What is Avatar Rendering Cost?

This article is part of the Extended Second Life Knowledge Base that includes advanced and specialized information. This information was originally provided by Linden Lab, but is not actively maintained nor guaranteed to be accurate. Linden Lab does not certify nor assume any responsibility for this information.

See the official Second Life Knowledge Base for the most current information.

Avatar Rendering Cost is also referred to as 'ARC'.

Using a point score, the Avatar Rendering Cost shows how much each avatar affects the rendering performance of the viewer. The point score is shown over an avatar's head in green, yellow or red, depending on how costly an avatar is for a graphics card to render.

How is the Avatar Rendering Cost determined?

Each face/polygon of an avatar is assigned a point (times a multiple). Characteristics of that face which might slow down rendering determines the multiple. All the points get added together and presented as "the final cost" estimate of rendering the avatar.

What types of characteristics affect each face/polygon on an avatar's attachment?

The following characteristics can increase the multiplier for a particular attachment:

• The attachment has a unique texture
• The attachment has flexiprims in it
• The attachment is invisible or has invisible parts
• The attachment glows
• The attachment has texture coordinates that are animated

Note: An avatar with no attachments will have an Avatar Rendering Cost of 1. Adding attachments to an avatar will increase Avatar Rendering Cost.

How do I enable ARC?

Turn on your Advanced Menu.

Go to: Advanced > Rendering > Info Displays > Avatar Rendering Cost

Learn more by reading Technical Details (including cost computations) on our blog, or view our Video Tutorial.

Enjoy the benefits of Avatar Rendering Cost, an educational tool to help understand more about sources of viewer-side performance.