High Script Use

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You're here because you've either got too many scripts, or are using too much script memory. Hopefully we can give you some tips or help improve your situation; as well as bring awareness to using a lot of scripts.

The Short History of Scripting in SL

A long time ago we didn't have all the awesome LSL functions we have today. Much of the content made back then had to use llMessageLinked() to overcome scripting limitations or delays. Using llMessageLinked() usually resulted in more scripts, and more memory being put into pretty mundane things that really doesn't need it anymore. The most notorious of these were re-size or color change scripts. That's not to say that the people who made the things are bad -- but at the time this may have been the only solution to achieve the goals of their product.

Why

  • Second Life regions only have a limited amount of resources. If we all do our part to keep our script use low, the regions will lag a lot less.
  • The more scripts and objects you wear, the longer it takes an avatar to teleport or cross region borders; sometimes even failing those teleports and crossings.
  • You want to play the games in The Wastelands don't yah?

Lowering Your Script Use

The first simple thing do to, is just wear less stuff. If you're wearing multiple HUDs, I would start there. After that if you're wearing an Animation Overrider, I would inspect it to make sure it doesn't have more than 3 or 4 scripts in it. If it does you may want to search around for an everyday use AO with less features than the one you're wearing, but also animates you just as well. Finally, the last biggest offenders are object that resize, or recolor their linksets. If you have a product with a re-size option in it, and it has a script removal option, I would use that. Please be aware that once you remove the script, you won't be able to re-size it, so take a copy -- if you can.

Extra Credit

One thing I didn't mention is something called Object Updates. Every time an object changes shape, size, color -- or pretty much anything it has to update itself on the server and send it to all the other people around you. You can see this by doing the following:

  1. Enable the 'Advanced Menu' by pressing CTRL-ALT-D
  2. Enable the 'Develop Menu' by pressing CTRL-ALT-Q
  3. Enable 'Show Updates to Objects' by pressing CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-U

If you have a stream of red dots floating out of you, you're wearing something that causes a lot of lag for you, and the people around you. Red dots mean 'Full Object Updates '-- in other words a lot of data is being sent to everyone around you. Blue dots are partial object updates, usually just the changing of somethings location, you can see this by walking. So the less red dots you have the better.

Updating your stuff?

If you can modify your stuff, and you know what you're doing -- you could remove scripts on your own. If you can't modify it, it wouldn't hurt to ask the creator to see if they have an updated version with fewer or updated scripts.

Check Your Use

You can check how many scripts, and how much memory you're using by clicking the button attached to the fence at this location.