Advice Pls - How much to pay for v. patient, knowledgeable tutor for in-world help?

Hello all,

Hhhhmmmm where do I start with this one? I suppose a little info. about me, it's scary stuff, then you'll understand why I need help!

Since discovering the joys of building I've become a virtual SL recluse and spend every spare minute in-world trying to get the hang of how you can manipulate objects and use them. I'm not very good at math, don't have the logic gene and sadly am not very technical either, so many terms I read in the forums don't make a lot of sense to me. Still reading? Cool... you are patient then! hehehe

I'm currently on my eighth house and haven't completed any of them - I can get quite close to the end, but find that if I've messed up just one piece, I try to fix the problem and end up screwing up most of the others too (no logic/math abilities is very disabling). I can't attend the classes often advertised due to RL responsibilities and being in the UK time zone.

So, would it be worth me 'hiring' an in-world teacher who could teach/guide me through the following in laymen's terms? :-
How to use primdocker;
How to line up textures (takes me too long as I just keep altering them until they fit!);
What certain technical terms and names mean;
How to make my own textures have alpha layers, though I don't have Photoshop and truly don't understand how it all works;
Loads of other things too?

I have read various tutorials and instructions, but I'm not a good 'follower' and try to jump ahead if I'm left to my own devices.

Wow, talk about running yourself down

In summary, would it be worth me advertising for an 'on-call helper' who could come over to watch my embarrassing attempts (and my very flustered red face!) and if yes, how much would I need to pay and how would it be broken down (i.e. per half an hour or per subject taught)?

Thanks for reading and thanks for any advice in advance,
Twirly

P.S. On top of all of the 'off-putting' things listed above, sadly I'm not rich either

I'd say no. Hiring is not a good way to go. -It generally never is in SL, since you either pay *ridiculous* amounts of L$ to correspond with an actual RL wage, or people are really doing it for fun anyway.
I'd recommend you find a friendly sandbox; hang around and watch and chat with the builders there. There are lots of places where people are quite willing to share tips and tricks, and walk you through things.
There are, of course, also classes taught on various tools and techniques. Look in the events listing for those. Even if it is not generally your style of learning, it may be worth attending some for specific problems or tools you're struggling with along the line.

Sadly, these are very neccessary to good building and scripting.

Check the manual. They're usually pretty well documented

The texture shows with a box around it when using "select texture". I use this to line up the lines.

You can't. You need some sort ofgraphic manipulation program to do this, and it has to support layering.

If you don't mind sharing the experience with others, check out NCI.

It's free, too, though of course you can always donate.

I use a special, checkered, numbered texture with alignment lines if I really need textures to match up perfectly; doing the adjustments while showing that texture, and then replacing it with the actual texture once everything fits.
(http://secondlife.com/app/image/f134e022-618e-d717-1f9a-b2c8e3900430/2 Drop me an IM if you want a version inworld).

Photoshop Elements, a more manageable little sister to the full Photoshop, has recently added support for layers. Personally, I use GIMP, though, a free program which is pretty much a one-to-one replacement for Photoshop (including the rather scary learning curve if you're not used to that sort of programs. You don't have to learn it all just to draw alpha layers, though).

And you need to practice your math skills. they are essential to making things line up.

Hi as stated before I don,t think it is a good idea to pay for lessons you will get ripped off.There are free tutorials . My advice is keep checking this forum daily you can pick up so much ,if your stuck ask ,I do.as for the rest ,3 things practice practice practice.You will get there in the end , Good luck

Thank you, thank you and thank you all for the responses.

I'm possibly not quite as dumb as I made out, but thought I should give the worse case scenario, just in case I was having a 'stupid day' if I met anyone who could help. I have managed to build some interesting items, but I have only achieved these through hours of twisting, manipulating and playing with objects with a few 'oooohs and aaaaahs' thrown in for good measure If you asked me to build the same items again without looking at a previous copy, I couldn't, which is why I believe I have no logic or math skills!

I think the idea of going to a class so I may question things is a great one and also getting a numbered gridded texture - fantastic thought! Thanks for your 'gentle' responses and wishes of good luck - I'm sure I'll get there one day as I thoroughly love learning things, it just frustrates me that it doesn't come naturally to me

Finally, on the alpha layered textures subject, I think if I understood some of the terminology and tried out Gimp (anything free is good by me!) I might be able to pick it up... eventually! Many, many decades ago I used to use various DTP packages in my RL workplace (just after we moved on from using chalk and a blackboard) but my confidence is shot to pieces as are thousands of my brain cells!

