This week, Kitely rolled out a significant update by integrating support for physically based rendering (PBR) materials in its virtual worlds and Kitely Market. This enhancement also enables textures up to a size of 2,048 by 2,048 pixels, which is a noteworthy upgrade for users looking for more detailed and realistic virtual environments.
For those unfamiliar with PBR, it’s a system that mimics the interaction of light with various surfaces, like metal or mud, giving them a very lifelike appearance with varied reflections and textures. This technology essentially transforms how surfaces look, making them appear more three-dimensional and realistic.
To make use of this feature, ensure you’re on Firestorm version 7.1.11 or later. Notably, Kitely is among the pioneers in adopting PBR materials, having incorporated the features from the anticipated OpenSim 0.9.3 into its existing OpenSim 0.9.2.2 platform. Oren Hurvitz, Kitely’s co-founder and VP of R&D, explained this move by stating, "PBR is not supported in all OpenSim grids yet. It’s part of the upcoming OpenSim 0.9.3, which isn’t out just yet. Since many grids, Kitely included, still operate on the stable OpenSim 0.9.2.2, we decided to bring these functionalities from OpenSim 0.9.3 into our system."
In line with these updates, the Kitely Market has undergone some changes too. The "Textures" section is now called "Textures and Materials" to reflect this development. Sellers should note the importance of mentioning PBR usage in their product descriptions since these materials might not render correctly on grids lacking PBR support. As a workaround, sellers can offer standard textures alongside to ensure compatibility across all platforms.
Echoing the sentiment of staying ahead of the curve, Kitely’s CEO, Ilan Tochner, remarked, "Being the primary marketplace for the hypergrid, we are always looking to implement the latest graphics options from OpenSim 0.9.3, even ahead of its official release."
The update does more than just enhancing visuals. It also introduces support for reflection probes via LSL scripting, adding new PRIM_REFLECTION_PROBE parameters to the GetPrimParams and SetPrimParams functions, which promises even more depth and realism in reflection effects.
Despite these advancements, Kitely advises a bit of caution when using PBR materials for terrain textures due to certain issues. Objects utilizing PBR materials will appear on world maps, yet they’ll show just the basic color without additional PBR attributes like roughness or normal maps. Unfortunately, PBR terrain textures aren’t visible on world maps at this point.
To aid creators in storing PBR materials, Kitely has also added a “Materials” folder to user inventories. For those eager to dive deeper into creating PBR materials, the documentation from Second Life offers valuable guidance and insights.
Maria Korolov, the editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business, multitasks as a science fiction novelist and award-winning technology journalist with a keen focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and enterprise virtual reality. Her first virtual offering, Krim Times, was an Amazon chart-topper, and her latest work, The Lost King of Krim, is already garnering attention. For more of her work, visit Maria’s Amazon author page or follow her on social media platforms.
