Second Life and Virtual Worlds
Things about SL
I’m enjoying the new Materials enabled SL Viewer. But, some people are running into problems. Here is what’s coming up:
MATBUG-171 – Shiny objects or objects with reflections look shiny white. Description: When I activate the Advanced Lighting model in the viewer for the materials features, all shiny objects and objects appear shiny white as if glow was very high. — ATI Radeon HD 4870 OpenGL Engine 2.1 ATI-1.6.36
There is a blog announcement on the SL Blog about the Sunshine Project being rolled out. There is also a new Torley video out to show the change.
[youtube jwglL3VXI80]
As you can see the Lab is requiring a viewer update. As Torley explains the viewer, then the servers and then another viewer update will rollout.
The main channel is getting an update today. It is the server maintenance package that ran on all 3 release candidate channels last week. This is the package with the new object return scripting functions, the Pathfinding change to keep characters within a parcel, fix rendering of neighboring regions, and another fix for the HTTP-in-bound connection problems.
The release candidate channels will all get the same new server maintenance package tomorrow, Wednesday.
This package includes a fix to llApplyImpulse, which is/was only working in the root prim. If used in a child prim, it would work after the script was compiled in-world, meaning while the containing object is rezzed. If the object has the script and is rezzed from inventory, it fails.
With the coming of Server Side Appearance (SSA – baking) those using older viewers are going to have to update or suffer never seeing an avatar render again. For many the challenge will be their computer not being able to run recent viewers. The hardware is just too old. But, there are inexpensive ways to upgrade to a computer so it will handle the newest viewers.
Minimum is this case is a very nebulous term. If you read Gwyneth Llewelyn’s blog you’ll know she gets by with some really minimal hardware. I think that would drive me nuts. But, I also use the computer for graphics intense work. So, in most ways it is a matter of personal choice and priorities.
This tutorial is intended for those people using RedPoly kits. But, anyone can learn some basic ideas on how to match skin color. Like starting with changing Windlight to eliminate extraneous color and shadows. (7:40 min)
[youtube L9HRzNfNIQ4]
I usually run my viewers on DEFAULT Windlight or local region settings. So, I haven’t needed to change my Windlight for some time. I had forgotten how few Windlight settings come with the new viewers: 36. The CalWL setting was not in my current viewer.