Ty again,
Twirly

Twirly.
I got lot of real life learning and cognitive challenges my self that effect me here.
My first alt was born in 2003 and I couldn't figure out many things for longest time.
I love Math but complex stuff I have had issues with.
I have never been able to really get beyond Elementary school Mathematics or remember anything beyond the 7th grade.
Yet I persist and keep going on.
You can create without knowing complex math here. I do it all the time.
I have basic working knowledge of numbers and Math and I can show you very basic ways
via grids to do texture alignment for free when we both have time.
Lot of it is practice, practice and practice and allowing your imagination flow, not get too caught up with perfection or self criticism.
Though sometimes it still is hard for me.
I have been trying to create digital content with different Art, 3D and similar worlds programs for thirteen years now.
And I still struggle with a lot of things but I persist.
Look me up in world and I show you what I do know just for free.
I won't be available though until Monday or Tuesday.
Feel free to add me as friend and we will see what we can do together
FD.

Twirly,

IM me in world. I'll come over and build with you.

I don't know Prim Docker, but I can help with the rest.

A big, fat T H A N K Y O U for your kind offers of help - it really does make a person feel a bit smiley to find such generous peops.... particularly when I fear they don't know what they've let themselves into I'm kidding, I tend not to hound people too much and look out for the warning signs that their patience is wearing thin!

Now me, being me (it's a hard job, but someone has gotta do it!), I realise that yet again I've done things 'backwards' and I should've tidied up my land a bit first and also attempted to have got my so-called builds into a better state before allowing public viewing (or public humiliation!). But then, this is why I asked the question in the first place, I spend hours trying to do something that you experts probably know how to do in minutes.

Today when RL allows, I'll try to sort out my mess, including my truly terrible inventory (bits of builds and textures scattered all through it) and hopefully I'll find one of you in-world.

<note to oneself...mute all sounds so as not to hear any laughing fits>

Ty again,
Twirly

Desmond already said it: check out NCI

The classes and the materials are free.
The schedule is set up to try and make classes available for everybody, wherever you are in the world.
This is done simply by having more instructors from different parts of the world teaching the same classes.

Here is a link to the NCI web site, where you can find a weekly class schedule: http://www.roscrow.uklinux.net/NCI/index.html

Besides going to classes you can also join the New Citizens Inc group. Just Search for that name in groups, and join.
You can then ask questions in the group IM, and can be sure to get answers too.

If you want more help, IM me in world, I can help you with all of the things you mentioned

If you make frequent copies of your builds during construction, then when you make the terrible mistake that ruins it all, you can proceed from your last copy.

What technical terms are you having trouble with? I'd wager that the questions are already answered somewhere, and that you can get perfectly good help with such questions in these forums.

You might want to join some groups such as Scripters of Second Life and Builders of Second Life to ask specific questions in.

FYI: I dont use any fancy Prim tools or Texture Tools.

I do everything by hand.

It's not hard to figure out.

Like others have said, the best advice is to go to a sandbox & practice, practice, practice.

There is no over night epiphany. No magic bullet (or script). Its all practice & skill. The more you try it, the more better at it you get.

Seconded.

I've said this many times, to many people. Tools only do what you can do, with more chance of it going wrong.

you may be thinking 'But I'm more likely to do the calculations incorrectly'.

Sure, but what if you have to build where there are no scripts allowed? Or what if your tool suddenly gets borked or lost?

You're screwed, basically. Learn to do things with nothing more than the SL interface and you will always be ready, and always be capable.

Twirly when I rejoined after long break with this guy I got lot of land and just built stuff pretty much non-stop too.
I didn't really get the math behind making things for long time.
I still don't but I have figured out few things a long the way using rulers,etc
For some of us it takes longer and more practice and important thing is keep it fun.
You DON" T have to know all the fancy words, things like sine, and understand the mysteries of triangles and geometry to create here.
Prim Docker if I remember right is handy for big builds?
I tend to have a friend who knows how to use it when I need it but I really don't have to build over 30 meters usually or try to not too.

