Custom fish

[Nexuiz Amaterasu]

Hi! I have no programming experience, but I would really like to learn how to make things in Sl, namely custom catchables. Where should I start? Thanks in advance!

[Kabalyero Kidd]

I'm a terrible scripter myself but I think you should start with building the fish. I myself only uses basic prims in my building (not really a pro and just build for fun) then I use the 7seas OpenFish scripts which is available in your Fish Area Kit. Also search for free full perm objects or items which you can study or base your initial builds on.

Hope that helps!

[Seven Shikami]

Normally this kit is available only in Fishing Area Kits (L$750) but it IS technically free -- we're working on other ways you can get access to it without having to make any purchase.

I suggest waiting on starting your work until next week -- we're releasing a massive update to all our OpenSeas systems over the weekend, and will likely send the kit in a group notice attachment. You're definitely going to want the updated scripts. (Be sure you're enrolled in either "7Seas Fishing" or "7Seas Social Chat" in Second Life to get notices.)

The new kit will help even non-scripters be able to make their own fish, blueprints, salvage, and aquarium backdrops.

[Jordguitar Flasheart]

[Nexuiz Amaterasu]

Thanks a lot for the replies, although I still don't know what it all means. Like when you say "build a fish"...how??

[Kabalyero Kidd]

[Jen Shikami]

Ah, so you're starting from scratch with learning how to build? You can get started with this learning process even before Seven releases the new scripts; you can always retrofit any fish you build to work with the scripts, after all.

I alread knew Photoshop but in terms of SL building, here's what helped me...

I visited the Ivory Tower Library of Primitives as a starting point. They have a great self-guided tour that shows you all the different things you can do with prims and what shapes you can make.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Natoma/209/164/27

After that, you'll start analyzing everything you see in SL with an eye to how it was assembled. You can study some existing fish to get a sense of how they were made, for example. The fins are usually skinny flexible rectangles with a clear pixel on all the edges, and a fin texture on the two main sides. Note that when working with flexi shapes, the location of the flexi's "root" is really important. They'll explain all that at Ivory Tower.

You could also take some classes if that'd help -- I took a few at Rockcliffe University. See their Schedule Board.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20I/100/99/24

As for sculpties, I use Rokuro Pro which works kind of like a lathe -- you know, like in woodworking, to make fancy chair legs and stuff? Or like a potter's wheel. Basically you define the outside shape you want in profile, and it makes the sculpt for you. It's great for making organic egg-shapes and fish body shapes and such.
http://kanae.net/secondlife/rokuro_pro.html

[Nexuiz Amaterasu]

Thank you Jen! I have another question tho...Using Rokuro Pro, after i make whatever it is that I want to make...how do I import it into SL. Do I just upload it and it becomes a texture? Thanks again!!

[Jen Shikami]

In Rokuro, first you can save it as a text file which allows you to reload the shape later if you want to edit more. I usually save as MAGE text. (I find Mage the most useful for non-symmetrical shapes)

Then you can save it as a TGA. You could load the TGA straight into SL, but you don't really need that degree of resolution; I usually use a photo editing program to size the TGA down to 128x128 or 64x64. If you go small enough, you can upload it with that "Use lossless compression" checked, which helps.

I also use my photo editing program to make it a transparent (32 bit) TGA; that way anybody able to edit my object can't screencap the sculpt texture. (It's more likely with sculpties since they only need a low-rez texture and the preview is the same size as usual...)

Hope that helps.

[Kabalyero Kidd]

Great info! Now that came from an expert. I'm going to check out the tower and see what other things can be done with basic shapes. Thank you!