

This window is accessed via Preferences→ Move & View -> Movement→ Joystick Configuration (button).
“Joystick” refers to compatible USB input devices, which can be used to control Second Life in exciting ways for exploration, moviemaking, and more. Examples are the 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator, other joysticks, gamepads, and so on.
Assuming you have a 3D movement device installed and configured, Joystick Flycam mode is enabled by pressing Alft-Shift-F. This moves your camera, rather than your avatar.
This window is fairly technical, although the default settings generally work well with no or minimal changes. For details, see this SL Wiki page.
One user, Xente Aeon, makes the following recommendations for the SpaceNavigator (in this JIRA):
Refer to this page in the SL wiki for other info, including known issues.
See the official SLLogitech Gamepad page.
Linux users do not need a 3dconnexion driver in order for the device to work in Firestorm. In fact, if you have a driver installed, it will conflict with the built-in support for the 3dconnexion device. So if you do not need the 3dconnexion device for anything else, uninstall the driver.
Alternately,you can stop it before running Firestorm. If you are using the free spacenavd driver, you can stop it by giving the following command in terminal:
sudo /etc/init.d/spacenavd stop
Latest drivers for current products 3dConnexion Drivers
Archived Drivers and Software 3dConnexion Archived Drivers
Beta testing Firestorm is more properly called QA (Quality Assurance). This means using test builds of the viewers before general release, using them and actively trying to identify bugs, glitches and things that need improvement. In other words, being part of the beta (QA) team means more than just getting your hands on a “new shiny” before everyone else does. You will be asked to do specific tests for each release, the results of which are vital to helping us determine where there may be problems.
So, if you are interested in becoming an active participant in the beta team, and are willing and able to endure crashes, multiple relogs, full settings wipes (several times), and so on, then please read on.
In applying to become part of the beta testing team, you are explicitly agreeing to the non disclosure terms below.
Your application will be assessed as soon as it is seen by the QA team lead to ensure it is complete and correct. If any corrections need to be made you will be notified in the comments section of your application.
There is a seven day “cool-off” period after your application is submitted until you are notified if you have been approved.
You will need to follow the instructions in your BTA once accepted, and at that time will receive an invitation to the inworld group, Firestorm Beta testers.
All information provided when applying to become a Firestorm Beta Tester on issue type BTA is strictly confidential and only accessible by you and Firestorm team members.
As part of the beta test team, you will be given access to test builds from time to time. Such builds are not to be circulated outside of the beta test team. Nor are direct or indirect web links to be shared with people who are not part of the beta test team. Doing so will result in immediate termination of beta tester status.
The reason for this is very simple: test builds are often known to have bugs, sometimes very severe ones. We test them anyway because there may be other aspects of the build on which we need to have feedback. Clearly, we do not want viewer builds which are known to have bugs - or which may potentially have severe bugs - to be circulated to the general public.
Here is an outline of the general procedure for each new test release.
This page covers instances where the keyboard does not behave as expected, or a shortcut does not work.
Some anti-virus programs (and firewalls and anti-malware programs) will incorrectly flag a viewer - or necessary components of a viewer - as a virus or threat. They may remove the suspected part completely, rendering all or part of the viewer slow or non-functional. There is at least one anti-virus program which will scan every file placed on your computer, even if created by an authorized program. This can affect Firestorm (or any viewer) in that it will scan each and every texture placed in cache, slowing down performance of the viewer significantly, keeping objects and/or textures from rezzing, and keeping CPU usage high.
There is nothing we can do about this. However, it should be possible for you to tell your anti-virus (firewalls/anti-malware) that the viewer is safe; you will need to whitelist the viewer program as well as some components.
The following is a list of some protection software and how to whitelist. Naturally we cannot provide instructions for all existing programs, and the information here may be outdated. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you consult the software manual for the specific program you use, for accurate and up to date information.
In the instructions below, substitute “firewall” or “anti-malware program” for “anti-virus” as needed.
Here are the steps to follow to reinstall and whitelist a viewer in such as way that the anti-virus program doesn't “mangle” the viewer yet again:
If you run the “junk files cleanup” function, then Advanced System Care is liable to trash your settings. Further to this, this program can also severely interfere with viewer connection to SL servers, as documented here.
Refer to this page for how to whitelist. Please ensure that you whitelist both the viewer and the viewer cache folder.
Please see How to add Antivirus exceptions (exclusions) in Bitdefender 2019
Credits: Thanks to user Aishagain for this information.
