Beta viewer 3.2.5 (246559) Dec 12 2011 worst yet

[Rubyleaf Dryke]

Issues

Crash on TP - happenes contantly

Partial rez of objects - In every sim including my home sim  most objects are partially or all gray. Load times are very very long if they load at all.

High cpu usage - Ive gotten this warning since the introduction of mesh but now its contant.

Freezing and/or crashing while just standing there - for no reason that I can see I now freeze in place and then crash

Refusal to rez objects from inventory 

This new version of the beta viewer is unusable. There have been problem with lag since the introduction of mesh. So much so that Ive given up sailing and other activities. But this latest beta version of the viewer is the worst yet,

[Peggy Paperdoll]

Every time I see someone come to the forums to rant about a beta viewer they have problems with I wonder if they understand what a beta release is.  It's software in the final stages of becoming what is called a "stable" release.  The reason developers (in this case Linden Lab) release betas is so that regular users of the software (preferably experienced users) can use the software, "run it through the mill" so to speak, to help find any bugs or problems.  The developers want to know that information so that they can fix those issues before the final (or stable) release.  Coming to the General Discussion forum to bitch about how crappy the viewer is, in no way, reporting problems you found or are having with the beta viewer.......you're not holding up your end of the bargain (which is you volunteer to use the viewer and report any problems to the developers that you find or experience).  No wonder we get so many viewers full of bugs...the beta testers just aren't doing what beta testers agree to do.  If the viewer is giving you such problems that you can't use it or you don't want to continue to use it then uninstall it and use the current stable release (or any other viewer you choose to use). 

 

Maybe you didn't understand this part of the statement LL gives for the beta viewer download:

"Help to make the SL Viewer even better! If you're an experienced Resident, then download the latest SL Viewer Beta and let us know what you think."

 

http://secondlife.com/support/downloads/

 

Or, maybe you just didn't bother to read that part.

 

If you want to use beta software, that's fine.......developers want you to use it.  They are asking for your help in fixing any problems before the software is finalized.  You agreed to help when you downloaded the beta release and started using it......but you are failing to uphold your end of the agreement.  Bitching here is not reporting the problems to LL.

 



[Teagan Tobias]

OK, I've proved over and over again that I'm not to good at this.  Here I go again, where do I report on the Beta viewer?  It's the only LL Viewer I use and this is the only viewer place to post that I know of.  I looked on the download page and don't see a link to report, just says, tell us what you think.  Its most likely "right there", but I don't see it.  Can someone point it out to me.

[Peggy Paperdoll]

Try this:

http://secondlife.wikia.com/wiki/JIRA

 

And a question.......why only betas?  Betas are known to have bugs.  They also sometimes have features and fixes for older bugs but mostly they are just candidates for final releases.  The stable releases are what LL will encourage most users to download and install.  I've used beta's before and actually found problems that I can say I contributed to being fixed.  But, for the most part, they are a real pain in the butt........I always felt an obligation to report every issue I ran into and for some releases that was very time consuming.  I don't do them much anymore because of that......I guess I'm not that dedicated.

 

[Teagan Tobias]

The Beta is the latest and greatest, maybe not stable, but I'm only looking around.  The LL viewer is getting better but if that were all I had to navigate SL, I wouldn't.  How they ever keep any new users is beyond me.
And hey, I'm holding true to form, I don't get it.  I see nothing on that page about the beta viewer.  I searched for 'beta viewer' and got this:  “There were no results matching the query”.  I thought maybe I had to log in, but it didn't even know who I am.

[Nalates Urriah]

You do have to login to the JIRA. While it uses the same login servers for ID and password checking, the JIRA site is a different site and the cookies used to recognize you for the SL community domains won't work for the JIRA site.

Read the information on the dashboard on how to file a JIRA item. In the process of filling out the JIRA you will denote that it is a viewer issue and the system will put it in the right place. A JIRA is a complex bug and feature tracking tool. 

[Teagan Tobias]

This is what I think, the OP complied with the statement on the download page that stated in part; download the latest SL Viewer Beta and let us know what you think.

There is no “Forums > Technology Forum > Second Life Beta Viewer” available to post in and this area is where to post about the viewer. I think the OP'er could have supplied information about there system to make the “what I think” a little more helpful and informative, but this is the only place to comply the statement, let us know what you think. From what I can see, the JIRA is not a place for casual comments about the viewer, this Forum is. And after looking at the JIRA page, I know I will not be going back there again, for any reason. A JIRA is a complex bug and feature tracking tool is an understatement and certainly not a place to just, let us know what you think.

If they want a bug report, ask for one, if they want to know what you think, ask for that, and that is exactly what they asked for, let us know what you think. If they want it posted someplace special, put a link.

