What are green crosses on the mini map?

[sunnyrio]

I know a green circle is a person on my level, an upward pointing green arrow is a person higher than me, and a downward pointing green arrow is a person lower than me, but what is a green X?  I see quite a few of them in many worlds, and they move around as if they were people, but I can't see anything when I go there.

Edited June 27, 2020 by sunnyrio

[LittleMe Jewell]

26 minutes ago, sunnyrio said:

I know a green circle is a person on my level, an upward pointing green arrow is a person higher than me, and a downward pointing green arrow is a person lower than me, but what is a green X?  I see quite a few of them in many worlds, and they move around as if they were people, but I can't see anything when I go there.

If you are using Firestorm, clicking the ? in the upper right of the mini-map tells you:

 

I imagine that the LL viewer is similar.

 

[Rolig Loon]

From the fine support team at Firestorm:

---------------------------------------

The mini map contains color coded symbols, as follows:

Yellow dot in the center: That's you!

Cone of light: This comes from the yellow dot; it shows which direction you're facing and your field of vision.

Yellow dots: Yellow dots represent nearby friends.

Grey dots: Grey dots represents residents that you have blocked/muted.

Blue dots: Blue dots represents Linden residents.

Green dots: Green dots represent other Residents of Second Life

NOTE: the colors of these dots may be changed in Preferences → Colors -> Minimap.

Avatar dots change shape depending on their height relative to yours:

Round dot: An avatar at about the same height as your camera viewpoint; for example, if you're standing next to them.

^ - An avatar above your camera position. They may be flying, or in a very high building.

v - An avatar below your camera position. This may also show if the avatar is over 1,000m.

ǂ - Height over 1020m and that does not have a viewer object representation, usually meaning out of draw distance.

Dark gray blocks: These are objects owned by others.

Cyan blocks: These are objects you own in the area.

Fuchsia blocks: These are objects deeded to (owned by) a group you're in.

Pale Orange blocks: Scripted objects.

Dark orange: Temp on rez objects.

Red blocks: Physical objects.

Tiled dark blue: These are areas beyond your vision. You can see them by moving closer, or increase your draw distance in the Graphics tab of the Preferences window.

Red areas: The Mini-Map turns red if the Region is offline or your viewer has lost its connection.

------------------------------------

Notice that there is no green X.  However, if you are in a fairly busy area where there are avatars above and below you, it's not unusual to see a v and a ^ on top of each other so that they look very much like an X.

[sunnyrio]

I'm using the normal Second Life viewer.  Is Firestorm a lot better?

In the normal viewer, the help does not list the X or the shape described above.  I'll assume the X means out of range.  I wonder why it doesn't just say up?

It's not an up and a down arrow on top of each other, as often there are many of them and they never seperate.

[Rolig Loon]

49 minutes ago, sunnyrio said:

I'm using the normal Second Life viewer.  Is Firestorm a lot better?

Better? No, just different. Your question can be interpreted in at least two ways: (1) "Better at doing what?" and (2) "Better for whom?".  Firestorm has some fancy tools that the standard SL viewer does not.  That's the case with each of the third party viewers.  People who like the extras for building, for example, find those features very handy.  If you don't use them, they can just add complexity for no real advantage.  Many people I know -- myself included -- have both viewers installed and use them for different purposes, or for troubleshooting.  Personally, I tend to use Firestorm only on my recreational time in world.  Otherwise, I use the standard viewer, which always has access to up-to-date improvements to core functions that other viewers adopt later. You'll have to decide what's "better" for you.

Unless it's a new, undocumented feature, the standard viewer doesn't offer a green X that I am aware of either.  And no one can be "out of range" and still show up on the minimap.  Your viewer doesn't need to detect anyone.  If you are logged in to SL, the servers always know exactly where you are, and that information is transmitted to everyone who is within the area shown on her minimap.

[Whirly Fizzle]

20 hours ago, sunnyrio said:

what is a green X?

Avatars that the viewer has no height information for yet.

[sunnyrio]

21 hours ago, Rolig Loon said:

Better? No, just different. Your question can be interpreted in at least two ways: (1) "Better at doing what?" and (2) "Better for whom?".  Firestorm has some fancy tools that the standard SL viewer does not.  That's the case with each of the third party viewers.  People who like the extras for building, for example, find those features very handy.  If you don't use them, they can just add complexity for no real advantage.  Many people I know -- myself included -- have both viewers installed and use them for different purposes, or for troubleshooting.  Personally, I tend to use Firestorm only on my recreational time in world.  Otherwise, I use the standard viewer, which always has access to up-to-date improvements to core functions that other viewers adopt later. You'll have to decide what's "better" for you.

