Clothes Skins Etc

Second Life Performance: Render Muting

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We have and are hearing lots of complaints about how some number of avatars lag our Second Life™ experience. If you open up the Viewer Stats (Ctrl-Shift-1) and look at server performance (Simulator: Time Dilation, Sim FPS, Physics FPS, and others), you often find the region server performing well; TD=0.999, Sim FPS=44-45, Physics=44=45. Even with lots of avatars in a region. So, it isn’t region/simulator lag that is the problem. Over the last year large steps in reducing simulator lag have been taken with CDN being the most recent. The lag is now in our viewer.

Render Auto Muting
Render Auto Muting

There is a value the viewer displays labeled Avatar Render Cost (ARC). In November 2011 I wrote about ARC and how to use it, as it had recently changed. (See: #SL ARC Replaced) Things have changed since then. We now find the value displayed in two different ways. Try: Top Menu->Advanced (press Ctrl-Alt-D if you do not have that menu item)->Performance Tools->Show Draw Weight for Avatars. This will display a colored text above avatars showing their ‘render cost’. This does clutter the screen, but makes it easy to see which avatar has what ARC. 

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AvaStar Transfer Registration Ending

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If you have not yet registered your purchase on the Machinimatrix.org web site, it is time to do so. You need to register to be able to keep a permanent download link and to get your updates. At some point the transfer from the old download to the new registration process will stop working. Gaia is telling that ‘end’ will be SOON.

Also, Gaia has announced a support section of the site where users can provide assistance. See: Just Ask. You need to be registered to use this feature.

Second Life Bits 2014-36

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Miscellaneous

Daniel Voyager has a post up listing the Second Life™ events happening in September. See: Second Life events happening during September 2014. Of course you realize these are only a few of the events that will happen this month.

Norder Ney in HeavenScent - 2014
Norder Ney in HeavenScent – 2014

Fabulously Free has a post listing the top 10 hunts going on today. See: Today’s Top 10 Hunts. Some of the hunts listed run all month.

One of the hunt information sites is HuntSL.com. The site lists hunts in progress and is updated often. 

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Physique 1.4 release official announcement!

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From Slink’s official announcement (quoting and paraphrasing):

Thu, Aug 28 2014 11:39:30 AM PDT

Physique 1.4 is now available at the Slink Mainstore. If you own this body, please visit the redelivery terminal to get the new version sent to you. If your purchase is not on the list, please contact Slink Resident for a redelivery!

Slink Free Dress
Slink Free Dress

The new body has a few very nice new features, and resolves some of the issues experienced by users of the previous version.

Fixes:

  • Resolved a small geometry issue that was causing “ants” (small gap) around the neck seam between the body and either the visage patch or the SL default head, on lower Antialialising settings.
  • Resolved an issue with the weights on several vertices on the underwear layer that was causing it to clip through the clothing layer on the pelvis region.
  • Resolved an issue that was causing the Visage neck patch to throw an error when the Neck Fitting buttons were pressed on the Alpha and Clothing Layers HUD.

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Second Life Mesh Clothes – Direction

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We are seeing a new direction or more realistically several directions designers are taking in making mesh clothes. I’ll cover where we have been and where we are along with where I think we are most likely going. For those with little time, jump to the Summary.

The well dressed Sovereign Engineer - 2014-35
The well dressed Sovereign Engineer – 2014-35

History

Rigged mesh clothes started a revolution. In my estimation rigged mesh received only a mediocre reception. Because of the issues with shape and fit many simply would not purchase rigged mesh clothing. Designers decided to create the 5 Standard Shapes …sizes if you will… to make a better attempt at fitting the shapes people prefer. The Five Standard Sizes subject saw its share of discussion and drama.

Rigged mesh is the type of clothing that follows the avatars movements, like an arm or leg bending. The rigged mesh item will also bend. But, changing the avatars shape, like adjusting body fat, has no effect on rigged mesh. Changes like height and other adjustments that change bone shape do affect rigged mesh.

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Second Life Xcite!

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I think Xcite! genitals are considered the Cadillac of genitals… there are so many ways to think of that… When asked today of they were changing over to fitted mesh Javier Puff answered, “We generally don’t talk about products we haven’t shipped yet, but you will notice that we’ve been moving everything in our store to mesh over time. :)” So, I suppose that is a hint in the direction of a yes answer.

Sarawak_016
Sarawak – 2014

It should be interesting to see what they do to make nipples and butts work with the new mesh avatar bodies. The new mesh bodies do respond to Avatar Physics when made properly. This means Fitted Mesh nipples could bounce with the breast, something they currently don’t do. I take off the Avatar Physics layer when I add my Xcite! parts. 

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