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Mesh Update: Part Deux

Linden Lab

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You may have noticed that we’ve added a Mesh Enablement tab to your Account. Get ready to explore the latest innovation from the Lab!

Mesh? What the heck is that?

We’ve had quite a few questions from users about mesh —  mostly along the lines of what is it? How can I use it? When will it become available? Well, we’ve got some answers for you — and some good news!

First of all, what is it, exactly?The term “mesh” refers to an object that consists of polygonal geometry data. Essentially, it’s what you see in modern video games, special effects and 3D animation. It's extremely flexible — and when it’s well-made, it can be way more efficient than the existing prims and sculpties you’ll find inworld currently. Mesh objects are first created in external programs, such as Blender or Maya, and then imported onto the Second Life grid. Once there, mesh objects can be manipulated in pretty much the same ways you would manipulate a regular old prim. And, here’s the best part — the wait is almost over! We’ve been rolling out mesh-upload capability to selected regions over the past week, and the rollout pace will increase in the coming weeks.

Mesh on the Main Grid

Because we’re rolling out mesh-upload capability across the Main Grid over the next few weeks,  mesh is not going to be available everywhere all at once. But, you can get a preview. Ready to try mesh? Here are a few steps you'll need to complete to get started:

1. Get enabled. To do this, you'll need to first complete a short tutorial about mesh and intellectual property rights.

2. Download the Mesh Project Viewer.

3. Once you’re inworld and using the Mesh Project Viewer, teleport to the selected Project Regions where mesh capabilities are enabled. If you're interested in uploading mesh objects, you will want to visit public areas to test. View the list of current mesh enabled sandbox regions here.



If you have a region and want to get upgraded early, check here.

Before you do visit a Project Region, you should check out the Mesh Project Wiki Page and read about uploading mesh.

It's also a good idea to read through the Mesh Forums to get more info and to ask questions of your fellow creators.

During the rollout period (until we enable upload in the next version of the Release Viewer), Linden Lab will charge a discounted fee for uploads. Also, during this initial period, no mesh items should be posted to the Second Life Marketplace due to the limited availability of places to rez mesh objects.

We’re excited to share our latest project with you — and can’t wait to see the awesome things you’ll build with mesh!

Go out and create something amazing – have fun!

Linden Lab

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15 Comments

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Dev Khaos

When will Second Life developers fix the "initializing vfs" fail? I've deleted 'appdata' cache and fresh installed the new 3.0.0.x viewer and the viewer still crashes on subsequent logins. I've been repeating this process for weeks without any luck. I've been using the pheonix viewer because the official viewer does not work. I use a modern computer which handles many other high-end software/gaming platforms, yet second life is not an option. When will you support this bug SL? 

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Shockwave Yareach

@Dev Khaos:  I had a similar problem until recently.  I discovered that what was crashing was NOT VFS, but Dinput8.dll, part of directX9c.  It crashed whenever directX started to initialize because I had a particular device plugged into USB.  In my case, that was a PICKIT3 programming wand.

 

Try unplugging USB devices and see if the lockup problem goes away.  When I go to SL, I have to unplug the PICKIT3 first.  This is a problem with some poor USB HID programming rather than LL's fault.  But yes, it's frustrating to have your 3D GPU not work because of something you have plugged into USB.  Strange problem and stranger solution, but I swear it's true.  And I am sure I'm not the only one to encounter it.

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olise24

 The problem is that i am very new to this. I dont even know where to start, I would like to get into RMIT SEH LAND  ACCESS IN ORDER TO GET INTO POLY CLINIC LAND BUT I COULD NOT. hOW DO I GET THERE, I MEAN THE SIMPLEST WAY . I HAVE NO IDEAR WHAT IS GOING ON

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Guest

I still don't understand exactly What Is Mesh!?  And also, what the heck is Blender and Maya.  Is it like using GIMP and Photoshop? How do I get it? Is it free?  Where is a beginners BASIC, VERY VERY BASIC tuforial on how to go about using Mesh.  Also, since you started implementing Mesh into SL, I crash several times a day.  Tonight was the worse. I was in SL for a total of 15 minutes until I finally just gave up because I kept crashing right at entry level.  Grrrr! What is the point in having all the advanced tech stuff if 1: people don't know what the heck it is or even need it, and 2. Most importantly, can't even stay in SL long enough to find out!  And btw, you should have a real BEGINNERS page so that you can explain in very simple terms about SL and how it functions.  Too much tech talk is a real turnoff!  I have had friends come and try it, only to get frustrated within an hours time and leave.  I love SL and would love to have them join me here, but my argument about how great you are is negated by your own lack of help for those of us who are new or not computer techs.

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reaper2666 Wobbit

well my problem with mesh is that sim goes by equivalence not real prims, this means many smaller meshes such as a bike will over do an entire 512 for example i bought one such, 12 prims, would not rezz, went to a sandbox, equal to 109 prims, thus my 512 will not hold it

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Frans Charming

Sorry to hear that reaper, that bike is definitely wrongly advertised, as the builder knows that he should mention the prim equivalence count.

 

Though I think we will see better prim counts appear in the future, I have seen very highly detailed mesh content that took far less prims then it would have with basic prims. It is just waiting till the skill level rises. The same happens with prim, it usefully takes a new builder a while before the know how to build most efficiently.

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Ada Radius

I love working with mesh, and was able to bring a nice little mask inworld, with low prim equivalency (texturing/UVW may take me a bit longer, lol) and at a reasonable price.  It's so much easier than sculpty maps; can do more and looks better too.  But Viewer 3 is so buggy it's nearly unusable.  I never could get Talk (which works perfectly for me with Imprudence and Phoenix) working right.  Search forced me to enable cookies and Java on my browser, then broke completely as soon as I tried to make a payment to someone not yet on my Friends list.  Land transactions failed completely.  And I can't import or export via xml, which I prefer to do, ironing out problems off grid, then bringing the finished av shape & layers or linked set back in, maybe tweaking inworld after testing it, then saving back to my hard drive.  So I'm back in Phoenix and Imprudence, holding off on mesh until there's a better way to work, and until V3 is improved so that enough people are using it to make it worthwhile. 

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RedMokum Bravin

Reading and understanding the Intellectual Property Rights tutorial should have been a prerequisite for any kind of building for years! The tutorial is not especially helpful when it comes to the creation and import of mesh objects.

 

 

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Tattoo Lane

I really want to learn to make mesh and have got Blender downloaded - but oh my gods ... how difficult does this programme look to an amateur!!!!!! I make clothes in world but have not the faintest clue how to continue my shop and continue to make stuff for people inworld .... can anyone point me in the right direction for good, SLOW tutorials, so this not very quick person can actually understand and follow how to actually DO it! It's fine for all the professionals who already work with this stuff - but for little people like me its one nightmare! Oh and - please can we have it in British times? I love learning but SL needs to make sure we little people - who contribute a lot of Lindens and dollars to LL need to be kept up to speed too.

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GoldenFreya

Since viewer 3.03 update it is impossible for me to log in,  it crashes every time!!!  It happens to many of my RL friends too.

 Linden Lab:     I'm so disappointed... you are failing us

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Greg Slocombe

I am on a MAC and have tried SL, Phoenix and Firestorm for Mesh.  I an unable to TP, get groups or my land information.  I would like some help on figuring out how to get mesh to work on my computer. 

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NatalieABlackCat

And well, honestly i prefer using your system instead of Phoenix, I´m not that good using it and I started to use SL yesterday.

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