S24 DX Build 3690 (Pre-alpha 0.2)

 

What a week.

It’s been a busy one, and my sincere thanks go out to all the wonderfully unhinged individuals who were brave enough to try the 0.1 alpha release. You have my admiration — and possibly my concern — but mostly my admiration.

So how did it go?

Mixed results, as expected for a first alpha.

• We discovered very quickly that integrated GPUs absolutely despise the shader‑compile sequence. They don’t just dislike it — they stage a full revolt.

• A rather spectacular mistake was also identified on the GitHub repository. That one’s on me, and yes, it’s fixed.

On the positive side:

• The long‑standing AMD halo bug is finally gone. The API switch eradicated it completely.

• Using the bundled DXVK files has given discrete AMD GPUs a noticeable boost in stability.

• Framerates and frametiming in this early alpha are acceptable and currently under active refinement.

So overall: not bad for a viewer that’s only just learned how to walk without falling over.

What’s new in 0.2?

The most important question remains the same: Can you log in?

Several shaders have now been gated to prevent lockups during startup, which should make the login path far more reliable.

Major change: VRAM texture eviction & management

The entire OpenGL‑era texture system — complete with its overzealous estimations, magic numbers, and general superstition — has been ripped out completely. Not tweaked. Not modernised. Removed with prejudice.

It has been replaced with a new DXGI‑based timed eviction system, featuring:

• Proper texture cost calculation

• Accurate VRAM detection

• Sensible eviction behaviour

• No more “GL guessing games”

What does this mean for you?

Will it prevent texture thrashing? Potentially.

What is certain is that if you open the Develop menu and check the Texture Console, you’ll now see a far more realistic representation of actual GPU load. No more phantom VRAM usage or random spikes caused by legacy heuristics.

Texture Console & GPU Load Improvements

As you can see above, you’ll no longer be confronted with completely bizarre numbers. Instead, you now get an accurate appraisal of GPU load and pressure, presented through a simple bar that shows — at a glance — just how enthusiastically Second Life content hammers your graphics card.

You’ll also notice clearer colour‑coded texture events:

• RAMRead

• DiskRead

These now stand out instantly, removing the mystery and superstition of the old system. The archaic GL‑era behaviour has finally been retired.

Other Fixes in This Round

A number of long‑standing issues have been addressed:

• Alpha rendering, especially for legacy sculpts

• UI context flicker caused by incorrect state handling

• Shader caching improvements to reduce stalls

• SVG icon repairs

• UI fixes for several broken toggles and controls

In total, over 1,000 lines of GL‑era pipeline code have been decommissioned. Not commented out. Not patched. Removed.

A Personal Note

To an extremely dedicated group whose support, testing, and feedback have been invaluable:

日本のみなさまへ

Kirsten's Viewer をご利用いただいている日本のみなさまに、心より深く御礼申し上げます。

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今後ともどうぞよろしくお願い申し上げます。

謹んで感謝を込めて
KL