Dun wanna be a poohead

OK..so..lately I've been working on some sculpted trees for a sim that I'm helping with. I think I've finally managed the '2 prim tree' method, and am planning to fine tune my technique when I get home today.

The thing is, I like sharing knowledge. I currently plan to make a video tutorial showing how to make one of these 2 prim trees, since it's got some useful, pretty basic methods techniques, and my way will end up using two widely-used programs. Essentially, it's to be used as another primer on sculpty creation, with more than just 'how to make a tree' to be gained from it.

Now, on to the question.

I've seen a couple stores that sell a variety of very low prim sculpted trees, including 2 prim trees. In fact, one of these such stores is the reason I even realized it could be done, and then figured out how to do it.

Would it be morally wrong for me to post such a tutorial? Would it hurt their business at all, and if so, enough for them to really not like it? (Well..any at all is not liked..but you know what I mean)

I worked out the techniques completely on my own, and have no idea if it's the same method used for their trees, so I'm not sharing any information I was told in confidence or anything, just sharing information about how to make a product.

So again... would it be considered 'wrong' of me to make and share such a tutorial?

Well, given the number of tutorials Torley has put out that may or may not have hurt someones business, I say go for it.

You worked out your own way of doing things and, if you want to share that, then go ahead and do it.

If the work is yours, why should you not share it if you want to?

No more objectionable than showing someone how to use sliders to tweak their shape instead of spending money on one.

Not everyone is interested in learning these techniques and will continue to purchase items that are not that difficult to create in SL.

As long as you worked out the technique on your own, then no, I don't think it would be wrong. And in terms of a tutorial hurting the sales of two-prim trees, I doubt it will to any significant degree. Think about the thread on avatar shapes. Everyone *can* use the sliders to make a shape, but lots of people choose to purchase one instead because they don't have the time, or talent, or interest, in doing it themselves. I've bought two prim trees and will continue to buy them even if there is a tutorial out there, unless I suddenly and unexpectedly get a lot of additional free time I don't have now. It's just not what I want to spend my inworld time doing.

My artistic talent ends with drawing crude stick figures. I took one look at making sculpties and ran away as fast as I could.

What is "not that difficult" for some, may be very difficult for others.

I don't think anyone's business will be hurt much.

"Completely on my own", says it all right there. You worked out the technique, thus it should be yours to do with as you please. Yes, it might hurt their business, but such is life.
They might have been the inspiration or influence for your technique or design, but when was the last time that anyone created anything totally void of outside inspiration or influence.

And we have another nomination for Best Thread Title Ever. It's been a hell of a week.

LOL the thread title is very misleading!! I love it! Ha Ha!

I dont think there should be a problem, there are tutorials for everything out there if people want to find them....at the same time people will ALWAYS carrying on buying to

I make furniture, but love nothing more than shopping for it myself to! But then again it may be the shopping side of it I am in love with!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I think its great your willing to share a talent

Thanks to everyone for the replies ^_^

And..I figured the title made some kinda sense XD

Anyhow, coolies, I'm going to go ahead with the tutorial then..and lots of others too. Been way too long since I made a proper one, and it's fun.

Thanks again, all, for soothing my mind ^_^

Keira, I don't know if you hung in on the "sculpted tree intellectual property" thread long enough to read Aminom's explanation of his TOU (terms of use), but as I read his last post on that I think that even he would be OK with your doing a tutorial on your own work:

/327/25/247792/3.html#post1917593

Though it might make him sigh a little. But then, I'm sure some skin makers sighed when Eloh released her psd files with a BSD license.
.

I actually don't recall seeing that thread, so thank you ^_^

Judging by what is said in that passage, it's not morally wrong at all. His/her issue is with people taking their sculpt maps/textures/whatever and using those. Since it is my own technique, and I'm the one who figured it out, it's fine by their standards as well I believe.

ETA::
To expand, in all of my tutorials, I only share the basic method for how to do something. I don't go into the 'more advanced' bits, or how to make a specific tree or anything. I show the methods, and let others use their own creativity to go from there.

I don't ever plan to do a tutorial showing how to make something that someone is selling specifically. I won't say 'Here's the stats and such in this program to replicate X item'. That, in my opinion, is downright wrong.

I create tutorials to aid others, and to give the means to learn.

post links when you're done... I'd like to know more about making sculpts. So far my expertise is ,limited to what I can do with the basic tools in zbrush.

I've just made a blog for it, actually ^_^


http://makesecondlifecrap.blogspot.com/


I'll be doing lotsa tutorials, and there's one there already. If you search the forums for DanielFox Abernathy's tutorials, that's a lovely way to get started, they're wonderful.

The building forum is your friend ^_^

Here's my little "flybys" in zbrush. A couple of sculpts that contributed to a much larger project. Not really tutorials.. more of "Speed Sculpting"...

Unfortunately Sculpture Part 1 has been removed from YouTube.. which is fine really. I do apologize for the music though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2JMGtINl7w Part II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKI-Zdf0iDc Part III

Question: what program are you using to record?

You know, if it we're me, I just wouldn't care, since anyone selling 2 prim trees is simply robbing peoples money ellagently anyway.

How so?

Effort and time has gone into them... the making the sculpts is easy once you get the principle down, but texturing can be hard, especially since my method has parts that need the same texture direction, but intercept each other.. it's a rather interesting object o texture, really.

Plus, it's the time taken to make and upload the sculpt maps, and textures often..

I'm not trying to say 'you're wrong', I'd just like to understand how it's 'robbing peoples money'

Obviously if it's only two prims you couldn't have put much work into it. Show me a 500 prim tree and I'll pay good money for it!

(I have my irony filter on, don't hit me!)

Keira I don't think anyone should have any problem with what you do with the fruits of your own labour.

It's yours to do with as you please - yours and no one else's.

His response (and some of mine) had a lot to do with people that would literally scour over everything he did, stealing UUID's, sculptie textures and hack his products for quick and dirty personal gain, zero creative effort.

Some of us consider our grid income significant to our real lives... this is just a gentle hint of how generous Aminom is, and how damaging it can be in real terms when someone rips a product vertex by vertex and sells it on SLExchange. It's happened - it's hard to compete against your own work.

* * * * *

You aren't doing your tutorial based on a rip of anyone else's ideas - you are revealing what *you* learned, simply to be helpful. This is never an issue.

There's no 'micro patent' system on the grid (thank the gods!) where ideas are published in full and the originator is granted full control for a time. Without such a system, it's everyone's capability for themselves on a fair playing field. If you figure it out on your own - there ya go.


Aminom can speak for himself, but I honestly don't think *anyone* will have a problem with what you do with your own creativity.

The problem comes from when people do things with stolen creativity. Seeing a two prim tree and realising it's possible isn't theft.

lol... I don't think I could manage the forest I've been asked to do with 500 prims trees... I've a 2000 prim limit, and 6400 metres to take up...damn big trees XD

If designers want their methods and techniques to stay secret, they should hide them better. If you figure out how something's done, then I would say it is not only okay for you to tell people but infact you should be encouraged to do so.

I'm guessing his reason is because you can get 1 prim trees for free, from Linden Lab But of course, I'm sure the sculpted trees are nicer...