Why is Firestorm so popular?

[Carl Thibodeaux]

I don't really like FS. I only use it because they removed Pheonix. Dx

[JPG0809]

Don't be ashamed. I much rather have someone explain in full detail than a short/quick response unless it's asked for. Thank you for your input!

[JPG0809]

Alright, so I was persuaded from the responses on this thread and downloaded the viewer. It's not THAT complicated but yeah, it has much more detail and features (especially in the preferences menu). However, it was late and probably spent about say...half an hour fiddleing with the options before going to sleep so I have much more to experiment with. As far as performance goes, it seems the viewer runs a tad slower or the same as the LL viewer for me so am I enabling extra features in the graphics department of things where I don't need?

 

BTW even if it isn't much, I love the layout of the viewer (i.e the pie chart for the actions and control of colors for certain things which some of aren't available for the LL viewer). The simple things make me smile. :matte-motes-smitten:

[Czari Zenovka]

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Deej Kasshiki wrote:

The UI for V2 was a horrid mishmash of dark colored elements designed to make it look and feel like a web browser, not a window into a 3-D virtual world. It was unintuitive, inflexible, and terribly inefficient to use. I was so turned off by it (after giving it several fair chances) that I uninstalled the mess, went to a TPV and never looked back. To this day I don't care what gee-whiz neato super cool features LL stuffs into their latest viewer I'll never go back. While LL has attempted to make the V3 version more usable, it's still got many of the original V2 UI concepts (and introduced

new

weirdness like the CHUI) that for me it's just too much of a hassle to deal with.

If the Lab hadn't allowed TPVs and forced me to use their viewers I'd have dumped SL long ago. I wouldn't have been the only one either.

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Totally with you...on all points.

 

[Czari Zenovka]

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Carl Thibodeaux wrote:

I don't really like FS. I only use it because they removed Pheonix. Dx

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Singularity is the new Phoenix. *Smiles*

[Rhys Goode]

I am a confirmed FS user, and as lots of others have mentioned, it has a lot more features than the LL viewer.

I'll tell you my favorite features, but one thing I do have to say.  On my machine, FS does not come close to the LL viewer in terms of FPS.  The LL viewer sets itself between High and Ultra, I can turn off shadows, and walk around crowded sims at 30+ fps.  FS defaults to the notch between Mid and High, and forget about shadows if I want to get more than 15 fps.  (At the FS recommended setting, it is 30+ fps)

But the features in FL keep me with it.  For example.  The inventory.  LL has two tabs, FS adds a tab for ."Worn".  LL lets you filter if you go to a menu.  FS has buttons that let you collapse or expand or filter.  And I can search my inventory by  Creator or description.  FS has a nice "area search", lets you search the surrounding area (by name, creator, etc).  LL does not.

FS supports RLV.  My wardrobe organizer needs RLV, and I need it to keep my shoes organized.

I can program FS so that it rings a bell whenever someone says my name in chat.

LL has radar that shows you who is nearby, and lets you IM them.  FS radar shows you who is nearby, lets you show both display and legacy names, shows you thier ages, lets you TP to thier location, lets you put on a beacon so I can follow my friends in crowded sims.

The FS user interface is much more customizable.  It has 42 buttons, the LL version has 21.  Some of the FS buttons are for things like the area search, that does not even exist in LL viewer.

FS lets you use the old style profiles (my strong preference as an old timer) or the new ones.  It lets you do the old style search (better for some things) or the new.

These are the things I use every day, and why I keep my time in the LL viewer to a minimum, in spite of its better FPS performance on my machine.

[Prudence Memo]

Just to add a small big-up to another FS feature: keyword chat alerts. I'm pretty sure this isn't in the OV, although someone please tell me if it is.

This is an essential social feature for me. I spend a lot of time multitasking when I'm inworld and it's great to be automatically prodded when anyone types 'prue' etc, and then to be able to home in instantly on the orange chat text. If it wasn't for this I'd come across as even ruder than I already do!

[Peony Sweetwater]

I first tried Firestorm when I heard about temp textures...of course this is no longer a reason to keep using it. I keep using it because of all the nifty little things I keep finding...many of which have already been mentioned. I recently tried the LL viewer on my main computer to check out materials - it was...not bad, really. It seemed to give me similar FPS, but it was just different from what I've become used to and missing a few features that make my Second Life easier. If I'd never tried Firestorm I'd have been happy enough with the LL viewer, but now I can't go back.

 

Having said all that, I do use Singularity on my old Netbook. My poor little netbook barely meets minimum requirements for accessing SL, but when I'm on the road it means I can get business done. Singularity is about the only viewer that works well enough with it. I can't say I'd choose to use it if I had a choice, but I'm just thankful that it works so well on lower end machines.

 

In the end, I think Firestorm's popular because those who use it love it and talk about it. Word of mouth is strong advertising, and most who end up trying it get hooked.

[Buttacwup Float]

I am a pretty big fan of the official viewer, though it is not my primary viewer. I adapt to changes quickly though. As a bit of history, when i originally joined SL in 2007 one of the reasons I left was that i found the v1 UI to be confusing.  I actually use Catznip as my day to day viewer.

