Linden Lab

Works now

With the initial release of mesh in August, Linden Lab introduced an entirely new way to measure the impact that objects have in Second Life. Since then, we’ve seen that providing customers with this additional insight has allowed them to design with more performance efficiency. Now, with this new release of mesh, creators get a more detailed understanding of the actual impact of objects on the world around them. Being able to see Resource Weights, as well as how they drive Land Impact, helps creators more easily build responsive and low-lag locations, improving the overall resident experience. To better show what effect an object will have inside Second Life, we have developed four weight values: Download, Physics, Server, and Display. Each of these values can be used by creators to determine the impact that a given object will have on performance from different perspectives (e.g. client vs. server) and under different circumstances.  Here’s how they break down: Download measures how much bandwidth we need to send out the information about an object so that everyone can see it. Physics is a value that shows how difficult the object is for the physics and Havok processes to create, track, and update the object. Server is a value that shows you how difficult the object is for the server processes to create, track, and update the object. Land Impact (formerly PE or Prim Equivalence) is the highest of the above server-side weights. It defines a theoretical limit under which performance remains acceptable for residents. Render is a value that shows you how difficult it is for the client renderer (your viewer) to draw the object. Because it’s related to the client, this is informational only. This is the same calculation used to create Avatar Rendering Weight. Knolwedge Base Article on Weights and Impact. How you see it in the viewer:  We hope understanding the relationship between objects and performance will help land owners and creators make even more efficient content. As always, we welcome feedback to help us make this information even easier to understand. 

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Lollipop Forest," by Sari Choche. Visit inworld here.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Tulip," by PiperRoxley. Visit inworld here.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Hangin," by Jasmine Lisle. Visit inworld here.

Check out today's Pic of the Day, "Wenge," by Inhandra.

The Second Life economy remained stable in Q3 2011. We closed the quarter with some positive momentum, with a continued increase in registrations and a stable Linden Dollar exchange rate with slight appreciation, as well as a higher amount of Linden Dollars held by customers. Most other key metrics were consistent with recent levels.  For a definition of the metrics in this post, please see this wiki page. Click on each image below to see a larger version. DAILY COMPLETED REGISTRATIONS Following the launch of our new-user registration flow, improvements to the Premium offering and the launch of mesh, we’ve seen a continued uptick in registrations throughout Q3. In fact, August was the biggest growth month for Second Life in nearly four years, with Q3 averaging 45 percent more completed registrations per day than Q1 before the new reg flow was implemented. AVERAGE MONTHLY UNIQUE LOGGED-IN USERS Average monthly logged-in users increased slightly from Q2 2011. USER HOURS User hours declined slightly, remaining within 2 percent of the most recent quarter. AVERAGE MONTHLY ECONOMIC PARTICIPANTS Active economic participants grew by 2.8 percent over Q2 2011. AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE The exchange rate remains very stable, strengthening slightly with a 0.5 percent appreciation in the L$ over Q2 and a 6.4 percent appreciation in the L$ over the same quarter last year. *Note that the exchange rate is expressed in L$/USD, meaning larger numbers represent a lower L$ value and smaller numbers represent a higher L$ value. The average rate is calculated by dividing the total L$ exchanged through the LindeX by the total US$ exchanged through the LindeX in the quarter. L$ SUPPLY Money supply grew by 3.7 percent in Q3 from the prior quarter and 8.5 percent year over year, bringing the equivalent U.S. dollar value of all customer-held L$ to U.S. $29.3 million. *Note: From time to time we will change our reporting in order to provide the most relevant and accurate summary information for the use of merchants, landowners, content creators, and other participants in the Second Life economy. Q2 2011 is an estimate calculated based on different methodology versus previous quarters. LINDEX VOLUME LindeX volume for Q3 amounted to U.S. $30 million, a 2 percent decline in line with seasonality, but 6.4 percent growth of the same quarter last year. WEB MERCHANDISE SALES VOLUME Q3 2011 web merchandise sales volume grew 2.8 percent compared with Q2 2011, and grew 30.9 percent as compared with Q3 2010. WORLD SIZE World size remained consistent, with last quarter at just over 2,000 square kilometers. Previously: Q1 Q2

Visit the University of Western Australia's site to check out info on the latest Machinima contest. The challenge is to create a machinima that features at least one of the artworks submitted to the UWA 3D Open Art Challenge. What can you create? Submissions are accepted through Nov. 10. You could be one of the winners in the L$300,000 prize pool!

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day by deoridhe.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day by apploniacriss. 

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day by Linda Reddevil.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "One of those silly moments," by Lori Stanton.

Check out the SL Pic of the Day, "Astrape, Goddess of Lightning, by Lyresa Werefox. 

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Warm Autumn," by Maja Braveheart.

"It came to be on Halloween, the day the night took over. And I was caught by a friend or two, and a boy just slightly older. They claimed me scared, chicken, a scaredy cat, a slightly quivering mass..." — Barbara Blackcinder The above passage opens "Halloween at the Graveyard," a poem that appears in the new SL web-based publication Wordmonger. This new literary site features original visual poetry, micro-fiction and short stories from writers who frequent Book Island in Second Life. Check out Wordmonger to read the full poem and other literary creations from the SL community. Read even more coverage of this new publication on T Lee Harris' blog Comments from the Peanut Gallery.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the day, "INK," by Ysé Ah. Visit inworld at http://bit.ly/qZU9bB. 

We double-dare you to check out "The Dare!" in Second Life. Aspen's 2011 Halloween Project is based on the soon-to-be-published short story "The Dare" by Daniel Mathews. On Halloween night, three boys dare one another to explore Northstun Manor. Their adventures will take them through a murky swamp, the infamous Northstun Manor and finally an extensive graveyard. Don't miss the daily prizes and giveaways. Check out this spooky trailer by SL Resident and machinima artist Natascha Randt: hs9xOyx59oE Ready to visit? Visit The Dare! in Second Life or check out other Haunted attractions in the Destination Guide.

Check out the Flickr Pic of the Day, "Laryn," by Λric.

Check out the SL Flickr Photo of the Day, "Misty Morning Green and Wild," by Green and Wild. 

What's your Second Life journey been like? Share your story in the group pool and check out today's selection by misspreiss. 

Check out the SL Flickr Photo of the Day, "Mos Eishley," by Daana Kira. 

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Playin' with Cao's pixels ," by Bodza Blackadder.

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day for Sept. 30, "Book," by tsugu*.

Check out Kaesor GLiNX's journey through Second Life in the Flickr group. How has your look changed through the years? Share your story!

Check out the SL Flickr Pic of the Day, "Avilion - Harvest Festival Parade and opening," by Osiris LeShelle. Visit Avilion inworld here!