Explore: custom emoji in chat (server-free via SL texture UUIDs) #266

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opened 2026-10-03 07:01:25 +00:00 by sky_line · 0 comments

sky_line commented

2026-10-03 07:01:25 +00:00

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Exploration — may turn out infeasible. Discord-style custom emoji in chat (:ponyhug: rendering as a small image) for Slipstream users, without running our own service if at all possible.

The core problem

Chat is text-only, and other viewers must still see something sensible. Every Slipstream receiver needs to resolve a shortcode to an image the same way, which normally means a shared registry (a server).

Server-free idea: use SL's own asset system

An emoji is an SL texture UUID. SL already hosts the image, and any texture UUID can be fetched by any viewer. No hosting by us.
The wire format carries the UUID, so receivers don't need a registry. For example, send :ponyhug: as a link-like token such as secondlife:///app/emoji/<uuid>/ponyhug, or a compact form we can parse.
- Slipstream renders it inline at text height (cf. #265 for the inline image plumbing).
- Other viewers show :ponyhug: or a clickable texture link, which degrades gracefully.
- Watch message-length limits (1023 bytes); a UUID costs about 36 characters per emoji. Consider a short base64 UUID form (22 characters).
Packs (sender side) are just inventory: a folder of textures, or a notecard mapping name = uuid. Share packs as notecards or via group notices, and import with one click.
Animated emoji via a texture-animation-style sprite sheet (frames × fps in the pack entry).

Optional light "registry" without a real server

A static JSON pack index on slipstreamviewer.org (just files, rsync-deployed like the site) for curated packs. No user uploads or accounts. Only if the in-world notecard approach is too clunky.

Open questions and risks

Abuse: offensive images sent as emoji. Respect mute; per-user "hide custom emoji" and "only from friends" options; block by UUID.
Texture availability: deleted or unfetchable assets need a fallback to the text.
Rate and size caps, a bounded cache (memory rule), and lazy fetch.
Interop: coordinate a format with other TPVs (Firestorm, Alchemy) so it could become a cross-viewer convention instead of a Slipstream island.
Typing UX: a : autocomplete popup in the chat bar, merged with the existing Unicode emoji picker.

Deliverable for this ticket

A short feasibility write-up and a format proposal, plus a prototype that renders secondlife:///app/emoji/<uuid>/<name> inline from a hard-coded pack.

**Exploration — may turn out infeasible.** Discord-style custom emoji in chat (`:ponyhug:` rendering as a small image) for Slipstream users, without running our own service if at all possible. ## The core problem Chat is text-only, and other viewers must still see something sensible. Every Slipstream receiver needs to resolve a shortcode to an image the same way, which normally means a shared registry (a server). ## Server-free idea: use SL's own asset system - **An emoji is an SL texture UUID.** SL already hosts the image, and any texture UUID can be fetched by any viewer. No hosting by us. - **The wire format carries the UUID**, so receivers don't need a registry. For example, send `:ponyhug:` as a link-like token such as `secondlife:///app/emoji/<uuid>/ponyhug`, or a compact form we can parse. - Slipstream renders it inline at text height (cf. #265 for the inline image plumbing). - Other viewers show `:ponyhug:` or a clickable texture link, which degrades gracefully. - Watch message-length limits (1023 bytes); a UUID costs about 36 characters per emoji. Consider a short base64 UUID form (22 characters). - **Packs (sender side)** are just inventory: a folder of textures, or a notecard mapping `name = uuid`. Share packs as notecards or via group notices, and import with one click. - **Animated emoji** via a texture-animation-style sprite sheet (frames × fps in the pack entry). ## Optional light "registry" without a real server A static JSON pack index on slipstreamviewer.org (just files, rsync-deployed like the site) for curated packs. No user uploads or accounts. Only if the in-world notecard approach is too clunky. ## Open questions and risks - **Abuse:** offensive images sent as emoji. Respect mute; per-user "hide custom emoji" and "only from friends" options; block by UUID. - **Texture availability:** deleted or unfetchable assets need a fallback to the text. - **Rate and size caps,** a bounded cache (memory rule), and lazy fetch. - **Interop:** coordinate a format with other TPVs (Firestorm, Alchemy) so it could become a cross-viewer convention instead of a Slipstream island. - **Typing UX:** a `:` autocomplete popup in the chat bar, merged with the existing Unicode emoji picker. ## Deliverable for this ticket A short feasibility write-up and a format proposal, plus a prototype that renders `secondlife:///app/emoji/<uuid>/<name>` inline from a hard-coded pack.

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2026-10-03 07:01:25 +00:00

sky_line added this to the Slipstream project

2026-10-06 15:04:13 +00:00

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