Senate meeting 19MAR2017 Hansard

Present:

Emperor Stephanus Galtier

Proconsuls: Booker Beningborough

Senators: Flavivs Etchegaray-Drake, Rad Parthicus, RegulusAntius Galtier, Eryx Etchegaray-Drake, Tybalt Caproni, Januarius Vindelici, Markus Vindelici, Caivs Mercvrivs Karv

Citizens: Darkar, Zarek Antonius, Misk, Prinz, Jason Warden-Vindelici, CJ Parthicus, Marcus Claudius, Torgis Aquillius Parthicus, Ganimede Karu, Strymon Parthicus Dii Consentes, Josh Argenteus Aurelius, Gaius Cassius Varro Aquillius, Derek Lyons Aquillius, ekwe, ClintKoch, Leon Polda, Asharr Panius, Cosmos Lux Aquillius, Ben Reich, Aurelius Bekir Phoenix, Rosso Vespucciano, Wes H Baiae, Alex Bonham, Petrus Gnaeus Pompeius, Ilyas Riina, Brunellus Broono, Qarbon Kamala Parthicus, Giles the Healer, Willowserafin, Chi Carson, Bambi Panius-Serafin, Phedro, Pablo Serafin, Ptolemy Confero, Lucius Parthicus Dii Consentes, Colton O'Neill, Michaelus Patritius, Ejix E Silvercloud, Hayt Artorius Argenteus

I. ROMANUM REBUILD

Emperor Stephanus Galtier: First, I want to say how pleased I am at how well attended these Senate meetings are. Our new Senate has actual chairs. We are nearly done with the rebuild. Today the new amazing prison will be installed. Also, we are adding some small temples and monuments on the Temple of Jupiter mount as it was historically. And I still have some temple statues to deploy. Now, one issue that has arisen and is not surprising is lag. Given we now have nearly 27,000 prims deployed in Romanum I with many textures, that contributes to lag. Obviously we are not getting rid of those prims or textures. But are are things that can be done, which are basically the same things one should always do about lag. We need to restart the Sims every day. YOU need to make sure your graphics setting are no too high. A graphics setting of HIGH and a draw distance of 256 meters should be plenty. Also, regularly clear out your viewer cache, at least once a week and when you encounter lag, consider re-logging your avatar. None of these steps have changed for years in Second Life. But, as I said, the rebuild has added to our challenge. If you have an old graphics card or too little Ram or too slow CPU or a slow hard drive, this will slow you down. Some (hopefully not many) will be unable to have a good experience in this rebuild. I'd like to say I am sorry about that, but I am not. It is the nature of the beast, and as result of the rebuild we have an amazing new city that is SO MUCH more historically accurate. For some, that is not important, but I hope most of you appreciate it and enjoy it.

Josh Argenteus Aurelius: My understanding is that clearing viewer cache is no longer recommended as a regular routine. As for the number of prims and scripts and lag - unless Second Life did something to improve server performance, which I doubt, when they increased the number of prims allowed, they increased the potential for lag. The number of prims allowed in Romanum I is double what it was before, isn't it? That's a huge increase. I don't know why we don't consider reducing the number of prims and buildings in Romanum I. To summarize, I think we are using too many prims.

Januarius Vindelici: We did have lag problems at the Hippodrome and Arena. I was on low resolution graphics. My draw distance is 128. I was experiencing bad lag. If it doesn’t improve sadly I will have to give up chariot racing

Wes H Baiae: I just wanted to compliment all on the wonderful build and let others know that the visitors I have talked with think it is great

Qarbon Kamala Parthicus: Being so distant from the servers there is issue called latency - We could hold some events on sky platforms that relieves some of the issues. SL also replaced old servers with new before giving out more prims.

Markus Vindelici: my suggestion is to limit scrips at every bigger event to 100 or 150, like we do at the Legion training.

