Havok4/Beta1 Release Notes

Second Life Havok4 Public Beta 1 Release Notes (September 28th, 2007)

This release of the Second Life simulator includes an upgrade of the Havok physics engine to v4. This is an internal update release, not a "new features" release from a physics perspective.

Public Beta Test Grid

We expect the public beta test for Havok4 to be very active, with many participants. We have prepared a test grid that allows for many types of physics-related tests. The test regions will include:

• Orientation Islands
• Welcome Areas
• Lusk
• Several sandboxes
• Combat sandboxes
• Vehicle testing simulators

NOTE: The Public Beta viewer will be configured to use the beta grid, which will be a snapshot copy of portions of the main grid and a copy of your user account. You can do "anything you want" on this grid without risking damage to your "real account" on the main grid.

How Do I Stay "In The Loop" With Havok4 Testing?

1. Attend "Regular Havok4 Office Hours In-World"
2. TELL US about everything you find using the Public Issue Tracker at "Issue Tracker"

Please enter bugs using PROJECT "Second Life Service - SVC" and COMPONENT "Physics"!

Known Issues

The following issues are known in the current Second Life Havok4 build, and several of them are already being worked on. We decided not to hold off on releasing the public beta for these, and will update the server code on the public beta test simulators as we have fixes completed.

• Kart stops too quickly (and tumbles too easily when going over bumps, as well as some odd collision behavior)
• Bonifacio has very high script time (and is running VERY slowly)
• Short-range teleport script not working correctly
  • OmniPhaze
  • jFlash
  • emDash
  • Others
• Flocking birds script behaves differently on Havok4 (birds acquire extra energy over time and eventually "rocket" out of sim)
• Some physical TargetOmega objects do not spin
• Sitting on anything but top face of a box will fail
• C-Tech 2050 hover ship spirals out of control after several minutes of flying and turning
• Sitting avatars do not always contact seat
• Making an object non-physical while it's rolling leaves it rotating
• Bouncing off of a plane is different if the plane is physical or non physical
• Drop a large cube on a small cube, they interpenetrate when they shouldn't
• A sphere interpenetrating into a larger object can launch both
• Physical spheres on uneven ground sink into the ground
• Your avatar direction does not update on other viewers (Avatar A turns, avatar b's viewer does not update showing the rotation until Avatar A does something else such as walk, run, jump or fly)
• In some cases maximum link distance exceeds 32m
• Vehicles collide with phantom tubes, rings, and torii
• Some complex vehicles show incorrect behavior