Where have all the alpha’s gone?
Posted on 26. Jul, 2008 by Tenshi Vielle in Platform News, Wall of Shame
Alpha sorting bug, screenshot from the JIRA issue.
Iris and I were building yesterday for Punch Drunk and that fabulous alpha glitch was driving me insane when I was trying my hardest to build her a nice prim skirt. Having it untextured wasn’t really an option – I had to see what it looked like textured as I was building.
Of course, the alpha glitch kept fluctuating the layers on me and I couldn’t see what I was doing. I developed a headache from it.
“God, why the effing hell haven’t they fixed this glitch yet?” Yes, I was whining.
“I thought it was just something that came along with SL. It’s been here since I’ve been building.” Iris continued fussing in photoshop.
“No, it wasn’t. It showed up about a month after I joined SL, and despite several grid updates, they haven’t fixed it and I want to send LL white powder in an envelope right now ARRRRGHHH.” Insert images of Tenshi trying to murder prims here.
Apparently this unfixed issue has to do with something called alpha sorting. There are several JIRA issues related to this out there, but none are assigned and certainly not resolved. I fail to understand why this is not a Linden priority, as it makes the game look like absolute crap and really binds the content creators.
There was an issue earlier this week where the Lindens completely shut down an alpha-issue related JIRA because they “weren’t sure the Residents really wanted it”. Um, really? It has 258 votes, and, according to Joshua Nightshade, one of the most voted-for JIRA issues right now. The Linden exploring the issue had actually shut it down. It has since been re-opened, and Erica Linden is a bit bloody in the rear since Joshua got a hold of her for shutting the JIRA issue down.
What do you guys think we can do to solve these sorts of issues? What exactly is causing it, and why haven’t the Lindens fixed it yet?
Majorly Related Post: A Fashionista’s Guide to the JIRA
Annyka
Jul 26th, 2008
According to the texture jockeys on the forums, this is an OpenGL problem that’s as old as the hills and will never be fixed in our lifetimes. Apparently its supposed to be common in all openGL games.
I honestly don’t know if I buy that explanation fully, though. I mean, if its OpenGL, don’t people work on that? Isn’t OpenGL open source? You would think some diligent coder would try to fix something like that.
admin
Jul 26th, 2008
Well, there’s the next problem- it seems the Lindens, who get paid to fix these sorts of issues, would much rather have volunteers to fix the code.
Who would be dumb enough to do that?
Annyka
Jul 26th, 2008
but I really dont think its something the Lindens have any control over, unfortunately.
Round-up « Shopping Cart Disco
Jul 26th, 2008
[...] Don’t you just hate that alpha priority glitch? [...]
QueenKellee Kuu
Jul 26th, 2008
Like Annyka stated, this is a known Open GL bug, and NOT a SL bug. Techie info here: http://www.opengl.org/wiki/index.php/Alpha_Blending
Whenever I say that, people then retort, “then why have I never seen it on other games?” First, not all games use OpenGL. And second, because those (OpenGL) games are made and created by professional designers who are well aware of the bug and work around it. Here in SL our content is created by anyone and everyone with little to no tech knowledge. And also we use transparency a lot as a “hack” to achieve certain looks that we can’t with the traditional building tools or to save prims.
Yes it’s annoying. But not something to blame on the Lindens.
Alyx Sands
Jul 26th, 2008
AFAIK, other games just use baked textures that avoid the glitch. In SL, on the other hand, stuff IS created by different tools by its residents….
Lauren Nasu
Jul 27th, 2008
ahh i remember fondly the days when u could stand infront of a window with your prim hair and still see both clearly
Paisley Poindexter
Jul 27th, 2008
@Lauren: I don’t know what days you’re talking about, LOL. I’ve been in SL since March 05 & it’s always been there.
Eliza Wrigglesworth
Jul 29th, 2008
I remember this problem driving me crazy when I used to make and decorate houses in The Sims. Disappearing curtains at a window and part of a chair or table that I’d place in front of it.
I’m not very tech-savvy, but it WAS a problem with that game also.
Bibe
Jul 31st, 2008
Hmm… I had a skybox with alpha windows, which canceled out all my potted plants. My friend Zasa came and built a similar skybox but made the windows out of sculpty, which fixes the problem (however prims it up).
I wish there was a better solution- I would really welcome it. I have no tech knowledge, just throwing my 2c in =)