Unless it's a new, undocumented feature, the standard viewer doesn't offer a green X that I am aware of either.  And no one can be "out of range" and still show up on the minimap.  Your viewer doesn't need to detect anyone.  If you are logged in to SL, the servers always know exactly where you are, and that information is transmitted to everyone who is within the area shown on her minimap.

I'm using the standard and up to date viewer.  I see Xs on almost every world.  This is what they look like:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/krzto03cvsbphcz/Mini map X.jpg?dl=0  (sorry it won't let me insert that as an image for some reason)

 

5 hours ago, Whirly Fizzle said:

Avatars that the viewer has no height information for yet.

Yet?  They stay as an X forever.  And why wouldn't it have height information?

[Lindal Kidd]

1 minute ago, sunnyrio said:

Just tried it, and I'd say "way better".  so many options that just aren't there in the standard viewer (or require debug ticks - like changing the LOD distance).

Only thing to customize now is to remove the "report" buttons everywhere.  Everything you do in SL you can report people.  What is this police state?  I don't want to grass people off every 5 minutes.

I'm glad you like Firestorm!  I do, and so do a lot of others.  I'm not sure what you mean by "report buttons everywhere" though.  The option to file an Abuse Report is available under the Help menu, and in the Context menu you get when you right click someone or something, just as it is in the standard LL viewer.  While you CAN report anyone for anything, you don't have to, and most people don't, so SL is hardly a "police state".  Besides, while there are Karens who report at the drop of a hat, LL only takes action against violations of the Terms of Service and Community Standards.

[Rolig Loon]

10 minutes ago, sunnyrio said:

Just tried it, and I'd say "way better".  so many options that just aren't there in the standard viewer (or require debug ticks - like changing the LOD distance).

I think you'll find a lot of people who agree with you, and a lot of people who find all of those extra options overwhelming.  It all comes down to personal comfort, which may reflect our differing ages and types of on-line experience as much as what we each expect out of SL.  It's hard to imagine a one-size-fits-all viewer that will satisfy every resident, which is why we have such a nice diverse set of TPV options.  My own personal advice is to install at least two viewers and keep them up to date.  That lets you play their strengths off against each other as you do different things in world, and -- perhaps more importantly -- gives you a way to figure out whether any problem that arises is due to SL itself or to the viewer you happen to be using at the moment.

[Lindal Kidd]

As I said, simply because you see an option to Report does not mean you have to use it.  It's easily accessible because when you DO need to report something or someone, it's usually in a fast evolving, stressful situation.

For example, I logged in one fine day to find that my parcel was full of glowing, spinning, shouting prims, all emitting particles.  This is a fairly standard form of griefer attack.  I had to report and ban the objects' owner, the objects themselves, and also Return them, all in the middle of a visual and audible assault.

Don't use Report often.  Muting an annoying person is a much faster and simpler way of dealing with them.  But it's there, and handy, for the times when you do need it.

[Whirly Fizzle]

19 hours ago, sunnyrio said:

Yet?  They stay as an X forever.  And why wouldn't it have height information?

Yeah it's a bug.  It's been on my "to file" list for a while.  Thanks for reminding me 

[sunnyrio]

5 minutes ago, Rolig Loon said:

I think you'll find a lot of people who agree with you, and a lot of people who find all of those extra options overwhelming.  It all comes down to personal comfort, which may reflect our differing ages and types of on-line experience as much as what we each expect out of SL.  It's hard to imagine a one-size-fits-all viewer that will satisfy every resident, which is why we have such a nice diverse set of TPV options.  My own personal advice is to install at least two viewers and keep them up to date.  That lets you play their strengths off against each other as you do different things in world, and -- perhaps more importantly -- gives you a way to figure out whether any problem that arises is due to SL itself or to the viewer you happen to be using at the moment.

But you don't see the options unless you go to preferences.  I could have just left them all on default if I didn't want to read through them all.  So I don't see how having more options could annoy anyone.

 

5 minutes ago, Lindal Kidd said:

As I said, simply because you see an option to Report does not mean you have to use it.  It's easily accessible because when you DO need to report something or someone, it's usually in a fast evolving, stressful situation.

For example, I logged in one fine day to find that my parcel was full of glowing, spinning, shouting prims, all emitting particles.  This is a fairly standard form of griefer attack.  I had to report and ban the objects' owner, the objects themselves, and also Return them, all in the middle of a visual and audible assault.

