Raise the maximum lighting radius beyond 20 meters
tracked
Anthony Stuart
I build race tracks, full sim builds, and lighting them can be a problem because of the maximum 20 meter radius: in real life, lights are usually outside the track and shining in, so the lighting ends up looking wrong by having to put invisible light sources close to the track. With the ability to use light sources from longer distances, we'd be able to make much more realistic looking tracks, with more realistic reflections and shadows on the cars. I can also see this being a big benefit to clubs, other sports venues, airports, and live music setups. There have been so many changes to lighting and shaders in SL, but the light radius is still what it was when I started in 2006.
Log In
Alistar Snook
So I asked Geenz Linden a month ago and he said the feature was interesting, but needed to be evaluated server-side as well. Yesterday I asked Rider Linden and was told to ask Geenz Linden. looks like I’m stuck in a loop!
If Geenz Linden approves and Rider Linden increases the value, I’d be more than happy to open a viewer-side PR supporting this, following his instructions: whether that means keeping it at 20 by default for viewers and making it adjustable via UI, or keeping it debug-only.
Standing by and happy to help!
lale Delvalle
I'm all for this. 40M would be nice. But also people need to make sure their lights don't shine on other peoples property.
Extrude Ragu
I would like this feature.
It's annoying as a creator and region owner to be told I can't have the big boy toys because of the mainland.
Maybe the viewer could just render lights in parcels with a different owner capped at the existing 20m then the new abuse vector is killed.
marxman1313 Resident
At least 64m would be nice, maybe 128 for a max?
Alana Starchild
To address possible issues or abuse from extending the maximum range beyond 20m
1). Add a parcel setting to not allow light from another parcel into yours. We have that already for other things like objects and sound.
2). For worn items keep the 20m limit
Anthony Stuart
Alana Starchild I would agree with both parts of that (if anything I feel like 20m might be a bit too much for worn items, but that's another discussion), and with Alistar's suggestion of the default setting in the viewer being a 20 meter limit but with a viewer-side option to increase it - we can easily put a sign on a track to say "change X setting", we already recommend different draw distance and PBR settings, and racers could include it in their graphics presets in viewers like Firestorm
Alistar Snook
Increasing the limit on both the server side and the viewer side isn't very complicated to do. The real issue is the potential abuse of this feature by residents. Which makes me think: what if the viewer kept the current 20.0 radius by default, but allowed users to increase it up to the new cap? Those who want to use it can, and those who are concerned can stick with the current settings.
Rizzy Khaos
Man.... I feel you, I get it... I really do.
But the last mainland parcel I had, some resident bought up the land next to it, and opened up an AI art store with full bright building and lights that bled into my parcel and into my bedroom...
Im not against your idea or request, but if they do this, they need to remember there are a lot of people in SL who are not very conscious about things like that.
So I want you to be able to have this and I hope you get this and if LL decides to implement this, dont forget to remember that mainland exists.
Alana Starchild
Yes please! This would also benefit landscapers like me using light fx to simulate natural light sources at night creating a more immersive vibe. For instance a lightning flash should split second illuminate objects further away than the 20m from it . The requestor says - unchanged since 2006 - a time when we all built using basic primitives!
steph Arnott
That is fine except only a few have the BB and comps that could cope with the massive information load needed. SL is a compromise to attract all.
Alana Starchild
steph ArnottHow will making a point light source go further and some further away objects a little brighter in a night time eep cause a massive information load?
steph Arnott
Alana Starchild, because the system could not cope with the massive maths calculations needed per nano second, the sim would simply stall and need a reset.
Alana Starchild
steph Arnott Yea I will be waiting there when the Lindens flick the switch to record and document that.
steph Arnott
Alana Starchild, get a grip and learn, your comments are so lacking in even basic computer knowledge.
NaomiLocket Resident
steph Arnott It would likely be offset by a reduction in the number of point lights existing. Not sure if you've noticed the max nearby local lights ranges from 0 - 8,192. A sim not needing to place a light every 10m or so because of the spherical nature of coverage requiring the overlap can be beneficial. The main issues are centered around adjacent ownership, and dynamic proximity (agents). The light features are attached to an object. Setting it yourself to 0 still needs the object to be loaded.
Aranui Littlebird
steph Arnott Light sources can create viewer side lag not sim lag so will not stall or crash a sim! So yes they can cause problems especially on older slow computers. As someone else replied extending the range will mean less individual light sources would have to be used mitigating the load. The main issue is the longer reach of the light going on to another parcel where it is not wanted. I am still in favor of this change as it can allow more realism and creativity. We also have to look at second lifes future survival and anything to attract the younger users back by implementing more of these features to modernise it.
steph Arnott
Aranui Littlebird, wrong, the system sends compressed data bursts of pre processed data, viewer lag is caused by external systems such as broadband, comps specs etc.
SL Feedback
updated the status to
tracked
Load More
→