I Need a Bit of Help from CoolVL Users, Please

[Czari Zenovka]

My new PC has arrived, is up and running, and currently downloading my backed up data from a "cloud" server.  In the meantime I couldn't wait to get into SL and at least see the difference.  My graphics card is yet to arrive so the PC is just running onboard graphics but even that is AMAZING compared to my old PC.

Decided to first dl the CoolVL viewer since it is lighter for my system, plus has the v1 UI with which I'm familiar.  Installed it, went through all the preferences I could prior to log in and...held my breath.  WOW...just WOW!!!  I won't go into all the new PC excitement in this thread as I have three issues I can't figure out.  I did go to the CoolVL website and checked out their forums.  I couldn't find these issues in search and, for some reason, wasn't able to register so I could post my questions there.  (I got a message to contact an administrator so will address that later.)

The issues:

1.  Fairly often parts of my screen like the mini-map and top bar turn red and start flickering which is majorly annoying.  To stop that I have to click somewhere on the screen, but then it starts again fairly soon.  I cannot link this to anything I am doing.

2.  I can't see typed text on the UI, meaning not in the local chat window but just viewing it on screen.  I see an opaque area where the chat "should" be.  I worked on changing the opacity of that as well as making sure I had white selected as my text color.  That should be a fairly simple setting and one that I've worked with often on other viewers, so don't know what the deal is with that.

3. On Phoenix (and I think the original v1 SL viewer) if I changed my camera view to zoom in on something, for example, I just hit Esc twice to return the camera view back to my avatar.  Not working on CoolVL - either it doesn't have that feature, in which case I haven't figured out how to easily reset the camera to my avatar or I haven't found the setting, although I looked through all of them.

I downloaded the most recent version for Windows from the site.  If any of my PC specs are needed I can list them, but thought I would just post this for the time being to see if any CoolVL users have had these issues and/or know how to fix them.

Many thanks for any help!!

[Eric Castanea]

Please make your text bigger, so we can read it. Thanks.

[Czari Zenovka]

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Eric Castanea wrote:

Please make your text bigger, so we can read it. Thanks.

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Sorry about that...I was cutting/pasting a part of that IM from an email I had sent and was trying to get the text consistent.  That was the best I could do.  Your help is most appreciated. :matte-motes-wink-tongue:

[BlackMagi Darkwatch]

I think I can help with No.3

 

Shift + Esc resets the camera

 

Congrats on your new PC and a big thank you to Eric who requested you make your text bigger!  You may want to do that for the rest of your post Czari

 

Black

[Czari Zenovka]

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BlackMagi Darkwatch wrote:

I think I can help with No.3

 

Shift + Esc resets the camera

 

Congrats on your new PC and a big thank you to Eric who requested you make your text bigger!  You may want to do that for the rest of your post Czari

 

Black

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Thank you so much, BlackMagi, both for your congrats and how to reset the camera.  I figured there was an easy way to do that...just didn't know what it was...lol.

 

[Malanya]

YAY!!!!  So happy for you ... Hey how does that water look..

edit: I don't use CoolVL but had to give you a big YAY!

[squashy Beeswing]

Off topic, but you've inspired me to give this viewer a try.  Perhaps it will make things good for me too.  :matte-motes-wink: 

[Coby Foden]

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

My graphics card is yet to arrive so the PC is just running onboard graphics but even that is AMAZING compared to my old PC.

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What I think of the issues number 1 and number 2 is that they might be caused by the onboard graphics.

Those issues might not exist any more after you have got your proper graphics card installed.

Congrats for your new computer, and welcome to the more beautiful inworld experience!  :smileyhappy:

[Dillon Levenque]

I don't know anything about the CoolVL viewer. Funny how many things fall into that category for me. I just wanted to post to say I'm glad your new PC is finally here, running, and impressing you just as much as I thought it would. You leaped quite a gulf going from the system you had to using a modern system. It must be fun. And wait 'til that graphics card gets in. You'll never turn the thing off.

Enjoy.:smileyvery-happy:

[Deej Kasshiki]

I don't have any of the issues you're seeing and I've been using Cool VL for over 2 years now. I agree with Coby that what you're seeing is due to the onboard graphics. SL is known for not playing well with integrated graphics chipsets. I'd bet that your issues will disappear once your "real" GPU arrives (I hope it's an Nvidia card as AMD's drivers seem to consistently have issues with SL's OpenGL graphics foundation).

Good luck and enjoy your new computer! Once you get over this bump I think you'll LOVE Cool VL and your new SL experience.

