Second Life and Virtual Worlds
Another CC UG Meeting. There are some interesting bits of new news. Check the Index to select parts of the video of interest to you or watch the whole thing.
0:00:41 – Meeting starts. Vir tells the SL version of the Bento Avatar is back online. For a time its home at Amazon Cloud was down. That has been fixed. There were still some link issues from the SL Wiki. I don’t know if those have been fixed.
About 5 years ago I was testing the various models available for use in Blender and comparing them to the SL default avatar. Now Gaia of AvaStar has done that for you. Check it out.
I think it is really nice to have this information. But, there isn’t much use for it. Mesh clothes built based on the default avatar are simply never going to fit well. The sliders will always change the classic avatar and mesh clothes at different rates.
The classic avatar use morphing. Mesh clothes use rigging. Those two things respond differently.
However, the AvaStar model will get you as close to a match as is possible.
Yes. You aren’t alone. The Lab is aware people are having attachment issues… instead of psychologists, they are using computer tech’s to find the problem. So, we will likely see a fix soon. No years of counseling…
Seems avatar-attachments are not attaching. In a world where genitals are an attachment, this problem could create huge gender identity issues…
Also, some scripted items are not working.
My first login about 8:40 AM SLT from California failed. I made it in with the Alex Ivy RC and then crashed. Five minutes later I successfully logged in with the same viewer. All my parts rendered. So, no gender ID crises for me.
Some think this is related to Grid maintenance performed yesterday. I don’t know. Possible. Follow Grid Status to see when they have the issue resolved.
PS: And they are having trouble with the web site too…
Cinder Roxley announced the release of a new viewer version a couple of days ago. I just noticed. If I am reading right, this is the only main version update in a year. There have been beta updates. But, this one is an official main release, no beta.
See: Alchemy Release 5.0.6.41161. It comes in 32 & 64-bit versions for Windows, Mac 64-bit, and Linux 64-bit. Download links are on the announcement page. The release notes are here.
I find the viewer slower than the Linden and Firestorm viewers. In a crowd, I run about 15 to 20 FPS. In places where FS and LL run in the 80-90 FPS range Alchemy runs in the 50’s. In isolated places where LL & FS run 100-110 FPS Alchemy runs 130 or so.
Alchemy doesn’t support RLV, yet. Bummer.
I describe Alchemy as a nicer LL Viewer. Nice clean U.I.
Oculus is pushing updates. A beta update is available allowing a user to combine their Oculus and Steam games in one library. That will be handy.
As it is now I have problems getting Stream VR working on my Gear VR. It does not like the Gear VR’s controller. So, I’ll have to get the Beta and see if it relieves the problem. My hope is because Gear VR and the Oculus store are integrated that will carry over to Steam games in the library.
Get More information from Road to VR, Oculus 1.17 Update Will Let You Launch SteamVR Apps From Oculus Home.
The Kokua viewer is mostly maintained and build by Nicky Perian. Nicky at 75 is sort of retiring from viewer development. This will likely leave Kokua Viewer without a driving force.
Nicky has posted this information on the Kokua blog, Path forward.
If you are into building viewers, this is an opportunity to head up the project. It will need a new lead developer.
In the meantime, Nicky plans to add in the Alex Ivy 64-bit upgrade. But, during the remaining time Nicky spends with the project until may be October 2017, he will drop RLV support.
I suspect dropping RLV will cost users that use RLV. But, that can’t be helped.
Nicky has been a great contributor to the SL Viewer community. We will miss his contributions. I wish him all the best.