Two Questions on Texturing

Hello every one. I am making some texture that I am using in building stuff and I have a couple of questions. First question is, is there any program that is basically just like the prim builder in sl that I can apply my textures to to see if they look right with out having to upload them just to find out that they don't look right. I have tried Blender but it just ain't the same I can't seem to build the same stuff with it don't know why but cant. I wish Linden had a stand alone prim program.

Ok Other question. I have noticed when I go into some stores and other buildings the floors have a reflection of the surrounding How is the Done is it a script or a setting in the prim builder. I am making some floors for a house I am building for myself and want to do this but don't know how. Thanks for any and all help.

Paul Dudek

1) There are no applications to preview textures, other than the obvious 3d packages that work fine. I suggest you create some mock-up templates in another 3d application...if you aren't comfortable using them, I recommend you learn. That's the only way around it...

2) The reflection method is a trick. Essentially you make the floor texture slightly see-through. Then you take the prims/objects on the floor, copy them, flip them, and place them directly below the floor...this is how it's done. It's tricky to keep continuity here...and can also be very prim-consuming.

*keep in mind, when flipping images and text, you will have to make sure you are flipping on the proper planes (text and images need to be flipped several different ways in order to realistically mirror)

Not at present, unfortunately. Andrian Linden was working on an SL prims plugin for Maya that would probably be highly useful for what you're trying to do, but unfortunately he never finished it.

What I'd suggest is you apply a test pattern texture to your prims in SL, so you can see precisely which part of the canvas falls where on each one, and then paint your textures accordingly. Put the same pattern on the bottom layer of your working image, and use it as a template. Try this one. /109/45/214824/1.html


Ever see the movie Sphere? Take a close look at those "reflections" and think about what Dustin Hoffman said in that movie, "It's reflecting everything but us". Notice no avatars are reflected, only the static objects in the room.

What you're seeing is smoke & mirrors, just without any actual mirrors. The floor is semi-transparent, and there's an inverted copy of the whole room right below it. Fly your camera below the floor, and you'll see it. Once you know how it's done, you kind of kick yourself for not having figured it out in the first place. It's such a simple but effective illusion.

Hmm I might just pass on the floor then lol thought it may have been a script or something I was thinking that would be the way do do it but then thought man that would double the prims so surly thats not how they are doing it lol Guess I was wrong thanks for the help on these two matters. I wish they had that stand alone for the prims though not to make and upload prims just to view textures on would make it so easy lol.

Not quite what you are asking for, but...You can use the Beta Grid client to log in and upload textures without having to use real L$. The money on the Beta Grid is 'fake' so the uploads are free.

http://secondlife.com/community/preview.php

Well thats better then using my real linden to upload to see if it is right. Guess its only good till the funds run out that they give you right. Thanks for the help

also.. the mirror trick can be done without doubling the prims..

you can take snapshots of the walls with the camera.. then place those on blank walls under.. (for any type of furniture or whatnot you can do the same thing..) you can do the mirror trick for about 30% of the actual prims being used.. Just have to be creative .. remeber they arnt seeing the full version so you can take alot of shortcuts under.. also.. dont go full transparent..like 5 or 10 is enough.. it makes the floor look shiney.. but blurs out the underneth image just enough to create the shineyness.


(or you could create textures to mimic the shineyness.. as in my walls in my new build

http://flixsaiman.blogspot.com/ my blog that shows my newest build the matrix .. where i just designed the texture to mimic shiney