Booker Beningborough: Yes, that is a good idea. I see many people here are not rezzed because of their complexity

Lucius Parthicus Dii Consentes: I was wondering if there is somebody with knowledge about turning setting to the most advantageous settings to make it easier and would be willing to share with the rest of us that could make a difference in a positive way

PTOLEMY CONFERO: The constant rendering of an avatar's movement causes lag, when many are together it is called "collisions". Most settings can be turned off except for UI, NEVER turn that off. Any fighting tournaments in SL, it is demanded of the spectators to sit. This improves things somewhat. Many times I have been at tournaments and avatars have been ejected for not sitting.

Brunellus Broono: I agree completely with both Markus and Ptolemy in that we all bear weight.. Removing scripty items of self and on UI (user interface) lowering complexity even if it means we have no hair or are less attractive, then perhaps for photos put them back on at an opportune called on time. No cocks, no HUDS, no scripty jewelry, or clothes, many hair styles now are PACKED with prims. Just for the games remove hair.

Tybalt Caproni: There are a few things that can be done. At the beginning of every Arena Event & Hippodrome people are asked to monitor their own scripts, rarely does anyone pay attention. I think people need to be more aware of their own impact.

Januarius Vindelici: Perhaps have a script counter like on the Legion field.

Markus Vindelici: so maybe we need info boards or something like that on the relevant buildings.

Tybalt Caproni: Arena & hippodrome are Not Controlled environments like legion But open Public areas so theres a stumbling block. Who's going to police all that & random people coming to participate & being made to feel unwelcome. Also what is hanging up one person is not an issue for another.

PTOLEMY CONFERO: A warrior need not care how he looks, the object of the fight is to win the battle.Even reverting to old avatars that are not these gorgeous new things would help, these new avatars are VERY complex.

Giles the Healer: i was just going to say on some raid sims you can be ejected for wearing say over 70 scripts.

Qarbon Kamala Parthicus: As a I look around I see quite a few complex AVs possibly we try a big meeting where we have no clothes of minimal and see what it does to the frame rates. Called stress tests. AV complexity adds lag too.

Emperor Stephanus Galtier: First, thank you all for your comments, questions and suggestions. I knew lag could be an issue even before the new city was deployed. Unfortunately I was proven right. I have a great computer and I suffer lag. One of my estate managers can barely work at all. So I hear people when they say their experience is unacceptable. Lag has ALWAYS been an issue in Second Life. Most of you should appreciate the utter complexity of the virtual graphical environment. There are so many pieces parts that affect your experience. Some start in Linden Lab with the server rendering our world. Some deal with the computer you own and the components you use and yes, more prims, more textures, more scripts, all play a part. We will not take away any of the rebuild. Too much money and time was spent to do that. But, there are so many other things we can do. Some of those things were mentioned in this meeting.

Booker Beningborough: Sire, perhaps we can put together a troubleshooting scroll that can be sent out by the Senate scribe. Anyone with suggestions on things to try to reduce the lag can send them in.

Emperor Stephanus Galtier: I as the owner of the Sims need to make sure I and my estate managers are doing their part by restarting the Sims and making sure unnecessary script hogs are not running. But, my dear Senator Booker, in fact I am appointing you to head a committee to study the issue of lag. I want you to not only gather a group of diverse people to work directly with you but I want you to also solicit input from all of Romanum. Now, we have an anniversary coming up next Friday. I want some quick fixes for that anniversary. But, in addition, I want some long term fixes. As to the Arena and Hippodrome, like the Legion, I want script monitors. And I suggest we appoint a person at each major event to be the "script police". He will monitor the scripts and privately advise people if their scripts are too high. I want this person to be polite of course. And we can make exceptions as decided on a case by case basis. But we need control of scripts. That starts, as I said, with me and the estate managers reviewing scripts on our management tools. Especially with major events. But, what I am looking for Booker, is a comprehensive list of guidelines for lag. I want those guidelines available to everyone including visitors. In some cases it will be only suggestions. In some cases, we will need to more actively manage it. We will never reach zero lag, of course, but the lag we have now is unacceptable to ME let alone everyone else. So Booker, that is your charge and that is my response.

