Author Archives: ZoHa Islands

Moving From JIRA

by

Moving From Jira, Pt. 1

image4.png

This is the first installment of a series of posts on moving Second Life issues from Jira to a new community engagement portal, feedback.secondlife.com as well as Github Issues.

jira.secondlife.com is Second Life’s venerable bug reporting repository, development tracker and feature request system. It is used by thousands of users and the entire SL development team to envision, fix and build the future of Second Life.

Unfortunately, Jira Server, the software and license agreement we use to host Second Life’s jira.secondlife.com site, is being discontinued and its official replacement cannot handle the number of users (over 300,000) that Second Life needs. Long story short: we need to move off of Jira before support ends in early February, 2024.

As part of this migration effort, we’re excited to announce that we are opening up a new community feedback portal for early preview: feedback.secondlife.com. This site will host feature requests, bug reports and ultimately replace the public BUG project on jira.secondlife.com.

Support issues should still be reported to support.secondlife.com. We will keep using Freshdesk for all personal and content-sensitive tickets.

Where are my issues going?!

Your issues will be preserved and will not be deleted. Second Life has a 20 year history, and Jira represents one of its best sources for documentation. Jira will remain in operation until we migrate all issues to a new home on Github. We will share more information about working with the issue archive in a future blog post.

Feedback Portal

Second Life has a long history of collaboration with its residents. Rather than be bummed out by needing to leave Jira, we wanted to take this opportunity to select a community site that offers a better experience to both users and staff.

You can check out the new engagement portal at feedback.secondlife.com. This new site uses canny.io, a platform designed for receiving and responding to community feedback. We believe it will be a demonstrably better experience for residents due to features such as:

A public roadmap

image2.png

We will be providing a public roadmap of user-suggested features which have been accepted and will be implemented. This will provide greater transparency into the future of Second Life and drive accountability for us, so that we deliver what we say we would. 😜

Multiple boards

image4.png

The new feedback portal provides boards for different areas of Second Life: general feature requests and bugs, website bugs and features, scripting, etc. This will allow users to easily read up on bugs and feature requests pertaining to their area of interest, and allows triagers on our side to more easily figure out who should review new information.

Board features

  • Markdown – Text can be formatted using a simplified version of Markdown
  • Issue merging – Staff can merge issues instead of marking them as duplicate
  • Trending Posts – Boards may be sorted by trending posts, which combines freshness and popularity

Better Process

We have come to realize that the effects of some of our Jira workflows were, intentionally or otherwise, rather adversarial to engagement (read: unfriendly.) We are fixing this by acknowledging the following problems and resolving them with different behavior on the new feedback site:

Conversations remain open
One of the most detrimental features of our public Jira workflow was how it locked conversations (comments, etc.) after tickets were marked as accepted. This is not the default behavior in the new portal: comments will be allowed throughout the entire lifecycle of the request!

Know when your idea ships
The “clone issue” process on Jira resulted in a large portion of user-submitted issues never being marked as completed when their respective issues were shipped. This will be much less of an issue on feedback.secondlife.com because issues will be directly tied to their internal development tickets and automatically closed when the change ships.

Voting is Encouraged!
Vote to your heart’s content. We want to hear from you which issues are most important.

Behind the Scenes

Part of the rationale for moving to Canny, the software behind feedback.secondlife.com, as opposed to alternative issue tracking solutions is that it is a very focused product that is tailor made for responding to user feedback and prioritizing ideas. In addition, the platform fit the bill by providing the following necessary requirements:

  • Single sign-on (SSO) – Users can log in using their Second Life account
  • Github Integration – Posts can be linked to Github Issues, the platform we are adopting for software development, and automatically marked as completed when the Github issue is finished.
  • Triage Tools – Canny provides a fast, unified view for triaging issues, prioritizing work, and getting it onto a roadmap.

image1.png

 

Public issues are not the only thing moving off of Jira –internal tickets will be migrating to Github Issues. Canny provides easy ways to create and link issues on Github, providing a better workflow than the previous “Clone” system we used on Jira.

image5.png

 

Open Source Collaboration

On the topic of Github, we will be making it easier for open source contributors to engage with Second Life project maintainers and our OSS projects through Github and Github Issues. Canny provides convenient integration with Github Issues, and we will be exploring ways of opening up Second Life development to open source contributors by more directly working in the open.

