[14:00:07] SXD rhet0rica: Alright. With that, we begin.
[14:00:48] Demure Nightshade: \o/
[14:00:54] SXD rhet0rica: So, thank you again for all coming. Today we have a lot to get through, so please save any questions regarding bugs or newbie troubles for the User Group.
[14:02:14] SXD rhet0rica: As some of you hopefully remember, we started work late last year on a total rewrite of the OS. This was necessary both to take full advantage of new programming features added by LL, and to escape from the insane amount of technical debt involved in the previous design.
[14:03:29] SXD rhet0rica: In a very real way we can see Companion 8.6 as a sort of failed idea. When you lose your name and color settings every time you go to a new sim, that is not a bug. That is the design being too much for SL to handle.
[14:04:02] SXD rhet0rica: There are many mechanisms in Companion intended to prevent that information loss, but it still happens because sim transfers simply are not robust enough.
[14:05:50] SXD rhet0rica: Fortunately, the new panacea, Linkset Data, allows us to keep a database of up to 128 kb of text in the system, accessible instantly from any script with no message-passing. This is a complete game-changer. Not only does it mean all that information is now safely recorded, it also means that many memory issues are just over and done with. The new menu system, for example, uses very little memory.
[14:06:56] SXD rhet0rica: But if you have read the announcement for ARES, you may have already known most of that. Today we are going to be talking about the other things we have changed, the things that make ARES not just a one-to-one reimplementation of Companion, and when everyone can expect to actually get to use it.
[14:08:39] SXD rhet0rica: First. ARES runs almost all its scripts in the HUD attachment rather than the controller housing. This means it is easy to swap controllers, and that the HUD is fast and responsive.
[14:10:09] SXD rhet0rica: Second, in ARES we have tried to cut down on the amount of obfuscation caused by immersive lore. The HUD is designed to keep you fully aware of everything that is going on with your controller.
[14:10:24] SXD rhet0rica: Here is a gallery of images taken from the HUD: https://imgur.com/a/kuZUbcg
[14:10:59] SXD rhet0rica: The first image shows the new main HUD bar, at the bottom of the screen. The hovertext at the top is a placeholder still.
[14:11:09] Demure Nightshade: Oooooo
[14:11:55] SXD rhet0rica: The HUD is fully colored. Most of the screenshots show the quaternary color (slot D), which is used for the main look.
[14:12:55] SXD rhet0rica: Color C is used for bad things, like overheating or damage. Color B is used for good things, like charging and repair.er, sexuality, sitrep, sound, warning
[14:14:46] SXD rhet0rica: The HUD is also very configurable, and we try to make configuration easy whenever we can. Like the old '@conf' command, there is a new command called '@db' that can view and edit your settings. However it can also load settings from notecards, letting you share and restore options or even do a factory reset whenever you want.
[14:15:28] SXD rhet0rica: For example, here is the interface configuration file, interface.db: https://pastebin.com/0ZZf4FFm
[14:15:42] SXD rhet0rica: All of the parts of the HUD can be moved, and many of them can be turned off.
[14:15:59] SXD rhet0rica: The familiar altimeter from the Native HUD is even joined by a compass at the top of the screen.
[14:18:44] SXD rhet0rica: Next, the menu HUD. There are no more SL dialog menus ("blue" menus) in the system at all.
[14:19:49] PipPup: YAY!
[14:20:00] SXD rhet0rica: This part is a bit tricky, but basically, if someone clicks your system and wants access, they will be offered a HUD to put on. If possible, experiences and auto-attach tricks will be used to make them wear it.
[14:20:39] Amelia Heartsong: But if experience wouldn't that be an issue since as far as i am aware, experience requires also land experience to allow it ?
[14:21:12] SXD rhet0rica: In a worst-case scenario, if a total clueless newbie clicks on your system in a no-rez area, they will be given a very basic HoverText-based menu HUD that they will have to attach before they can use you.
[14:21:44] SXD rhet0rica: When experiences fail, in some cases we may be able to use RLV to auto-attach a menu HUD.
[14:22:09] Marten Faulkwing: Will there be a way to use a remote console, too?
[14:22:12] IRDM SEPH-I: Will it me script hooks to create your own menu system for desired actions?
[14:22:13] SXD rhet0rica: And as long as the unit can rez stuff, you will at least have the option of TempOnRez things.
[14:22:23] IRDM SEPH-I: be
[14:23:22] SXD rhet0rica: So, first, remote consoles, yes. The give-on-click menu HUD is basically going to be the new remote console with some features stripped out.
[14:23:55] SXD rhet0rica: There are actually going to be 4 ways in total to access menus: Menu-To-Menu, ARemote, AMenu, and AMLite.
[14:24:23] SXD rhet0rica: Menu-To-Menu is when a unit clicks on another unit. It will use your own ARES system HUD to display the target's menus seamlessly.
[14:24:30] NS Stargazer whispers: Battery missing. Cannot boot.