II. ROMANUM ANNIVERSARY

Januarius Vindelici: The Celebrations start this week. I was worried we were going to discuss them at the next meeting, like two other meetings I was at. First Please note the Painting results are in the diary for 28 March at 12 midday at the start of the Olympus dance. A full programme is prepared, starting on Friday 24th with an opening ceremony, then a performance by Red Hykova and his Knights, and a dance with DJ Sen Tybalt at Olympus. I’m waiting for final figures from Kaeso. I think sponsors have promised L$130,000. I would like to record thanks to them. A note will shortly be sent out about payment. This will determine prize money. Daily notices will be sent out to Empire group and GA events from Friday with details of events. Please read them. The events co-ordinators will be busy running the events. Notices will also be sent out inviting competitors to register for individual events. We will also place vases with notecards. Maps will be added for individual events. For next month, I have submitted a proposal for regular temple services to the Collegivm Pontificvm. Senator Markus and i can deal with questions here or privately.

Asharr Panius: i have a few questions. Firstly why is there 3 advertised dates for the Photo Competition announcement? Secondly why are all the entries not the same size in the gallery? also what is the prizes?

Januarius Vindelici: I believe Senator Caivs missed the reference to our date. I guess he hung the pictures as they were received. I don't know I'm afraid. And I said Prize money has to be fixed. It should be the same for all events.

Zarek Antonius: Thank you to the planning committee for all their hard work. Will an overall / comprehensive list of events be distributed? That is most useful for us that need to plan out what we would like to attend and when it is so we know when to be online. The daily schedules are also helpful but a comprehensive schedule would be most beneficial and appreciated.

Januarius Vindelici: A schedule for the week should go out by tomorrow. I placed posters with the schedule of the anniversary around the sim

Wes H Baiae: My Emperor, and committees, I have been called away next week in RL and the event of the Slave auction I had planned will be put on hold.I know it was at your request My Emperor that it be held during the celebration. Also I will pledge 10,000 lindens to be used in prize monies for the celebration. The Senator auction will happen in May, so when each Senator is contacted I hope to get a yes from you.

III. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

- Call for information on deceased Romanum citizens for the memorial hall

- Provision of family crests

- Return of Senator Marcus Antonius to the city

- New Senate agenda handout system: dispensed by the pillar in front of the scribe's desk

- Romanvm website discussion forum: http://www.romanum.net/forum-1/

- Call for actors for the Marcellus Theatre's ambitions to stage one play every two months

IV. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR

Qarbon Kamala Parthicus: Temple to Tellus Events on Wednesdays:

March 22: Tribute to the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia. This almost form the prototype of castles and their purpose is unknown but likely to be religious.

March 29: Tribute at an Etruscan Temple. Etruscan are ancestors to the culture of Rome.

April 5: Pay Tribute to the Statue of Zeus at Olympia

April 12: Pay Tribute to Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Zarek Antonius: Something i think needs to be thought about - the use of the Empire of Romanum group vs the VIPs of Romanum. I found that a few requests for information I sent out to the Empire got lost in all the dance and halftime notifications. Can we perhaps come up with a protocol for the use of one versus the other. Perhaps the Empire for official business and the VIPs for party and other unofficial things? Something to think about not necessarily decide right now.

Markus Vindelici: at the opening ceremony next Friday there will be a torch relay to the Hippodrome. 7 runners will start at the same time from different sims to the Forum Romanum. So every sim owner can choose one runner and send me an IM or nc. I already have feedback from the Antonius family. The info vases of the sport events will be placed the next days at the relevant event places. The torch run will be during the opening on Friday 24th between 12 and 1pm and for the last part of the torch run to the hippodrome everyone can apply, the 3 runners will be drawn.

Wes H Baiae: I would like to announce an event that will be held in April. As Mr. Romanum I will be sponsoring a night of relaxing romantic dancing at the Etchegaray_Drake Palaces Ballroom. A guest DJ will be bringing romantic tunes for all to enjoy and dance the night away. The dress requirement will be your finest Roman wear. The tentative date is the third Saturday of April but notices will be coming out. So be watching for announcement and I would like to invite all from the Isle of Caralis also.

Next Senate meeting 9APR 11am SLT

Gratitude,

Ixion Parthicus Ἰξίων Παρθικος

Senate Scribe