(derrived from https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Security-for-PC/How-do-I-exclude-a-file-or/ta-p/15398)
If Gatekeeper prevents you from opening Firestorm, there is a simple workaround: See “How to open an app from a unidentified developer and exempt it from Gatekeeper” on this page. Once you have allowed Firestorm to open via this method, Gatekeeper will not flag it on subsequent launches (until you reinstall Firestorm again).
For a longer-term method, please visit here for a tutorial on whitelisting using the Gatekeeper software.
In order to create an exclusion rule:
Rules can apply to the following protection components:
A scan if a disk or folder containing excluded objects scans the entire disk/folder except the excluded objects. Yet you can force scan excluded objects from the contextual menu (by right-clicking).
Also you can create an exclusion rule from within a report window:
An Exclusion rule window will open. Make sure that you are satisfied with the new exclusion rule settings. Object name and threat type fields are assigned automatically on the basis of the report data. Click OK to create the rule.
For general whitelisting steps, visit Exclude detections in Malwarebytes on Windows devices
We do not have specific details for McAfee. Check the McAfee control panel, or visit McAfee Consumer Support
For Win 10 (possibly also Windows 8.x):
Recent updates of Windows Defender cause object and texture corruption. Also affects SL Viewer. Toggle off the Real Time Web Protection module or disable Defender and reboot PC. Refer to this JIRA for more info and workarounds.
Additionally, if you're on Windows 10 and you can't save snapshots to your hard drive (https://jira.phoenixviewer.com/browse/FIRE-23347), adding the viewer folders to the exclusion list may not be enough if you have 'Controlled Folder Access' enabled; you will need to add Firestorm to the allowed apps.
Try following these steps:
Alternatively, you can also simply disable the Controlled Folder Access feature by clicking the on/off button after Step #2.
See this page https://wiki.phoenixviewer.com/fs_install_crash#windows.
Add exclusion to Auto-Protect and Risk scan
Norton Internet Security includes a feature called Download Intelligence. This works such that the user community reports downloads as good or bad. While this may be very helpful, it can also be unfairly detrimental to programs, especially when they are updated as they are then treated as totally new.
Therefore, if you use Download Intelligence, you are urged to disable it before attempting to download any of our viewers, in order to avoid them being incorrectly reported as infected with a virus. Refer to this page for instructions.
See this page for additional Panda tips for whitelisting files and folders: http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/downloads/docs/product/help/is/2012/en/709.htm The page is out of date but the methods may still work.
To date (August 2015), there is no way to whitelist the entire cache folder in WebRoot. Therefore WebRoot may continue to cause severe problems including slow rezzing and viewer freezing.
If you test with WebRoot off and find your SL experience greatly improved, the only suggestion we have is to choose another antivirus program.
Some more more info on Webroot and the problems it has been known to cause, see this page.
For additional information:
Rev. 2019-08-01
The Firestorm Gateway is a Community Gateway for new residents joining Second Life, regardless of which viewer the use. We strive to provide a welcoming learning environment for new residents. Help is freely given for new users on any viewer. Our gateway is comprised of six G-rated regions, and provides activities to introduce new residents to some of the things they can do in SL.
Your presence in any of the Gateway regions is considered a contract that you abide by the region’s rules. Helpers attempt to give warnings when possible, but such warnings are not guaranteed. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse, and we do not promise second chances. FS reserves the right to change these rules as it sees fit, without warning or any other kind of notification.
As a resident, you are required to abide by not only the Terms of Service from Linden Lab the Community Standards as well as the Covenant and guidelines of the Gateway. Violators of any of the above will be dealt with accordingly.
As with all locations in Second Life, the SL Terms of Service and Community Standards apply.
All Firestorm Gateway regions are rated General, therefore the rules for General rated locations also apply.
Behavior should be such as could be conducted in front of a classroom of young children.
The above imply, among other things:
Respect all new residents, staff and visitors.
The six regions are voice enabled and we request that you follow the voice etiquette guidelines.
The grass area behind the Social Building is where Gateway Helpers typically make themselves available to new residents coming through. While we have no objection to older residents being there, that space is not a hang out: it is a help area. It also has special rules over and above those which are in place for the Gateway regions.
In summary: anything that in any way interferes with new residents asking for and/or receiving help, is not permitted. For example:
Older members visiting Firestorm Social Island may be asked to move, or be moved, to another region to reduce the load on the landing area for new residents as they are the focus of the Gateway. Residents idling for extended periods may also be moved.
If you wish to make the gateway a regular hang-out, then please make your “base” at the Swamp Lodge rather than at the social building.
Firestorm Gateway makes available a sandbox which all can use. Auto-return is set at 90 minutes.
