-
Posts
44 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Reputation
0 NeutralRecent Profile Visitors
The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.
-
Ah, simple. That would explain some other weird titles I've come across. Thank you!
-
I've been using the Builder's Buddy. to make sets/builds for Machinima and Machinicomics. It's come in very handing for moving large sets that couldn't be made in a singlre linkset for one reason or another. I've also discovered that you can have a heirarchy of these. That is, you can can have a 2nd Builder's Buddy hidden in a prim of a linkset that's part of another Builder's Buddy. For example you might have a house that is a collection of linksets - one linkset for each part of the house that you you to do a scene in; and each linkset might have a prim that contains a Builder's Buddy for all the furniture in that scene (that way you might rez just the bare house, and/or add furniture only where you need it). The issue I have isn't with the builder's buddy, but with a side effect of experimenting them on the current set I'm building.In addition to the BB compent script which I addent to each linkset, I added the following script in order to clearly identify each linkset: default { state_entry() { // prim's name (not necessarily object's) in green and opaque llSetText(llGetObjectName(), <0.0, 1.0, 0.0>, 1.0 ); } This shows the name of the linset in a green title above the base prim of that linkset. If I change the name I have to manually reset the script, but that doesn't happen that often. The issue came when I realised it was better to have the base prim of each linset at the top, rather than the bottom. I did this by unlinking and relinking individual prims and adding the scripts again. Not as messy as it sounds. But, I seem to left with an extra title. The following image illustrates this: The original base prim was the floor of the Lifeboat, but now it's the roof. That extra title at front is from the builders buddy prim at front (which is just a prim in the DB Lifeboat (Hull) linkset). But the title for the original base prim is still shown, even though there's no script in it any more. How do I get rid of the superfluous title?
-
Can i use videogame files to make mesh avatars?
Optimum Actor replied to NoahGoldFox's topic in Mesh
Apart from copyright issues, what about Mesh from video games made by yourself, or by yourself from gamemakers like Unity? -
The other programs are good as well. I don't have Scatter Show but I do have Manga Artist 5 and Motion Artist. Hope to make a different sort of Machinima with that from SL some day.
-
OK, try my best to explain the physics. You have 10 prim boxes in a line (linked). That's 10 prims to the physics engine, I,e each box has 6 sides, 12 edges and 8 corners.(convex_hull) Put them in a bin bag and suck the air out and the physics is that, just the outside shape. The best way to understand is make a flat prim with a hole in it and convert it from a prim to convex hull. When you walk on the hole you will not fall thru it. So any build that needs to be walked thru or dropped in has to have the physics set to prim. A build can be set to convex hull and individual prims that need the physics set to prim.. So clearly one has to be selected in converting. I have some places withat's be useless, but others (like a wall with a big window that never opens in the middle of it) it'd be a good thing. Thanks.
-
Ah! I've seen references to the 10m limit in older SL references but it never seemed to be an issue when I was building Not familiar with convex hull but I just did a search and found this thread, with an explanation by yourself! Shall go read it. UPDATE: Might need to go back and re-edit some builds.
-
steph Arnott wrote: Optimum Actor said ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the Slum City is a free prefab from the Market place has a bit over 2300 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I reduced the prim count to 1000 just by resetting the bounding physics and that was not all of it just a quick test, also the prims are as was at the time 10 x 10. So, many of the flat faces of the buids would only requir one prim instead of six. How does one do that? Is there a link i can follow for help on that?
