Repost from old forum (I think).. Modeling Tools

Segmented objects (which are cheaper on polys that stacking multipel objects,and you can still put a cap limit on # of segments, ex. you only need 3 segments to make an elbo w/ a cylinder)

A BEND function (for making elbows/curves in segmented objects, I wasted a lot of polys building the canopy for my elevator which has 2 gothic arches, That I couldn't make w/ torus segments because the hole setting wouldn't accept a small enough interger)

Subobject manipulation (the ability to move vertices around for the construction of organics)

Orthographic modeling view option (perspective isn't the best view to model in when you need to be precise)

Planar Objects (good for just about anythin flat w/ 4 sides)

a Graphically Driven Interface for the scripting language (or a leed on a third party soft that can do the same thing, I am, after all, just a stupid artist, unlearned in the black arts of Javamancy)

More bitmap format and resolution options ( combine this with Orthoview, and texturing can become very sophisticated, and I wouldn't have to script animated textures)

These are suggestion based off the various stumbeling blocks & irritations I am running across. I understand the need for simplicity in an environment that doesn't store all the resources client side, and lag is already a problem. It is currently my opinion that SL needs to expand it's capabilities to compete as a form of subscription entertainment, though like Texas weather, my opinions are what they are, and subject to change at the drop of a hat. Aside from the mild frustration w/ the toolsets, the lag, and my own personal battle with scripting. I'm finding it to be a really neat experience, and both refreshing and engaging to romp around in an environment where I get to build things instead of killing things and looking at incessantly recycled textures.... Oh yeah,, Negative lights, the ambiant lighting is too bright in some places in my shop/studio, and detracts from the drama I am trying to create.

Thx for your time
XXX OOO
-Z-

For arches I've been experimenting with using cylinder segments, you can set the inner diameter to anything you want through the magick that is hollow, and you can set the cut begin & end to arbitrary points so you can create them so long as you have somewhere to hide the excess at the top (ie the arch will have to extend at the top and sides to account for the scaling to fill the corners of the rectangular space you're trying to fill.)

the difference between a planar and an arbitrarily scaled box is... a very slight rendering difference as far as I can tell. you can make very, very thin objects easily enough.

I agree on the ortho view though, that'd be nice. I find myself orbiting a lot more than I need to.

the gui for scripting seems like it'd be quite a chore. with flexibility comes complexity - a beast not best served by a graphic interface.

I have to agree with Zoli... the flexibility is great, but if this is going to be embraced by the average user, it's going to need to be more friendly. But why can't it be both?... make a GUI with some basic, often used scripts and still allow the hardcore scripters access to use the current system.

I can drag a script from my inventory to an object and back again. I am therefore using a gui to attach a script to an object.

I was under the impression that the request was more for a button that you click that opens a dialog that allows you to graphically set parameters (sliders?) on function calls. Like.. say a GUI interface to llMakeExplosion or something.
THAT would be harder.

Yes, sliders & stuff, and yes to what haven sez about useful to both novices, & the hardcore scripting warrior( though easier to find the raw scripting mode than finding the command pompt on an apple). And yes,the drag & drop jab IS, technically, a GUI, but not what I meant, and I think U know that C$

Nothing worth doing is usually easy, and this could verywell be something SL doesn't want to consider incorporating, However, I'm surprised that with Softs like Authorware & that other one that I can't rem the name of.. oh yeah, Director, that there isn't some sort of 3rd party soft that could do the job of which I speak, and could be easily C/Ved into place, or uploaded as a supported file format.

I threw that suggestion out to se if anyone that scripted knew of such a thing... I for one was estatic to go from notepad to Dreamweaver. Guess I bettered get on the ball & start lookin around the net to see who has what.

I had to forbid the people in my art department from using dreamweaver at one point 'cause they'd do something with it, then be utterly reliant on it to the point that if they couldn't use dw they couldn't modify pages. And 'cause it resulted in some pretty hardcore code bloat. But that was a long time ago and irrelevant anyway =)

it's not impossible, and hell it would increase the range of appeal of the product, I just think it's going to be at least as hard to come up with an intuitive GUI as it was to come up with... say the physics engine (mostly pure math) or the modelling engine.

Good gui's are hard, I do it all day every day.