[14:25:43] SXD rhet0rica: ARemote is the new Remote Console. It has to be rewritten from scratch because the old remote console has very little in common with the new way things work; it uses some deprecated stuff and cannot display menus itself. There is also a feature we will probably take out, terminal mode, but we will talk about that later in the meeting.
[14:26:17] SXD rhet0rica: AMenu is the standard menu experience; basically, the same thing you saw in https://i.imgur.com/oV9s52W.png but as a stand-alone HUD.
[14:27:07] SXD rhet0rica: AMLite will be a slimmed-down version that just uses hovertext instead of the nice Variatype display. Variatype is pretty hard on land impact, because it is XyzzyText on steroids.
[14:27:29] SXD rhet0rica: So every ARES system will be able to rez AMenu and AMLite on command for people trying to touch you.
[14:27:57] SXD rhet0rica: But ARemote is the fancy version for power users.
[14:28:21] SXD rhet0rica: Now, as for extending the menus: yes. Creating more menus is very easy and even somewhat fun.
[14:29:11] SXD rhet0rica: Here is an example of a menu file: https://pastebin.com/gLj3Lks2
[14:29:58] SXD rhet0rica: Adding and removing buttons from a menu can be done with just one API call.
[14:30:35] SXD rhet0rica: So if you are making programs, ARES is much more like working with a real OS than Companion was.
[14:31:22] SXD rhet0rica: Companion was more like... the firmware on an old cellphone or very old Mac, where there were only a few ways to extend the system because so much of it depended on very tight interactions.
[14:31:47] Amelia Heartsong: For the standard features, will we get something like what was planned for Companion before, Uplink ? The idea of remote control still interests me
[14:31:54] Marten Faulkwing always found that very kinky, actually.
[14:33:19] SXD rhet0rica: Uplink is one of the planned add-ons, yes. Once the main OS is finished, and TESI is rewritten to be actually something people like, we are doing three more add-ons like TESI that give deeper experiences.
[14:33:43] IRDM SEPH-I: It's always nice to have more flexibility in your scripting. Making Companion interact with third-party scripted objects that were never designed to be used it in the first place has so much rough corners
[14:33:44] Amelia Heartsong: Neat.
[14:34:27] SXD rhet0rica: The OS is about two thirds done now. There are lots more pieces to finish, but the pace is going well.
[14:34:35] 4i/Svipul: I love TESI now, this sounds splendid
[14:35:13] SXD rhet0rica: Even with the usual hiccups caused by needing to work on releases for Mainframe, we expect to have a good ARES alpha out in June or July.
[14:35:46] PipPup: Nice!
[14:36:07] Marten Faulkwing: A more technical question, if I may?
[14:36:18] SXD rhet0rica: Just a quick second, Marten.
[14:36:19] SXD rhet0rica: The ARES alphas are going to be exclusive to a new controller. The idea is that buying the controller is a way to support ARES development. Truthfully our finances have slumped while working on this, because it is a big project.
[14:36:55] SXD rhet0rica: But once the alphas are done, we will be retrofitting all the existing controllers so they can run ARES. We do not expect to ask money for this.
[14:37:10] SXD rhet0rica: Alright. Question, Marten?
[14:37:45] Marten Faulkwing: Thank you. I will in the first step attempt to port my current filter-based system over. Can you already explain in general terms how the future filter integration will work in the new architecture with linkset data?
[14:38:56] SXD rhet0rica: Filters were one of the first things we got working. In fact it was so long ago that we are now thinking about changing it to be even more comfortable for programmers with Unix experience.
[14:39:56] IRDM SEPH-I: Please add extra hooks for third-party AO control/integration. Like this deer AO I have, it cannot be replaced by simple AO, as it has multi-layered animation loops, it's own emotion systems and so on. While the AO itself has options for integration, it's hard to find places to add integration within Companion
[14:41:21] SXD rhet0rica: All ARES programs use a main() function for a single point of entry. The function signature looks like this: main(integer src, integer n, string m, key outs, key ins, key user)
[14:41:50] SXD rhet0rica: n = signal, m = argv, and the keys are streams and the user ID.
[14:43:47] SXD rhet0rica: When a filter is called upon to process a string, it is done the same way as any other command. It reads the input stream (using a macro, pipe_read() that pulls text from LinksetData and then erases it), processes it as needed, then writes to the output stream (using another macro, print())
[14:45:10] SXD rhet0rica: But maybe more excitingly, around half the OS is going to be open-sourced or shared-sourced, which means the code will be available for you to mod it, if you have ARES, but not use in other projects.
[14:45:31] Marten Faulkwing applauds "Sounds wonderful!"
[14:45:59] SXD rhet0rica: The filters that come with ARES are covered under the moddable license, which is called ASCL Section 1, so you will be able to see and tweak the code yourself to use it as a template.
[14:46:23] SXD rhet0rica: Actually creating and registering text filters requires a bit more config work. The vox system is quite large.
[14:46:38] SXD rhet0rica: By the time Alpha 1 is done, vox will be able to filter what you hear, not just what you say.
