[PBR] New Issues in latest release

[Charlotte Bartlett]

EDIT TO ADD:

LL confirmed it may be limited to above 64m and a fix is in progress.  Will be testing. 

I have raised Jira - https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/BUG-234804 - this just started in the latest update
Second Life Release 7.0.1.6894459864 (64bit)

But this is driving me crazy.

Open Plan House.

Three reflection probes (not overlapping but abutting each other)

Dynamic Set and running at 0.5 for Ambiance and Fall Off at .950

I am getting serious alpha flicker due to the looking through a transparent reflection probe to being able to see another in scene.
Both set to 100 transparency
Video here - slow mo version - https://gyazo.com/3b85294214270f57fe17a20299045f71

I have read everything I can including switching transparency to zero and putting in a alpha texture instead.

This house was tested and packaged ready to go then a new release downloaded today for me - and this was introduced.

Anybody done some testing with an idea of what else I can do to fix this?  Complex is totally borked as of now for open plan homes with layouts that need 3 probes.

Also there is a new bug with transparency so I am wondering if related - https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/BUG-234803

Wiki says

"

Complex Reflection Probe placement

At times, you may wish to place a reflection probe in an area where the reflection probe types (Sphere or Box) do not conform to the shape of the area. For example, a Box probe in a loft room has a triangular shape, which results in "probe bleed" wherein the influence volume affects an area larger than what is needed, and thus bleeds out onto the exterior roof, which is undesirable.

In these cases, you may need to place multiple probes in order to blend together the sample volumes to achieve the desired result. In the loft room example, it's best to start with 3 box probes, which cover the floor, and each side of the roof. Then, use an additional box probe as "fill" to cover the gap inbetween the 3 probes. The main fill probe may need to be rotated at an angle to get the most coverage possible. If it is not possible to fill the gap between the 3 probes with this fill probe, you may wish to add more box probes to act as "secondary fill"."

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Charlotte Bartlett
Added info

[Chic Aeon]

I say this with much compassion as I "beta tested" in SANSAR and every new update seemed to break something. 

Breathe deep. Know it is likely NOT YOU. 

I went over to the "full PBR" Winter Wonderland sim yesterday == not to see the Winter Wonderland but to test the sim.  It was fine in Firestorm, looked good worked perfectly except for some extra glow behind the windows like that famous Christmas card type painter's work.  My outfit was darker in the shadows. And yes this is an upcoming post sometime soon. 

Went back with the new PBR viewer (yesterdays as it updated) and I was a cloud for over a minute and the whole scene was gray for a very long time.  You are probably not seeing  this lag just working on one building. 

 

I didn't see anything that that looked like it was obviously a reflection probe so likely that part of the new rendering system wasn't tested.  

My best guess is that it will be almost a year before every FS user is on a PBR viewer. This with the "you must update in three versions" edict. Some folks will be using 3rd party viewers that don't update because they either don't care or do care and don't like PBR.   

Honestly, so far, PBR  seems to be a better rollout that EEP which was a nightmare and which I didn't adopt until I had to.  

 

So while I know you would like your item with all the shiny new stuff, it will probably be a LOT easier to let the devs get things worked out. SENRA is MUCH better now after flour months or whatever.  I think the devs seem to have done a good job this time about not breaking legacy builds. That is a huge plus.   But being out on the front lines of change comes with a price. 

 

And yes, I was up in the night writing LOL so this is more philosophical than it might otherwise be.   I thought of you when I was out in the Linden viewer (SO PAINFUL) and I wish you all the best in the PRB fray.    My only building thought on this really and what I would try if I was testing PBR is to leave some gaps where you boxes are and don't let them meet -- like cube LOD models.  And have you watched that PBR into video?  Probably but pasting in for others.   I thought he used a solid cube for all four sides -- but honestly since it was a long way off for me I didn't pay too much attention.    

 

Yes, next to the last section.    

You MAY need to only make house designs that will work for now.   Again, been there in SANSAR and do feel your pain.  

 

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Chic Aeon
spelling

[Charlotte Bartlett]

Thanks Chic!

i have watched it and it has incorrect workflow in it (but that aside)….also lacks explanations of “why”.  I am likely going to make my own tutorial for folk with best practices at some point. 

The challenge with box probes  is with Ambiance, which I need for interiors to get the right effect:    If you leave a gap and the probe “touches” a mesh surface the ambiance will show that gap between both probes.  I am new to probes so I am going to find some more information to get a deeper understanding. 

Sadly they broke transparency in the release yesterday, so I am thinking it’s linked.   It is very much like alpha on alpha flickering.    

I am going to stop tinkering.  However I have to worry about the lack of regression testing as transparency broke on legacy textures.   If one person edits something on an existing build (untreated to PBR) I am going to have a customer service meltdown as they will think the build is broken. 

If you want some fun I can send you a copy of the house and EEP settings!

Normally I would wait longer (Firestorm I think have been sensible holding back) but I had to get my workflow sorted so I could train myself on the new (and expensive) setup. 

 

[Nutria2016]

I'm experiencing this same issue. Seems SL's reflection probes can't handle large rooms, and I really hope this is temporary.

Currently working on a PBR store interior, and after adding a reflection probe to cover the entire store (63m x 63m), the corners started flickering with different lighting.

And so I had the idea to split the reflection probe into four parts, but that only results in incorrect reflections, and it didn't make the flickering go away.

https://gyazo.com/c33ea7f7230077cecf1153e34b86d80c (Textures are placeholders)

 

To add, it's impossible to edit reflection probes once they've been set in place; I have to go into Firestorm and edit it there instead. Is this a bug, or an oversight?

I seriously hope they intend on fixing these issues soon.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Nutria2016

[Candide LeMay]

1 hour ago, Nutria2016 said:

To add, it's impossible to edit reflection probes once they've been set in place; I have to go into Firestorm and edit it there instead. Is this a bug, or an oversight?

I seriously hope they intend on fixing these issues soon.

That setting currently doesn't persist, which is annoying.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Candide LeMay

[Henri Beauchamp]

5 hours ago, Candide LeMay said:

That setting currently doesn't persist, which is annoying.

I do not use this kind of selection logic in the Cool VL Viewer: instead, reflection probes can be selected only while the Build/Edit floater is open (just like for the new ”Ignore touch” prims).

[Nutria2016]

7 hours ago, Candide LeMay said:

That setting currently doesn't persist, which is annoying.

Oh I didn't know about this option. Thanks!