[sldev] Server 1.25.3 Limits Simultaneous Animations

[Stickman]

Pathfinder Linden suggested I post this issue to this list. Of which I
am thankful, because I've been meaning to subscribe to it for a while
and haven't gotten around to it, and now I had a direct link to it.

The subject-line bug is here: https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/SVC-3669

In version 1.24 and before, we could play a large number of animations
on top of each other.

Version 1.25 only allows for 11 simultaneous animations. When you're
standing, two spots tend to be taken up by stand and stand_# lowering
it to 9. Either user animations don't knock built-in animations off
the list, or the built-ins replay themselves often enough that they
don't stop playing.

The issue became apparent to me when a Seawolf Dragon (
http://www.seawolf-monsters.com/wiki/Dragon ) walked into a 1.25.3
server and started waddling on two legs.

Deformations, which is what the dragon uses to be large yet maintain
articulate joints ( https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-2242 ),
uses 18 animations to fully deform an avatar as there are 18
animatable parts to the avatar. When only 11 will play you get a
dragon with stumpy, overlapping limbs. When you try to undeform the
avatar back to their original shape, you don't fare much better. I
like to call it "teleporter accident" syndrome.
http://stickman.mach5.org/temp/teleporter_accident.jpg (SL screenshot)

During normal use, since the deformations need to be always playing,
the AO's stand/walk/fly animations will fall off the list as new
animations play.

While my issue with the bug is specific to the Seawolf Dragon avatar,
I'm wondering if anyone else is aware of products that use a large
number of simultaneous animations that this would effect. I've had a
few ideas for products that would use a lot of animations, but not
done development on them. And I don't get out much to see what the
rest of SL is up to.

Also, comments or votes on the issue would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Stickman