More interesting prim count variance...

[Vivienne Daguerre]

I have noticed a few interesting things about linking prims and how the prim count varies.

1. Sculpties when linked to mesh might not count as 1 prim. I had some sculpty logs that had a cost of 1.8 and a prim value of 1. Their physics type was set to Prim. I linked them into my mesh fireplace, and they increased the prim count of the fireplace by 1.8 prims, not 1. When I set the physics type to None (the fireplace was the root prim, not the logs) their cost went to 0!

2. Setting normal and sculpty prim types to None in a linked object also reduces prim count. I thought that was very interesting and rezzed a different cooking hearth I had made of normal prims and sculpties on the main grid. It was one object with 56 prims in it, and the prim count was 56. Just on a whim, I changed the prim type on all the prims except the root prim from Prim to None. My prim count for it dropped from 56 to 28!!

I hope this is not an accidental benefit that goes away as a result of me highlighting it! Ah well, if that is going to happen, it had best be corrected now and not after it goes to the main grid. I can hear the cries of "Run! Run! The peasants are revolting! And they are rising up too!"

[Feynt Mistral]

In a way I think this is intentional because the "prim cost" largely reflects the physical impact of the prim on the simulator's state (both world presence and physics impact, even when phantom).  Setting to physics type "none" removes the selected objects from the physics simulation entirely where as "phantom" merely removes it from collision checks (as is my understanding from previous discussions).  So having lots of prims that don't affect sim performance is okay.  I imagine before long though a finger will be put in that hole so we don't get giant 400k poly houses over several meshes that cost only as much as the physics representation of the house as a whole.

[Vivienne Daguerre]

You might be right. I hope you are. If in effect we can set normal prims and sculpties in a linkset to "None", that will reduce prim use for a lot of things! That would be almost as good as increasing prim allowances.

[Drongle McMahon]

One problem though. If they get unlinked, deliberately or by accident, the number of prims will double and might overflow the parcel allocation. On the other hand, trapping that might prevent the unlinking.

[Feynt Mistral]

Or two other failsafe (for the sim) solutions:  Auto-return the new objects which were created (disasterous to say the least for a builder's build) or make them temp objects so they'll be cleaned out after a short while unless they're relinked or taken into someone's inventory.

[arton Rotaru]

There is something really odd on the latest mesh servers Mesh Import 11.06.02.231785. A simple cube mesh (12 Triangles) is 1,5/04 there. Used to be 0.5/0.4. The more I link of them together, the lower the costs will be for each cube. 

A more complex mesh (a jerrycan, ~500 Triangles) is 1.5/0.4 on both server versions Mesh PGI 11.05.24.230825 and Mesh Import 11.06.02.231785. If I link 2 of them , it's 3, as expected.

Even a single Plane Mesh (2 Tris) is 1.5/04 on Mesh Import 11.06.02.231785.

Probably we have to wait until we can upload on Mesh Experimental Servers.

[Drongle McMahon]

Yes. Looks like a catastrophic cost increase. :matte-motes-crying: I guess mesh is for avatars and attachments only.

[DanielRavenNest Noe]

I would not worry too much just yet.  They are in the middle of updating the servers *and* viewer software for the new prim accounting and asset format, so until that is all finished, I would not base any plans on what you are seeing right now.

[arton Rotaru]

 

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DanielRavenNest Noe wrote:

I would not worry too much just yet.  They are in the middle of updating the servers *and* viewer software for the new prim accounting and asset format, so until that is all finished, I would not base any plans on what you are seeing right now.

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Yeah, I know. Just wanted to point it out.