v4.5 Beta Testing

A new BETA Necessity Pack v4.5 is now available on Krafties Island. See what’s on the way, and help Krafties make it better!

BETA HUD 2022 Blog Snapshot_004

Notable Changes

A HUGE Necessity Pack update is now in beta! This update introduces quite a few small fixes, alongside some major features and enhancements. Notable features include:

  • The engine powering everything has been revamped! Many Krafties objects contain a special set of scripts that run our own custom scripting language, enabling code to be beamed between objects and our servers. This system was upgraded to improve performance, expand the memory available, and add functions to support new and future features. It also eliminates some annoying issues!
  • The Beta apps are taking over the older app system! These new HUDs are now set to use the shiny new Beta App system that’s been in testing for a while and notably defaults to loading these apps in-world. There has already been some great feedback on improvements to be made to this system, and changes are underway!
  • Faster-paced gameplay, with optional first-person capabilities, enabled by the new Scanner Gun! The scanner gun allows players to scan creatures from a distance to mark them as targets, which primes their active creature to attack. This makes gameplay more immersive and fast-paced, while also eliminating a good deal of clicking by cutting out the attack menu in a majority of cases. Additionally, there’s a fun new system tied into this feature being tested in The Tropics of Krafties Island!
  • The introduction of chat commands recognized by the HUD. Using channel 123 (type “/123 COMMAND”) in local chat, players are able to access some convenient functions related to activating tools and creatures. More commands will be added soon! This is an exciting addition because it unlocks many potential game mechanics which may at one point or another have been deemed to be too high of an upfront investment due to visual interfaces needing to be created. Now, we can experiment quickly using the command system, and design interfaces if the mechanics are well received! For example: for a while, we’ve wanted to add more high-level spells, but Second Life’s memory constraints made this very difficult without having some mechanic that added the ability to forget/trade up spells. Utilizing a fluid interface like chat, there is now a multitude of ways that sort of mechanic could be wielded by players. Additionally, with the recent advancements in text-based AI, and the popularity of communicating with bot-like interfaces being on the rise due to platforms like Discord…. text is pretty powerful! Because these commands are tied directly to our out-of-world server and all of the meat is handled via our custom scripting language, we can dynamically add and adjust commands at any time with relative ease.

 

The Full Rundown

Code Interpreter Changes/Additions

  • Code interpreter has been upgraded and optimized. Our custom events now only fire when registered in specific scripts, and new LSL Linkset Data functions are implemented to expand memory available to the system
  • Extra functions have been added to interpreter system – Particles, creature movement, and more
  • More interpreter scripts have been added to HUD (Fixes “no available scripts to run code error”)
  • “Sentinel reached” error message is removed

 

HUD Changes/Additions

  • Introduced chat commands: “scanner”, “notool”, and “summon” – more on the way!
  • HUD apps are now upgraded to use the (previously) beta app (certain apps will still load in the old interface until upgraded)
  • In-World HUD interface redesigned
  • UI sounds added to In-World HUD
  • HUD now defaults to use in-world apps
  • In-world app aspect ratio is now 9:5

 

Creature Attachment Changes/Additions

  • First creature now automatically loads for new players when a Creature Attachment is worn
  • Health orb redesigned to be less obtrusive, and not cast ugly shadows on pets
  • Creatures now stay at a fixed angle offset from the player (won’t wander all over your AV)
  • Creature moves in front of player when attacking, and then back to being behind/to the side of player when walking (makes health orb visible in first-person)
  • Eyes are now fullbright

 

App Changes/Additions
Too many changes here! Old blog posts have lots of info. Various changes will continue rolling in – no in-world updates are required for these patches!

 

Misc Changes/Additions

  • Particles and other effects can now be triggered via the tool attachment
  • New starter pack visual design
  • Krafties Info notecard copy has been rewritten
  • Rezzed creatures have new “external commands” (allows in-world objects to trigger behaviors in creatures) : move-to-point, display-animation, and a few other secret functions
  • Joining from Rezzed Creatures is patched
  • Rezzed Creatures – misc commands all patched
  • Message-sending functions have been revamped and patched

 

Patches Implemented Since Stealth Launching The Beta

The beta has been live for 24 hours now, with a “secret” launch happening on Krafties Island. Since then, we’ve already got some great feedback and implemented fixes. These will continue to roll in! They include:

  • Nets could be activated via chat commands (not intended at this point in time)
  • Ascended creatures display data correctly in beta app now
  • Scanner gun volume has been halved
  • Radiation level has been added to new apps
  • Malformed chat commands now give a useful error message in response
  • Eye prims in creatures attached to players spammed local chat when touched

Thank you to everyone who is helping us test the new system! If you have comments or suggestions drop them in our official group. Have fun!