Jump to content

RAW files?


You are about to reply to a thread that has been inactive for 3670 days.

Please take a moment to consider if this thread is worth bumping.

Recommended Posts

Probably the shortest thread I'll ever write...

What exactly are RAW files? What are they for? And how does one go about installing them?

I was searching through the marketplace and saw this really detailed and nice looking prefab set up. But it said in order for it to work, you must install the RAW file. The RAW file is sent through email after purchase (being sent through email and not directly downloaded with the product worries me. Especially when it states very plainly that the prefab WILL NOT WORK without it. All it would take is no email and you just wasted $L16,000).

As always, your input is appreciated!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

RAW Files are the files the creator used to edit whatever you are purchasing. Be it, .psd,.dae,.fbx,.blend etc

So essentially they are giving you the ability to take the prefab a step further by customizing it to your will. Rather than just a UV unwrap so you can only change the texture.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure how RAW files are associated with that pre-fab you saw. RAW files are used to design sim terrain maps outside of SL. In-world, you can only landscape the terrain using the bulldozer tools. Out-world, you can use image editing tools to create the elevations, saving time and allowing you to save/restore different landscapes.

Here's more than you probably want to know about them...

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Tips_for_Creating_Heightfields_and_Details_on_Terrain_RAW_Files

It'I doubt this is the meaning of RAW intended by the creator of the pre-fab. They're probably referring to textures, 3D structures and other files that are delivered outside SL for use with external design tools.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought the same thing. That's what got me confused. I have no idea why a RAW file would have any leverage on the prefab itself. The ONLY thing I can guess, if it's even possible, is that the creator put all the textures and shadows into one RAW file, and you must install that for the prefab to have any textures. But I'm not even sure that's a happening, or possible. But I definitely want to know everything I can about it before I buy it, if I do. I just don't want to get it rezzed, then somehow figure out that I can't make it work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So... They're giving you the "raw" file (no pun intended), so you can open it in your software of choice and edit it, as if you were the original creator?

 

Even with that understood, why would the prefab HAVE to have that "installed" for it to work?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also don't know why a pre-fab would require external files to work. It may be that you're given a set of Photoshop PSD files, some 3D meshes for various structures (perhaps for Blender or a similar tool) and a set of instructions. From those, you might be able to customize your creation and upload it to SL, where you would indeed be shown as the creator of the thing. So, the external design files have been prefabricated for you, but the final act of creation is up to you.

The cynic in me says this is a wonderful way to sell you something that violates the bejeebus out of SL's TOS by keeping the content outside of SL. Only the money passes through SL.

The optimist in me says this is a wonderful way to obtain flexibility in the design of things that goes well beyond what's available in-world.

I don't know enough about this particular situation to say if I'm a cynic or an optimist.

;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lol I'm not sure myself. I can see it being an issue, pushing outworld necessities. But I can also see the vast joy in being able to fully manipulate a prefab. Essentially, tweaking it and taking credit. Even possibly reselling. But I find it a little demeaning to the creator. If they are all for it, then go for it I say. But as an artist, I can't imagine creating a full sim prefab, only to have others minutely modify it and then resell it.

 

But as you said, I don't know enough to make a decision lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.raw files can't be stored in your SL inventory, hence they can't be sent to you via the MP.

A .raw file is just the shape of the land, and the only way to change the shape of your land automatically (all at the same time) is to use the Estate controls and download the file from your computer - so that's why it must be sent to you via email.

I use .raw files for most of my prefab sims, although I do have some that utilize prim ground. I ask my client to download the .raw onto their land and then I come and rez the prims that fit the land from my 'magic box'...or else I provide them with the rezzer.

Best to contact the creator and ask for references with expensive purchases.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, I'll need to ask the creator. And maybe I should say this before hand...

 

I want to put this prefab in the sky, due to my sim terrain already being full. So I need to move upward. If the prefab needs a RAW file to rez, as you said it's to build the grounding, then would it even work in the sky if there's no terrain to sit on? Are you, as the creator, able to change that so it can be rezzed in one shot, in the sky, without a ground to run off of?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it says it needs a .raw file then it's doubtful it could be rezzed in the sky - unless the prefab consists of mostly structures and only needs a very basic prim terrain (like flat ground with a few bumps).

Even this, however, would depend on what rezzer they packaged the prefab sim in - it might only work with the ground coordinates.

 

If it's a complicated nature sim it would take a long while to create prim ground for the rest of the components (plants, waterfalls, paths, and more).

Link to comment
Share on other sites


That can work for a simple sim, but for a complicated sim there would be texturing issues - how the component prims blend in with the terrain is important (prims for walkways, waterfalls, etc.).
Plus, the sculpt would need to be phantom and so you'd need to put collision prims everywhere. But again, really only an issue with a more complicated sim.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the terrain and design are more complicated you would run into a lot of problems by trying to rez it in the sky.

If it's just buildings rezzed on flat terrain it MIGHT be able to be placed in the sky, depending on what type of rezzer was used when packaging the sim up.


Best to contact the creator with these questions as we don't know the details on the complexity of the sim or what packaging system they used.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not really...some people purchase a system from someone else while others create their own scripts to package items.

The question is more whether the prefab sim you buy will rez in the sky too. The creator will be able to tell you that.

Perhaps you could post the MP link to the prefab sim here in the forum? Then maybe people could vouch for them in terms of at least not being known for selling empty boxes on the MP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I can say for sure this merchant doesn't sell empty boxes.
The rez-faux rezzer would work in the sky or on the ground, but you really need the linden terrain for it to look right....it would look very odd without the terrain and from what I can see patching in with prim terrain would be difficult.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't think it will be any kind of an issue given the context, but you might have dodged a bullet slightly by posting the MP link.

One rule prohibits calling out a person, merchant, creator, whatever, for real or imagined wrongdoing.

One rule prohibits promoting a person, merchant, or creator. it's considered advertising and is against the rules.

There is damn-all wiggle room in between.

If I'd been asked that question I'd have used a Forum PM to answer it. Not that anything bad is going to happen to you; you clearly had no bad intent. But your post might have been deleted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To get a walkable mesh terrain with the same horizontal resolution (1 metre) as the terrain height map in the raw file, would require sixteen patches of 64x64 m. Once the raw file can be converted to a greyscale image, segments of this could be used as the displacement map in, for example, the Blender displacement modifier, for each 64x54 piece. Uploading these using the high LOD as physics shape without "Analyze" (i.e. triangle based shape) would give the same visual and physical effect as the actual terrain, but could be placed at any height. However, testing an example, it uses up about 3/4 of the available LI. That is obviously impractible (and impossible if it's a homestead). Halving the resolution, using 16 64x64 segments, but with 2m resolution, gives a reasonable walkable surface and uses less than 1500 LI fot the whole region*. That's only 1/10 of the available LI in a full region. So that is useable. Unfortunately, the halving of the resolution is unlikely to produce acceptably accurate fit to the remainder of the build, but you never know. There would, be no height-dependent terrain texture blending. So if that's important, mesh (and sculpty) is a non-starter.

*my test with a piece with 10m height variation had LI of 83, download and physics both 83-83. That would be 1328 for the whole region.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drongle, that sounds complicated. Maybe you know the answer to this - in Inworldz you can take a piece of mesh terrain and stretch it to the size of 1/4th of a sim and it stays at only 1 LI!. Also, you can walk on sculpts the size of a whole sim and don't have to patch in with transparent collision prims. Why can't we do that here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are about to reply to a thread that has been inactive for 3670 days.

Please take a moment to consider if this thread is worth bumping.

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...