Alpha 0.86.0 K2.0 Release Notes

This version of Vircadia (codename "Athena") is compatible with the v0.86.0 protocol. This version was released on April 3rd, 2020.

Interface

The numbers at the end of each item are the PR numbers in the Vircadia GitHub repo.

General

  • Settings > Entity Script / QML Whitelist added. Loading third-party QML now works correctly, provided that the file is added to the whitelist. (#1, #6, #7, #16, #65, #112)

  • The ability for the Metaverse API (Grid Server) URL to be changed by script via settings has been added. No UI toggle has been added yet. (#33)

  • Added full desktop chat UI with local, domain, and inter-domain capabilities. Not in a VR usable state yet. (#12, #13, #69, #88, #107, #111, #135, #170)

  • Serverless JSON domains can now be loaded over HTTP. This means you can create a domain, export it to JSON, then upload it to a webserver to be visited in the Interface. (#160)

  • Beta default scripts feature added where if you check Developer > Scripting > Enable Beta Default Scripts then you get the latest versions for some scripts via their respective online deployments. (#135, #192)

  • Users can now set thumbnails that show in the Avatar app. (#145)

  • Add SL-like camera inspect function (hold Alt key) as default functionality. (#64, #188)

  • Add clicking/triggering on an avatar shows a temporary nametag. (#179)

  • Add an "Explore" app as a temporary go-to, along with associated "Explore" menu in Interface. These will be replaced by a modern implementation upon or after the Metaverse API (Grid Server) completion. (#190, #199, #205, #236)

  • Relabeled the old "goto" app's icon as "Old Goto". (#240)

  • Add a "More" app that lists and installs community-made scripts and apps directly from a GitHub repo. (#187)

  • This takes longer than you might expect: Tons of revisions to brand/debrand, update links, docs, rehost, etc. in the Interface by various contributors. Thank you! (#9, #11, #19, #23, #34, #37, #38, #40, #44, #47, #50, #58, #70, #71, #75, #85, #89, #91, #99, #100, #105, #116, #177, #219)

Graphics

  • Procedural vertex shader support added. (#15)

  • Procedural shaders no longer require an environment variable to be activated. Instead, use Developer > Render > Enable Procedural Materials. (#10)

  • Add support for GLTF alphaModes. (#15)

  • Fix opacityMapModes for GLTF. (#15)

  • Add support to allow Material entities to specify face culling method, support GLTF doubleSided property. (#15)

  • Fix wearables not disappearing with avatar. (#15)

Technicals

  • Updated CMake's SDL2 file to build correctly on Windows and Linux. (#3, #20, #21)

  • Fix audio failure due to missing VR. (#31)

  • VideoDecodeStats folder added to .gitignore. (#2)

  • Fix crash on secondary camera usage. (#32)

  • Fix QMetaObject::invokeMethod crash when trying to bind menu. (#39)

  • Add experimental Ubuntu 19.10 build support. (#53)

  • VCPKG modernization. (#53)

  • Fix Linux Building with export HIFI_MEMORY_DEBUGGING=1. (#54)

  • Fix avatar walk speed per avatar scaling. (#55)

  • Fix CMake build failing due to Public Key on VCPKG. (#56)

  • Fix thousands of 'is too small to hold all values' warnings on Linux. (#58)

  • Added Opus Audio Codec support. (#86)

  • Fix running scripts in Interface from being cleared occasionally. (#162)

  • Always display vertical scrollbar in Settings dialogs that scroll. (#113)

  • GitHub CI work-in-progress. (#51)

  • Added ArrayBuffer support to websockets. (#66)

  • Fix Clara.io type error issue. (#67)

  • Added RPM and Deb build scripts for server. (#101)

  • Make default copy constructors explicit. (#104)

  • Fix updated TBB library hash in vcpkg portfile. (#222)

Server

The numbers at the end of each item are the PR numbers in the Vircadia GitHub repo.

General

  • Added environment variables to change domain server ports. (#15)

  • Fix server log spam ///. (#175)

Documentation

User Docs

The numbers at the end of each item are the PR numbers in the Vircadia-Docs-Sphinx GitHub repo.

  • Added initial shader documentation that can be found under Create > Materials, or here. (#17)

  • Various other updates and fixes to the main documentation. (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #9, #10, #12)

API Docs

The API docs are generated by from the software source GitHub repo. Additionally, the latest deployment source can be viewed here.

  • Added night theme, on by default, for the API docs. (#115, #118, #119, #140)

  • Fix browsing JSDocs from file system in the Edge browser. (#148)

  • Fix sidebar not showing on first load for API Docs. (#237)

Extra Applications

Explore App (Interim Version)

The numbers at the end of each item are the PR numbers in the Decentralized GoTo GitHub repo. This app is temporary and created under the name of "Explore" app. The Explore app name and icon will be used again for the "Decentralized GoTo" successor.

  • Get button's label and icon working. (Thanks Aitolda for the new icon graphic!) (#1)

  • Many commits directly to master not put into PRs by Kalila L. found here between February 24th & March 12th, 2020.

Community Apps

The numbers at the end of each item are the PR numbers in the Community Apps GitHub repo.

  • Spectator Camera fixed. (#1)

  • Fix "More" app not stopping or restarting correctly. (#5)

  • Add VR Grab Scale app created by Basinsky to the repo. (#6)

  • Optimizations to the search feature and many code optimizations. (#9)

  • Many commits directly to master not put into PRs by Kalila L. & Keb Helion found here between February 26th & March 16th, 2020.