Boston made a video to explore how Second Life is undergoing a transformation with the introduction of Physically Based Rendering (PBR) materials. PBR brings a new level of depth, realism, shininess, and reflections to the Second Life virtual world. Whether you are a creator or a resident, this video will guide you through the process of creating and applying PBR materials, using tools such as Blender, Adobe Substance Painter, and the Second Life Viewer.
Exploring PBR Materials on the Second Life Beta Grid
To begin our journey into PBR materials, let’s log into the Second Life Beta grid. This is where testing for PBR materials is currently underway. Here, we have created a dedicated space to build furniture and experiment with different materials.
Creating Furniture Models in Blender
Blender, a popular 3D modeling tool, is widely used by creators in Second Life due to its comprehensive features and open-source nature. Using Blender, we can design and texture 3D models, such as furniture pieces, to bring them to life. We focus on adding textures to the coffee table model, specifically the main structure and the glass piece in the middle.
Enhancing Textures with Adobe Substance Painter
For more specialized texturing, we turn to Adobe Substance Painter, often referred to as the Photoshop of the 3D world. While a paid subscription is required, Substance Painter offers powerful texture-creation capabilities. We export the model from Blender as a COLLADA file and import it into Substance Painter. Here, we apply textures by utilizing the smart textures included with the subscription. These textures can be easily modified and layered to achieve the desired visual effects.
Importing Models and Textures into Second Life
With our textured model ready, we move on to importing it into Second Life. Using the Second Life viewer, we upload the furniture model, choosing the desired level of detail to optimize resource consumption. After the upload, the model appears in our inventory. To complete the process, we upload the PBR material textures created in Substance Painter. These textures, in GLB and GLTF formats, are associated with the material objects in Second Life, allowing for easy application through drag and drop or selection from the inventory.
Applying PBR Materials to the Model
With the model and textures in place, we can now apply the PBR materials. By modifying the properties of the PBR material, such as metallic and roughness factors, we can control the shininess and reflectivity of the texture. Additionally, we address any transparency issues and customize specific parts of the model, such as glass, by adjusting the alpha mode. This ensures that the materials accurately represent their real-life counterparts.
Personalizing Your Second Life Experience
For those who prefer not to create their own 3D models, Second Life offers a vast marketplace where you can purchase furniture and other items for customization. To make sure you can personalize these items, ensure that they have modifiable permissions, as stated in the item’s description. The marketplace also provides a filter to display only modifiable components, streamlining your search for customizable options.
Optimizing Reflections with Reflection Probes
To enhance the realism of reflections in Second Life, a new feature called Reflection Probes has been introduced. While these probes are automatically placed in-world, manual placement allows for better control, particularly in scenes such as homes. By creating a reflection probe using a basic prim, we can adjust its size to encapsulate the room’s interior, ensuring accurate reflections. It is advisable to use the fewest number of probes while covering larger spaces, and setting them as modifiable enables.
Now that we have explored the process of creating and applying PBR materials in Second Life, let’s delve into the benefits and possibilities that PBR brings to the virtual world. PBR, which stands for Physically Based Rendering, revolutionizes the look and feel of objects and environments by introducing enhanced depth, realism, shininess, and reflections.
PBR materials add a new level of visual richness to Second Life, making it even more immersive and captivating for both Creators and Residents. Whether you are an aspiring Creator looking to bring your own unique creations to life or simply an enthusiastic Resident who enjoys exploring and appreciating the creations of others, PBR materials open up a world of possibilities.
To fully experience the transformative power of PBR materials in Second Life, you can log into the Second Life Beta grid, where testing for PBR materials is currently underway. The Beta grid allows you to explore and experiment with the latest features and advancements before they are rolled out to the main grid. For more information on how to access the Beta grid, you can visit the “Accessing Aditi” support page.
In addition to the visual enhancements, PBR materials in Second Life also offer improved performance and efficiency. PBR shaders are optimized to utilize modern graphics processing capabilities, resulting in smoother rendering and reduced strain on system resources. This allows for more complex and detailed scenes without sacrificing performance.
