Second Life Finally Gets Physically Based Rendering - Latest Update to Modernize the OG Metaverse Platform

Above: PBR-enabled content from TS-Creations

After many months of anticipation, it's finally here — Physically Based Rendering (PBR) is expanding across the main grid of Second Life:

PBR is a richer way of specifying the surface of an object that better simulates how objects appear in real life. PBR allows for realistic lighting for metals, plastics, leather, fabric, and more, including realistic reflections and bounce lighting. The Second Life Viewer will now be able to display these more realistic-appearing objects in world, as well as allow creators to include this more advanced information in the object texturing.

Watch the developer tutorial below! This is only the latest major update to bring Second Life into the modern era in addition to the mobile app announcement.

That's actually on top of features promised a couple weeks ago that will enable better simulation/game development — game controls, scripts to improve projectiles (i.e. bullets) and healing:

Second Life combat fan? Oh yeah, we got some useful new LSL features which will be rolling out to the grid in the coming weeks.

llRezObjectWithParams is a new LSL function that allows a script to rez objects with more control and parameters than plain llRezObject. For example, you could set the damage, velocity, collision sound and other properties in order to create a scriptless projectile. This should be tremendously helpful for weapons in Second Life, and any other application that requires rezzing script-free objects.

A small but significant new feature: you will soon be able to set a "negative damage" using llSetDamage or llRezObjectWithParams value in order to create projectiles that heal people when they collide. Good for the medics and lovers among us.

More here. Put this all together, and it's easy picture Second Life game experiences featuring combat in vehicles, healers able to help the wounded, people playing on mobile and consoles — and their explosions glittering PBR-ishly across nearby surfaces.