How do I make an AO from scratch?

[YYsmith]

Is there a step by step guide for making an AO from scratch?

What templates do I need to make an AO?

What software do I need to make an AO?

How do I upload an AO to Second Life?

[Jenni Darkwatch]

If you really mean a whole AO... you'll need to learn LSL too. Based on the forum I'd guess just the animations. In that case, any animation package that can produce .BVH files. Poser et al. Most AOs these days seem to be Motion Captured though, so you'd need a little more than just the software.

[Amethyst Jetaime]

You need to import original animations, build a hud and script it. 

You'll find information on all of the basics of these skills to start off wiih in the Wiki here---> http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Creation_Portal .

 

[Medhue Simoni]

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YYsmith wrote:

Is there a step by step guide for making an AO from scratch?

What templates do I need to make an AO?

What software do I need to make an AO?

How do I upload an AO to Second Life?

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There are 29 overrides that an animator can replace. The ZHAO II is free, and has all the coding to override most of those 29. You can also override the typing animation, and the away and busy animations.

If you are a beginner, use the ZHAO as your template. You don't have to override all the options. Whatever you don't override will just use the default animations.

This link will show you how to create them, for the most part, and the programs you can use to do it. http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/How_to_create_animations

All things imported into SL need to be uploaded, which can be found by clicking the plus sign at the bottom of your inventory window. Uploads cost 10 lindens per upload.

 

Good luck!

 

[AprilMae Devin]

On that note, Medhue. Someone asked in world the other day which anims should loop and which not for an AO. I couldn;t answer him so thought I'd ask here/you LOL.

Seems like a pre-jump, or land, or left/right turn would not loop but those such as stands, walks, sits etc would?

 

Cheers -  April.

[Medhue Simoni]

Ok, let me go thru it in my head here, and maybe I'll add the priorities here too. I'll problably not remember a few obscure overrides.

 

Run - Priority 3 - looping

Walk - Priority 3 - looping

Stand - Priority 1 or 2 - looping

Left or Right turning - Priority is messed up here. To fully override the default, it must be a 4. You can use a 3, but there will be issues. *This is a bug not fixed yet* - looping

Crouch - Priority 3 or 4 - looping or not depending on the affect you want

Crouchwalk - Priority 3 - looping

Prejump - Priority 3 or 4 - not looping and generally 1-2 seconds long

Jump - Priority 3 or 4 - looping or not looping depending on your ao, generally 2-3 seconds long

Landing - Priority 3 or 4 - not looping, generally 2 seconds long

Hard Landing - Priority 3 or 4 - not looping, generally 3 seconds long

Stand up - Priority 3 or 4 - not looping

Fly Up - Priority 3 or 4 - looping

Fly Right and Left turns - Priority 3 or 4 - looping

Fly - Priority 3 or 4 - looping

Fly Slow - Priority 3 or 4 - looping

Fly Down - Priority 3 or 4 - looping

Falling - Priority 3 or 4 - looping

Sitting - Priority 3 - looping

Sitgrounds - Priority 3 - looping

Swimming - Priority 3 - looping

Swim up - Priority 3 - looping

Swim down - Priority 3 - looping

Swim Left/Right turns - Priority 3 - looping

Typing - Priority 3 - looping

Away - Priority 3 - looping

Busy - Priority 3 - looping

 

I think i got most of them. These are for normal everyday avatar AO animations. Different AO systems might function differently with looping and non looping. If you are creating something specialized and for a specific avatar, you may want other priorities.

[AprilMae Devin]

Cheers! Very very helpful!