Furthermore, PBR materials are compatible with advanced lighting systems in Second Life, such as Light Projectors and Light Domains. These lighting tools can enhance the overall ambiance and realism of your virtual space by casting dynamic shadows and illuminating objects with accurate light sources.
As the adoption of PBR materials continues to grow in Second Life, the possibilities for creativity and expression are expanding. Whether you’re designing a realistic urban cityscape, crafting fantastical creatures, or creating a serene natural environment, PBR materials empower you to bring your imagination to life with unparalleled realism and beauty.
For those interested in learning more about PBR materials and their application in Second Life, there are various resources available. The Second Life Knowledge Base provides detailed documentation and tutorials on creating and applying PBR materials. Additionally, the Second Life community is rich with experienced Creators who are often willing to share their knowledge and offer guidance to newcomers.
In conclusion, the introduction of PBR materials in Second Life marks a significant milestone in the virtual world’s evolution. The enhanced visual quality, realism, and performance provided by PBR materials elevate the virtual experience, making it more immersive and captivating for both Creators and Residents.
Remember to keep an eye out for updates and new features in Second Life, as the platform is constantly evolving to offer even more possibilities for creativity and immersion. Enjoy your journey in the virtual realm!
A common and widespread problem in Second Life is spam. There are various types of spam, but the most common is realized by creators who send information to their customers regarding their new products. However, some shops are more aggressive, and in some cases, merely visiting their store is enough to be added to a mailing list that sends periodic information about new releases. These two behaviors are often seen as annoying by customers. Being added to a mailing list without having requested it beforehand is particularly bothersome. Another aspect that makes this behavior unpleasant is the difficulty in unsubscribing easily.
However, it is not only shops that behave in this manner. In some cases, even simple event organizers such as DJs, club owners, art gallery owners, and the like send their invites to not only their friends’ list but also to people who have simply visited their venue. It is quite common for the systems used to send this spam to make it difficult to unsubscribe from the mailing list.
For this reason, I use a system called Allomancy, which allows users to unsubscribe directly from the local chat when I send a newsletter to those who have subscribed. The newsletter sends a message locally with a link that the recipient can click to unsubscribe. They do not need to go to my store to click on an unsubscribe button; it is sufficient to click directly in the local chat.
It would be desirable if all mailing list distribution systems had this unsubscribe system. So what should you do if you are inundated with spam and have to waste precious minutes closing all these messages and possibly even deleting another resident’s object? There are two main solutions: the first is to mute the person who is spamming, and the second is to blacklist the object that is sending the spam.
Each time a message is sent to us in Second Life, we are provided with two types of information: the sender and the name of the object that sent the message as well as its location. If we have authorized Linden Lab to communicate with us by email regarding activity in Second Life, the same information is sent to us by email. The solution I recommend is to go to the location where the object is and proceed to blacklist it.
Why do I recommend this solution? Simply because we will not have aggressively blocked the sender, but rather the object that sends the spam. However, in some cases, the person sending us spam is present on our friends list. For example, I sometimes receive an event invitation through a mailing list service, and even manually from the same friend on my contact list. In this case, I believe there is little to do but mute the person, of course, after removing them from our friends list. Alternatively, if we believe removing them from our friends list is sufficient, this could be a solution.
Another solution that is possible is simply to hide our online status, but this will not prevent our friends from sending us communications.
In conclusion, I believe that the problem of spam is indeed particularly bothersome for Second Life users, and the solutions to consider are mainly blocking the object that sends the spam by adding it to our Black List. At the end of this article, I will include all the useful references to proceed in this direction. Additionally, I will attach further information that may be useful regarding object rendering and changing an account if necessary.
The Second Life Marketplace has undergone some changes compared to the past. Something has happened because while in the past it was easy to find items based on keyword searches, now everything has become much more complicated and the search results don’t seem to be relevant to the search terms used.
