Hi again,
So, following LL's latest post about the incoming price changes to Premium accounts, as well as region price and process credit fees, I would like to take something off my chest.
For starters and to avoid keeping you worried, I do not plan to increase the price of any of my existing products to offset the cost this change represents. Perhaps future products might be a bit more expensive than they would have been without this change, I don't know, I don't actually think so. Of course, never say never, but for now and for the foreseeable future (unless LL jacks the prices up even more in two months, who knows), the prices will stay the same.
There are several reasons for that, one of them being how I come up with a price when I release a new product (it's mostly related to the value of the product, not to its production cost), another one being that I am reluctant to change any price once it has been set, be it up or down. I remember when redesigning the Police set and replacing the Prisoner Belt with the waist chain and the Police collar, I thought long and hard before changing the price. It wasn't an easy decision (granted, that was a L$30 increase, nothing to scream about, but still).
But I won't lie, SL is going to cost more for me than it did so far, and the same goes for every content creator who makes a living with SL like I do.
First, there is the premium cost being jacked up (from $72 to $99 a year since I'm annual). Ok that's not a big deal, I can surely afford to pay $27 a year for, well, nothing at all in return. Or nothing tangible at least. Maybe it will help LL improve the platform and fixing the bugs ? In that case, ok take my money and make the damn thing work.
Second and more importantly, the process credit fee that doubles from 2.5% to 5% per process. In my case that means that it will cost $1000 more to get my money out of SL every year, once again for no change in the service whatsoever. I am not happy at all with this change, but I understand this is because of new regulations or something. Grumpity Linden has hinted about that in a forum post but he has been pretty vague on the subject. I don't know where the additional 2.5% will go. Will it go to LL ? To a bank ? To the US ? No idea. But someone is going to get richer in the process and that's not me.
Why am I telling you all this ? Because we are all impacted by those changes. If you are a Premium user or are planning to become one, you will pay more than you used to, meaning less money to spend in SL as a whole, since your stipend will remain at L$300 per week.
But there is a silver lining. If you've paid attention to the page I have linked at the beginning of this post, you have noticed that region prices are being lowered by about 8%, which is a good thing. Land owners who are not greedy will lower the rent prices for their tenants (you), meaning more L$ for the latter to spend, meaning more sales for merchants. One can only hope. At least I am decreasing the rent in my own sim (where there are four tenants) and I hope the majority of sim owners will do the same.
This is the only thing that can save SL businesses, in my opinion. It's that or merchants will have to increase their prices, which means a double loss for consumers. First loss because their Premium price will go up, second loss because everything will become more expensive. I pray that it will not be the case.
If you are a business owner yourself and you decide to increase your prices, trust me I understand. This post is not at all meant to shame you for doing it. The process credit fee increase is significant and we all have to make a living. I am just pointing out that I won't do that because I can afford it, at least for the foreseeable future.
Marine
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Update to all the latex suits
Hi there,
Here is an update for all the latex suits (Catsuits, Bodysuits, Socks & Gloves) to fix the annoying bug that would apply the legs textures onto the top of the body when using a mesh body that is compatible with Omega and that is not Maitreya (for example Slink, Belleza and Tonic), and when in a very laggy sim. And when unlucky.
Please note that if you are a Maitreya user, this update won't change anything for you and you can skip it unless you wear parts that are compatible with Omega (for example, a V-tech flat chest or a Lab737 baby bump).
Likewise, although the Socks & Gloves get the fix too, they did not really trigger the bug as they use separate appliers for the top and the bottom, so you don't really need to update them either (but you can if you want). But for the Catsuits and the Bodysuits, the fix was sorely needed.
The bug was due to an over-optimistic timing on my part, assuming that the top Omega applier script needs no more than one second to load its textures before the legs Omega applier script takes over to get its own textures loaded... but in laggy sims it seems to need more time. The fix makes it so the legs Omega applier script waits for the top one to finish before it starts getting its data instead of waiting for a fixed delay, so now all the textures are correctly loaded and it no longer depends on the speed of the sim.
As a result, the loading is now faster and you only have one message on the chat instead of two.
However, there is a known issue that I have not managed to isolate and fix, and I'm not even sure if it comes from my scripts, or even from this update, or if it comes from the Omega scripts. Sometimes (often, in fact), when applying to an Omega compatible mesh body, the top would apply but not the legs, no matter how long you wait. The workaround is simple and written in the chat when you click on a color button : click on the applier button a second time. In fact, if you want to be sure the whole body gets applied, double-click on the applier button right away. I absolutely don't know why it does that, even after spending hours tracking this bug in different sims. It does not seem to depend on sim speed nor on what you click on, nor on how much time passes between the click on the color button and the click on the Omega applier button, or anything like that. It is a race condition between the two Omega applier scripts, of which I do not have the source code so I cannot fix it myself.
To update your latex suits, simply rez the update orb contained in the folder and wait, you will receive a new box from my server (don't be in "Do Not Disturb" mode or you will receive the box only when you leave that mode). Or you can request a redelivery in the Marketplace (in your "My Marketplace" page), that works too.
Have fun !
