Predictions 2011

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Predictions
Image by garryknight @ Flickr

I usually prefer to read others predictions rather than make them. The Dolphin Poll on users’ preference got me thinking and I have not seen many predicting a lot about where viewers are going. Of course that may be because it is a foregone conclusion. But, since this is my blog, I get to voice my opinion and ramble or rant on about it until you click away from boredom. Hopefully not. In this case I think I can put things in terms you’ll find interesting.

I think the viewer development path using series 1 viewer code is a dead end. At some point viewers based on series one code are going to go away. I think this year.

I think the series 1 User Interface (UI) will last longer may be even into next year, but it too will disappear. Simple, end prediction. Following are my reasons and thinking for why I believe this will happen.

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Dolphin Viewer 1.5.42.3627 Released

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This release is announced as a bug fix release with no new features or visible changes.

The fixes are to the Group Limit code (coming group limit increase) and texture caching.

Texture caching is a big thing. Some weeks ago the Snowstorm Team made some comments about finding some bugs in the caching code. I’ve wondered why, if we have a caching, does my cottage’s door have to download a texture each time I open the door. My door is one of those where the entire wall changes from solid to phantom and the texture changes from a closed door to an open one. The idea for this style door is to reduce the prim count. However, they used two textures that have to download. For better effect they could have placed both open and closed textures in one texture and just shift position to affect the change.

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KirstenLee S21(3) RC2 Review & New Profiles

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KirstenLee Viewer S21
KirstenLee S21 Logo

This article covers more than just the S21 viewer review. KirstenLee’s S21 reveals some of the changes coming to SL. I touch on those as part of the viewer review. KirstenLee is working on the release of her cutting edge viewer S21, now out as a release candidate. Today Release Candidate 2 was made available. This version uses the new resident Profile System.

If you have not used KirstenLee’s viewers, the S20 and S21 viewers are series 2 viewers with a modified SLV2 User Interface (UI) and a custom render pipeline. The S21 viewer has additional UI changes. KirstenLee is making UI change to make the S21 more compatible with SLV2 skins. Of course making a better interface is part of the process too. For compatibility KirstenLee has put the sidebar control back on the right side of the screen.

The S21 is based on SLV2 code from Linden Lab’s Mesh Project Viewer. The viewer will render mesh. It does not yet have the ability to upload mesh. Only the Mesh Project Viewer has that ability. S21 also has Qarl’s patches… there’s more than one? The main one is the prim alignment tool. I’ll have to look around and see if I can find out if there are other Qarl additions.

KirstenLee Viewer S21
Shadows & DoF

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Coming Server Updates

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Lil Linden posted an update about changes and upgrades coming to the grid. See: Deploys for the Week of 2011-01-10.

It appears the Compression upgrade is moving to the main grid. All regions will get it. This will greatly reduce region crossing time (see previous post for graphs) and cut the number of failed teleports. Along with it comes the Encroachment feature that allows one to return prim that are only partially on your land.

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Second Life Beta Server Update

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Region Crossing Compression

The Region Crossing news is hot. The new code is in use across the Magnum Release Channel. The stats on the improvement are impressive. The new improvement is referred to as Region Crossing Compression or just Compression.

SL Region Crossing Time
Region Crossing Time

There are some nifty graphs showing what is happening. Notice a little after ten compression is activated. The graphs take a significant step down.

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