Importing Objects

Good Day Everyone,

We are planning to launch our FREE Cyber Library center in Manila for disadvantaged children anytime soon and we would like to provide these
children with an interesting way to learn and explore educationally
inclined virtual world such as ScienceSim which is what we're using now
and we're running this through the Second Life's client.

We plan to host our own region in ScienceSim to allow children to have
enough space to experiment and build their own environment using SL.
We've gone through reading and browsing SL's 3D Software Guide and we
understand that there are a number of 3D Modeling software available that
can help these children build contents in SL but we know these 3D
modeling software are too advance for them to understand so it would be
better if we just get a pre-made objects such as buildings,
furniture, characters, etc. for them to use in their building activities.

Currently, We are able to find a collection of 3D models usually in .3DS,
.3DM, and .OBJ format and we're wondering if there would be ways to
convert these file format to .TGA format using a particular 3D modeling
software or available plug-ins then have it imported and used in Second
Life.

Recently, I tried to import a 3Ds file downloaded from this website:
http://cg-india.com/cgblog_3dmodels.html using Wings 3D v0.98.36 w/ plug
ins and nothing happens whenever I try to import a 3ds file or an even an
image file. I thought I can import a .3Ds and have it converted /
exported as a sculpt image with this software.

We also tried PLOPP and it works fine with SL but it doesn't really
produce good quality 3D objects so we're looking at other options
where we could get (as much as possible) a free 3D SL-compatible pre made
objects or a software that can do a 3Ds, OBJ, 3DM to .TGA conversion.

I also came across Hexagon's newly released version 2.5.05 that allows
you to export primitive objects to SL. I could open a .3Ds file using
this program but I was wondering if it does allow you to export that
premade object to .TGA format which can be read by SL. I downloaded the trial version but the save/export feature is disabled so I wasn't able to test it.

Anyway, if there's anything you guys could suggest to us, it would be a great help.


Cheers!

Princess

Why don't you rely on the primitive objects, which are already available within SL ? Why the extra complexity of Sculpted prims ? Where is the benefit ?

In first place i would fully rely on the simple prim objects. And if i would become advanterous, i maybe would go after the idea to create 3 or 4 different LEGO-like "standard-objects" (maybe using sculpties to save prims) and give those elements to the children and let their creativity fly up to the sky

And if i where even more advanterous i would possibly think about making the "LEGO-blocks" self adjusting (snap to their neighbours) by adding some scripting magic, but that is just another weird idea of mine

At the end i wonder, if RL lego blocks aren't a better option, but if you want to give the children the oportunity to do a collaborative work over the internet in a virtual environment, i am almost sure they will have lot of fun with that too