Marine
Here is an update for all the latex suits (Catsuits, Bodysuits, Socks & Gloves) to fix the annoying bug that would apply the legs textures onto the top of the body when using a mesh body that is compatible with Omega and that is not Maitreya (for example Slink, Belleza and Tonic), and when in a very laggy sim. And when unlucky.
Please note that if you are a Maitreya user, this update won't change anything for you and you can skip it unless you wear parts that are compatible with Omega (for example, a V-tech flat chest or a Lab737 baby bump).
Likewise, although the Socks & Gloves get the fix too, they did not really trigger the bug as they use separate appliers for the top and the bottom, so you don't really need to update them either (but you can if you want). But for the Catsuits and the Bodysuits, the fix was sorely needed.
The bug was due to an over-optimistic timing on my part, assuming that the top Omega applier script needs no more than one second to load its textures before the legs Omega applier script takes over to get its own textures loaded... but in laggy sims it seems to need more time. The fix makes it so the legs Omega applier script waits for the top one to finish before it starts getting its data instead of waiting for a fixed delay, so now all the textures are correctly loaded and it no longer depends on the speed of the sim.
As a result, the loading is now faster and you only have one message on the chat instead of two.
However, there is a known issue that I have not managed to isolate and fix, and I'm not even sure if it comes from my scripts, or even from this update, or if it comes from the Omega scripts. Sometimes (often, in fact), when applying to an Omega compatible mesh body, the top would apply but not the legs, no matter how long you wait. The workaround is simple and written in the chat when you click on a color button : click on the applier button a second time. In fact, if you want to be sure the whole body gets applied, double-click on the applier button right away. I absolutely don't know why it does that, even after spending hours tracking this bug in different sims. It does not seem to depend on sim speed nor on what you click on, nor on how much time passes between the click on the color button and the click on the Omega applier button, or anything like that. It is a race condition between the two Omega applier scripts, of which I do not have the source code so I cannot fix it myself.
To update your latex suits, simply rez the update orb contained in the folder and wait, you will receive a new box from my server (don't be in "Do Not Disturb" mode or you will receive the box only when you leave that mode). Or you can request a redelivery in the Marketplace (in your "My Marketplace" page), that works too.
Have fun !
Marine
Monday, May 20, 2019
Small update to the Deluxe Gag
Hi,
Here is a small update to the Deluxe Gag to fix a strange issue with the OpenMouth plugin, that would not save the correct brand or variant in some locks. For example, if you change the variant of the "simple ring" lock to "narrow", then the "simple ball" lock will use the "narrow" variant as well.
This was due to a pretty stupid oversight on my part. The OpenMouth plugin mistook the current lock (from 1 to 9 depending on the button you click on) with the calculated lock which determines how much to garble the speech. Both are the same in all the RR gags except the Deluxe Gag and that was the cause of the bug. Please be aware that I did not fix the bug in the other RR gags but there is no need to, since only the Deluxe Gag was suffering from it.
To update your Deluxe Gag and benefit from this fix, you need to go to one of these locations :
My Little Shop
Chorazin's store
Roper's Dark Playground
Dark Wishes
Once there, click on the updater and follow the instructions. If you Deluxe Gag is already up to date, you do not need to choose "REPLACE", simply choose "UPDATE". My shop in Pak is quite laggy these days so if you can't get it to work there, I recommend you go to Chorazin's place, which is a lot faster.
Have fun !
Marine
Here is a small update to the Deluxe Gag to fix a strange issue with the OpenMouth plugin, that would not save the correct brand or variant in some locks. For example, if you change the variant of the "simple ring" lock to "narrow", then the "simple ball" lock will use the "narrow" variant as well.
This was due to a pretty stupid oversight on my part. The OpenMouth plugin mistook the current lock (from 1 to 9 depending on the button you click on) with the calculated lock which determines how much to garble the speech. Both are the same in all the RR gags except the Deluxe Gag and that was the cause of the bug. Please be aware that I did not fix the bug in the other RR gags but there is no need to, since only the Deluxe Gag was suffering from it.
To update your Deluxe Gag and benefit from this fix, you need to go to one of these locations :
My Little Shop
Chorazin's store
Roper's Dark Playground
Dark Wishes
Once there, click on the updater and follow the instructions. If you Deluxe Gag is already up to date, you do not need to choose "REPLACE", simply choose "UPDATE". My shop in Pak is quite laggy these days so if you can't get it to work there, I recommend you go to Chorazin's place, which is a lot faster.
Have fun !
Marine
Thursday, May 16, 2019
RLV 2.9.26.2
Hi there,
Here is a new version of the RLV with more bug fixes and the inclusion of the latest version of the SL viewer's codebase (including a fix for one of its own bugs).
The highlight of this version is a fix for a very annoying bug that occurs only in certain places like ColdLogic Neve, where you can't see some of the alpha-blended prims because their first faces are invisible. This was due to the graphics optimization that completely ignores the rendering of any invisible surface.
Another highlight of this version is the optimization of the vision restriction spheres. Now, when the outer sphere is opaque or almost (99% alpha or more), then the avatars beyond it are rendered as if they were too complex, in other words as their gummy bear versions (but you won't see it due to the outer sphere being in the way). This speeds up the rendering a great deal and helps in busy places like DeLust.
