Notes
Slide Show
Outline
1
Today’s Lesson
  • Misc. Tips for Building.
2
Couches, groups, bikes, and boards.
  • For these objects you will use the same principal concepts you learn with the chairs.
    • The main difference between the chair and the other objects is that there are a whole lot more nodes that you aren’t supposed to touch.
    • In the case of couches and seating groups they are just like chairs where the SLOT nodes are linked directly to lod0
3
Boards
  • On a hoverboard you have 3 separate sets of nodes you link to each LOD state. As always do not move them or it may ruin your model in world.
    • Also instead of having lod0 being your top object a dummy box/node is your top object. This is the same for lod1 and 2 as well.
    • If you ever forget how to assign a hierarchy just look at the original file and copy down the order of the ranks so you know which ones are linked to what.
4
Bikes
  • On bikes only LOD0 has nodes and the dummy box called LOD0
  • An exception to the node rule is the exhaust nodes… they frown on their movement but it won’t mess up your model.
  • Just move them to where you would like them on the model so it looks right.
5
Complex linking
  • As you progress to more complex models like boards and bikes you will see there are a lot of nodes to link that you have to get in a specific order without moving the nodes. One way to do this is through the “select by name” menu we have used in the past to see our subtrees.
    • To do this linking, first select the node/nodes you want to have linked to a single parent node (can be done in menu as well, just an extra step)
    • Once the “children” nodes have been selected choose the link tool and then open the select by name menu again.
    • Choose the node to be the parent node and then click link.
6
Remember
  • Do not ever use There models for your Bike, Seating Group, or Couches because the nodes are still backwards.
  • Go to Grim’s webpage and download corrected models by him
  • Check the forums for a link.
7
Animation
  • Animation is an option that is basically open to everyone.
  • To join you must be a member of the Animated Builders Club and download some animation tools.
  • To summarize animation the basics are that you first build and map an object so that it displays/ positions the map the way you want it.
  • Then you export the model and in previewer you apply the textures (the one for animation) and save the model file.
8
Animation Cont’d
  • Once saved you will open up the animation application Zeotrope
  • This application lets you try different animation styles on your skin.
  • Notes on animation club
    • You can submit a texture up to 512 by 512 pixels or the equivalent pixel budget
    • You can only animate one texture
9
Animation Club
    • When you submit you make a “replace me” texture as well so they know which ones to replace.
    • It costs you an additional 20k to animate an object and 2k extra for wholesale
      • So a flora builder would cost 25k to submit and 2250 for wholesale.
  • Another perk of the club is that you can also create objects that are larger than normal polygon and size counts. But those need pre-approval before submission.