Issue in Firestorm with Animated Textures with Alphas looking faint - for example Mesh Rain

[auntiemisha]

Is anyone else seeing this kind of issue? on version Firestorm 6.6.16 (70339) Nov 23 2023

Issue: Mesh rain (animated texture on mesh) looks fuzzy and faint like the non alpha parts are at some large % of transparent  (including the raindrop puddles animated textures).  This also seems to affect any animated textures with alpha, like mesh snow or animated snow scenes. It may have something to do with Atmospheric Shaders, or maybe not.

Further information:

If it's just me then I'm not sure if it is worth trying to make a Firestorm JIRA, I'll just wait for the next release expected (with PBR)  and use another viewer if I want to see the rain better (I don't visit rainy places too often). I just started noticing this issue with the latest viewer release.

As this issue doesn't appear in the other viewers, it wasn't clear to me if there was some specific setting in Firestorm that might cause this issue. I played around with graphics settings and the only one that made a significant difference was "Atmospheric Shaders" off. It also seems like it wouldn't necessarily have to do with my computer system, as the other viewers seem alright.

If you have an idea of what other setting might be involved let me know.  As mentioned, since this doesn't appear in other viewers, it isn't clear to me what other changes might affect this.

• With ALM and Atmospheric Shaders on, issue appears.
• If I turn off ALM but leave Atmospheric Shaders on, issue appears. 
• If I turn off Atmospheric Shaders  (which also turns of ALM), then the rain looks OK, the puddles are clearer but still seem less there than expected.
• I also took picture at same area with latest SL viewer on HIGH graphics in preferences. I did not have the issue there, the puddles look "solid", rain looks sharp too.  I also checked Black Dragon and Alchemy and those both seemed ok. I set to HIGH and ULTRA graphics which I think should be ALM always?

I took pictures at the DDD Garden Store for their Mesh Rain system. I waited 5 minutes before taking photos to make sure everything was rezzed fully. I also visited SANNA but didn't take any pics there, a lot of the animated textures for rain and snow had the same issue. 

1. Firestorm with ALM and Shaders.  The puddles can somewhat bee seen on the stepping stones to the right.  Can barely see them on the ground to the right, they look like blobs of fog. The rain should be seen against the ground to the left.

2. Firestorm with no Shaders, no ALM. I can sort of see the raindrop puddles. The rain can be seen against the ground to the left, sort of.

3. Second Life Viewer.  Note the puddles are very apparent, and the rain can be seen against the ground to the left.

[auntiemisha]

As an update:

• Firestorm Alpha Viewer has PBR and the mesh rain looks good. 

I checked their website and apparently there are several issues with the current non PBR release and they recommend reverting to a previous release.  It didn't mention this specific issue but I figured I'd revert and see what happens.

• I reverted to a previous Firestorm version (6.6.14.69596) and Lo! the mesh rain looks good!

So problem solved for the moment!

For Firestorm users, are you using the Alpha Viewer with PBR or reverting to the previous version until the next release?

[Aishagain]

@auntiemisha Your decision to revert to 6.6.14 is wise and is the course recommended by FS Support themselves.  There is a fixed version on the way currently it is only a Release Candidate, not the full-fat release but I am running it at present and it seems OK.

That said I was not afflicted by many of the glitches and bugs some folk have been so maybe my experience is not typical.

In good conscience I could not recommend folk substituting the  current FS PBR viewer, though it is improved and a much better one is due soon

Edited December 9, 2023 by Aishagain
spelling: I kan't spel.