😖 Differences from Jira

Not everything is perfect. Both staff and residents have developed a lot of well established mental wiring, process and infrastructure around Jira. Canny is also not a Jira replacement: it’s a community engagement tool which may require changes to behavior:

  • Limited attachment support – Canny only supports image attachments. All other media types will need to be linked to.
  • No private posts – If your report contains sensitive information then please redact/censor private information. If this is not possible, because it is material to the issue being filed, then please file a support ticket if it is personal in nature or security report if it represents a vulnerability.

Timeline and migration details

Jira access will end in early February. In the time leading up to that date we will be performing backups, migrating existing issues to their new home on Github, and allowing residents to use and provide feedback on the new engagement portal.

image3.png

Details about the issue migration process, such as how to find Jira issues post jira.secondlife.com shutdown will be talked about in a future post. Until then, we are excited to see new feature requests and reports over at feedback.secondlife.com.

Conclusion

Making a significant change like this is no small task. Staff and residents alike have grown deeply familiar with jira.secondlife.com through countless hours spent using the site. We hope you will have patience as we migrate data, build documentation, develop new muscle memory and smooth out wrinkles in tools and processes. These updates, along with changes like moving our engineering organization to Github and Github Actions, are part of a larger initiative to modernize Second Life development. The future is exciting, and we hope you can bear with us as we drive down the path to get there.

Have A Great Rest Of Your Week And Weekend From All Of Us At Zoha Islands/Fruit Islands

Happy New Year

by

Join the Excitement of Fun and Educational Community Events in Second Life!

 

American Cancer Society.jpg

Happy New Year, Second Life Residents! If you’re eager to kick off 2024 with a burst of excitement, here are some fun and educational community-driven activities and events lined up throughout the year. Enroll in building classes, attend lively festivals, and immerse yourself in educational conferences throughout the coming year. 

Relay For Life – Unveiling the Power of Unity

desination-preview-image-american-cancer-society

American Cancer Society

The official home of the American Cancer Society in Second Life. Since 2005, cancer patients, caregivers, and volunteers have been able to receive services and support from the ACS in SL without having to leave the virtual world. Visit the island to learn more or to make a donation to fund the world’s largest and most successful cancer research program. More info at relayforlife.com/secondlife

Go on a journey of compassion and support as Relay For Life of Second Life events kick off this year. Mark your calendars as registrations open this month. SL Living Expo, Fantasy Faire, and other event dates have already been announced. Don’t miss out on any details – follow the American Cancer Society Google calendar for all the info! 

Burn2 – Festival of Community, Art, and Fire

desination-preview-image-burn2

Burn2

Experience BURN2, the festival of community, art, and fire that brings the culture and cool of Burning Man to the metaverse. Learn more at www.burn2.org

Experience the virtual rendition of Burning Man in Second Life with Burn2! With captivating events every quarter, their first event, Winter Burn, starts on January 26th. Explore the details on their website and get more info about their weekly meetings and events in their Google calendar. It’s a virtual festival you won’t want to miss!

VWBPE – Unleashing Educational Innovations

VWBPE-Official-Logo.png
The Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education (VWBPE) is a community-based open conference that provides opportunities for participants in all virtual worlds to share current teaching, learning, and research practices in 3D virtual environments. This year’s theme is “Mythic Origins” and it runs from March 14-16, 2024. Join the event for three days of lectures, workshops, discussions, games, and fun! It’s a must-attend event for anyone passionate about the intersection of virtual environments and education. Learn more on their website at vwbpe.org.

VWEC – Igniting Educational Conversations

Continue to elevate your educational journey with the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium (VWEC) Eduverse! If you’re passionate about fostering collaboration among educators and navigating the virtual landscape, this is the destination for you. You can learn more about VWEC from the Spotlight interview of three of their coordinators. Additionally, you can check their website and their Google Calendar to attend their daily events and fireside chats.

Virtual Ability – Empowering Lives in Virtual Worlds

Virtual Ability, a non-profit corporation founded in 2007, is dedicated to enabling individuals with a wide range of disabilities to flourish in online virtual worlds. They have two major events throughout the year, keep an eye on their website for more information coming soon: 

  1. Mental Health Symposium (May): In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Virtual Ability hosts the annual Mental Health Symposium. This event serves as a platform to share crucial information about mental health and disabilities with the broader population. The cross-disability community within Virtual Ability includes members dealing with various mental health issues. The symposium not only offers a chance for community members to learn from experts they might not encounter otherwise but also opens the doors for the general public to attend a professional conference at no cost.
  2. International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference (October/November): Taking place around October/November each year, this conference is a testament to Virtual Ability’s commitment to advocating for disability rights globally. Join this empowering event that brings together voices from the disability community to discuss, affirm, and advance the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Builder’s Brewery – Crafting Dreams Since 2008

For all aspiring builders out there, Builder’s Brewery is your go-to destination. Established in 2008, it stands as one of Second Life’s oldest hubs for learning. Dive into free training classes covering everything from building to scripting, textures, mesh, animations, and more. Check their schedule of classes on their Google Calendar.

