Update: Changes to The Bug Reporting Process.

If you are not a JIRA user you may think this is not going to have an effect on you. I think you will be wrong. I am not at all sure how the changes are going to work… or if they will work. But, it is a huge change in how bug reporting is handled throughout Second Life™. It also has a large number of effects on how we do things within Second Life, the forums and blogs. I am afraid this is not going to be a good thing. What I am sure of is; we are going to have to deal with it for some time.

Bug Reports

Reporting bugs is not easy. One does have to read the instructions and learn how to report problems so the information is useful. An effort has been made to make that easier. The problem is we can no longer browse bug reports to see if there is a duplicate. Now… that doesn’t sound like much of a problem. But, think about it.

Read more

Virtual Landmarks

by

There is a new proposal on the Linden table. It comes from Toysoldier Thor and can be found in the JIRA as: SVC-8082 – Proposed Global Service for SL:  VIRTUAL LANDMARKS & VLM Mapping Services.

The Problem

Consider what happens when you have a home or shop in-world and your landlord decides to return the land to Linden Lab or for some other reason you have to move. The land is either going to disappear and all your stuff will be returned or your shop or home will be gone. You find a new house, apartment, and/or shop. There is little that can be done to stop that process.

Current Landmark Flow – By Toysoldier Thor – Click to Enlarge

But, consider. What about all the Landmarks that point to your shop or whatever that no longer exists? What do you do with the dozens to thousands of links in the Market Place to your non-existent shop? Did you know there is no easy way to just change the landmark you have included with a product you have for sale? You have to reload the entire product package.

Read more

Pages: 1 2

Second Life Changes Coming

by

After a long day at the San Diego fair, getting home at 6AM, and then sleeping until noon I find we have a new technology announcement from Linden Lab. You can find it here: Project Shining to Improve Avatar and Object Streaming Speeds.

They have tried to tone down the geek speak. So, it is readable. If you are still wondering what it means for you and the future, well… I can give you my take and speculation.

Sunrise by: Sean MacEntee – Flickr

The Lab has divided the new work into 3 groups called the Shining Projects:

  • Project Sunshine
  • Object Caching
  • HTTP Library

Sunshine

Project Sunshine is changes coming out the research done for Cloudy, Blurry, Avatars. I started writing about Cloudy-Blurry as a subject in March as Charlar separated from the Lab and Nyx Linden took over the Content & Mesh group. (#SL Clouds, Grey, and Blurry Avatars)

Early in the year we started to see more problems with avatars failing to rez. The term Bake Fail became well known across the grid.

Read more