It being part of the Gateway, all the rules given above apply there too. And needless to say, rezzing of “griefer” objects, such as self-replicators, screaming objects, objects that push others, etc, is not allowed. Anyone caught rezzing such items will be banned.
Sex furniture may be rezzed to work on it (eg retexture), but obviously not to use it.
This tab is used to help diagnose and resolve problems the region might be experiencing, particularly region/server lag.
The top three check boxes disable vital functions of the region; do not use them lightly! They can serve not only to try to identify potential problems with objects on the region, but also as emergency measures to combat griefing.
Object return allows you to return all objects owned by a given person. This is useful in griefing situations, but use with extreme care, select the name carefully as there is no way to undo this!
The next two buttons display lists of objects, which can be used to find any that might be causing excessive region lag:
The last two buttons concern region restarts:
This menu is toggled from Advanced Menu (Ctrl-Alt-D) → RestrainedLove API (RLVa) or from Preferences → Firestorm → Extras → Allow Remote Scripted Viewer Controls (RLVa). This will require a restart of the viewer to show this menu.
This menu is toggled via the Ctrl-Alt-D key sequence, or from Preferences→ Advanced
This menu is toggled via the Ctrl-Alt-Q key sequence, or from Preferences→ Advanced
It is possible to search the menus for specific words or phrases, by typing into the search bar at the top. For example, typing in the word upload will result in matches on up to four top menu items: Avatar, Build, Advanced and Develop. In short, using search will filter out what is shown in the top menu bar, removing all items except those that contain what you searched for.
Matched items are highlighed in color (you can change the highlight color in Preferences → Colors -> Miscellaneous→ Preferences Search Highlight Color).
To clear the search, and have the Preferences window revert to its normal state, just click the 'x' at the far right end of the search field.
Menu search is enabled (or disabled) in Preferences -> Advanced→ Show Menu Search.
: Hovering your mouse over this symbol, or clicking it (depending on your preferences setting), it will open the Graphics Presets window. Please note that this symbol will only show if you have created a graphic preset in Preferences→ Graphics -> General.
This 4-part video series covers the basics of how to get dressed and how to modify your appearance and make yourself look unique. It is intended for those who are new to SL, and those who have the system or Classic Avatar (as opposed to those wearing a mesh body).
The videos are:
This lesson overviews the 3 main SL windows used to control avatar appearance, explains how to change your avatar to one of the default SL looks, and how to remove individual items from a look. It also covers how to save an SL outfit.
This lesson covers how to Add or Remove items from your existing avatars, and how some items are comprised of more than 1 part (such as item+alpha or item+shoebase). It also covers how to Mix and Matches parts between the default SL default avatars to create your own look.
This lesson covers how to wear items you acquire (as gifts or purchases), as well as how to use Texture Huds. It also explains that not all outfits are suitable for all avatars. and how to verify that an item will work with your avatar before you purchase it.
Where to Get items used in the video
Most of the items come from the free store at Ajuda SL Brasil. They are:
The Hair and HUD come from !!Firelight!! A free scaled down version of this hair and HUD is available in the Lobby of Firelight's IDUNN store, right next to the Freebies For Newbies Display:
This lesson covers how to change your shape, your skin and how to add effects with tattoos. It briefly touches on Edit Shape. It also demonstrates how a few simple changes can make your avatar look very unique and distinctive.
Where to Get items used in the video
The skin and shape and eye shadow tattoo are a newbie gift from Pink Fuel. If you are more than 30 days old, you can get the skin/shape at a very discounted price. It is free for those avatars under 30 days of age.
The Hair comes from !!Firelight!! A free scaled down version of this hair is available in the Lobby of Firelight's IDUNN store, right next to the Freebies For Newbies Display:
If you find that you are crashing frequently, then perhaps the suggestions here will be helpful. Please don't skim the page - read it carefully.
It is important to distinguish between two things: being logged out (disconnected), and crashing.
If a small window appears, saying that you have been logged out of SL, this isn't a crash. Rather, SL is disconnecting you, for one of a number of reasons, including:
Things to try - in order:
If you are being logged out when you edit appearance, or edit shape, or use the Appearance toolbar button, did you drop items into the Outfits folder that were not created via the Outfits/Appearance window? If so, remove those items.
Firestorm itself has crashed. The remainder of this page offers possible solutions.
If you have eliminated all the possible causes for the crash and you are still crashing, it's time to submit a Support Request on our jira. In that request, you can include screenshots or videos, if they will help clarify your description, as well as your sysinfo and viewer event logs. Follow the steps in this link to create the request and add your logs.
There are some known issues with the Firestorm bridge: