On June 18, 2010 Runitai Linden told participants in a closed beta test of mesh import that the NDA (Non-disclosure Agreement) had been lifted, and they could start blogging about their experience with mesh. A very short 5 minutes later, they were told not to disclose any more until they were given more information about what could and could not be disclosed. In that brief 5 minutes, some basic information got out to the rest of us.

The chat log of what was said is available on SLOG at the following URL. Read it for yourself if you like and draw what conclusions you will.

http://secondslog.blogspot.com/2010/06/mesh-uploads-chatlog.html

There has since been much speculation about what the impact of all this will be. I have read that prim size limit will become meaningless and that meshes can be full sim sized. Some speculate that one will be able to upload animations for meshes. I don’t know for sure what the full impact will be or what we can and cannot do with meshes once we get them.

From the 5 minute information spill all that we know for sure is this:

• the import format will be collada;
• meshes can have an unlimited number of vertices;
• a mesh will not count as just one prim as a sculpty does, and prim count will be determined according to the number of vertices, but we do not yet know how many vertices will equal one prim;
• someone in the beta test did rez a mesh representation of the Titanic that covered two sims but we don’t know what the final limitations to size will be or if there will be any size limitation;
• we will be able to create custom UV maps for meshes;
• you will be able to define “sides” that you can access through scripting to change textures;
• the collision mesh will match the shape of the mesh object, which means no invisible spheres as with sculpties that you bang into;

There was mention that meshes can be rigged, which is usually done to animate a mesh, but the conclusion was about clothing and I found that a bit confusing.

<gridinterop> (grid:agni) lonetorus Habilis: rex, but with collada we can rig too
<gridinterop> (grid:agni) lonetorus Habilis: and sl support s it
<gridinterop> (grid:agni) lonetorus Habilis: so you can have wearable clothing

The Lindens had announced that they expected to release at least an open beta of mesh import by the end of the second quarter of 2010, which would be the end of June. The temporary and premature lifting of the NDA suggests to me that this is indeed imminent. I know I can’t wait!

Here is a blurry video of a mesh building and mesh ship from the test grid:

There are a couple of videos of an alien dancing and playing violin circulating that are said to be an avatar wearing a mesh. However, the creator of the video and creature had him on display at SL7B and revealed that the creature avatar is made of sculpties, not mesh.

Here are some links to more articles on this topic:

http://secondslog.blogspot.com/2010/06/nda-on-mesh-uploads-was-temporarly.html

http://dusanwriter.com/index.php/2010/06/22/mesh-imports-in-second-life-imminent/