In recent news, Linden Lab has announced several exciting updates and developments for Second Life. From mobile enhancements to scripting changes, the company is focused on improving the user experience and providing new features for its dedicated community of users.
One of the key updates is the introduction of the Mobile Private Alpha, which is available to Premium Plus members. This exclusive program allows members to test the mobile app and provide valuable feedback to help enhance the overall experience. Notably, the Second Life Mobile Alpha now supports streaming audio, allowing users to enjoy music while socializing in the virtual world. Additionally, new chat UI features have been introduced, making it easier to initiate conversations and see how many people are nearby.
Looking ahead, Linden Lab is working on improvements to teleport and avatar display and addressing challenges related to avatar shapes and skeleton deformers. These enhancements will further enrich the virtual environment and offer users more ways to engage with the platform.
In a significant move, Linden Lab has announced the end-of-life for JIRA, a platform previously used for collaboration and issue tracking. This transition has led to the launch of the new Second Life Feedback Portal, where users can submit bug reports and feature requests. The portal has already garnered significant engagement, with numerous posts, comments, and votes from the community. Additionally, the public Second Life Viewer project on GitHub continues to be a hub for open-source contributions and collaboration.
While JIRA may have reached its end-of-life, the platform’s archive remains accessible. Users can access the archive of the Second Life BUG project on GitHub, which includes most of the previously public JIRA tickets. This move reflects Linden Lab’s commitment to transparency and continued access to historical data.
In scripting news, Linden Lab has made enhancements such as increasing the sensor result limit and introducing new features like llSetLinkSitFlags and llGetLinkSitFlags. These changes aim to provide creators with more tools and flexibility in their scripting endeavors. Users are encouraged to explore the Scripting Features and Scripting Bugs boards on Second Life’s public roadmap at feedback.secondlife.com to stay updated on upcoming changes and provide feedback.
For content creators, Linden Lab is implementing a 15% reduction in mesh download impact, which will decrease the land impact of many mesh assets. Additionally, estate managers will soon be able to schedule automatic daily region restarts, addressing a long-standing request from the community.
On the viewer front, Linden Lab has released updates such as GLTF PBR Maint 2, which includes fixes and refinements to PBR rendering. The Default Viewer has also been promoted to default release, incorporating emoji support for text chat.
Looking ahead, Linden Lab is preparing to introduce featurettes such as mirrors, PBR terrain, and 2k textures, initially available on the Beta Grid (Aditi). These upcoming features are sure to excite users and further enhance the virtual world experience.
To stay informed about all the latest Second Life news, users can tune in to the VWBPE Above the Book interview with Grumpity, Signal, and Kali Linden on Thursday, March 14th at 12 pm PT. Additionally, following the Featured News Blog and connecting with Second Life on social media channels will provide users with ongoing updates and announcements.
Overall, Linden Lab’s recent product developments demonstrate a commitment to innovation and user engagement within the Second Life platform. As the company continues to evolve and introduce new features, users can look forward to an enriched virtual experience with enhanced capabilities and opportunities for creativity.
Source:
News from the Second Life Team – March 2024 Edition
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