Automatic Reflection Probes on Linden Homes using PBR.
expected
Dragon Mommy
With the introduction of Alpine and Tiki Linden homes, users who are less tech savvy are struggling to make use of the PBR textures inherent to the homes themselves.
While there are other feedback requests to tackle the overly blue reflections, I think alongside resolving that Linden homes should offer the following:
An additional pair of buttons on the mailbox that either Rez or Delete probes which have been pre-fitted to the house already on the lot. This would allow users to see and enjoy PBR at its fullest in their homes, while also permitting those who want a more custom lighting setup to place their own.
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Nescolet Resident
Reflection+Light probes for now only useful in single room homes or houses that have only rectangular or bubble rooms. Adding RLP to log homes is futile without ability to produce custom shape probes �
Oatmeal Linden
Hello all! Apologies if you felt that the response did not address your concerns. Reflection probes enhance your content but must be manually placed. Each probe uses only 1 land impact.
To create probes, go to the Build window under Features. To detect them, use "Select Reflection Probes" or the visual overlay "Show Reflection Probe Volumes," found under Build > Options.
Best practice when creating a reflection probe is to name it before activating. This allows you to easily locate it later using object finding tools like Region objects or Firestorm’s Area search. When creating, note the warning about the irreversible change to the object. These objects may be deleted, or taken into inventory.
Think of reflection probes as a way to enhance the scene's appearance, in conjunction with using lighting and an environment. After creation, you can adjust the shape (sphere or box), some other settings, and even make the object a light source. Just like arranging furniture, experimenting will help you learn the best way to utilize them in your spaces as part of your decor.
I hope that this further explanation is helpful for those learning how to work with the rendering updates we have been making. Please also keep in mind that the viewer and server are both under constant development. The suggestions and reports are seen and considered, and can help direct this development. Second Life is a vibrant place, whether you are a Resident or a Linden!
Oatmeal Linden
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expected
Hello Dragon Mommy! Thank you for your suggestion. This type of content is expected to be added by the parcel owner, as the decor inside your house will be unique to your tastes.
Reflection probes are a relatively new feature in Second Life, and integrating new content types involves a learning process. You can create your own probes using the Build menu.
Numerous resources are available from the Second Life community, including forum discussions and external blogs, videos, and documentation. For assistance or a demonstration, consider asking in a community group where other residents may be using reflection probes in their Linden Homes.
PBR/Materials wiki:
We hope that you are able to beautifully design your space!
Dragon Mommy
Oatmeal Linden Hey!
Thanks for the reply.
I am no stranger to reflection probes and their use, I've built multiple sims now with them. I actively teach others how to use them.
However there is a world of difference between the user friendly 'i place it in the world and it looks fine' and 'I place it in the world and it looks terrible unless I learn to use reflection probes.' I see too many people give up on using anything PBR as a result rather than learning to use Probes. There's a lot of blame laid on PBR for things within user control. Tackling that gap in general user knowledge takes more than tutorials.
I strongly believe that the option for Linden home owners to have reflection probes rezzed by button would increase drive for users to begin learning how to place them themselves. This is an ideal use case for showing people what's possible, while not making it mandatory so more advanced users like myself could still place our own.
PJBear Bitey
Oatmeal Linden how can reflection probes be "content that is expected to be added by the parcel owner" when the windows were put in by the Moles? Shouldn't the probes that 'fix' the issue also be put in by the Moles and/or Lindens?
Probes are invisible. They, by themselves, are not what would make someone's content be unique to them. It's using a panel to turn them on or off (as a user would desire) to, somehow, 'combat' that blue glow to the windows. If people want things to be 'as is' with blue they can just click the button to turn probe off. Similar to now wherein someone can click a button and then the wall, and thereby changing the color of the walls.
Having the Moles put the probes in there and have them controllable by a panel, as in the suggestion, would help those less tech-smart 'just live' in the house without having to take a college course to figure out how to change the blue windows.
Raspberry Crystal
This response feels dismissive of real concerns. I find it hard to believe that management actually think it reasonable for residents to go through the steps described, or indeed to know that this is what they are meant to do.
Please think again.
Oatmeal Linden
PJBear Bitey: An update for the Aspen Ridge homes was delivered to the house controller on 24 April. If your house still has the blue windows, you can re-rez it from the controller for the updated version.
Nika Talaj
Btw, there is a full discussion of this issue in the forum thread about the Aspen release. https://community.secondlife.com/forums/topic/522438-looks-like-alpine-is-on-the-map/
The windows discussion starts on page 6 in my browser - if you search for a post by Quartz Mole in that topic, it is around the start of that discussion.
Nika Talaj
I don't see a way for residents to create links between Canny reports, so here's a few related requests.
- This request points out that blue is a plague throughout SL currently, not just on LH windows. Here's a naive question: is it possible to make the sky probe white, instead of blue? You might need a dreadful hack to do this and still have the skies be blue, but as Henri points out in the next link, the alternative is a massive multiplication of probes-around-buildings.
- In this report, Henri points out some problems with requiring at least one big probe for every building in SL, and proposes to automate this process.
- Related, but not directly.
- This report.
Kylie Jaxxon
Sensible request to me, since the percentage of residents who are not tech savvy, either leave the theme or just live with it, which is sad for this to be their only options :(
Marisa Starbrook
Kylie Jaxxon I agree with you. I’m more on the scale of less tech savvy. The blue windows on the Aspen Ridge have turned me off to the theme. I haven’t had the same aversion to the Thousand Islands. The PBR is more subtle on those. I really like the atmosphere of that theme. Kind of magical and dreamy.
If there was a change of seasons with the Traditionals, that would be wonderful.