-
This all reinforces the idea of at least making prototypes in-world, revising and refining them in-world until finalized, and then then maybe exporting those out-world as Mesh and re-importing a refined and tested version, after maybe some external editing. For me the reason not to use the originals would be too much lag. For example, this set which I built has has over 1500 prims in it: ...and the Slum City is a free prefab from the Market place has a bit over 2300! Now the second is fabulous for free item but try shooting a machinima or machinicomic there and you have problems of lag, especially if you have a lot of avatars in one scene The top example really only needs to be used for external shots - otherwise only the individual linksets (it's organized in 13 linksets in a Builders Buddy) and set dressing need be used at any one time. But even so, if it's a regular set and going to be re-used (which is the case) simplifying things by using mesh might (I hope) reduce that down considerably. Coming back to in-world tools that might assist in that then, I have a short list of three:Celzius, Mesh Studio, and Mesh Generator. The last two can be applied to already built items (though MG is limited to 32 prims) and all work by having scripts in the base prim which point you to external pages where you can download a COLLADA file. Everyone seems to agree that post generation editing (using Blender or some other 3D program) is helpful to make mesh more efficient (and/or add texture areas). BUT - Singularity and other viewers can download Collada files direct from a linkset anyway (though there is not support for setting up texture area in-world yet) and is free. The thing is that there seem to be improvements in rendering in the pipeline, including and , so maybe the sensible thing to do is wait, and see what the next generation of official and alternative browsers brings up in features. And of course the above listed makers may be improved as well, or new ones be created.Not everyone has the needs that a machinima or machinicomic group does, so what makes sense for me might not apply to others.
-
FD Spark wrote: I really can't spend anything more until I get handle what I can. Plus I really need make more money before I start investing in more expensive stuff. It just doesn't seem reasonable for me spend more on something I am going struggle and not be proficient at. I spent last 5 years working on my illustration skills on 2d level. I just wish I could translate that to 3D. I understand the financial limitations very well. You are better off learning than buying I guess, because it may be that the tools bought aren't needed. That's why I started that other thread. I've put off investing in in-world tools until I finish my Masters. As regards 2D illustration skills, I should have thought they'd be usefull in creating textures. Good luck with it.
-
FD Spark wrote: I have trying to figure out different 3d programs like in world mesh studio, just recently Wings 3D and there this browser version 3d program that is in beta called Clara.io but the easiest so far but still struggling with actual texturing part is mesh studio but I don't know how to make textures for the objects or get it to work. I started another thread about this called in-world versus external sculp and mesh makers? because I didn't know either. Have had some interestng feedback on the question. Not mentioned was an in-world maker I discovered late called Mesh Generator by the same folk who make Prim Generator. There's a free DEMO version where you can play around with with two prims at a any one time, but I haven't had the time to look at it properly. In any case it seems that this and also Celzium also you to define texture areas by painting groups of colours on faces. I may be mistaken there but it seems to be the case. I have been trying and failing for 10 years to use Blender, its just not intuitive program to me and even with the book I got on it last month even the introduction says learning Blender is hard most people get discouraged and give up on it. You're not the only one. I have tried on several ocassions to get into learning Blender and GIMP, but in both cases the GUI seemed to be a major obstacle. This may have changed for the most recent versions of both programs. I know the layout for Blender is different now. With Blender the ability to cut seems and make texture maps seems to be a basic function. It's mentioned in the 2009 edition of Blender for Dummies book (luckily in my local library for free) and is probably in the 2011 version as well.. Nonetheless, it's always better to have a choice of tools to do the same choice, as some may have advantages over other in certain situations. For example I have Paint Tool SAI, GIMP, Open Canvas, Photoshop CS6, and Manga Studio 5. They're all good drawing programs but SAI and OpenCanvas are better on my laptop, Manga Studio is a breeze to draw with, but Photoshop is Industray standard. The last time I used Wings 3D it was to edit a model generated by DoGA! It seems capable enough, but all the free 3D design programs (like Truespace, which is now freeware) have a learning curve and the only way to learn them is to spend time fiddling about. - - - - Coming back to what I asked in the first Chosen Few, will the same techniques listed for Photoshop CC also work for CS6?
