House Control Systems

I have been looking at houses and many of the prefabs seem to have a house control system of some sort.

What do you think about these?

What kind of features do they have that you find useful? What are some of the better system brand names that you have experience with?

The standard controls will probably help sell the prefab - Window blinds, shades, or tints open, partially open, or closed are pretty standard. Also doors that lock with some means of providing an access list, though I would never need such a device in an all but deserted grid. It's not like I ever get visited, pestered, or can have anything stolen.

But one of the more fun features I've seen are the color control menus allowing you to somewhat change the decor by selecting different colors for wall, floors, seams, and so forth. Of course if you make the prefab modifiable these are really just for the lazy.

Most of these scripts are public domain I think.

As far as stairs vs. ramps vs. teleports -- I don't mind any of the three, except those tedious spiral ramp things that take too long to navigate. It really should be whatever you think works best visually and practically for the design.

[Edit: Sorry, I guess I didn't exactly answer the question, Von G. Those were the only thoughts I had on the subject.]

thanks - I can't think of anything else either.. I have not thought about the texture changing thing which could be ok.. give a few presets for texture schemes, but setting that up is a ton of work and will add a lot to the cost of a place I imagine..

and yessss..

I see that many systems that sell for 5K or so.. that are nothing more than a collection of hot-rodded freebie scripts packaged up with a "brand name".

Is this a boring subject?


Should I add some Drama or Cartoon Love gone bad twist to this to make it interesting? How about a twist of psycho and some Stalker stuff along with severe Poseball malfunction?

Are you looking for something to include in a prefab you're working on for sale, for a bunch of units for rent, or just for use in your own house?

I've scripted several of these things, custom for individuals or groups, but I'm sure there are lots of free and purchased scripts that do these things too. If it's for a bunch of rental units, I'd suppose some networked arrangement could be useful, at least for maintaining access control lists.

Oh, yeah: access control lists. This is kind of important in some cases if you need to give fine-grained control to different users or classes of users. (Some users can tint and clear the windows, others can lock and unlock the front door, others can teleport, others can use the poseballs, etc.)

I've also collaborated with somebody who set up multiple alternate rooms in the same space, so if you want a kitchen, choose that from the menu; if you want a swimming pool instead, select that, etc. Tricky bit about this is the animations: can't use regular, no-copy poseballs or they'll get zapped when you rez something else. (This is one of the things that got me working on an animation server, but that's a whole different topic.)

Also, when prims are tight, I've embedded all the house control stuff in a single prim along with a rental script and all the things that need to be owned by the parcel owner, so just that one prim would need to be deeded to group on group-owned land. In that scenario, it did parcel prim counting, the radio- and media-stream changing, etc.

I never shop for this stuff myself, so possibly not all that helpful.

Right -- it should have been worded,"Do I need a house control that includes a security system for ejecting alts who are real life women pretending to be men playing as women?"

As a skybox seller, I used to not include things like locking doors or windows that shade because, well, anyone who's been in SL for more than a day should know that both of those are completely ineffective for their stated purpose. Anyone can camera right past "closed" windows and anyone can scoot a prim right past a locked door. The only REAL form of security is a security orb and the only REAL form of privacy is being on a sim made not public.

However, the buyers want what the buyers want. So, locking doors and window controls (at least for bedroom areas) are what it must be.

Thnks.. multiple menu called rooms..hmmm There is something you dont see often.

Or even I just got ripped off 5000L for a door script that can't even do double doors at the same time without clicking on each half.. and I will quit SL now because OS took my talking fetus away..

hence this thread

That would only be a useful addition if their sales are plummeting as well.

I don't need or want much in the way of house control systems, but I think I may be in the minority.

My current home is a modification of a full-perms house a friend dropped on me - it doesn't even have doors or windows, let alone a system to lock and/or tint them. I rely on isolation (and the mini-map) as much as anything else for privacy, though I have set my menu-driven furniture to owner/group only.