[14:46:43] ARES io daemon vox utility
Available chains: input, output
Available filters: bimbo, caps, censor, corrupted, glitch, lisp, mumble, nonverbal, replace, rot13, serpentine, slang, slow, stutter, superscript, translate.
All filters in use: (none)
Memory: 52692 bytes used.
[14:46:53] Marten Faulkwing: Eh, we do that already ;)
[14:46:55] Kaleida Miyazaki: Will there be an option to see the menus of others in your own colors or their native colors?  Also, not sure how to word this smoothly yet, but if there's going to be a hovertext-based menu option, will there be a way to flag a given elements of the menu code as ... superfluous?  Or some form of innate filtering to simplify the menu content?  I see people using this to add gobs of partially and wholly decorative unicode shenanigans all over everything, and eventually someone is going to distribute that as an easy option, and that's prolly gonna tax hovertext limits, AND it'd be nice to have an option to be able to just ... not see it.
[14:47:44] SXD rhet0rica: Just to answer SEPH-I's question before we get to that, Kaleida...
[14:47:50] Kaleida Miyazaki: Good plan.
[14:49:23] SXD rhet0rica: ARES only changes your animations when you are frozen in place, dead, charging, or powered down. All those animations can be replaced. It also retains compatibility with the AO Link script designed for ZHAO-II and Oracul HUDs by the OpenCollar people, which pauses your AO so your AO does not interfere with these special animation states.
[14:49:38] 4i/Svipul: I have something that hidea ALL hover text, I hate the stuff personaly.... now where did I put that....
[14:50:15] SXD rhet0rica: There is a known and very unfixable SL problem where turning animations do not play normally with the controller. A well-designed AO that monitors for turning keyboard inputs can deal with this. The Companion CSU's AO does this.
[14:50:19] Amelia Heartsong: Imagine me, i even run on nametags off constantly.
[14:50:44] 4i/Svipul: I do too, I hate those as well, they are ugly
[14:50:56] SXD rhet0rica: There should not be any obstacles to using your own AO, unless you use a Vista AO, which apparently spazzes out REALLY BADLY because of the turning animations thing.
[14:51:08] SXD rhet0rica: Now, talking about hover text menus.
[14:51:11] Amelia Heartsong: I has Vista AOs and i can confirm, awful
[14:51:14] Demure Nightshade sighs at her vista AO
[14:51:37] SXD rhet0rica: But before you panic about that offhanded remark, remember that the CSU can load vista notecards and plays them better than the vista HUD does.
[14:51:47] SXD rhet0rica: So... not a real problem.
[14:52:29] SXD rhet0rica: But as for hover text menus. This would be a HUD that only displays the same button labels that you already see in the screenshots.
[14:52:35] 4i/Svipul: It does? i didnt know that....
[14:52:39] Amelia Heartsong: Modular AOs for other systems is always fun, i have one that converts all brands into a singular modular AO i can hotswap between profiles. If ARES can handle that too, unless it,s specific to CSU, it would still be great
[14:53:12] SXD rhet0rica: The CSU is what you want for AOs. It is maybe the best AO engine in the universe, unless you need complicated multi-layered stuff.
[14:53:35] SXD rhet0rica: And it can hotswap notecards, but only with a small amount of memory to work with. The future ARES CSU will be better about that.
[14:53:41] SXD rhet0rica: BUT TALKING ABOUT THE MENUS.
[14:53:54] Amelia Heartsong: My apology, yes, menus
[14:53:56] SXD rhet0rica: Variatype can only display ASCII.
[14:54:06] Demure Nightshade: Yay
[14:54:24] Kaleida Miyazaki: Excellent.
[14:54:37] Kaleida Miyazaki: I'm somehow fine with excessive ASCII embellishments.
[14:54:44] SXD rhet0rica: If you try to add a bunch of unicode crap to your ARES menus, you will be staring at blank boxes 80%+ of the time just to make HoverText look interesting, which is the cheap/ugly option.
[14:54:59] SXD rhet0rica: So... that is unlikely to be a real problem.
[14:55:21] SXD rhet0rica: Alright. Final topic, since we are running out of time.
[14:55:26] SXD rhet0rica: TESI.
[14:55:34] Demure Nightshade: Lewd.
[14:55:45] Velnarin LZJ-2335 detects lewdness in the AO.
[14:56:00] SXD rhet0rica: Despite our best efforts to show them the errors of their ways, many people on SL still use Project Arousal.
[14:56:10] Demure Nightshade moans
[14:56:18] SXD rhet0rica: The question is: Why? How can we stop them?
[14:56:31] Kaleida Miyazaki: I never finished building my TESI-compatible robutt.
[14:56:32] Velnarin LZJ-2335 suggests memetic viruses.
[14:56:39] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... Otherwise I could probably offer some options.
[14:56:48] Kaleida Miyazaki: I'm very familiar with the failings of PA, at least.
[14:57:01] SXD rhet0rica: TESI is going to be re-implemented for ARES, under the codename Daggerfall, because reasons.