Both designers and customers are dissatisfied because designers are no longer able to sell as before and customers are unable to find the items they are looking for. This problem had already arisen a few months ago when some modifications were made to the Marketplace in the “beta version”. At that time, creators had noticed that something was wrong and sales had decreased. I have received several comments from dissatisfied creators who have asked me what happened to the Marketplace. Honestly, I couldn’t give an answer. The only idea that came to mind is that somehow the algorithm has been changed and that this change did not bring any improvements, but rather highlighted older items instead of more recent ones.
As I also have a store on the Marketplace, I tried to implement SEO on the items I sell. Somehow this seems to have helped, but I don’t have a benchmark as my Marketplace is recent and I have no idea how my store sales would have been before the algorithm change.
Currently, creators are wondering what to do to return to previous sales. I don’t have a solution to propose except to ask Linden Lab directly what happened. What is certain is that creators are no longer investing in the Marketplace’s advertising as before because they have noticed that the views are significantly reduced compared to the past. Therefore, sales have decreased and creators are complaining about this, as well as customers who are unable to find what they are looking for.
This is a problem of considerable importance and I believe it should be solved rather quickly considering the importance that commercial activity has in Second Life.
If you have this issue, one possible solution to the problem you’re facing with the Second Life Marketplace’s algorithm is to refine your search terms and use more specific keywords. Try using more detailed descriptions of what you’re looking for to narrow down the search results. Additionally, you may want to try using filters such as “category” or “best-selling products” to help you find more recent and relevant items. Finally, consider reaching out to the Second Life community or support team for further assistance in navigating the Marketplace’s search function.
An event is scheduled to take place in Second Life from the 13th of April 2023 to the 23rd of April 2023 in aid of AHBAP and those affected by the recent earthquake.
Attention all artists, whether you’re in meta-verse or outside of it:
We need your help!
A devastating disaster has struck Turkey on February 6th – 04:17 am, and the victims urgently need our support. Lives have been lost, families have been torn apart, and many are left without food, shelter, or basic necessities.
As artists, you have the power to make a difference.Let’s come together to use our creative abilities to help those in need. We’re calling on you to donate your artworks to a fund-raising event organized by SL content creators, with all proceeds going towards the Ahbap Foundation, which is providing aid to the disaster-stricken communities.
This is a chance to showcase your talent while making a tangible difference in the world. Your artwork can help to raise funds that will make a significant impact on the lives of those affected by the disaster.
We cannot do this without you. Time is of the essence, and every moment counts. Let us unite as artists to bring hope and support to those who need it the most.
Please, join us in this urgent and emotional call to action. Let’s show the world what we can accomplish when we come together for a greater cause.
Thank you for your compassionate heart and generosity.
OFFICIAL INFORMATION:
♥ HELP TURKEY ♥
Help Turkey Team: Wanted Ohmai [ Founder & Head Moderator ] Sammy Slex [ Land Sponsor ]
Dear Second Life Content Creators and Residents;
Life for millions across Turkey changed forever on January 6th, 2023 Monday at 04:19 am. and 1:24 pm, as two consecutive earthquakes sent shock waves across hundreds of miles. Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 occurred in Kahramanmaraş.
At the moment – Feb. 24, 2023 – On the 10th day of the search and rescue efforts, the loss of life increased to 43,556 and the number of injured is approximately 115,000.
As content developers and users in Second Life, we do not want to remain indifferent to this situation. The toll is getting heavier every day. It will take a long time for our homeless, propertyless, and displaced people to recover both physically and mentally, and for Turkey to ease this pain. We know that AHBAP, which we trust and closely monitor its activities, is active in carrying out long-term work. Therefore, we are organizing an event in Second Life between 13/04/2023 – 23/04/2023 to support AHBAP and earthquake victims.
If you also want to contribute, please read the participation information below and fill out the form AT THE END OF THE PAGE. The assistance collected will be transferred to AHBAP, one of the official and reliable aid organizations in Turkey, at certain intervals.
Transcripts of the donations will be shared with those who wish to see them.
After filling out the form, send this notecard to the relevant moderator according to the following options;
Your application will be processed when you send the form to the moderator you have chosen.
Stand Fee L$500
After sending the form, the moderators (Wanted Ohmai / Romeo Leitner) will contact you, direct you to the event area, and reserve your stand.
