Demonstration SIM

Has Linden (or anyone else) set up a "to the limits" demonstration SIM that shows the leading edge of what can be done in SL?

I would assume that Linden would make one, with no prim limit, and maxed out use of the various techniques for creating within the sims.

If they haven't done this, they are missing a great opportunity to "show off" the possibliities.

FWIW, who HAS done the most with the tools?

There's no such thing as a computer with infinite speed and infinite memory. So what you're asking for is like asking for a vehicle with the fuel efficiency of a Prius, the speed of a Ferrari, and the cargo capacity of a freight train, all at the same time. Plus, since the redering takes place on the client side, you're asknig that the user get such an impossible system, too.

Besides, as soon as they built it, some clever person would invent a new way to build things using existing tools.

That's why they have the showcase and various other events to highlight the creative work. Putting them all into one sim would cause them all to fail miserably.

Look at some of the higher end clothing retail regions, or texture stores and so forth.

Yep, not crazy.

They pull out a lot of stops, using consistent (thus low asset server abuse) textures, tricks like putting 16 256x256 textures on a single 1024x1024 and making the most of it.

Also: efficient sculpty design. Check out Sculptomancy - Aminom Marvin's - subtle, but just imagine what that would have been with regular prims (impossible).

Megaprim mountains are another trick, to be seen here and there. Yes, it's entirely possible to make one region look about eight times its size, even though you can't visit it all.

One of the most powerful tricks, anyone can do, even on their own parcel. Yep - easy! Break sightlines.

Ever seen a region with nothing in it, just ocean or a typical island? Doesn't look like much, does it?

But when you break sightlines you can have caves, canyons, cavernous rooms, mysterious spaces - in short, a long, rich experience that is compelling, which adds an element of discovery and progression.

It's not the prims - or even the region size - it's entirely what you do with it.

This is why a 2 dimensional 'mud' game can seem so memorable and compelling, and some of the most intentionally grandiose 3d structures can elicit a yawn.