Particle effects from your avatar

Hi there,

I have to admit, this is a definate cases of trying to run before I can walk... or even crawl in scripting terms - but I just wondered how some stuff was done - even from a high level point of view.

I've only been in SL a few days, but obviously tried experimenting with scripting and making objects, not really getting that into scripting yet (as I was still going through the hours of prims tutorial about modelling)

I've noticed a bunch of people create these fantastic looking particle (at least I think particle) type effects that spring from their avatar. An example is to have 100 butterflies burst from yourself and then fade away as they succumb to gravity. I hope that make sense as an explanation.

I was slightly confused how this was done, as I noticed I could run a script on my avatar, but only on a prim I created. Could anyone give me the (basic) lowdown

You wear your particle-scripted prim as an attachment. Simple as that, really

There are a number of things you can check for with your scripted attachment, such as flying, running etc, so if you wanted to make a fire trail to burn only when you run, or a jetpack that auto ignites when you fly, its as simple as checking the avie's current state.

You can even check what anim is playing so you can make, say, particle emoticons that automatically fire based on gestures you set up.

The 'poof' effect you mention, if I recall correctly, can simply be called from the state exit, since thats what happens when you teleport. If I'm wrong, I guarantee someone will be along any moment to say so

The effects you mention to do with descent and fade of the particles are simply parameters of the particles themselves. There are plenty of free and straightforward particle scripts to get you started. Ask more or less anyone for a copy

Do bear in mind that when you poof out of a sim leaving thousands of particles to slow down everyone elses frame rates for half a minute, they do NOT refer to you kindly for the rest of the conversation

Or look here: http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=exampleparticlescript
and here: http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=LibraryKeknehvParticles for example particle scripts from the LSL wiki.

and check out the particle laboratory in-world. it'll help explain the free scripts, and let you experiment with different particle effects.