Most of the builders I know say that they use a combination of tools. Math doesn't always work like you think it should in-world, don't rely on it completely.
Quite a few of my friends have the Skidz Primz tool and have taken the free basic class. I've gone for the beginning class a couple of times and will probably go again, there is also a sandbox available to practice in. I'm at the beginning stage of building and I'm still learning all the terms too.

By eye is another valid tool we all use. Sometimes zooming in close with camera controls are the only way to make sure something is lined up correctly. Skidz is really good with this normally, but prims can drift due to in-world issues. Which reminds me, not too much you can do about prim drift, it will happen. You can delete the prim drifted version and then rez out a still good copy from your inventory.

Prim Docker I haven't gotten yet, so I'm not any help there.

Go ahead and take building classes from any of the learning locations you can. Hearing something explained in a slightly different way can give you that 'AHA, now I get it!' reaction. Check out the class schedules for the NCI Centers, Rockcliffe university, <ASL>, Dreams Classrooms and many more listed in Search>Events>category>Education. I've seen classes listed for most time zones eventually. Nothing says you can't contact the person teaching the class and ask them if it will ever be held in what is the best SLT time for you. Just be sure to look at their Profile in case they only respond to notecards.

Just keep trying, we all learn at different speeds. I'm like molasses, though I haven't deleted my work platform floor from under me yet. Lololol.

Yay!! Thanks all you lovely people.... I had a huge debate with myself whether to post my original question (did I not mention before that I'm a little bit insane too?!?!?) and even wondered if I should remove it as I worried I was leaving myself wide open for criticism (in fairness, I get lots of it and it probably is deserved!)

I rezzed up some of my previous failed buildings and they really are cr*p, but I can honestly say that I think I may have improved since my first attempts. It would just be great to pick up some tips so I don't spend several hours doing something that really isn't necessary orrrr I can pretend to be more knowledgeable than I actually am orrrr even better, I actually finish a project and my neighbors quit asking me where my half-building has gone!

Some of my questions are incredibly daft so I cannot list them on here (remember my paranoia? ... good grief, with the amount of faults I have, I really should have a nice white straight jacket and a large cone hat with a large 'dunce warning' emblazoned all over it glued permanently to my head - if I could make one, I would!!), but I really hope to jump on one of you lucky peops in-world very soon

Thanks,
Twirly

If you have neighbors and are building houses I'm assuming you have a patch of land then? I'm fairly new to SL so I'm still getting used to the quirks specific to SL. But I have a RL background in computer programming and 3D modeling. Would you be interested in a live-in neighbor in exchange for anytime help? I think I could help you with whatever you can dream up. I'm still a bit overwhelmed with the possibilities so I'm still looking for 2 things. One a spot to put that "home" landmark other than the welcome center I happened to randomly pop out of. And two, a direction. It sounds like you have a direction in mind and aren't sure how to get there. I know a gazillion tricks and tips, just need to know what you want. IM me in world if you want to try working together?

Don't do it, Twirly. Never invite a vampire across your threshhold. They'll bite you and stuff. Then you'll have to learn how to build a coffin instead of a house.

Lol lol Lindal.... that actually scared me!!!

Vampaerus - I actually do have 3 to 4K of mainland that I haven't used (a girl can only spread her mess out so far!), but it is in a very tropical, peaceful area so I'm not sure that the sun/surroundings would suit you!

I've never ventured into the 'hole' of letting land so I'd have to look into it and weigh up the pro's and con's, but I do like the idea.... hhhmmmm, there's something else to add to my already twirly, overloaded brain then!!

Tropical areas are no safety at all. The night falls quickly on the mainland...

Least of your worries, though. There are worse things than vampires out there.

For instance, land barons. Multiple square kilometers of land, hundreds of thousands of prims - you can have it all by becoming one. But, you mu$t feed...

Mr. Shang is in a droll mood today. The new sim(s) must have gone well!

Thirded.

/me also gives a nod to those who say "practice, practice, practice."

Also, you've been through the Ivory Tower, right?

Oh bum (no offense intended by the way, it's supposed to be my 'safe' swear word!!), I had sooo hoped not to add to my list of dumb/stupid questions and I bet I've missed something sooo obvious here I shall have to go and hide under my RL bed for several months (I haven't cleared it out from the last time I spent there after rezzing a giant house on my first land and squashing all my new neighbors underneath it)... but.... what is the Ivory Tower?

As for the nice new worries you have kindly given me re vampires and nighttime, I would just like to thank you sooooo very much for telling me!!! hehehe