Troubleshooting: Graphics
Is everything colored pink? Here's how to fix that.
Does everything look gray or black or some other odd color? Are you seeing odd triangles that cover up some of the scene? Does everything look fuzzy? Does it look like there is nothing in the distance?
These are signs that your computer is having trouble with Second Life graphics.
Things to try to make it better:
- First, check graphics preferences:
- At the top of your screen there are menu items. Choose "Me"
- Then choose "Preferences"
- Click on the Graphics tab
- Then set graphics to "Low"
At low graphics, the scene will not look as "sharp" as it might at higher graphics. You can try using the "Mid" graphics setting and see if that helps with a sharper looking scene while still avoiding the graphics problems mentioned above.
Also, if you are using a wireless internet connection, particularly in a public place, this can affect graphics quality since a wireless connection is usually slower than a wired one. Try to use a wired connection, with your computer plugged in with an ethernet cable, if possible.
If it seems that there is nothing in the distance, that is because your graphics settings have a low "draw distance". You can increase draw distance while keeping a low graphics setting.
- Go back to Preferences
- Switch to Graphics
- Click "Advanced" (toward the bottom of the Graphics Preferences window)
- Move the Draw Distance slider a bit to the right, so that it's set at about 128 m
- A higher draw distance means that you can see farther, but it also means your computer has more work to do to display those graphics. Experiment to find a balance between seeing what you want and having a setting that works with your computer.
If NONE of this works, then I recommend using a different viewer software. There are official third party viewers that are safe to use and which have features other than the one that Linden Lab offers. The most recommended are the Phoenix and the Firestorm viewers.
- Phoenix (most recommended for severe graphics problems)
- Firestorm (more similar to the current Linden Lab viewer)
For additional help, contact Sarah Jones: sjones@uta.edu
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