Bumpmapping contributing to slow sims?

Does anyone know how SL manages its bumpmapping system?

I think what I'm asking is does all the extra data get streamed and then your client decides whether it's close enough (using your preferences settings) to render the map as well as the texture?

Although it's not "home" I spend a fair amount of time in a sim that I won't name. Someone's just built in that sim a large and almost entirely bump-mapped building (which is entirely their business and fair enough) but as soon as I can see any part of that building my client fps plummets and the sim has a tendency to take forever to load since this building appeared too (compared to other densely packed sims even). I'm wondering if the two are related, and how... any insights?

the bumpmaping part of it is client sided, but since they are library textures it wouldnt suprise me if they were 512x512 or 1024x1024

From looking at the bumpmaps themselves, I'd guess more likely that they are actually really small (64x64 or so) repeating textures. Bump mapping, depending on the method, is a pretty slow video card process. Maybe they'll update this to normal mapping or parallax mapping in the next graphics engine.

I wish you could turn bump mapping off completely, but the best I've been able to manage is reducing it to 1 meter.

Oh! Wouldn't Normal Mapping be great!

I wish they would do that; but quite frankly, SL is so far behind the curve that I can't see it happening for years. Sigh.

even plain ol bump would be great, ive found little use for the few choices, darkness jsut adds mold, lightness usually doesnt do jack suction cup's well I for one use this BM everyday ...

now if i could make a texture with its own seperate matching bump in SL i might use it once and a while

Along with user BM's and NormalMaps, Specular Highlighting would be nice too (thats when light shines and reflects "naturaly" depending on camera angle)

But as i see it, its not really LL cant do it with this engine, tis the sheer stress factor of SL on your computer (especially with 1024 textures making up hair strands, or the top of a foot stool, constantly everywhere)

Yes, my poor computer is cringing as it displays this thread....

I don't see this issue getting easily resolved, or anytime soon as Robin said......sigh......

Weeeeell, to be fair, the Lindens have promised... er, said... er... suggested, that SL 2.0 might contain the new graphics engine they have been experimenting with. I believe I read something about per-pixel lighting, soft shadows, etc...

On the other hand, HTML on a prim and Havok were supposed to be in 1.7. So.... who knows.

linux client to be released by version 1.3 ... then maby 1.7 then no eta
yea i wouldnt be waiting up at night for it