Need a nudge in the right direction.

#1. Is there a way or command I can use to determine if my AV is in flight or walking on the ground? And what command, or how do I do it?

#2. How do I get my current position, the direction I'm facing, and make use of particles to make a flame looking line appear to start from my position and follow the ground contour for several meters in front of me, then disperse?

I know, you are thinking, god is THAT ALL he wants. (sarcasm Understood.)

I'm trying to make an effect that the television series InuYasha, (my character name comes from this series), uses. In the show it is called Windscar. I'm hoping some of you know what I mean. I have a perfectly good tetsusiaga that I created, with some nice effects I stuck on it. But I would like the ability to do this effect, and maybe a small push.

We could discuss a price for a copy able, script code, but I'll be happy if you could just explain how to do the first two questions I asked above.

I would like to say, "Windscar" and have the particles run a line from me, in the direction of my sword, over the contour of the ground and not through it. It could be a fire color or yellow at first, but it would change or fade to brown particles on the surface to look like the ground split open a little, and turn up the earth to leave a dark brown trail. It would also fade.


I would really appreciate any help, in getting closer to being able to do this.

#1. You are looking for llGetAgentInfo()
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llGetAgentInfo

#2. If I understand what you are trying to achieve, this is probably a combination of llSensor() or llSensorRepeat() [use the latter politely, as this can create lag] with llDetectedPos() and llDetectedRot()
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llSensor
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llSensorRepeat
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llDetectedPos
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llDetectedRot
Ah yes, particles...
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llParticleSystem
...this appears complex and confusing at first. The best advice I can give is to spend an hour or so at the excellent Particle Laboratory in Teal:
secondlife://Teal/202/50

Good luck with it!
/esc

Thanks. I just started to learn some of this stuff. and the SL's language is so extensive that I needed to know what to look up. And this will move me in the right direction. Thank you for the help. It might take me a while, but I'll get it.

-Inu

You probably want an invisible prim to move along the ground in front of you. You may be able to use vehicle physics to make it a hovercraft sort of thing, greatly simplifying the problem of having it move with the ground contour. Then just have it stream particles which fade to brown, then dissappear. For more advanced particle effects, multiple hovercraft-prims could be used.

I haven't had a chance to check the other links out yet. I started, but haven't gotten to the llDetectedPos yet. I was thinking, maybe it would also detect a desired object's distance from the ground. So, I didn't want to ask about it till I knew if that function was going to do what I wanted, Thanks for making it easier for me.

This is going to help a lot. I'm starting to feel this is more possible to make then I originally thought.

-Inu

I don't know if it will work that well, there may be other problems, but if you use llSetPos and a z of 0 it will automatically put the centre of the prim at ground level. If it's small and invisible then that will do the trick for you *if* you can get it to lead you properly.

No, I don't think that is correct. What you want is to get the ground height using llGround, and offset your effect from that.

- Jon