My favorite house control system is in the skybox I bought from the landlord I rented from when I started in SL. It changes the texture, tint, and transparency of the interior walls and floors. The textures are commonly available in SL, but it's nice to have options and with only two rooms there's no special theme to mess up. There are no doors or windows, so no tinting or locking there. I could've bought a security system from the same person, but haven't felt the need. It came with a teleporter, but I mostly navigate from inside to the roof and back via camming and poseball.

That skybox and its menu are not the kind of thing I would have sought out, but after living in it I really like it and still go back to it from time to time.

I like the holodeck/multi-room idea, but most of the rooms I have seen don't suit me, and I haven't gone to the point of seeking out the necessary scripts to make my own. I'm not sure entirely what I'd do with one, but it seems as though it would be fun to tinker with.

I don’t need much in the way of security options. I prefer aesthetic stuff, like changing the blinds to open or glass and a range of colours and textures.

I know people say that anyone can get through a locked door, but I would have no clues how to do this and I’m thinking most non techno types would be the same. As a newbee, I liked to be able to lock doors. Now days I don't bother locking up, I don't really worry about who might be in my house when I'm not there, I have a hippo, but don't use it.

I recently scripted a full house control system which included all of the above, plus an ambient lighting system...choice of eleven different colours lights and menu control over the brightness ('dimmer switch').

Proved to be effective and popular

Adding a texture changer is much more effective than using colour schemes over textures.
With colour schemes they add colour to the whole texture so if you have a wall with trim on it that you want to remain white this is not possible as the colour change effects the whole wall.Setting up is a lot of work and this will also depend on the types of scripts you would use and their actual setup.
There are some things to consider if you were to go this route and purchase texture changer scripts.
Some script systems rely on the repeats and offsets from the edit menu. These will limit your abilities to add diferent textures as not all textures are created by the same person using the same template, therefore their repeats/offsets will difer. Unless you create all your own textures and are 100% sure that they all match then you could use this type of texture changer. If you are heavily reliant on purchasing textures then this will definitely not work for you.
This kind of script is most probably the types mentioned that are available open source or in the library.

The next type would be a texture changer that allows you via notecard to add and setup the repeats and offsets, rotation of the textures etc etc.
This overrides the texture panel in the edit menu allowing you to add as many textures as the script allows. This can be tedious and hard work but the end results are so much better and give you much more flexibility over what you can add to your build.



As with Debbie's example she scripted a House control system to include lights and various colours and to control the brightness, with my builds they are scripted to change various textures. In total one of my builds, taking the number of options available has over 1600 different combinations of appearance.
My latest project was to design a build so that it could fit into different landscaped themes. Because of the time of year (one thinks of snow and winter)I added 3 options to the exterior to include snow effects/textures to fit with snow themed sims or the owner can choose no snow and they will fit perfectly on a green grass mountainous sim.
The main advantage of this option is it gives the owner the choice to change from diferent styles and appearance to suit their moods or taste. It is an additional selling point to someone wanting to purchase your product.
The options are endless and subject to the capabilities of the scripts. The scripts I use were specifically designed for me and are being changed and updated as I come up with new ideas.
The basic options I use and these are all for textures to change and not colours are Windows, all have the option of Clear, Semi Open Blinds, Closed Blinds and Closed Shutters where fitted.
Roofs, a number of options to change the roof tiles
Floors, change from tiled floors to wood floors.
Interior Walls.
Interior Doors
Ceilings.
Outside Patios
Even the railings around the Balcony and terrace.

As for brands and stuff I have no idea as I have a scripter that designed my texture changer but just note what I mentioned earlier about their capabilities regarding the repeats and offsets from the main edit menu.

Note: This post is to answer the OP's questions and is no way intended to promote of advertise my products.

uummm...you quoted me in your post but what I said has nothing at all to do with what you are saying; I was not talking about textures at all.

I think perhaps you were so eager to insert your thinly disguised advertisment that you haven't bothered to read other contributions properly.

Debbie

The reason I quoted you was to bring together the options available, you had done your build with lighting and colours I do mine with Textures.