-
Example of a mesh model with hand made Level of Detail models: This Jerry Can has a download weight of 0.4. So there isn't really any reason to not provide decent LOD models. This and other examples give me a very good reason to learn to build mesh properly for myself and the group, rather than rely on pre-made mesh objects in the Marketplace. With my aircon unit example, it's hard to tell what they'll look like from the marketplace description, even with a sample image. The Prim version was part of a set and only $L 10. The Mesh version was also part of a set costing $L 99. Both look good on those pages but it's not until you rezz them that you find out how they really look in use. I had a similar problem with stairs. Lots of cheap mesh stairs that look good up close, but on the sets I've been building they deform, presumably because they use the lowest LOD. Not that such purchases are total waste, as they can still be used in close up shots, but it's annoying because it means they weren't fully tested before put on sale. Likewise the examples of display weights also support the idea for using Mesh over straight Prims and Sculpties - 15 more display weight units than a simple prim but lots more detail. This has answered an indirect question I had about the worth of building Mesh in the first place. Obviously though the workflow may be different because of my projects - prototypes have to get built first for feedback - and whether or not in-world tools are used Blender most certainly will. Also, I suspect I will be spending much more time in the Beta Grid testing mesh for free when I come back to this properly! This information's been extremely helpful
-
The problems I can see with Mesh vs Prim are deformations in the viewer. For example, here's two prefab rooftop aircon units I bought for props, close up and at a distance: As you can see the one on the left (3 prims, non mesh + textures) is fine, whereas the one on the right (1 prim, mesh) deforms. If I read one of the previous comments correctly, this is probably because straight prims have more triangles in them. The one on the right probably has less triangles in it! This is probably not critical for general use, because most AVs will be closer to the object. But for webcomic snapshots you need something that looks good at different distances. That's why I opted to use the prim version (mostly) for this set (a modded version of a Marketplace item no longer available):
-
One thing to keep in mind is that in-world mesh creation tools are no substitute for a solid grasp of a 3D modeling program. They are good for tossing together a quick prototype to give you something more than a "blank canvas" to start with. But for organic shapes and (the necessary!) complete control over both the topology and UV-mapping of your models, a stand alone 3D modeling program is required. I'm not so sure about this. The following is the "Beta Base" set I built recently for SECONDS: It was put together using straight prims, and selected mesh, sculpties and textures from the market place. Not meant to be a permanent structure, but something to be rezzed when needed for a scene (so mostly it exists as 17 linksets in a Builder's Buddy). But I'm not so sure that building it straight from an external program would be a good idea. I was getting feedback from the rest of the group about what features should be where and how it should look, but if I did that using Blender or another program that wouldn't happen, or not in the same way. That's why I've had more interest in in-world tools, because I can get that feedback before I upload and pay for anything. That doesn't mean though that I can't rebuild or redesign something in Blender based on that feedback. And being able to design one's own mesh via an external program would probably reduce the need to buy pre-made ones on the market place (like the antennae in the image above). It seems that most options lead to Blender! I've just learned how to edit video with Blender and found it does just as good of a job as the "Big Boy" dedicated video editors once you've set up the windows properly, with definable/controlled scene transitions, green screen, rotoscoping, titling, special effects options etc. I'll look into that. I already have several video editors, including Premiere Pro, so I'm not short of options. With that in mind, an 80 hour 2-3 week investment in doing Lessons 1-5, 8 and 12 will get anyone serious about modeling started on the right road. I'll make a note of that. Right now in Real Life I'm finishing a post-graduate degree, and that's got to get priority. Most of what I've been doing in SL has been at nights. Once the degree's done I shall investigate all this thoroughly.
-
...wouldn't you be better off staying with prims and just change the prim type to convex hull? As long as you don't add any hollow or cut prims (unless you change the physics type to none) I can't honestly see much of a saving. That is probably the case when making a set. I did explain what I was building and how it was used earlier, but without an example people may have missed that. Making a single object for a roof or floor has advantages other than saving prims. A single object roof/floor/wall can have a door script in it to move it out of shot, or to be made transparent temporarily. That can be done manually but it becomes messier with more than one object involved. Anyway, with that said - MS lets me choose how detailed I want my model. So it saves the amount of work one needs to do later. That's worth knowing.