[14:57:04] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... And I don't mean how it breaks when you go to use it.
[14:57:19] Amelia Heartsong: PA is.. a handful to use, personally speaking.
[14:57:30] SXD rhet0rica: Well, maybe this is a homework question for you all.
[14:58:10] Kaleida Miyazaki: I assume TESI already has/will get a smack option for any clicky anywhere, which PA isn't ever gonna get.
[14:58:12] 4i/Svipul: reasons?
[14:58:20] SXD rhet0rica: We need market research on 1) why you guys think people use PA, 2) what about PA could be better, and 3) how to make TESII better than PA.
[14:59:16] MS cort4na: A survey would be needed for that
[14:59:18] Kaleida Miyazaki: Ehh ... it's probably already better.  But if you've gotta be wearing a controller to use it ... that's a big adoption obstacle.
[14:59:28] 4i/Svipul: I ditched PA after buying PA2 and seeing that it was basicaly the same agravating thing. Finding TESI and learning to script (poorly) because of it has been utterly amazing
[14:59:42] Marten Faulkwing: Reason: Because once the weak meatbags "dagger" is up, there's a betting game which side it falls over to again? (scnr)
[15:00:02] SXD rhet0rica takes notes.
[15:00:12] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... Then again for all I know it comes with a no-robo option.  Have not poked at it in a while.
[15:00:24] Marten Faulkwing will behave again.
[15:00:50] SXD rhet0rica: It does not come with a no-robo option, but people still want to use PA with the controller and have even put time into making TESI/PA bridges, which is unsettling to say the least.
[15:01:58] dax/3 Jug3n1a: I mean... Pa allready has addons for INM as example same as the common sex parts.... it does have addons for the common bento head and it allready has plenty of furniture wich interact with it. PA simply does have more addons avaible wich would be needed for tesi i would say
[15:02:19] Kaleida Miyazaki: They do do different things, yeah.  Making TESI try to be compatible with everything that works with PA is likely a hassle and fraught with ... ehh ... PA approaches things a really specific way.
[15:03:13] Kaleida Miyazaki: I'm not sure if a bridge for the older systems to PA ever got made.
[15:03:20] Gvix: I think PA is so popular because it allows for users to connect and react ot each other outside of a purely RP situation. I do not have  or use it, but I am told two users of PA will have their huds react ot each other, creating a connection outside of their own control. Essentially, its like a social minigame they can opt in with lewd aspects. If I am mistaken feel free to correct me on this one.
[15:03:45] SXD rhet0rica: Interesting and noted.
[15:03:57] IRDM SEPH-I: I have 0 knowledge of PA, but I know that there are places in the wild that /require/ PA to enter, because they have some kind of scripted interactive environment built around PA.
[15:04:16] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... I always avoided doing any PA development because the idea of interfacing via a script which I'm pretty sure just relays its traffic on another channel, just to keep the channels obfiscated, irks me somehow.
[15:04:28] SXD rhet0rica: Yes, we consider that a crime, obviously.
[15:04:49] Amelia Heartsong: I also come across many creators who knows of PA but would rather build their own implementation of avatar interaction, likely for the same reasons PA should be avoided
[15:04:51] SXD rhet0rica: And because of PA's rent-seeking third-party policy we do not want to make anything that actually touches their code.
[15:04:52] Kaleida Miyazaki: I can't brain data I can't see.
[15:05:15] Kaleida Miyazaki: I DO know that script can be bypassed 'cause I've seen it done.
[15:05:28] SXD rhet0rica: But certainly the notes about interoperability being everything are well-heard.
[15:05:59] Kaleida Miyazaki: It's probably possible to make something that handles PA objects better than PA does.
[15:06:00] Gvix: I believe it also It also works creating connections and user to user interaction regardless of whether the users actively seek interaction or not, adding to the experience. Like, they react ot each other whether they want or not, something that a lot of players enjoy.
[15:06:32] SXD rhet0rica: If anyone present has used PA personally, are there aspects of the actual arousal experience that are preferable to TESI? Some of the documentation mentions 'super-orgasms', which sounds... like a virgin's interpretation of a dirty manga.
[15:06:43] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... But my brain isn't in a mode to actually try and weave such an open-ended concept into a tangible model right now, surely.
[15:07:25] Amelia Heartsong: I'll be honest, i have PA but i only ever used it to moan during other minigames which had a bridge to it, i never used it for avatar to avatar interactions or sex
[15:07:28] 4i/Svipul: As near as I can tell TESI is so open to programers that it could be used as it is now to replicate the things PA does as it is. Personaly I wouldnt want that because I dont like PA for some of the reasons Colorfast just said (yelling stuff into a black box and hoping for the best) but as soon as I started trying to get TESI to do things I began learning fast, sometimes disasterously so, but it is REALLY amazing to work with
[15:07:35] Kaleida Miyazaki: Super orgasms are usually chance-based,. but can be specifically triggered.  They typically have special, louder sounds, and put you down longer.