Also mentioned in my post was that the options are endless and subject to the scripts capabilities, so with your example and my example which are different just highlights the many options whether it be with lighting, textures or color for the OP to consider if he/she takes that route with using some kind of house controller.

I tried to find your system so I can check it out but could not.

All that texture stuff is rocket science.. but if a texture repeat per meter could be accurately set via script this would all be easier. ( seperate subject though)


Here is the problem I am seeing.. The more complex something is to figure out or use, the less people will need it or want it.

Most people that sell expensive control systems have more features than they themself can manage. Some systems have great access controls, some have great lighting controls or AV controls .. but none seem to have it all put together in a balance between sensible, functional and idiot proof. There seems to always be a weak link in the system that makes me say.. its not worth buying.

A great example is the 11 colors of lighting with a dimmer. That is very awesome. I saw a script tutorial that uses colors as a way to show how to make a huuuuge multi level menu with lldialog.. excellent.. all the colors in the rainbow.. more buttons for me to push.

But will such a system have excellent doors and Windows and or Shades and curtains ? Are the features of the most commonly used items in such a system awesome as well?

This makes me wonder.. what if I like 3 out of 5 features but hate the other 2 and want to put in my own subsystem to work with the 3 I like? Most control systems are so locked up that you cannot interact with it in any way as to do some system integration on the user end.

Discuss..

Von, you're hitting on exactly the questions every prefab maker ends up asking themselves. Are there customers out there who want every single bell and whistle? Sure there are. Personally, I think at the end of the day, a customer buys a house they LIKE, no matter how many scripted gadgets it has or doesn't have. The gadgets may help push a sale along if the customer already likes the house, but most people are going to buy a house based on style and how it fits their needs and/or image of the virtual life they want to live.

The only things I think are a requirement to consider are locking doors and windows that will shade for privacy. Everything else is gravy.

Yes. It was a complete House Control system with multi-level menus, permitted user access list, locking doors and all the trimmings you'd expect.



I tend to work to custom commission orders rather than sell scripts retail

It's straight forward enough to write a script that sets the offets and repeats according to the selected texture.

I wrote what I called a 'decor system' for the skyboxes that I used to rent out. It could change the texture and/or colour of each face inside the skybox, and it set the texture repeats and offsets accurately depending on which texture is selected. I never thought of lighting though. If I were still renting out skyboxes, I'd add lighting effects now that I've seen it mentioned.

I have yet to come across a system that incorporates everything. As you mention you might find a system that does 3 out of 5 but hate the other 2 which is so common.
This is not really the fault of the scripter as they have the same job as builders in attracting the right people that will buy and like their products. The market is so diverse.

The only option you really have to consider is perhaps spending the extra few Lindens and look to have a system designed specifically to meet what you want.

Starting with what Isablan said, Windows and doors are the most important then add the rest as you go along.

There are enough scripters out there that do private one off jobs it should not be so hard to find, just do your home work and decide on how you want your system to operate both from your side for setting up and for the end user.

Nothing has to be rocket science as long as you know the basics.

Nice answer..

I have seen some nice houses that had no control system but simple shade control and simple door locks and I would have bought them and hacked the weird stuff in by myself if I needed it. But I am pretty resourceful so I make a bad example.

Even simple things can be complicated to the point of confuzzlement.. If I were a builder I would probably want to offer the option of such items, but you are right .. the visual and overall quality of the build is primary.

What good is a Control System in a house that has textures that do not line up and where walls become invisible as you walk by. How about the ones that have double doors that cannot open at the same time, but the windows sure change textures real good? lol

Yes you can't blame the manufacturer as they are just doing what they can to find an edge, unless they rush product out the door without thinking about the big picture.

If I were a scripter I would offer customization as a service.... nobody likes the same thing and everyone elses way is always totally wrong ..no matter what. There probably is no better way to get what you want. But.. then you have to deal with the PPS syndrome ( poor people suck!) - Who can afford to hire a scripter?

Perhaps a modular approach might be nice. Buy only what you need, but the setup can be quite intense too..and you are back to the compatibility issues where you can keep the good and replace the rest with something custom or another mfr..