[Czari Zenovka]

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Malanya wrote:

YAY!!!!  So happy for you

... Hey how does that water look..

edit: I don't use CoolVL but had to give you a big YAY!

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The water is amazing!  I can see it rippling and the sun shining off of it AND that is just using the onboard graphics.  Graphics card to come.

*Hugs new PC*

Thank you for your kindness, Malanya.

[Czari Zenovka]

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squashy Beeswing wrote:

Off topic, but you've inspired me to give this viewer a try.  Perhaps it will make things good for me too.  :matte-motes-wink: 

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It's the first (and only) of the new, meaning mesh-enabled, viewers I've tried thus far and I really like it except for the issues I noted which likely have an easy fix.

Before I did any tinkering with the preferences it took me back to the days of using my beloved Nicholaz viewer.

[Czari Zenovka]

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Coby Foden wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

My graphics card is yet to arrive so the PC is just running onboard graphics but even that is AMAZING compared to my old PC.

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What I think of the issues number 1 and number 2 is that they might be caused by the onboard graphics.

Those issues might not exist any more after you have got your proper graphics card installed.

Congrats for your new computer, and welcome to the more beautiful inworld experience!  :smileyhappy:

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Thanks so much, Coby.    I plan to try a couple other viewers as well; that could help troubleshoot if the onboard graphics is at fault.  Good point, though, I hadn't even thought of that.

[Czari Zenovka]

Thanks so much, Dillon.   You're right, the difference from PC technology from 10 years ago is like a nano-speed jump into the present! 

[Czari Zenovka]

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Deej Kasshiki wrote:

I don't have any of the issues you're seeing and I've been using Cool VL for over 2 years now. I agree with Coby that what you're seeing is due to the onboard graphics. SL is known for not playing well with integrated graphics chipsets. I'd bet that your issues will disappear once your "real" GPU arrives (I hope it's an Nvidia card as AMD's drivers seem to consistently have issues with SL's OpenGL graphics foundation).

Good luck and enjoy your new computer! Once you get over this bump I think you'll LOVE Cool VL and your new SL experience.

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Thanks so much, Deej.  I was truly amazed that I saw SL so amazingly with only the onboard graphics and, as far as I can tell, it is not even onboard graphics chip that is optimized for a laptop.  I absolutely ordered an nVidia card - that is what held me in good stead for 10 years and likely the reason I could be in SL at all with a 10-year-old PC.

I ordered the nVidia GeForce GTX 660 superclocked by the manufactuer.

[Czari Zenovka]

I just noticed a new issue - the online/offline line is not showing on any profiles.  I checked it with profiles of people that I knew were online as well as those I knew were not.

I would be asking these questions on the CoolVL viewer website but I haven't received an email authorization yet since registering yesterday although the site does shows I am registered; I just can't use it yet.  I contacted Henri Beauchamp in world for that issue.

[Czari Zenovka]

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Coby Foden wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

My graphics card is yet to arrive so the PC is just running onboard graphics but even that is AMAZING compared to my old PC.

---

What I think of the issues number 1 and number 2 is that they might be caused by the onboard graphics.

Those issues might not exist any more after you have got your proper graphics card installed.

Congrats for your new computer, and welcome to the more beautiful inworld experience!  :smileyhappy:

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You were absolutely right, Coby.  It must be the onboard graphics issue.  I tried the Singularity viewer and had the same issues except for on Singularity I can see text typed in the UI.  A friend who has a laptop said she had those flickering issues as well and they went away when she selected Basic Shaders.  I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

My graphics card arrives on Friday so after that, hopefully these issues will *poof.*

Just wanted to update the flickering is not an issue with the CoolVL Viewer.

[Coby Foden]

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

 

I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

My graphics card arrives on Friday so after that, hopefully these issues will *poof.*

Just wanted to update the flickering is not an issue with the CoolVL Viewer.

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Don't forget to turn the graphics back to higher after the card is installed.  :smileywink:

[Czari Zenovka]

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Coby Foden wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

 

I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

My graphics card arrives on Friday so after that, hopefully these issues will *poof.*

Just wanted to update the flickering is not an issue with the CoolVL Viewer.

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Don't forget to turn the graphics back to higher after the card is installed.  :smileywink:

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Oh I won't forget...I've already had a taste of the good (graphics) life.

[Trinity Yazimoto]

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

  A friend who has a laptop said she had those flickering issues as well and they went away when she selected Basic Shaders.  I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

 

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yeah.... my nickname should be Mc Gyver lol......

 

[Czari Zenovka]

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Trinity Yazimoto wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

  A friend who has a laptop said she had those flickering issues as well and they went away when she selected Basic Shaders.  I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

 

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yeah.... my nickname should be Mc Gyver lol......

