Scripting for Dummies?

Hello everyone.

I've decided to try scripting. Lucky me. Having been an abject failure at building and clothesmaking, I thought I would turn my eye to scripting, and maybe be able to use that to create for Second Life.

Well.

Unfortunately, the Wikipedia is a bit too technically explained for me. To be quite frank, I'm unable to make heads or tails of it.

Is there somewhere that a scripting tutorial exists that's written for Dummies? What I need is something that will explain what a function does in easy terms. Rather than something such as: This value equals the percentage chance of rotation on the Y axis I need something like: This is the function you'd want to use to make an explosion, and it works like this, blah blah.

Thank you.

I like that idea. I too have been trying to figure out scripting. I can do the building & the clothing, that part was easy. But like you said, the explanations for the code is kinda... technical.

That would be very useful if it exists. I would also like to know if there is anything out there.

What rudimentary scripting I've learned has been from going around and collecting the various free scripts in the freebie places and looking at them in the editor. Then with trial and error, and chaning one aspect at a time, I could figure out what some of the commands meant and how to tweak them for my purposes. This was particularly helpful with particle scripts. Also I'm eager to look at all of the mod enabled scripts that come in objects I buy to see how the creator put it all together. I found that, in absence of a scripting for dummies, this is quite useful.

I was thinking the same thing last summer!


http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=23941&sort=PictureID+desc&Name=MadameThespian+Underhill

Just a suggestion - have you tried attending some of the scripting classes held in-game? You should be able to look them up under Find -> Events.

Yoiko - there are also scripters groups free to join where you can ask questions in real time.

Just in case you didn't see it in the Wiki: LSL 101: The Complete Newbie's Guide to Scripting in Second Life

Any chance of whispering where to get that book in game? Would love to have it laying around at home

Me too! It would make a great container for a newbie scripting pack, with notecards and examples.

Fantastic idea!

/me mutters "grr - Why didn't I think of that?"

lol

Digi Vox and I started anillustrated guide to LSL2 weeks ago, specifically with the new, non-programmer in mind. We plan to continue to update and add to it but I can't give you any timeline for when it will be complete.

We only have 2 lessons currently, and it was written to compliment some real life LSL I was teaching, but it's certainly a good place to start and has a lot of potential. Feedback would rock: [email=satchmo.prototype@gmail.com]satchmo.prototype@gmail.com[/email]

Too bad someone didnt make videos like I used to watch to learn stuff for Max & Maya. Found others at the 3DBuzz website for other programs like Photoshop, Z-Brush, etc. Wish they had 'em for LSL!! Those guys are good!

***Edit***

Oooo! Just checked out the link for your Visual Guide to LSL. Bookmarked it!! I like!!!

A good start might be C for Dummies. LSL is based on C, and this will also help you get a handle on loop constructs, variables, typecast, operators, etc.

Just a thought, with a bit of C, LSL should start to make a lot more sense and the books will probably let you start understanding a lot more of the Wiki language too.

Yeah, isn't it a hoot!

The texture was created by someone named Frimkron Pascal...and it came packaged with 2 other book cover textures and a scripted book (that animates the avatar) created by Fiona Fielding. They appear to be partners so either one or the other can help you I'm sure. The texture had no restrictions but the book was NC/NM so I'm not sure about the rights issue. That's why I didn't just pass the texture to you.

opps...guess this isn't really a "whisper"

Thank you, thank you

I'll try contacting them in world tonight