[15:07:38] dax/3 Jug3n1a: I liked it that you actually feel on your knees or so and needed to regain youself first again before you have been able to move on as example
[15:07:51] Kaleida Miyazaki: And I think force squirting 100% of the time, which is also usually chance-based.
[15:08:17] Kaleida Miyazaki: They can actually throw off any sort of combat/tag-oriented use of the system.
[15:08:19] SXD rhet0rica takes notes.
[15:08:32] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... Or make it more varied.
[15:08:59] SXD rhet0rica: ARES has almost all of the ATOS/E features built in, by the way. It has 'OOC' and 'DQD' mode toggles so you can opt out of combat, but heat and integrity bars are always present.
[15:09:11] Kaleida Miyazaki: But the timing changing is mostly an issue when you wanna hit them again so they can't actually get up, which is sorta unsportsmanlike.  But if they're playing lewd taser tag, they're likely into unsportsmanlike.
[15:09:37] SXD rhet0rica: We are taking malfunctions out and saving them for the Warrior add-on because they are nightmarish for most newbies.
[15:09:58] 4i/Svipul: I do like some of those elements, falling for example, and have thought that linking TESI to ATOS (hehe) and and sets of animations would be really fun
[15:09:59] SXD rhet0rica: Humpy laser tag. Got it.
[15:10:21] Amelia Heartsong: "Transceiver error detected, refer to #### for technical info on how to resolve them"
[15:10:28] IRDM SEPH-I: Why have simulated malfunctions whey you can enjoy real SL malfunctions ^.^
[15:10:35] PipPup: Can we have a special one for Demure where damage is always active for her? :P
[15:10:49] Demure Nightshade wiggles
[15:11:18] dax/3 Jug3n1a: Wait a moment. did i hear it right that Warrior shall be such a addon for "Daggerfall"?
[15:11:21] SXD rhet0rica: Maybe. We will get there.
[15:11:30] 4i/Svipul: Spanking and such things should cause mild damage I would think....
[15:11:40] SXD rhet0rica: Daggerfall = TESI for ARES. Warrior = advanced combat for ARES.
[15:11:50] dax/3 Jug3n1a: Oh got it :D
[15:11:53] Kaleida Miyazaki: Those tasers were a gacha, too.  One that was unavailable for years before the ban, even.
[15:12:00] 4i/Svipul: But thats possible now via the lightbus right?
[15:12:09] Amelia Heartsong: I remember the TESI slapper always caused sparks and mild light blinking, also like.. 1/1,5% health damage
[15:12:15] 4i/Svipul: linking TESI to ATOS I mean
[15:12:20] SXD rhet0rica: Yes, the NS spankers have always had a chance to cause damage.
[15:12:40] NF/3 C1L-8X0W: Is the next one Morrowind then? :3
[15:12:42] SXD rhet0rica: And that is just done with light bus commands, although many old devices need to be updated.
[15:13:03] SXD rhet0rica: No, it will be called 'Dagoth Ur, The Arousal System.'
[15:13:04] dax/3 Jug3n1a: I wait until Skyrim is released
[15:13:33] Kaleida Miyazaki: These days PA makes it obvious how to toggle off being affected by items that aren't attached to you or that you're not attached to.  Didn't used to be the case.  But nerds abusing the system by blasting everyone on the sim with it maybe pressured a change there.  There's a commonality.
[15:13:33] Demure Nightshade: That will truly be the end of times
[15:14:08] Kaleida Miyazaki: The switch was always right there.  It was just unintuitively named.
[15:14:22] SXD rhet0rica: Warrior is still just a sketch on paper, but it will add a MechWarrior paper doll that shows head damage, leg damage, etc.
[15:14:33] SXD rhet0rica: And a weapon switcher to the HUD.
[15:14:52] SXD rhet0rica: And... other things.
[15:14:53] Demure Nightshade: Pew pew pew.
[15:14:55] NK-XXK-2: Exciting.
[15:15:00] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... I bet no one's made a Dagoth Ur voicepack for PA yet.
[15:15:11] SXD rhet0rica: Anyway. That is months off. For now we work on essentials.
[15:15:21] 4i/Svipul: I suspect this is a silly question but all this will slot into our exaisting hardware right? Im very fond of my controler for example and havent taken it off since I got it other than by accident or SL issues
[15:15:22] SXD rhet0rica: Like a Dagoth Ur voice pack for ARES.
[15:15:31] Demure Nightshade whispers: Notice: battery level at 50%.
[15:15:54] Kaleida Miyazaki: Actually ...
[15:15:59] Amelia Heartsong: Tori said for now only the upcoming controller will handle ARES, but later on when stable enough, the older will be upgraded to support it too
[15:16:20] SXD rhet0rica: Most of ARES runs in a HUD. The controller is going to become a device, like the battery.
[15:16:31] Kaleida Miyazaki: PA's also got a limited amount of solid voice packs for it.  The majority of them are poorly recorded, or just formatted in a way that ... doesn't work with how the system actually uses them.
[15:16:39] 4i/Svipul: Will it still hold the battery?