 

Find even more educational destinations and exciting events in the Education, Help & How To, and Featured Events categories on the Destination Guide throughout the year!

But wait, there’s more! Along with these community-driven activities, we here at Linden Lab also have a lot in store for 2024 – including the Valentine Shop & Hop which is about to open on February 1st, and of course our 21st birthday celebrations in June! 

Get ready for a year filled with excitement, creativity, and unforgettable experiences in Second Life. Don’t miss out on the action – stay connected: follow our Featured News blog, sign up for our weekly email newsletter, and connect with us on social media.

Let the adventure begin, happy 2024!

Happy New Year From All Of The Staff At Zoha Islands/Fruit Islands Stay Tuned For Estate Updates and Upgrades.

2023 – Second Life Year In Review

by

2023 – Second Life Year In Review… And What to Expect in 2024

 

image9.png

As the end of 2023 approaches, Second Life is entering an exciting and pivotal moment in its development and evolution. The past year has seen the release of several new features and breakthroughs highlighted by the Private Alpha release of our Mobile Viewer.

Imagine experiencing Second Life anywhere, anytime through your mobile device. For the first time, you’ll be able to stay connected to your friends and communities – no matter where you are.

We believe that Second Life Mobile has the potential to transform the way people experience and engage with our virtual world forever. We are grateful for our early Alpha testers’ feedback and impressions – they are helping us move forward already …and we can’t wait for the entire Second Life community to check it out in the coming year as it enters into wider release.

2024 Roadmap

So, what else can you expect in the coming year?

More About Mobile

image11.pngimage6.png

In 2024, everyone will be able to experience the magic of Second Life in the palm of their hands. While the early Private Alpha release includes some popular and much-requested features, we expect that mobile will quickly evolve to more closely align with the desktop functionality as the year progresses. Eventually, you’ll see innovative mobile-specific features that take full advantage of the flexibility and, well, mobility of being freely untethered from your desktop.

AI & Other Innovations

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (virtual or otherwise), you’ve probably heard a thing or two about the rise of AI over the past year. For Second Life to remain relevant as a progressive platform that serves, empowers, and entertains our communities and creators, we know that we must find the right balance in embracing some aspects of AI while also preserving and protecting what we all know and love about Second Life.

In the coming year, we plan to carefully explore some cutting-edge use of AI in Second Life including experimental use of smart AI-driven chatbots to help greet, educate, and mentor newcomers. We know that there are additional opportunities to integrate AI across all aspects of Second Life, but we also know that AI can be a polarizing topic and there are many sensitivities on how (and if) we should explore AI integration at all. We’ve already established internal policies governing the selection and use of AI tools with user privacy as the foremost consideration. Our goal is to find the right balance to bring some AI advancements and innovations into the virtual world – but only in a way that respects the rights of content creators, while also advancing the overall Second Life creator ecosystem and quality of the overall community experience.

After the much anticipated release of PBR Materials, we are looking forward to Third-Party Viewers integrating the functionality so that everyone in Second Life can enjoy the new shiny. The early experiments from our community have been so fun! In the meantime, the graphics team is working on the next set of updates including PBR materials support for terrain, true mirrors (planar reflections), and the long term goal of supporting GLTF Mesh Import & Hierarchy.

That’s not the only excitement awaiting creators in the coming year – we are also focusing on improvements and extensions to our scripting capabilities, taking a look at tools for creating complex and compelling combat systems, poking at the animation import pipeline … because we know that every time we make things better for our creator communities, they make things better for everyone!

Something Spicy

Second Life turns 21 in 2024…and, to celebrate, we are turning attention to the spicier side of Second Life with some bold and innovative new adult-friendly initiatives. Something wickedly wonderful is coming soon…

image10.png

We’ll be taking the sheets off this mystery initiative and sharing more bedroom secrets soon…so stay tuned!

