curved tri or "ramp" question

I was curious what is the best method to get that look, the half arch, or tha triangle with the curve like a ramp basically. I tried a few things (and i did a search but didn't see anything but the way i've been doing it with 2 shapes and I saw someone do it with one before) but seems a bit messy. Was wondering if anyone can help me with this embarassing question?

A twisted cube can be used to make a sqaurish ramp. You will find the options to twist and shear the cube in the More>>Object tab of the edit window.

I have a 5x3x2m cube with a Twist Begin of -45 and a Top Shear of -0.5 that makes a fine ramp ascending a 90 degree curve.

hmm maybe i did something wrong even though i did those modifications to the square.
Basically I want this kind of shape and a little window is pictured next to it.

Blooddoll, i did some windows like that for a moroccan build. There are a couple methods you could try (one involving just making the window in photoshop and slapping it on a wall prim). Also, some prim archways with a similar look.

IM me in world and i will show you, as i don't have the landmarks to the builds on me.

Hi,

This place I want to build has several archways but they are not windows really just part of the overall architecture. I can IM though in game or do you have a piece you can send just some primitive I can buy it if you charge? The archway is going to be textured stone, and actually in the end this might be way too many prims but I want to try and build this structure which has a lot of these arches.

Thanks, the diagram helped a little; you don't want the prim I described. I don't think that the large black shape you've drawn can be done in one SL prim. If you want a prim that *looks* like that, you can use a partially transparent texture (you can find a tutorial here or here) that would apply the drawn shape to a rectangular prim and give the appearance of being solid on the black part and clear on the void, but it would still *be* a box.

I don't understand your window drawing, though. If you are looking to make an arched window then a partially transparent texture is exactly what you want.

actually its columns outside but there will be one major window. I can do that one in photoshop but the outdoor columns you can walk around is the tough part.

Here's a better picture. I got the base at the bottom to work. Just looking for the curves themselves and this would be something people can walk around. I think in the end it's going to have to be an alpha though.

Could not this be done with two "cut" cubes with round "hollows"?


.

hey wait explain that real quick please. I think I get what you mean but I'm not sure.


I sure wish this game worked like the unrealed editor where i could make a shape, put it into another shape and subtract out the piece. So nice that would be.

I made this example which seems pretty close. It takes five prims though. I dropped it on your inventory.

It occurred to me maybe you just mean a Gothic arch, so I made one of those. The example I dropped in your inventory has a stained glass window, but it's not necessary (it's not part of the arch).

that looks great Cadroe, but no matter how I look at that column you built, I only see 4 prims! Where the heck is the fifth prim?

Champie - I had to use the dimensions of the green box prim to control the shape of the arch it forms withs its hollow part. So I had to add the red box prim on the back to get the right dimensions of the column. Maybe it could be done with fewer, I'm not sure. I tend to sacrifice prims for convenience!

hey Cadroe, thanks for helping out. I haven't logged into the game but I will check it out shortly. I really appreciate you taking the time and the image with the bsp (prim)cuts in place (sorry talking unrealed) but you know what I mean, is VERY helpful actually in showing what you did. It's really hard to go from making one shape in 3dsmax in 10 seconds to taking several primitive shapes, manipulating them to make that same shape in SL but I am learning. If anything this will help me look at my regular modelling from a totally different perspective now. I appreciate it.

I have a couple other shapes I might have to post about, and what I am making is probably going to be too high in prims in the end to be useful to a lot of people, but maybe I can figure ways to be a little more economical in my builds. Hey if you get a chance message me sometime in game, I mean if you want. Thanks again too. I will repost later or send a message about it. I'm building this in 3dsmax then trying to duplicate that look in game with what I have available to me.

Glad to be of help, BloodDoll. I use Max, and I think it might be challenging to design something detailed in Max that you want to transfer to SL. I've roughed out a few SL ideas in Max, but only to work out basic shapes and proportions. The problem is that SL design is one of those things that's defined by the limitations. People do come up with clever ways to make various shapes, but it's good to understand the limitations. It's more like an FPS map in that way. Not that it won't work for you, just saying it could be challenging.

BTW, what sim are you in? If you let me know, I can give you a grayscale heightmap of the terrain that you can use as a displacement map in Max. Then in theory you can model your build on the terrain where it will stand.

oh, of course, I waws thinking that middle section was a single prim. Thanks

Looking at it, I think it might be possible to make part of the base and vertical backing post (the brown and red parts) 1 prim. An "L" shaped piece made by square hollowing a cube and cutting away 75% of it.

That would drop it from 5 to 4 prims if it works. A 20% prim savings...

Racer P.

hey I am on gaelin or gealin or something. Hey check this guys shape out he has this cut away arch in the screenshot I took, I am so wondering how he did it. He has a few shapes lying around like that. Take a look, I'd love to just have that shape you can see where i highlighted it when i edited it.

You actually made this shape on top of the pillar you sent me, and maybe I am just trying too hard or the way it works didn't click with me yet but like the shape in this attached picture, it's something I want to be able to make but can't. I wish Max could be used this could be made in seconds but I am still a bit lost with the SL tools.

BloodDoll - Here's how you make that arch. You take a cube prim, cut it in half, hollow it some amount, and change the hollow shape from default to circle. If you look at the column example I gave you with the editor, and check "Edit Linked Parts", you can look at these settings for the two similar pieces in it.

EDIT - BTW, it might look like you can't get straight cuts in some situations, but don't let the sneaky editor fool you. When using the arrow buttons to change Cut Begin and End, it will jump from say 0.6 to 0.65 or from 0.85 0.90. Even though the editor will only show you three digits, you can actually enter 0.625 or 0.875 to get a straight cut (meaning the edge of the cut will align with the edge of the cube).

Racer, I'm definitely too lazy to get that to work

okay I got it to work, thank you. I actually was able to make something even more complex then I intended too. I'm starting to see how things work now.

Cadroe, do you build stuff some place (I'm sure you do)? I'd like to come check it out.

BloodDoll - Glad to hear you got it working. I have land in Ohno (60, 100). All that's there right now is a flying saucer. I do more geeking out than building most of the time, and I'm in-world sporadically. I have a gallery at my web site: http://www.spinmass.com/2life/Index.htm.

If you go to my place in Ohno you can pick up a copy of my ShapeMaker tool ($1) which might be helpful at some point. It's a scripted tool that allows you to make rings, spheres, and tori bigger than 10 meters.

hey hey i am at your land, you are like constructing a death star or something it looks heh. Cool stuff. You know where the giant robot is near your place... Noviums stuff? My house is there but i have not build anything there.