Also thanks to Kitty Barnett, we can now receive deliveries from objects while offline again because this version of the viewer uses the legacy method of retrieving offline messages instead of the new sim capability which doesn't seem to work well.
You can grab the Windows version here :
http://www.erestraints.com/realrestraint/
The MD5 hash for the Windows executable is :
8972f18ee9789287f8b044b5821bcf47
Have fun !
Marine
Here is a new version of the RLV with more bug fixes and the inclusion of the latest version of the SL viewer's codebase (including a fix for one of its own bugs).
The highlight of this version is a fix for a very annoying bug that occurs only in certain places like ColdLogic Neve, where you can't see some of the alpha-blended prims because their first faces are invisible. This was due to the graphics optimization that completely ignores the rendering of any invisible surface.
Another highlight of this version is the optimization of the vision restriction spheres. Now, when the outer sphere is opaque or almost (99% alpha or more), then the avatars beyond it are rendered as if they were too complex, in other words as their gummy bear versions (but you won't see it due to the outer sphere being in the way). This speeds up the rendering a great deal and helps in busy places like DeLust.
Also thanks to Kitty Barnett, we can now receive deliveries from objects while offline again because this version of the viewer uses the legacy method of retrieving offline messages instead of the new sim capability which doesn't seem to work well.
You can grab the Windows version here :
http://www.erestraints.com/realrestraint/
The MD5 hash for the Windows executable is :
8972f18ee9789287f8b044b5821bcf47
Have fun !
Marine
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Update to the Dust System
Hi !
Sorry for being silent lately, I'm deep into a RL project that takes all my time but don't worry, I will be back soon.
I'm releasing an update for the Dust System (the surfaces and the controller, not the dusters) to finally fix a bug that had been eluding me for years. Namely, sometimes the surfaces simply don't get dusty again after having been cleaned. Well, except it's not that simple, they do get dusty but they sometimes take way too much time. Let me explain.
As you may already know, each surface has two delays. The first one indicates how much time the surface stays clean, and the second one indicates how much time it takes, once the first delay is elapsed, before it becomes fully dusty again (and it becomes dusty progressively over time between the end of the first delay and the end of the second one). Easy.
Except that when you click on the surface and it's still clean, its timer resets ! That's not good, this means that if the first delay is set to one week (which is the default) and you click on the surface 6 days after having cleaned it, it will take one more week before even beginning to gather dust. So this update is meant to fix that because it had been confusing a few users.
Another change is simply the controller now shares its information (namely the two delays) with the surfaces whenever you press "Refresh", you change the times or when a surface resets or is updated with the "Update Surf" button of the controller menu. That way you can set your times on the controller once and later update your surfaces and/or add new ones, and they will all be in sync without having to do anything manually.
To update your Dust System, you have to do it in two stages.
First click on your controller (rez it if you haven't already), chose "New version ?" to check for the new version, and you will receive your new package after a short time.
Then, instead of rezzing new surfaces (because it is time consuming, and you probably have already placed your surfaces carefully already), derez that controller and rez the new one, the one that is included in the box you've received. No need to rez new surfaces, you will in fact update each of the existing ones automatically by clicking on the new controller and pressing "Update surf.". Wait a moment until all the surfaces are updated, and voila !
Have fun !
Marine
Sorry for being silent lately, I'm deep into a RL project that takes all my time but don't worry, I will be back soon.
I'm releasing an update for the Dust System (the surfaces and the controller, not the dusters) to finally fix a bug that had been eluding me for years. Namely, sometimes the surfaces simply don't get dusty again after having been cleaned. Well, except it's not that simple, they do get dusty but they sometimes take way too much time. Let me explain.
As you may already know, each surface has two delays. The first one indicates how much time the surface stays clean, and the second one indicates how much time it takes, once the first delay is elapsed, before it becomes fully dusty again (and it becomes dusty progressively over time between the end of the first delay and the end of the second one). Easy.
Except that when you click on the surface and it's still clean, its timer resets ! That's not good, this means that if the first delay is set to one week (which is the default) and you click on the surface 6 days after having cleaned it, it will take one more week before even beginning to gather dust. So this update is meant to fix that because it had been confusing a few users.
Another change is simply the controller now shares its information (namely the two delays) with the surfaces whenever you press "Refresh", you change the times or when a surface resets or is updated with the "Update Surf" button of the controller menu. That way you can set your times on the controller once and later update your surfaces and/or add new ones, and they will all be in sync without having to do anything manually.
To update your Dust System, you have to do it in two stages.
First click on your controller (rez it if you haven't already), chose "New version ?" to check for the new version, and you will receive your new package after a short time.
Then, instead of rezzing new surfaces (because it is time consuming, and you probably have already placed your surfaces carefully already), derez that controller and rez the new one, the one that is included in the box you've received. No need to rez new surfaces, you will in fact update each of the existing ones automatically by clicking on the new controller and pressing "Update surf.". Wait a moment until all the surfaces are updated, and voila !
Have fun !
Marine
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