[15:16:45] Amelia Heartsong: sso that means it could run even withut casing ?o
[15:16:49] SXD rhet0rica: You will still need the battery and the controller.
[15:16:52] Amelia Heartsong: without*
[15:16:56] Amelia Heartsong: aah
[15:16:56] 4i/Svipul: I dont know why I find that important but I do somehow
[15:16:57] PipPup: I wouldn't be surprised with how much is changing, everything will need to be setup again even if compatible with older controllers?
[15:17:09] 4i/Svipul grins! YAY!
[15:17:16] Kaleida Miyazaki: ... That could be done much better, too.  An option to shift pitch would help with the fact that there's only like four good ones, and it sucks sounding just like two other people in the room, unless you're TRYING to be uniform.
[15:17:42] SXD rhet0rica: Most old controller hardware needs to be retrofitted for the new screen. Controllers with no screen will be converted first since they do not need that.
[15:17:56] NK-XXK-2: Any sort of timeline or ETA for updates or should we just keep our noses to the ground?
[15:17:58] SXD rhet0rica: But before that, we will have a limited-edition ARES-only alpha supporter controller.
[15:18:09] PipPup nods
[15:18:12] Demure Nightshade: This unit must have it.
[15:18:13] Amelia Heartsong: Heck yes, i will snatch that too
[15:18:14] SXD rhet0rica: That information was shared at the start of the meeting.
[15:18:15] SXD rhet0rica: So.
[15:18:23] Marten Faulkwing: You mentioned dropped features from the console? Not my beloved chorus?
[15:18:34] NK-XXK-2: I've only been here for the final 20 minutes...
[15:18:39] Amelia Heartsong: aah chorus, the joys of broadcasting to all units in a sim
[15:18:59] Marten Faulkwing: It has become an actual RL life changing feature :D
[15:19:11] Kaleida Miyazaki: I enjoy that chorus exists, at least.  But I've never been in a situation where I had a proper use for it.
[15:19:28] SXD rhet0rica: The code for Chorus exists. Right now it is opt-in, though.
[15:19:37] SXDjr vi0let: I haven't seen it used in forever
[15:19:52] Amelia Heartsong: Not many people even knows how to use it so, newbies are unaware
[15:19:56] SXD rhet0rica: The big dropped feature at the moment is the output pipe, which is what makes the NS gag work.
[15:20:39] Marten Faulkwing: I have used it once around here and ended up with a unit living in RL with me :) Happy memories.
[15:20:42] IRDM SEPH-I: How much of sim-crossing is observed with new OS? Currently, it could take up to a minute before Companion settles down after a crossing
[15:20:44] SXD rhet0rica: The remote will probably lose terminal mode (where you can just type a bunch of commands in chat); instead you will have to hit a button to type commands one at a time.
[15:20:44] NS 1ci: gasp
[15:20:55] Marten Faulkwing: Oh....
[15:21:11] SXD rhet0rica: BUT IF YOU REALLY CARE... then we will save it.
[15:21:17] SXD rhet0rica: That was one of the goals of this meeting.
[15:21:20] Marten Faulkwing: I do!
[15:21:24] Amelia Heartsong: That is, actually handy, imagine forgetting that this button was on and everything you said was taken as a "command" to the unit accidentally
[15:21:37] SXD rhet0rica: The other thing that deserves the stink-eye is locking/autolocking/PIN-locking.
[15:21:44] SXD rhet0rica: But Kaleida thinks it is precious.
[15:21:59] SXD rhet0rica: So it will probably be added before alpha.
[15:22:02] Demure Nightshade: \o/
[15:22:24] Marten Faulkwing: If I think of running a herd of transistorbutts through an update and hacking down the procedure on one open console without taking the hands off of the keyboard was saving me in total weeks of my life.
[15:22:27] SXD rhet0rica: Sim-crossing does not cause any script resets. It is as good as Companion 8.4.
[15:22:52] Amelia Heartsong: 8.4, what memories using those versions was
[15:22:55] SXD rhet0rica: The whole system uses much less script time than even Companion 8.6, when idle, when charging, basically whenever.
[15:23:16] SXD rhet0rica: Anyway. We will meet again in a week or two to discuss more stuff.
[15:23:27] SXD rhet0rica: We are, as it stands, half an hour overdue to wrap up.
[15:23:30] PipPup: Thank you so much!  This was awesome!
[15:23:39] SXD rhet0rica: Here is a preview of another thing that we may release soon.
[15:23:41] Kaleida Miyazaki: Precious, not sure.  As it is now PIN locking is for when you want to stop all access to the unit, yeah?
[15:23:42] IRDM SEPH-I: Still, it takes much time before it polls all devices and reloads notecards
[15:23:42] Marten Faulkwing applauds.
[15:23:45] Amelia Heartsong: This was quite insightful
[15:23:48] NS Rosie: *applauds*
[15:23:52] Demure Nightshade: Oooooooooooo
[15:23:56] SXDjr vi0let: Shiny
[15:24:01] SXD rhet0rica: No need to poll devices or load notescards on sim change.
