Release Notes Blog
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Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Open Beta Testing of the SceneGate Viewer!
Your work and feedback have been incorporated in this official release 1.0.0. The project wiki has been updated with user tutorials and relevant information.
For anyone who would like to contribute code or port code to other viewer projects, please review the developer resources and the specific policies and
procedures as the repository is opened to the public. The latest code is in the SceneGate branch.
In summary, these changes and improvements were added:
Onboarding Improvements
1) Expanded simplified mode to include ability to open contents of objects.
2) Changed the Metaverse Depot grid splash page in all default grid lists to remove user confusion on where to enter their username and password.
Usability and Branding Improvements
1) Removed Alchemy installer images seen when installing or uninstalling the viewer.
2) Updated strings in the default Starlight CUI skin for downloads and release notes links.
Known Issues:
1) Linux Audio Driver may not load - under test.
2) Login to favorite location may send the user home - open issue.
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Accessibility Improvements:
1) The ability to hear voice equally from all positions was established as a default. The feature helps users who may have hearing, cognitive, or mobility issues communicate in voice immediately. Without this capability, users only had the option to hear from avatar position or camera position creating a hostile environment for people with disabilities - also known as digital marginalization. While this is equally important for new users in simplified mode, it exists for users in extended mode as well. This is only available for OpenSimulator virtual worlds.
2) The default user interface skin for SceneGate provides users the ability to customize the color and contrast with far greater choices than other skins to meet their needs immediately. The improvement provides greater accessibility by design to specifically improve the user experience for those with visual or cognitive issues. This user interface skin is the default for both simplified and extended modes.
Onboarding Improvements:
1) To reduce cognitive overload caused by too many menu items and buttons on a new user's screen, a simplified mode was developed and made the default mode. In this mode, a limited number of user menu options are available which also reduces onboarding time.
2) Toolbar button defaults presented to new users are also limited to only those needed to learn to use virtual worlds. This effectively applies a bulldozer to the steep learning curve further reducing onboarding time.
3) When new users are ready to learn more, they do not need to download and learn how to use another viewer user interface. Extended mode is available in preferences with a few clicks. In this mode, the user is presented with more user interface menu items and toolbar buttons. Their user experience is "extended" rather than changed.
4) The default avatar camera settings were adjusted to provide a more natural, contemporary or modern sense of virtual presence in third person view. This change improves ease of navigation inside virtual structures and applies to all modes. Advanced users are able to change their camera settings temporarily or permanently.
Performance Improvements:
1) Dynamic texture loading times were greatly reduced to enhance the user experience. This is unique to OpenSimulator virtual worlds and independent of mode.
2) Improved graphics handling to address an issue unique to Windows 10 1903 update and later. Prior to this improvement, the graphics would crash on quit. This is independent of mode.
Usability Improvements:
1) Grid Manager error checking was added to prevent a user adding a grid that is not available or that has a typo in the entry. Users also get immediate feedback when this occurs. This provides the ability to easily manage their own grid list or load the short default grid list when needed. The usability mantra is "Don't Make Me Think". This is available in both modes.
2) Default toolbar button locations were grouped by function categories based on human computer interaction design review. For simplified mode, the left side button group presents two tools associated with the user's account. The right side button group presents two tools associated with places the avatar can go and how to get there. The center bottom button group presents the commonly used buttons to communicate, navigate, and find people.