Second Life

Things about SL

SL’s Quick Graphics Viewer Updated

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The Second Life Quick Graphics (QG) Viewer was just promoted to an RC status and updated to version 3.8.5.305528. My install caught it and updated.

The update process for Project Viewers works much better than previously. I haven’t been using project viewers all that much. So, I’m not sure when it changed. But, this project viewer has been updating whenever I log on and an update is available. Nice.

I was just using the previous version of QG to explore Angel Manor. I had found it slow loading textures. It still is. Places I visited earlier today are slow. It is like stuff is not cached. It is the same when I return home after being away for 20 or 30 minutes.

After the initial load in the Manor it was better. But, I still am not impressed with speed. I thought as a Project viewer it probably had more debugging code than the RC’s do. But, the change to RC doesn’t seem to have made much difference.

Notifications Viewer

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Busy Bunnies
Busy Bunnies

The Second Life Notifications Viewer version 3.8.5.305555 is now a release candidate (RC). This is the version that provides a new Notifications floater that separates incoming notifications into Categories. It provides, according to the Lab, a better way to view, interact with, prioritize and manage incoming notices for busy residents.

I haven’t tried this one yet. I am looking forward to it. Now that it is an RC version I may install it. I’ll wait a couple of days to see if it installs itself as I have use RC’s checked.

How did Second Life Change Materials?

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There are gotcha’s in this latest main SL Viewer 3.8.4, in the mesh upload. You can use more than 8 materials now. Gaia Clary has changed AvaStar to export more than 8 materials. But, the announcement of that change comes with a warning: don’t.

POTETO_BackStage Pass - surfash.bade SOME KIND OF BOUNCER MAN
POTETO_BackStage Pass – surfash.bade SOME KIND OF BOUNCER MAN

Also Drongle McMahon commented on the problem and what happens when we exceed the allowable polygon limit per material for mesh items. See: Second Life’s Limits. 

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RLV Update Week 40

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RLV

Marine Kelly has updated the RLV Viewer which is now version 2.9.14. There are some fixes for RLV bugs. None of it seems earth shattering to me.

See: RLV 2.9.14

Playtime
Playtime

These changes will be making their way into other viewers, but it takes some time.

Updates have been a little slow coming because Marine was working on RLV related products. Check her blog for information on those (use link above).

Second Life Viewers

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Yesterday (9/30) and last Friday we got some updated viewers.

Wooden [Quench me]
Wooden [Quench me]
The main viewer is now:  3.8.4-305119. This viewer was the RC Mesh Uploader Viewer. It has the changes to the uploader that allow it to handle more than 8 materials. But, there are some gotcha’s in the viewer. See my article: Second Life LIMITS (link not available as I write this – look on the home page and scroll down), the article explains a problem with mesh upload.

RC Second Life Maintenance Viewer version 3.8.5.305531 – Release Notes: Big batch of Maintenance work to improve performance, fix bugs, address feature requests and give Second Life love. There are 97 fixes and additions.

Project Azumarill Viewer version 3.8.4.304871 – No change.

Project Notice Viewer version 3.8.4.305083 – No change.

Project Quick Graphics Viewer version 3.8.4.305380 – No change.

Project Oculus Rift Viewer version 3.7.18.295296 – No update – yet…

CtrlAltStudio Viewer 2015 to 2016 Plan

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There are some dates for Rift delivery, a SDK 1.0 December 2015. Don’t confuse the DK1 and 2 with the SDK’s that have been coming out. The consumer CV1 Rift will finally be delivered, sometime in Q1 2016.

My avatar has Oculus Rift before I do!
My avatar has Oculus Rift before I do!

David Rowe believes the Lab will finalize their Rift Viewer when the consumer Rift has a release date. When that happens he plans to stop development of the CtrlAltStudio Viewer. Until then he says;

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