[15:24:02] Kaleida Miyazaki: If it just let anyone with the code gain teir 1 or 2 access temporarily ...
[15:24:05] Demure Nightshade: cant sit
[15:24:06] Demure Nightshade pouts
[15:24:07] Amelia Heartsong: ooh, new casing
[15:24:14] SXD rhet0rica: It is just art so far, yes.
[15:24:14] Marten Faulkwing: We should be able to buy "ARES bonds" to give you some peace of mind during the final development stages.
[15:24:24] SXD rhet0rica: Bonds have to be repaid!
[15:24:33] SXD rhet0rica: Better to sell pixels and polygons.
[15:24:34] Kaleida Miyazaki: You can put your PIN on a sticky note on your casing, and walk around open to all ... that aren't too thermally divergent to read.
[15:24:39] Marten Faulkwing: Yes, but.... inflation! :P
[15:24:52] Kaleida Miyazaki: Seems like a good filter.
[15:25:11] SXD rhet0rica: Ugh, LI 9. What a mess.
[15:25:14] Kaleida Miyazaki: If they won't read the note, they're not gonna read the buttons they hit, either.
[15:25:28] SXD rhet0rica whispers: You were supposed to be efficient, you dumb box.
[15:25:35] Amelia Heartsong: How many times have you seen a stick note on the wall that said a pin and you thought to yourself "Highly inefficient security"?
[15:25:45] Demure Nightshade: Zero times.
[15:26:15] Kaleida Miyazaki: When I see obvious codes I tend to assume they are a trap and using them will cause bad stuff.  But that's just because that's how I'd do security.
[15:26:25] Kaleida Miyazaki: I'm likely always wrong.
[15:26:40] Amelia Heartsong: If something is so obvious, yes, it has to be a trap of sort
[15:27:01] SXD rhet0rica: Anyway. There are a LOT more topics to cover on ARES. Web folders work as intended, so now you can have a web server instead of distributing packages. There are like 40 different security options. The power system speeds up or slows down based on when you are active or idle. You can turn on and off nearly a dozen different network protocols, manually.
[15:27:08] Kaleida Miyazaki: I'd even plant far less obvious codes that do the same.
[15:27:16] Amelia Heartsong: Oh no! Deadly neurotoxins were activated upon entering the totally not obvious code on a note !
[15:27:40] Kaleida Miyazaki: Should ALWAYS have those, for when you're being coerced and would rather see them fail so, so very hard.
[15:28:03] SXD rhet0rica: The input processor is now an actual Unix-style shell that registers with the io daemon, so it can be replaced, or programmed to send output to an object. Telnetting into SL will no longer be a dream.
[15:28:10] About ARES
ARES (Psyche/CX) Development System
© 2022-2023 Nanite Systems Research
Version: 0.0.2 scaffold (_id compiled May 12 2023)

Unit name: rhet0rica
Supervising authority: Nanite Systems Consumer Products
Unit serial number: SXD 999-54-5620
Controller model: SXD
Colors:
    #ff0080 (cherry)
    #ffd43f
    #ff5a52
    #5ef5fe

Type 'security' for user information or 'device' for devices information.
[15:28:24] input (entire section) 
  alias: 
    baseband: service baseband
    color: id color
    device: service device
    kill: proc kill force
    name: id name
    off: power off
    on: power on
    ps: proc tasks detail
    status: power
  channel: 7770
  device_command: ["icon","horns"]
  shell: _input
[15:28:41] Demure Nightshade: It thinks it remembers something like that once upon a time.
[15:28:55] SXD rhet0rica: Dax Dupont did it, but only for sending commands, not receiving output.
[15:29:53] IRDM SEPH-I: It it possible to telnet OUT of SL though?
[15:30:01] PetSaskia en>en: @about
[15:30:12] Kaleida Miyazaki: You could repay the bonds with pixels and polygons.  Exclusive ones.  It'd probably sell 'em.
[15:30:24] IRDM SEPH-I: For example, run a program on a computer
[15:30:31] Kaleida Miyazaki: It's sorta gambling.  But ... sorta not?
[15:30:41] SXD rhet0rica: Personas use a new file format with a single notecard. Shell scripts can do math, goto, and are Turing-complete. Some CSU features are now part of the OS. You can change ALL the RLV code for ALL your power subsystems with a couple of script resets.
[15:30:43] Kaleida Miyazaki: It's not gambling if you're the government.
[15:30:54] NK-XXK-2: I will die before NS releases Non-fungible Polygons and Pixels.
[15:31:33] Kaleida Miyazaki: Well, I meant exclusive more like ... I mean, everyone with enough tickets could trade for any of them, but ... I guess special colors is super shitty, though ...
[15:31:43] SXD rhet0rica: Voice schemes (now called announcer voices) now cover things like low cryolube and damage.
[15:32:03] SXD rhet0rica: Oh, and there is a program for sending actual emails.
[15:32:07] SXD rhet0rica: So that is nice.
