If you didn’t read through my index of or listen to the Metareality podcast What is the Problem?!?, you missed Karl Stiefvater’s comments on the mesh deformer. Karl was addressing a point that has come up in JIRA 1716.
Its in the math… by: AJC1 @ Flickr
In some version of the Mesh Deformer Project Viewer there was a significant delay between the time a mesh garment was worn (rezzed) and the Deformer started deforming it. In some cases on some computers that was 2 to 4 minutes.
There is a new video on YouTube showing the Mesh Deformer in action. 6 minutes. Notice that Enhanced Avatar Physics are enabled. That apparently surprised some of the people commenting in an SL forum thread.
Check out the Forum thread: MESH DEFORMER PROJECT NEEDS YOUR VOICE. WhiteRabbit0 posted.
While I understand the frustration, there is so much wrong with that post I’m not sure where to start.
I checked with Oz Linden about the Mesh Deformer Test Garments in Hippo Hollow. I wanted him to remove the old garments that do not work with the current deformer. He prefers not to, being concerned it might signal some action on the Deformer. I disagree and think non-working garments are creating more confusion, just read the 1716 JIRA thread. But, it is his choice.
I think this signals a full stop in the Deformer. Oz is taking every opportunity to request more staff and get the project moving. But, it seems the project the Lab saw as low priority remains low priority.
If you want to test the Deformer, there is a dynamic link to the latest version of the Project Viewer, which was updated this week. Code from the other viewer development branches were merged into the Deformer branch. So, the Deformer Project Viewer is very much up to date. As far as I know there were no changes to the actual Deformer part of the viewer.
You will need to upload your own rigged mesh clothes and enable the Deformer aspect of them.
Don’t get excited. There is no ETA on the Deformer nor is the project moving. However there is a new Project Viewer out (273384). You can find the link to it on the left column. (SL Mesh Deformer) Oz merged in the CHUI code.
About the only thing that has changed is the drama in the JIRA thread STORM-1716. We get more and more uninformed people commenting. Anyone reading the last couple of screens will be completely confused now. I tried to correct some of that mess.
Some think the Deformer doesn’t or mesh clothes won’t work with Avatar Physics. That is just plain old uninformed. It works just fine. Yay, Karl!
Some think they have ‘tried’ it and seen it NOT work. I’ll have to ask if the old deformer clothes have been removed from Hippotropolis… or wherever it is they are. Because those old clothes do NOT work with the current Mesh Deformer. Only the clothes uploaded with the latest version of the Deformer work. Then only when the clothes are uploaded with the Deformer flag set to enabled, which is not the case for most mesh clothes. That shows even more how little some of the comment contributors know.
Last week on the Metareality podcast there was some discussion about the Mesh Deformer. I was annoyed because of the lack of information Lexi Zelin of AngelRED Couture had. Since she is building Deformable Mesh Clothes, meaning clothes made for Karl’s Mesh Deformer, I am a bit pessimistic about ever getting Second Life™ users to understand what is happening. It seems if you are not reading Inara or my blog, you are basically clueless.
Open Source Meeting 2013-9
Lexi is talking about using the Deformer for months and not having a problem. OK… she is a designer, an artist… So, I can forgive her not thinking about what happens when we start something like a million people using Deformable Mesh verses her and her team and customers using it. I really don’t expect there to be problems. But, that is a BIG consideration for the Lab.
I know it is hard to think beyond ourselves when we are frustrated, but I think we could enjoy life more if we did. Continue reading
There is really no new news on this project. There is an updated Deformer Project Viewer. But the update is just blending all the other viewer changes into the Deformer Project. The Deformer has not changed, as best I can tell.
In the Metareality podcast this week Karl talked about lag from the Deformer and mesh clothes. Yes, there is lag caused by both. How much depends on how the mesh is made. Just as with other mesh objects we are finding out they can reduce lag compared to prims or increase it.
Mesh clothes are always going to increase an avatars polygon count. So, they will always add some lag. How much is dependent on how well the mesh is designed. Since there is little cost difference between poorly made and well made mesh clothes there is little incentive to make well made clothes, at least from a cost perspective.
There isn’t much happening on this project. But, there is lots of talk. Oz Linden is talking with management about assigning staff to the project. That discussion should be happening this Friday. Next week we will learn whether he got the help he wants.
Jeans without Alpha Layer
In the mean time new people have been posting in the JIRA item STORM-1716 – Mesh Deformer for tailoring mesh clothing. This has become a rather large JIRA entry. So, users are getting hit with the problem the Lindens had, the thread is just too long to read. The result is important information is over looked by the people just joining the discussion. They are clueless and that annoys those that have followed the project for the last year. That results in lots of bickering and short tempers.
The thread is a good example of why the Lindens made the JIRA Change and closed down the BUG Reports and JIRA in general. Just try to get the latest information out of the 1716 thread. It is a pain and it doesn’t work. I read the thing because I want to distill the information out, know what is happening, and hopefully keep my readers informed. Continue reading
It is the Christmas Season and in the merriment some news is leaking out about things to come.
I think most of you have heard a public countdown clock is running on Third Party Viewers (TPV) being able to deliver this service. Those that don’t change over will render avatars as grey or clouds.
Yuzuru Driving to User Group Meeting
What is less known is the new service only uses the HTTP protocol to deliver baked textures. In most ways this is a good thing. However, a number of people in Japan are seeing problems with HTTP texture being slow. Most of the rest of the world outside of Asia is NOT seeing that problem. They see a speed up. So, if you are in Japan and you are seeing a slower HTTP delivery of textures, get in touch with Monty Linden. But, be sure you know it is not your computer and be sure you can add information to the discussion before contacting Monty. Continue reading