 

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Heh - never sure if I should identify people I've spoken to in world.  I hadn't thought about McGyver in years - great show.

So and update to my update: Based on a suggestion from Trinity McGyver I downloaded updated drivers for the onboard graphics and logged in with Singularity this morning.  Tried upping the graphics from low to mid-setting and still getting the flicker.  New graphics card to be delivered tomorrow so this should hopefully be a non-issue then.

The thing I still find strange is that when I pull up profiles, if a person is online (or at least someone in my friend's list) I see the online notice in green; however, if I pull up a profile of someone who is not online, nothing shows up - I don't see "Offline" in red.  Will see how it goes after I install Firestorm.

Also going to install the Phoenix I was using on my old PC to troubleshoot if my avatar still looks thin (that's another whole thread) so I can narrow down if it's a viewer or graphics issue.

[Trinity Yazimoto]

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

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Trinity Yazimoto wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

  A friend who has a laptop said she had those flickering issues as well and they went away when she selected Basic Shaders.  I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

 

---

yeah.... my nickname should be Mc Gyver lol......

 

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Heh - never sure if I should identify people I've spoken to in world.  I hadn't thought about McGyver in years - great show.

So and update to my update: Based on a suggestion from Trinity McGyver I downloaded updated drivers for the onboard graphics and logged in with Singularity this morning.  Tried upping the graphics from low to mid-setting and still getting the flicker.  New graphics card to be delivered tomorrow so this should hopefully be a non-issue then.

The thing I still find strange is that when I pull up profiles, if a person is online (or at least someone in my friend's list) I see the online notice in green; however, if I pull up a profile of someone who is not online, nothing shows up - I don't see "Offline" in red.  Will see how it goes after I install Firestorm.

Also going to install the Phoenix I was using on my old PC to troubleshoot if my avatar still looks thin (that's another whole thread) so I can narrow down if it's a viewer or graphics issue.

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are you sure the person you are wanting to look the profile, have checked the "show my status to others " box in the preference menu.

if this person didnt, you can see if s/he s online or offline whatever her/his current status... so no green online, neither red offline..

and i rem that its the default setting.. so till these pp check the box for displaying their status, they wont display anything about it.

[BlackMagi Darkwatch]

Czari - you can check to see if I'm online or not to test (currently offline!)

 

Black

[Czari Zenovka]

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Trinity Yazimoto wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

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Trinity Yazimoto wrote:

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

  A friend who has a laptop said she had those flickering issues as well and they went away when she selected Basic Shaders.  I checked and that was already checked so she then suggested to turn the settings down to low and the flickering issue went away.

 

---

yeah.... my nickname should be Mc Gyver lol......

 

---

Heh - never sure if I should identify people I've spoken to in world.  I hadn't thought about McGyver in years - great show.

So and update to my update: Based on a suggestion from Trinity McGyver I downloaded updated drivers for the onboard graphics and logged in with Singularity this morning.  Tried upping the graphics from low to mid-setting and still getting the flicker.  New graphics card to be delivered tomorrow so this should hopefully be a non-issue then.

The thing I still find strange is that when I pull up profiles, if a person is online (or at least someone in my friend's list) I see the online notice in green; however, if I pull up a profile of someone who is not online, nothing shows up - I don't see "Offline" in red.  Will see how it goes after I install Firestorm.

Also going to install the Phoenix I was using on my old PC to troubleshoot if my avatar still looks thin (that's another whole thread) so I can narrow down if it's a viewer or graphics issue.

---

are you sure the person you are wanting to look the profile, have checked the "show my status to others " box in the preference menu.

if this person didnt, you can see if s/he s online or offline whatever her/his current status... so no green online, neither red offline..

and i rem that its the default setting.. so till these pp check the box for displaying their status, they wont display anything about it.

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I know that's a possibility, but I tested this out with both people on my friend's list who were offlline and normally showed offline on my viewer, and just picking random people from search.  Online always showed, offline never did which leads me to believe it is something more than the show status being unchecked.  One or two instances I could understand...no one showing up with the offline notice out of approximately 20 people is odd.

[Czari Zenovka]

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BlackMagi Darkwatch wrote:

Czari - you can check to see if I'm online or not to test (currently offline!)

 

Black

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BlackMagi and I just tested this out in world with his Online Status set to show to all.  When he went offline, I saw no indicator at all.  So back to troubleshooting if it is a viewer issue (so far have experienced this on Cool & Singularity viewers) or my PC not playing well in this respect with SL for some reason.