The Creator Kit will be delivered to you after payment is made.
The stand limit for each participant is 100 prims. Please contact your moderator if you need more prims. Your request will be evaluated.
After reserving the stand with your moderator, you must complete your setup by 12/04/2023
Companies that have confirmed their participation must send the product images you donated to the event to helpturkey@gmail.com in jpg or png format with dimensions of 512 x 512 pixels by 11/04/2023
HOW DO I JOIN?
Participating Company Logo [512 x 512 pixels / JPEG or PNG] Full Permission [Must be sent to Wanted Ohmai & Romeo Leitner.]
A short biography of your company or content information about your products. [Must be sent as a notecard to Wanted Ohmai & Romeo Leitner.]
EVENT DETAILS:
♦ All firms must have completed their stand installations by 12/04/2023 date. ♦ Talented and respected Second Life musicians [Names….] will perform live at the grand opening to be held on 13/04/2023 date, and these events will continue until the end date of HELP TURKEY activities.
HELP TURKEY EVENT advertisements, lists of participating companies, product images, and announcements of concerts organized on behalf of HELP TURKEY will be constantly posted on the Facebook page and some other social media platforms.
APPLICATION FORM: All lines have to be filled.
♦ SL Account Name:
♦ Company Name:
♦ How do you describe your content? (Ex…Clothing, Architecture, Artwork, House, Yatch, Games, Make-up, Tattoo… etc…)
ANSWER HERE:
♦ Marketplace Link:
♦ Store Landmark (if any):
♦ Communication Language: [ ] TURKISH – [ ] ENGLISH (Please put “X” to your choice).
“Remember, every product you buy will be a hope for earthquake victims” Thank you for your contribution and participation of HELP TURKEY.
Second Life is an online virtual world that was launched in 2003 by the American company Linden Lab. Although it is no longer as popular as it once was, this pioneering attempt at a “metaverse” still functions and has a loyal group of PC users. Soon, it will also be available on smartphones, with a beta version set to be released by the end of the year.
In a video posted on the Second Life community forum, Linden Lab revealed some details about the mobile app that is currently being developed on the Unity platform, one of the most famous game engines for video games. This will make it easier to distribute the app on both iOS and Android. The video also shows some gameplay scenes featuring 3D characters and environments that will be made as similar as possible to the desktop version.
Although development is still a “work in progress,” Linden Lab has stated that it plans to transfer all existing player data and information to the mobile version. Essentially, it will be possible to do “virtually anything you can do with the desktop version of Second Life without necessarily being on a PC.”
A second life for Second Life. This is undoubtedly the most fitting wordplay for this gaming platform that, despite having its ambitions significantly scaled back, has managed to create 73 million accounts to date. During the pandemic, the number of monthly active users reached 900,000.
The introduction of new mesh bodies in Second Life has posed several challenges not only for designers but also for users.
Designers have had to face the difficulty of choosing which bodies to make refits and rig clothes for. It’s a significant challenge considering the multiple operations they have to carry out before reaching the finished product. Adding new bodies to adapt and rig their creations is particularly demanding for designers.
However, the situation is not any better on the customer’s side. The difficulty designers face in adding new bodies for refit and rigging their items means that customers hardly find compatible clothes with their newly acquired mesh bodies. It’s a bit of a vicious cycle.
I belong to the group of people who have taken a step back, returning to old choices concerning mesh bodies and abandoning new ones precisely because of the lack of compatible clothes and objects with the newly purchased body.
This situation seems to be the case for many other people I’ve talked to. The difficulty in finding clothes, jewelry, or any other item to enhance and personalize one’s avatar leads customers to go back to their old choices to have a more significant number of compatible items to choose from.
One question that arises is whether designers can rig for as many bodies as possible to encourage customers to use the newly released mesh bodies in the market.
On Discord, we’ve started a survey on customers’ difficulties in finding compatible items with their latest generation mesh bodies. If you’d like to join the survey and share your opinion, I’ll leave the link to our Discord server.
