ATG Grid News Week 21

Welcoe to ATG Grid News for Week 21 of 2023.

Our top stories:

– Second Life ending Windows 32-bit support
– Infrastructure Upgrades and Temporary Downtime on Second Life Marketplace
– Relay Track Camps Open to Builders

Hello and welcome to ATG Grid News

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This is ATG Grid News.
I am Missoni.
I am Zack Haiku.
I am Katheryn Llewellyn.

Our top stories:

– Second Life ending Windows 32-bit support
– Infrastructure Upgrades and Temporary Downtime on Second Life Marketplace
– Relay Track Camps Open to Builders

Hello and welcome to ATG Grid News

In recent user group meetings, Linden Lab confirmed that from July 1, 2023, it will stop supporting the 32-bit version of Windows and MacOS versions below 10.13 High Sierra for Second Life.
This change impacts a small percentage of users, many of whom are capable of supporting the 64-bit version.
MacOS users with versions older than High Sierra will need to upgrade their systems for future Second Life updates. Linden Lab advises Windows 32-bit users to back up preferences and settings before switching to the 64-bit version of Second Life, while MacOS users should refer to the Apple Support website for upgrade guidance.
The change aims to enhance Second Life’s stability, performance, and compatibility with modern technologies.

In an ongoing effort to enhance user experience, Second Life will be undergoing infrastructure updates, inevitably resulting in a temporary period of downtime.
Scheduled for Wednesday, May 31st, the maintenance update will render the Second Life Marketplace inaccessible for approximately one hour.
During this time, all shopping carts will reset, meaning unsaved items will be lost. In anticipation of this disruption, users are advised to finalize pending transactions and consider noting items of interest in their favorites or wishlist for future purchase.
Although this temporary downtime may cause some inconvenience, it is a necessary step towards a more robust platform.
Any questions or concerns may be addressed to the support team, and users are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates.

Resuming its educational series, Second Life University has announced the release of a pre-recorded video by Boston Blaisdale, focused on the creation of PBR Materials.
The tutorial covers a wide array of topics, including insights on PBR Materials from the Physically Based Rendering Wiki, logging into the Second Life Beta grid for testing, modelling furniture in Blender, and using Adobe Substance Painter.
Further, it offers guidance on exporting and importing models and PBR material textures into Second Life, dealing with material transparency, modifying PBR material properties, searching for modifiable items in the Second Life Marketplace, and constructing reflection probes.
Users are advised to download the latest GLTF PBR Materials Viewer, released on May 16, 2023, and test out materials in the Rumpus Room region on the Beta grid. More updates from Second Life University are anticipated in the future.

Earlier on the 26th of May, the Relay Weekend track sims campsites, including the Sunbeamer camp, were opened for builders.
This year’s Sunbeamer team, led by captain Rita Mariner, will sponsor a new sim: RFL Advocacy.
Despite the current emptiness of the sims, it’s expected that soon they will be filled with builds as teams establish their campsites.
While incomplete sites will not be displayed, sneak peeks and “teasers” offering a glimpse into the future developments will be shared.

Second Life is on the cusp of introducing the capability to import and edit GLTF Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) Materials.
This significant upgrade to the graphics engine will enable more realistic surfaces, enhanced reflections, and a contemporary workflow for artists.
Details on PBR materials can be found on their wiki, or users can experience it firsthand on the beta grid using the Release Candidate Viewer.
As a preview of future developments, they are also working on high-resolution PBR terrain textures.
Though still in the early stages of development, this initiative will be discussed at upcoming Content Creator meetings, open to all residents.
A PBR Terrain viewer is set to be released on the Alternative Viewers page in the near future, and user feedback is highly anticipated.

This has been ATG Grid News.
Enjoy the grid!