Second Life News 2013-39

This week the package that ran on Magnum last week is moving to the main channel. The Magnum package is a composite of new stuff and the stuff running on Blue Steel and Le Tigre. This package has the fixes for; llXorBase64(),llReturnObjectsByID(),llJsonSetValue(), and parcel access. A new feature is a change so that some parcel … Read more

Second Life News 2013-38

The information on server updates is out. The main channel will be getting an update. The package from the Magnum RC channel is being promoted. This is the package that has improved asset fetching and preparatory work for future improvements. You can read the release notes here: Second Life Server 13.09.05.280647.

I doubt we will see much improvement in asset fetching performance. It may look like it, but what we will be seeing is more an improvement from increased reliability and less wasted server effort. It is sort like the speed limit on the highway hasn’t increased, but there are fewer wrecks. So, things get there sooner.

This package also has the ‘GetMesh2’ api/function. You may remember reading that users were setting their viewers to use ridiculously high values for MeshMaxConcurrentRequests. This is a step in changing how the system handles Mesh Downloading. 

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Debugging a Second Life Region’s Lag

I suspect many of us have visited a region and had our FPS (Frames per Second) rate drop to low single digits. Innula Zenovka is managing a region that has the problem and started looking for help figuring out what was wrong with it. I suppose managers like Innula get handed some real messes to deal with.

Innula says her viewer usually runs at about 30 FPS. But, in the problem region it drops to 2 to 3 FPS. I hate it when that happens.

See the thread: Advice, please, on reading consoles and debugging a laggy sim.

There is some good information and tips in the thread.

Ctrl-Alt-Shift-T Read Out
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-T Read Out

One tip is to select an item you think may be using a number of large textures. A simple right click on it will do. Then press Ctrl-Alt-Shift-T. This will send a series of notifications. You will get a list of the textures used in the item as a list ordered by each object in a link set. The notifications tell you the size of the texture and which face it is applied to.

You can see the result in the image: Ctrl-Alt-Shift-T Read Out. 

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Second Life News 2013-37 #3

It seems because of the voice update, every simulator server and voice related server in the system had to be restarted. So, rather than restart RC regions twice this week, the Lindens decided to do all the rolls and restarts in one pass.

This process started about 2 AM PDT. They completed the roll about 10 AM PDT.

Blue Steel – Le Tigre: The interesting bit about this package is there is threaded region crossing code for vehicles. This information did not make it into the release notes. So, there is going to be some confusion as to whether it is there or not in some minds. But, Simon Linden is clear that the crossing code did make it to the RC.

Andrew defines it a bit better saying, “…the data streaming on the way OUT of the region is now threaded, which doesn’t make the crossing any faster, but may reduce lag spikes as witnessed by everyone else.” 

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Second Life News 2013-37 #2

The server roll outs are breaking pattern this week. All channels are being rolled today Tuesday. There will be roll outs Wednesday. All channels are getting a voice package update. About the only change we will see on the gird is this voice update. Otherwise the servers stay pretty much as they were. RC Channels … Read more

Second Life News 2013-37

I was hoping to hear some word on what new projects the Lab is working on. But, not yet. May be in a couple of weeks.

Interest List Viewer Side

For a few weeks now the server side of the Interest List changes have been done and rolled out. But, the viewer side of those changes is taking some time. The team working on the viewer side is still stomping on bugs.

TPV Dev Meetin 2013-30
TPV Dev Meetin 2013-30

When changing Interest List code there is lots of opportunity for mistakes and things not to work as expected. The team is working to avoid a bad launch of the viewer side changes.

And we are told this viewer side Interest List stuff is not one of the secret things coming…

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