Improving the New User Experience

image4.jpg

Improving the first-time experience for newcomers continues to be a top priority – and in 2024 you’ll see us continuing to tweak and innovate on this early introduction to Second Life. For example, we recently began testing an all-new Community Hub complete with human greeters and mentors that are eager and available to help educate and enlighten newcomers on all aspects of Second Life. We’ll continue to iterate and improve the Hub, too. We’re at work on a Community Exhibition expansion to the Hub that will more easily and quickly connect our newest Residents to the many communities and experiences across Second Life.

New Residents are also benefiting from the recent debut of Senra starter avatars, making easier work of avatar customization at the very beginning of their Second Life journey. We’ve got updates to the customization experience and fun new wardrobe choices coming – and we’re looking forward to the community-created Senra content too!

2023 Highlights

There’s a lot of promise and potential for the coming year, but we also want to reflect on some of the key accomplishments and improvements from 2023.

Improved Performance & Viewer Enhancements

In addition to the introduction of PBR Materials mentioned earlier, there were improvements to Group Chat History and the debut of Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View which helps Residents more easily manage and find items in their inventory.  In the background, we’ve been doing work to improve performance during teleport.

Additionally, we unveiled more improvements to help community members seek and find items and places in Second Life. For example, Updates to Marketplace Search and improvements to the Destination Guide also help our community find the items and places that matter most to them.

We also took steps to make Second Life more secure with various security improvements including enforcement of Viewer Login MFA.

Improving the Land & Home Experience

image2.jpg

Buying and managing land got a lot easier over the past year, as we debuted the all-new Linden Home Store to make selecting your new home simpler. Several new Linden Homes themes also debuted in 2023, including Ranch, and Fantasy Treehouses. We also ended the year with drop of the new Mediterranean Premium Plus homes! With all these Linden Homes choices, it is now easier than ever for people to explore all the new and classic themes inworld via an all-new centralized Linden Homes demo region in the BelliHub!

We’ve also made additional improvements to Estate Options and added Scripted Agent Estate Access to improve the land owning experience in Second Life.

Simplified Avatar Customization

image1.png

It’s no secret that newer Second Life Residents often struggle to customize their avatars. While seasoned Second Life community members appreciate the complex and diverse range of avatar customization options, we recognize how important it is to simplify things for those who are just learning the basics. Enter the all-new Senra Avatars, which entered beta in August with a subsequent formal 1.0 release unveiled earlier this month. The Senra team is already hard at work on the next phase of the Senra project, which features an expanded content library with additional customizations and options.

Community Highlights – Celebrating 20 Years

image8.jpg

Second Life’s 20th birthday celebrations set several new records for all-time community engagement in 2023. Our SL20B event was visited 647,952 times and included three weeks of parties, live music, deejay performances, special events, exhibits, gifts, and shopping!

Our big milestone didn’t go unnoticed by the mainstream media, either. Major media and tech outlets noted and praised our longevity and loyal communities throughout the year including some great media coverage in The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Bloomberg.

Eagle-eyed viewers of the popular Apple+ program “The Morning Show” may also have noticed a certain Linden executive cameo during a pivotal scene that prominently featured Second Life in the season finale.

image3.png

Second Life also scored some prominent coverage in the acclaimed music trade publication Billboard, which had the exclusive reveal for our partnership with legendary music label Motown.

image5.jpg

The official Motown presence in Second Life accompanied the debut of the first experimental version of our New User Community Hub, which aims to more quickly and easily help newcomers connect with the relevant people, places, and communities that matter to them. The new Hub also hosts the return of many passionate Second Life Mentors who seek to lend a helping hand.

What Was Hot in 2023?

Finally, we thought it would be fun to assemble a few year-end charts to show what was hot in 2023. Let’s take a look at what the community was up to last year…

Top Linden Home Themes

  1. Houseboat
  2. Log Home
  3. Traditional
  4. Victorian
  5. Stilt over Land

Top Last Names released in 2023

  1. Blossom
  2. Nightingale
  3. Spicy
  4. Waifu
  5. Shadow

Most Visited Regions

  1. LeLutka
  2. Firestorm Orientation
  3. Rapture
  4. VELOUR
  5. Adventure Island

Top Destination Guide Categories

  1. Photogenic Spots
  2. Fashion
  3. Role-playing Communities
  4. Shopping Events
  5. Winter Attractions

Most Watched YouTube Videos

  1. Second Life Mobile – First Look
  2. Second Life Mobile – June 2023 – SL20B Update
  3. Second Life University – How to Create PBR Materials
  4. Second Life University – How to Create Your Starter Avatar
  5. Made in Second Life: The Movie

Most Popular Facebook Posts

  1. Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View
  2. Second Life Pic of the Day by Mac McGregor
  3. The SL20B Official Guide & Magazine
  4. Introducing the new Linden Home Store
  5. Friday the 13th Haunted Destinations

Happy Holidays from Second Life

On behalf of the entire Second Life team, we would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy new year! We are thankful to be part of your virtual family and send you blessings from both the virtual (and physical) worlds!

