Object selection by name...? Real water?

Hello,

I'm hoping this is an easy one (or two or three ).

First, is there a way to select an object by name for editing? I'm working with a pond that has two surface layers and a body layer and I keep having to take the darned thing apart to get where I can click the body layer to play with color, transparency, etc. Then I have to put it back together again and jump in to see if I like the effect.

Second, is it possible to make a phantom object so that when you're inside it your view of the world (including yourself and the bottom) is filtered blue, perhaps even gently rippling? Textures appear to be surface phenomena so I'm not sure what else to use.

Thanks,
Lupestro

Yes, there is a way..however, I can't recall exactly how at the moment. Hoping someone comes along and lets you know, and if not, I'll see if I can figure it out again.


Well, you could make it hollow, and make the inside faces a blue 'ripple' texture, and then animate that texture along the surface, but for a true ripple taht actually distorts what you see, it's impossible.

SL doesn't have the raytracing capability needed for such feats, though it would be awesome.

Many thanks, Keira.




Yeah, I kind of figured the ripple distortion would be too much to ask for. If I make it hollow, is there a way to make it so that everything inside the area is cast with a bluish light to simulate, however crudely, the color filtering of daylight under the water?

Or does that reqire serious raytracing, too? I know the "darker the lower you get" effect would require it, but this pond isn't much more than a mud-puddle.

Four-footed puppy needs a pool to swim in

Lupestro

You can do a darker-the-lower-you-get effect by making your pond multi-layer. Add tint to all the layers. The more layers you look through the darker the image. But if your camera moves below the surface you won't see the same blueness that you get with real sea-level water. You could probably get a good effect, though, texturing the underside of the water.

You can have a small item inside that casts light (Featurs tab, light), and that can tint the area blue, but you might end up with the light showing outside the water area as well, unless you really take some time to do it (Dunno the shape)

Until LL gets around to implementing assignable materials, about all you can do for the surface is give it a see-through animated water texture, and optionally install some scripted splashing someone created. If you want to make some kind of fog, it may be feasible with sculpted prims that make a thick pile of layered semitransparent surfaces, but I haven't seen anyone trying this fog effect with water.

Except, of course, you could always make a pool at the natural water level. There you'll get the distortions, the dark-blue fog, the glimmering rippling waves, all Windlight has to offer. They just aren't offered in your own assignable materials yet.