[15:32:09] Kaleida Miyazaki: Need more UT announcer during sex, yes.
[15:32:20] dax/3 Jug3n1a: FInish him!
[15:32:27] Kaleida Miyazaki: WICKED SICK
[15:32:34] Kaleida Miyazaki: DOMINATING
[15:32:39] Kaleida Miyazaki: SPAWN KILLER
[15:32:42] D8 J3nn4-M3: round 2, figth
[15:33:10] SXD rhet0rica: While the idea of polluting the world with purely non-functional collectible garbage is cute, we already do that during Halloween.
[15:33:22] Kaleida Miyazaki: Yeah.
[15:33:34] SXD rhet0rica: Instead we are going to launch a Patreon.
[15:34:15] SXD rhet0rica: With a real, legit, official NS Discord server. And access to a secret Gray Market list, mostly of retired Halloween items.
[15:34:25] Demure Nightshade gasps in surprise.
[15:34:30] Marten Faulkwing: Yay!
[15:34:37] dax/3 Jug3n1a: Oooof
[15:34:44] 4i/Svipul: I prefer the direct method, Patreon refuses to let me change cards and insists I use one that expired ages ago. Their support team has been.... lacking
[15:34:48] NK-XXK-2: Oh exciting.
[15:35:22] SXD rhet0rica: Yes, every middleman on the internet has problems. We will definitely have in-SL alternative ways to pay for the same perks.
[15:36:05] D8 J3nn4-M3: can we pay with CPU power?
[15:36:14] SXD rhet0rica: As you probably all remember us saying in the past, we hate the thought of people spending all their time RPing on Discord and no longer using SL.
[15:36:26] Marten Faulkwing: LSL based crypto mining!
[15:36:50] SXD rhet0rica: Easily the worst idea ever conceived of.
[15:37:01] Marten Faulkwing has a reputation.
[15:37:02] NK-XXK-2: I think I just vomited in my mouth a little.
[15:37:13] NS Rosie: ewwwwww
[15:37:14] SXD rhet0rica: NS does not currently have any use for spare CPU cycles.
[15:37:24] dax/3 Jug3n1a throws plenty akaline battery´s out of her bag "Are those accepted as payment aswell?"
[15:37:25] SXD rhet0rica: We are trying to reduce the world's power consumption, after all.
[15:38:04] SXD rhet0rica: ...In fact, ARES uses more power when its script time is high.
[15:38:12] SXD rhet0rica: It counts its own script usage and adds that to the power drain.
[15:38:16] SXD rhet0rica: So be frugal.
[15:38:19] SXD rhet0rica: Anyway! More soon.
[15:38:20] Demure Nightshade: Fancy.
[15:38:22] SXD rhet0rica: Thank you all for coming.
[15:38:29] IRDM SEPH-I: Can we have sodium batteries please? Those that permanently expire over time, even unused (=´∇｀=)
[15:38:33] SXDjr vi0let: Is this the part where we set fire to things?
[15:38:34] D8 J3nn4-M3: uuuhh.. that sounds interesting
[15:38:40] PipPup: Thank you for this awesomeness!
[15:38:44] 4i/Svipul: Thank you Rhet0rica!
[15:38:46] Jackie: fire!
[15:38:47] Kaleida Miyazaki: That humpy laser tag thing, though?  Arousal as damage for training purposes is maybe a really good idea.  And at least one more gun you could sell, if not making it just another way for the system to process damage.  I always felt PA was a better, or at least more useful combat meter than the other combat meters.  But murder isn't cool in a lot of situations.
[15:38:49] Marten Faulkwing applauds
[15:39:10] dax/3 Jug3n1a: No i think ths is the part where we steal all the cookies while others are distracted applauding
[15:39:14] SXD rhet0rica: Consider it noted as a possibility, even if fairly silly.
[15:39:28] D8 J3nn4-M3: thanks rhet0rica
[15:39:30] Kaleida Miyazaki: I guess robutts DO fix up pretty easily.
[15:39:45] dax/3 Jug3n1a: Thanks for the meeting :D
[15:39:51] SXD rhet0rica: Non-rechargeable vegetable batteries were actually something Serena made... years ago that we still need to put on sale.
[15:40:03] Kaleida Miyazaki: Actually, conditioning them to get off on getting hit is probably a bad plan.  But a fun one.
[15:40:08] SXD rhet0rica: A potato, a lemon, and a... tomato? Carrot? Something.
[15:40:15] SXD rhet0rica gives a thumbs up.
[15:40:17] SXD rhet0rica: Until next time.
[15:40:22] SXD rhet0rica: Keep cooming.
[15:40:32] Marten Faulkwing waves
[15:40:36] Demure Nightshade: Moo!
[15:40:40] SXD rhet0rica: More ARES info will be posted on the website soon.
[15:40:41] Kaleida Miyazaki: I have a potato that thinks it's a uRTG.
[15:40:43] SXDjr vi0let: Moo!?
[15:40:43] D8 J3nn4-M3: combustable lemmon batteries? ... now we'r talking...