This is by the way, just my opinion.

[Yuna Erin]

I do understand that LL wants our opinion, but I don't personally think going to another site just to tell them "what we think" is a very efficient way of communication between LL and the user. I've personally expirienced many problems with the new viewer since Mesh was introduced. It seems with the newer technologies they have implimented have only made it near impossible for me to have an enjoyable SL expirience. One of the major issues is that a majority of users use older systems, and those who have little to no knowledge of advance graphics are handicapped.  It's not the fact that they don't know how to build, texture, or make mesh, it's just their computers can't handle the newer graphics. I don't particularly have money to go out and buy a $500 dollar graphics card.

 

So in the end it comes down to two vital questions: Is this game for proffessionals as a practice ground for modeling, or a game that's meant for users everywhere reguardless of their modeling knowledge? At this point the game is becoming so complicated that it doesn't seem like much of a game anymore. So rather than a social playground, the game has become a portal for aspiring artists that crave to have their work critiqued and presented in front of real proffessionals and clients.

I think most users with older systems prefer the older viewers because they are stable, and don't require much computer knowledge to play. However, the newer systems are more techy and end up very complicated and hard to understand, so much that it's sometimes difficult to diagnose a specific problem.

[Theresa Tennyson]

---

Yuna Erin wrote:

I do understand that LL wants our opinion, but I don't personally think going to another site just to tell them "what we think" is a very efficient way of communication between LL and the user. I've personally expirienced many problems with the new viewer since Mesh was introduced. It seems with the newer technologies they have implimented have only made it near impossible for me to have an enjoyable SL expirience. One of the major issues is that a majority of users use older systems, and those who have little to no knowledge of advance graphics are handicapped.  It's not the fact that they don't know how to build, texture, or make mesh, it's just their computers can't handle the newer graphics. I don't particularly have money to go out and buy a $500 dollar graphics card.

 

So in the end it comes down to two vital questions: Is this game for proffessionals as a practice ground for modeling, or a game that's meant for users everywhere reguardless of their modeling knowledge? At this point the game is becoming so complicated that it doesn't seem like much of a game anymore. So rather than a social playground, the game has become a portal for aspiring artists that crave to have their work critiqued and presented in front of real proffessionals and clients.

I think most users with older systems prefer the older viewers because they are stable, and don't require much computer knowledge to play. However, the newer systems are more techy and end up very complicated and hard to understand, so much that it's sometimes difficult to diagnose a specific problem.

---

 

SL's great strength and great weakness is that it is  BOTH an environment for advanced builders and an environment for users everywhere. Almost everything you see on SL was made by someone else on SL. For every user who wishes the requirements are lower there is someone who thinks that SL is primitive and pathetic and should require MORE performance. I'm delighted with the performance I get with a video card that cost less than $100. I personally ended up learning more about computer graphics than I was expecting because the viewer is having some of its periodic growing pains. The viewers people now think are old and stable were once new and decidedly unstable and there are entries in support forums to prove that. If you have specific problems and ask questions here you'll probably find help.

[Yuna Erin]

Well I did ask for help once but I got thoroughly lost with all the techy talk. My boyfriend was able to help me update my drivers, but it didn't solve the issue. I think I may need a new graphics card XDD. What kind of graphics card would you suggest using? I can get my specs if that's helpful, but I know that my graphics card is a discontinued product from Intel and is 3 years old. Also, how do you go about replacing a graphics card?

 

And a good point well made.  Do you know if there is anywhere on the sites that supplies minimum specs required in order to run the beta viewer? If not that would be a nice thing to have attached to the viewer download or nearby it . I've never had major graphical issues (besides my undergarments not wanting to change) until they introduced mesh.

[Theresa Tennyson]

If you have a desktop computer a video card will fit into a "slot" inside your computer that's a long electrical and data connector. (If you have a laptop it's really hard to change the video hardware). I'm guessing your old video chip is probably built into the main board of your computer but you should have a slot you can put a new card into.

There are a lot of companies that make video cards but they'll all have "engines" built by two companies - Nvidia or ATI. Right now I'd only look at Nvidia cards for Second Life. ATI cards are having problems with the latest viewer. Even a cheap (under $100) one will be a lot better than what you have now. I have a card with a Nvidia GT430 "engine" and it was probably around $90 this past summer. I wouldn't spend a lot on a new video card for your setup because the rest of your computer will limit things. If your boyfriend is good with computers he can help find one, or if you have the specifications of your computer somewhere that you can print out you can take them to an electronics store and ask someone there for help.

The minimum requirements for SL are under the "help" menu on the SL home page. I think you were just barely at the minimum before. Realistically, Intel graphics aren't good for any 3D programs no matter what they say.

Good luck!