Newbie making a hat has questions...

I just started SL a couple of days ago and have been experimenting with building/scripting. There are a lot of things I do not know how to do, but I'll start with just a few questions.

1) I created just a simple cone and thought a good intro would be to make a wizard/jester style hat. I wanted to bend the tip of the cone but couldn't find a way. Is it possible?

2) Instead, I thought about cutting a portion of the existing cone off and appending a new piece to the hat. I couldn't seem to find a way to cut the cone. Is there a way to do that?

3) Then, I decided the default look of the hat was good enough for now. I wanted to make a little script to wear the hat when it was touched. I used llRequestPermission and then llAttachToAvatar(ATTACH_HEAD). The script would ask me if it was ok to attach, but then the hat would never move to my head. Help?

4) Without using the script, I can select "wear" or "attach" and put the hat on. However, it doesn't go quite where I want (it positions itself starting at about neck height with the point going through the chin/neck and poking out the top of the head... ouch!) How do I adjust the orientation?

5) Also, is that the best way to make a hat? Or, should I somehow specify a hat when I am starting the creation?

6) A more general question, I am looking for resources on building/scripting. I have already been referred to the scripting wiki, which is very useful. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks.

That's a lot of good questions. I'll start off with the generic answer: one of the best ways to see how to do things in SL is to take apart stuff similar to what you are trying to do to see how others have done it. Fortunately the redoutable YadNi has created "Yadni's Junkyard" which is a cornicopia of free, open permission everything that you can take apart and study.

Now to the more specific:

1) Cones are too simple for what you are wanting to do. The torus has a dozen parameters that allow you to twist, curve, cut, narrow that will be way more hatlike.

2) Cutting is available on all (?) prims but not necessarily in the way you want. If memory serves, you can take a "pie slice" out of a cone, which is not what you want. Incidentally, cones are merely cylinders with the top narrowed to zero.

3) Touch-to-wear may be a fun exercise, but it is so foreign to how things are worn in SL that it would make little sense. I'm not sure off-hand if you can even do that.

4) Most attachments need to be repositioned to fit your avatar. Wear the attachment, Right-click Edit the attachment and you will be able to position it correctly. The adjustments are remembered so you can detach it and later re-wear it and it will fit right without further fiddling.

5) see (1)

6) The "Ivory Tower of Primitives" is a self-paced, in-game building tutorial developed by a RL educator; it is an SL treasure.

Good luck.

hi Val,
I'll try to help the best i can...

#1 i dont think it is actually possible..u might want to play around with the "twist" controls(not sure if that is even what they are called,havent been playing a whole lot lately and alot of things have changed w/new updates) and maybe get a look u r striving for.

#2 u could start with a cylindrical shape instead of the cone and adjust the "top sizes" to get a flat top to attach another piece

#3 might want to post that question under the Scripting tips in the forums...someone may help u there

#4 after u attach the hat to urself, right click the hat and edit it and simply move it to the desired position,then remove it and the next time u attach,it should be in the same place u had moved it to

#5 sounds like ur off to a good start urself!

#6 there are alot of good and intersting scripts in the "Scripting Library" located in the forums

once upon a time...there were many events that catered to the new players such as building and scripting classes but it seems to have been overrun with all the clubs and parties and such nowdays...hopefully that will someday change...

Good luck with ur building and Welcome to SL!!

yeah...what Introvert said! lol

A cone is nothing more than a cylinder with both top sizes set to 0. Increase both for a "chopped-off" look to the cone.

Thanks, everyone! I'll have to experiment tonight.