I think Firestorm is popular for two reasons. 1. It has a large user base, a lot of history (with Phoenix) and is generally talked up in world. I often go to White Tiger and NCI and many people recommend Firestorm to new people. Sometimes for rather dubious reasons, but it happens often. 2. Firestorm has a HUGE number of features and skins. Things like area serch and RLV are huge draws, and the ability to work in the Phoenix UI is as well. 

I am not a huge Firestorm fan, but I did use it for a few weeks after the released the SSA version. In the end, I went to Catznip and find it to be a great balance between functioning like the default LL viewer and offering TPV functionality.

[Ceka Cianci]

i can't thank Leah Mayo enough for turning me onto coolVL viewer

I'm Really enjoying it to death!! Henri Beauchamp's CoolVLViewer-1.26.9.24 is the version i'm using right now..

i had to switch over from FS..i like FS but just don't have the puter to run it right now..

 

the performance i'm getting with so many features in it..it's older style viewer but with V3 power..

plus has all media filters and stream filters and even MOAP filters,.

 

i can run shadows and everything with no problems..

I am totally Loving the daylights out of this viewer...it's like going from night to day for me all of a sudden =)

and this isn't even the stable version..it's the experimental version hehehe

 

i was like..you mean there is an even more stable version than this one? Awesome!! \o/

hehehehe can they fit anymore awesome in this jar than there is already? Can they?!!! lol

i'm on CoolVLViewer-1.26.9.24 and i guess the more stable version is the CoolVLViewer-1.26.8.23

 

here is Henri Beauchamp's CoolVLViewer  site if anyone wants to give it a look see..http://sldev.free.fr/

[Brayla Ravenhurst]

I like:

• Full Screen Mode (I don't need to waste screen space with windows bars)
• Copy/Paste and Align Build Tools
• Settings on the Fly
• Low Crash Rate

I use the hybrid mode with a few tweaks.

[Czari Zenovka]

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braylasana wrote:

I like:

• Full Screen Mode (I don't need to waste screen space with windows bars)
• Copy/Paste and Align Build Tools
• Settings on the Fly
• Low Crash Rate

I use the hybrid mode with a few tweaks.

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/hijack on

/waves to the person who recommended Directron from which to buy my new PC. *Hugs my new PC*

/hijack off

[MistyMouse Adored]

I recently switched from Phoenix to Firestorm as Phoenix is no longer supported and outdated.  I hate to say this, but i truly dislike firestorm. One error after another , crashes, freezes, and humongous lag. I cannot even walk without running into walls.I tried to cross a bridge today- very slwoly- and could not do it without landing in the water- time and again.

It seems that every viewer i used since phoenix has different problems. In Singularity i can walk, but have a low FPS. etc.

Now i have to say that my number of crashes has increased in Firestorm as well as Singularity ever since they started this server side bake thing- do not know the details, just got back from half a year absence, but i can tell you one thing- it has , in general , made SL more laggy and  crashy for me. I do not know about you, but I do not consider that an improvement.

[Freya Mokusei]

I love posts like this. They make me feel warm and fuzzy, like I've come home from a long walk in the cold and found my fireplace already lit and my blanket waiting next to a mug of hot toddy.

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MistyMouse Adored wrote:

i truly dislike firestorm. One error after another , crashes, freezes, and humongous lag. I cannot even walk without running into walls.I tried to cross a bridge today- very slwoly- and could not do it without landing in the water- time and again.

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This isn't normal behaviour for a viewer. Firestorm is not compiled with the intention that it will crash, and throw you into walls. All the hardworking people who spend time on Firestorm, do not do it just to screw with you.

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MistyMouse Adored wrote:

It seems that every viewer i used since phoenix has different problems. In Singularity i can walk, but have a low FPS. etc.

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And yet for some reason, you seem to imagine that this must be the new viewers fault...? Time goes forwards, as does progress. One thing that does not go forwards is the correct operation of your system - the quality degrades over time.

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MistyMouse Adored wrote:

It seems that every viewer i used since phoenix has different problems. In Singularity i can walk, but have a low FPS. etc.

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I'll assume you've heard of Occam's Razor. The common element in all your 'tests' is your computer.

You probably had good luck with your specific installation of Phoenix, but it sounds like your computer is struggling heavily now. Very little has changed in SL, system requirements have not. If this amount of crashing was to be expected, manymany other people would be reporting the same problems that you are.

Apply logic, fix your system.

[Czari Zenovka]

Agree with Freya and would also ask OP (MistyMouse) if you use wireless internet?  I've never done so but have read a LOT in the forums that wireless and SL often don't play well together.

As far as crashing, even when I was using my 10-year-old PC I rarely crashed, and don't have crashing issues now on Singularity.  A friend of mine was crashing a lot with Firestorm and what corrected that for him was lowering his bandwidth to 1000.

There are a lot of issues that cause the problems you're having that don't have anything to do with the viewer.  So recap:

*If you're using wireless internet, try wired

*Check internet speed

*See what your viewer bandwidth is set at

*Are your PC specs in a range to run SL well (I didn't say to *run* it - I could *run* SL on my old PC, I just couldn't have my draw distance more than 64m AND move)

*Which reminds me - If you have your viewer graphics set to High or Ultra-High, try bringing them down to medium if the above all checks out

And welcome back to SL