The Second Life team

image7.png

Second Life Mobile – Now in Private Alpha!

by
 

The Second Life app brings the richness of the Second Life virtual world to your Android or iOS mobile device…and Second Life Premium Plus members are among the first to get access.

With the new Second Life Mobile, you can experience a new level of convenience and engagement in your Second Life adventures, whether you’re at home or on the go. In this initial Private Alpha release, you can:

* See your avatar & edit appearance by changing outfits 
* Explore the world via the Destination Guide, mobile showcase, own favorites (teleport, deep links, TP offers)
* Interact with the world through a limited set of movements (walk, run, fly, sit, stand) and object interactions (touch, sit) – or park your avatar and explore via flycam.
* Socialize and stay connected (nearby chat, group chat, IM, group notices, find contacts, inspect profiles)
* Create and log in with a new account

…and there’s more to come in future releases!

Qualifying Premium Plus members can apply now for the Private Alpha. If you are Premium Plus, you can learn more at: Premium Plus – Second Life Mobile Private Alpha Sign-Up

Please note that while all Premium Plus subscribers are eligible to participate in the Private Alpha, we’ll be adding users in small groups over time. There is a server registration limit and we’ll be adding participants on a first come first served basis.Your patience is appreciated! We know you’re excited (and so are we!) but we’ll need time to process applications, add test accounts via TestFlight and Google Play and then, most importantly, process your feedback.

And please remember, this is still early Alpha! That means it’s buggy, and it’s missing functionality. It also means we’re looking for your help in making it better. 

Once we are through the alpha and beta testing phases, Second Life Mobile will be accessible to all users.

Not Premium Plus? Upgrade today at https://secondlife.com/premium 

Have A Great Weekend From All Of Us At Zoha Islands/Fruit Islands

Joy to the Grid! Join us for these 2023 Holiday Events and Activities!

by

Happy December! We have lots in store for you this holiday season!

Winter Wonderland

WinterWonderland-2048.jpg

Winter Wonderland opens on December 4th with a new look! Here’s what you can expect: 
– Completely new Region Design
– Full PBR Region & Objects
– New and improved Snowball Fight
– New Mini Game: Sled Rides
– Reworked Ice Skates & Location
– Snowflake Hunt with Boopies as prizes

Linden & Resident Snowball Fight

SnowballFight-2048.jpg

‘Tis the season for some snow-slinging shenanigans at the NEW Winter Wonderland Snowball Fight Arena!

Get your warm clothes and throwing arms ready – it’s time for a Lindens and Residents snowball fight! This snowball showdown means you’re free to pelt your fellow Second Life Residents and Lindens with a bevy of sparkling snowballs – launched fresh from the snow-arsenal available at the arena.

The battles take place on Friday, December 15th from 8am to 9am PT and then again from 12pm to 1pm PT. Spots are limited, so be sure to get there early to grab your free snow-launching weaponry from the vendors around the arena. 

Mark your calendars, assemble your dream squad, and be there!

2023 Holiday Shop & Hop

2023 Holiday Shop & Hop - JPG.jpg

The 2023 Holiday Shop & Hop returns with 320 participating Merchants across 16 shopping regions, bringing you loads of festive fun! Every store will have at least a 20% discount on all items and a free (non-group) gift for shoppers or a gift certificate valued at L$300 or above! Check the Shop & Hop blog post for a full list of all 320 merchants with slurls!

Winter Last Names 2023

Winter-Last-Names-JPG.jpg

To celebrate the winter holiday season, we have released some festive new last names!

The following winter-themed names are only available for a limited time:  
Snowfox
Icicle
Evergreen
Candycane
Frostypaws
Yulepurr
Jollyfluff
Tidings
Tinsel
Feliz

These names for winter are seasonal and may come back around this time next year, for a limited time.

We will continue to make additional updates to the available last name pool, so if these options aren’t for you, stay tuned for future updates. You can also suggest your favorite name on our suggestion form, the new names were chosen from there! 

