8.0

8.0

Build 1800 - 1810

Release date	November 2021
Developers	Chris
New features
Chronology
Previous 7.1	Next 8.1

Purpose

Version 8 is 64 bit version of the front end aw::browser.

This implied replacing 32 bit components, in particular Renderware.
This also included binary dependencies to nVidia PhysX, VLC Media SDK, CEF Chrome Embedded and Microsoft's Xof.
All prior 32 bit-only dependencies were rewritten from scratch.

By release of build 1808 the major goals for v8.0 have been more than reached:

• Remove and replace Renderware components (were 32-bit only).
• Replacing some Microsoft specific dependencies, including D3DXof.
• Port engine and Windows-UI to native 64-bit, including PhysX, CEF and VLC.
• Extensive usage of SIMD extensions, such as SSE2+ and AVX2+ CPU extension.
• Software-render fall-back level for low-end graphics.
• Software-fallbacks for low-end CPUs without SIMD / vector extensions to the CPU.

Features

New features include additional 3D formats and modern shader-only render, to be made available during the v8 cycle.

AW::Browser 1801

2021 November 7th

• Initial Release
• Windows 64 bit will receive aw::browser 64 bit
• Windows 32 bit will receive aw::browser 32 bit
• Legacy 32 bit builds are available for manual download and manual updates (no auto patching).

AW::Browser 1803

2021 November 9th

• Fix collision for x-files
• Fix web-to-panel render

AW::Browser 1804-1807

2021 November 12th

• Re-implemented non-standard formatted x-files for skinned avatars.
• Animate avatars and objects built with seq animations in mirrors always.
• Fixed a crashing issue on models with more than about 175 nested groups.
• Enabled fall-back to fixed shading pipeline for Intel HD and AMD HD chipsets without T&L Hardware and Pure-device caps.

AW::Browser 1808

2021 November 17th

• Ensure total count of active light sources never exceeds the hardware's limit.

AW::Browser 1809

2021 November 22nd

• Fine tuning and further optimization for bone-skinned avatars and models.
• Fixed an issue when activating a sequence animated jointed model could eventually cause another nearby sequence animated model misbehaving.
• Ensure the notepad url is refreshed on world-enter.

AW::Browser 1810

2021 November 30th

• Fixed YouTube videos buffering when played via VLC, due to Google's changes - once again.
• Supress YouTube from looping when played via VLC.
• Removed a workaround that was applied for old versions 4 and 5 of Wine (Windows Emulation).

AW::Browser 1811-1813

2021 December 4th-9th

• Various fine tuning for jointed and skinned avatars, as well as CAV.
• Replaced left-over RW shaders.

AW::Browser 1814

2021 December 10th

• Removed Transparency Effects / Model Fade-In option from Performance - which became unused and unmaintained over the years.
• Added intermediate ASSBIN 3D format for internal testing.
• Added "sile" avatars to Alphaworld.