Don't use Report often.  Muting an annoying person is a much faster and simpler way of dealing with them.  But it's there, and handy, for the times when you do need it.

I will never need it.  I do not grass people off, ever.  I can sort out my own problems.  This isn't real life, it's not as if I can get murdered.

[Lindal Kidd]

Your choice.  Let's see if you feel the same way after you fall for a debit permission scam and someone sucks all the $L out of your account.

[Rolig Loon]

5 minutes ago, sunnyrio said:

But you don't see the options unless you go to preferences.  I could have just left them all on default if I didn't want to read through them all.  So I don't see how having more options could annoy anyone.

Oh, that's not true at all.  If you look at any of the pull-down menus at the top of the screen, there are way more choices in Firestorm than in the standard viewer. Same with the customizable set of buttons you can add to the task bar. Those are truly helpful if you know what they mean and if you need them, but are nothing but clutter if you just want a basic set of functions.  Yes, it's easy to ignore the ones you don't need, but it's even easier if they aren't even there to confuse you. It's like the difference between buying a good-quality point and shoot camera or getting a  SLR with all the bells and whistles that an enthusiast needs for taking fantastic photos.  If you want to take family snapshots, those extra buttons and histogram displays are just expensive annoyances.  

Again, I am not making the pitch for either Firestorm or the standard viewer.  They appeal to different users for personal reasons.  Pick whatever fits your needs best.  Just don't assume that your choice is right for anyone else.

[sunnyrio]

On 6/28/2020 at 12:35 AM, Rolig Loon said:

Better? No, just different.

Just tried it, and I'd say "way better".  so many options that just aren't there in the standard viewer (or require debug ticks - like changing the LOD distance).

Only thing to customize now is to remove the "report" buttons everywhere.  Everything you do in SL you can report people.  What is this police state?  I don't want to grass people off every 5 minutes.

[sunnyrio]

2 minutes ago, Lindal Kidd said:

I'm glad you like Firestorm!  I do, and so do a lot of others.  I'm not sure what you mean by "report buttons everywhere" though.  The option to file an Abuse Report is available under the Help menu, and in the Context menu you get when you right click someone or something, just as it is in the standard LL viewer.  While you CAN report anyone for anything, you don't have to, and most people don't, so SL is hardly a "police state".  Besides, while there are Karens who report at the drop of a hat, LL only takes action against violations of the Terms of Service and Community Standards.

Yes, I see it in help, I see it when I right click a person, I see it when I right click an object, I see it everywhere!  An object for goodness sake!  What am I supposed to report?  It stubbed my toe?  I don't want this in my way all the time.  And you have to wonder how much time of Linden employees is wasted sifting through people complaining, when they could be improving SL, or making it cheaper to run.

I did see a funny Youtube video with one of the Avatars yelling on voice that he was going to report somebody to the police.  Yes, the actual RL police.  Despite him living in Ireland and the other Avatar in America.

[sunnyrio]

On 6/29/2020 at 5:28 PM, Rolig Loon said:

Oh, that's not true at all.  If you look at any of the pull-down menus at the top of the screen, there are way more choices in Firestorm than in the standard viewer. Same with the customizable set of buttons you can add to the task bar. Those are truly helpful if you know what they mean and if you need them, but are nothing but clutter if you just want a basic set of functions.  Yes, it's easy to ignore the ones you don't need, but it's even easier if they aren't even there to confuse you. It's like the difference between buying a good-quality point and shoot camera or getting a  SLR with all the bells and whistles that an enthusiast needs for taking fantastic photos.  If you want to take family snapshots, those extra buttons and histogram displays are just expensive annoyances.  

Again, I am not making the pitch for either Firestorm or the standard viewer.  They appeal to different users for personal reasons.  Pick whatever fits your needs best.  Just don't assume that your choice is right for anyone else.

I can't say I noticed much more clutter in Firestorm. The standard viewer is already cluttered. But as there's loads of things you can do in SL, there will always be many things in menus. Unless they made the menus customizable. Perhaps for every menu you could hide things you never use, and those would all go in an expandable bit at the bottom out of the way. Or make it automatic like the Windows start menu, all you see at first are commonly used programs.

[sunnyrio]

I don't fall for scams.  I don't pay millions to Nigerian Kings in emails either.  And if it's my choice, where is the choice to remove the button?

An analogy to how annoying it is would be:  Imagine as you're driving along in RL, every 5 minutes there's a sign saying "Is the driver in front behaving well?  If not call the police!"

Edited June 29, 2020 by sunnyrio