For more information about the costs and how-tos involved in name changes, read the Changing your username FAQ. Click to change your name now!

New Winter Premium Gift

Premium members – we have a special surprise for you – a limited and exclusive Premium and Premium Plus gift that’s sure to delight and add a little extra holiday charm to your inworld adventures. Drop by one of the Premium Gift kiosks and pick up your exclusive holiday gift starting December 4th!

Winter in Motown

Motown-Winter.jpg

Starting December 4th the Motown region will transform into a snowy paradise, offering a festive twist to your favorite classic and contemporary Motown hits. Dance and socialize with new friends amid the enchanting snow-covered setting, while enjoying a multi-station radio streaming both classic and modern Motown tunes. 

The 13th Annual SL Christmas Expo to Benefit the American Cancer Society

This year’s SL Christmas Expo brings more than 125 merchants, Breedables, Auctions and Raffles, Special Events, and more than 150 hours of entertainment at 2 venues – all for the mission of the American Cancer Society to End Pediatric Cancers. The event covers 11 regions and will run from December 1st through the 10th.

Read more about the Linden Lab activities at the expo: 

boopie_penguin_1024.jpg

Head over to discover the magic of the holiday season and the joy of giving!

Winter Attractions on the Destination Guide

Slightly Twisted Winter.jpg

If you’re looking for even more winter activities, there are already almost 100 snow-covered locations in the Winter Attractions category on the Destination Guide. We’re adding new regions daily, so if you have a spot you’d like to invite other Residents to explore, make sure to check out the submission guidelines and submit yours today!

Wishing a safe and happy holiday season to everyone in our virtual community!

 

Second Life PBR Materials Official Launch

by

Today is the official release of the literal new shiny in Second Life, PBR Materials! With our weekly grid update, all of Second Life will now be capable of using PBR Materials in the Second Life viewer.

The goals behind the PBR Materials project are increased visual realism, keeping with industry standards, and bringing GLTF content into Second Life with expected results. One method of enhancing realism is to create scenes with real reflections which mimic how our eyes have learned to identify that a surface is metal, plastic, or some other material. Whether you create objects in Second Life or simply enjoy seeing and wearing them, PBR Materials will provide a big step up in the appearance of the Second Life world.

In the remainder of this post, we have included some more technical points for creators. We can’t wait to see what you all create!

PBR Material Features

  • Move from sRGB color space to Linear for all lighting and blending
  • HDR Environments
    • Auto exposure and tonemapping – If you look at a dark space it will brighten, and a bright space will darken.
    • The default environment of Second Life has always been a sunny day with blue skies and this will be more apparent now.
    • A new default Midday setting
  • Continued support for existing materials (Diffuse, Normal, and Specular) 
    • Yes, you may use old materials and PBR materials on the same object
  • Reflection probes – Automatic and Manual (content creators see additional links below for more information)
  • LSL may only use llSetPrimitiveParams and llSetRenderMaterial to change PBR material values
  • Materials system folder (empty by default so try creating a new PBR material to fill it.)

PBR viewer at Midday 
PBR sample content 3.png
Scene created by Zanibar Darkstone (located on Rumpus Room 3)

Prior release viewers at Midday 
Release sample content 2.png
Scene created by Zanibar Darkstone (located on Rumpus Room 3)

The New Normal

  • Transparency is done in linear space, so some objects will be slightly more transparent and others will be slightly more opaque
  • Fullbright will now be affected by atmospheric lighting
  • Auto exposure and tonemapping will be based on the contrast of the scene in front of your camera
  • Content creators and builders – Interior spaces that utilize manual reflection probes will require light sources
  • Transparent water is actually transparent water rather than blue texture
  • Reflections of projections have imperfections
  • On Windows, graphics quality set to ‘High’ or greater now receives shadows from Sun and Moon. It required higher settings previously.
  • Mac HiDPI now defaults to off

Additional Resources

Future Features

  • Now that Second Life needs lights to illuminate rooms and interior spaces that use manual reflection probes, we’re going to reduce the download cost of objects by 15%, across the board, without any additional charges, which will create more available Land Impact for everyone.
  • Point lights will soon be affected by dense fog and haze
  • Mirrors!
  • PBR Materials on Terrain!

PBR.jpg
Scene created by Sere Vene (serevenaen) (located on Rumpus Room 3)

Have A Great Week From All Of Us At Zoha Islands/ Fruit Islands