Content Creation

Free Textures

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When modeling I am often looking for just the right texture. I skip looking for textures in Second Life™ simply because it is too hard to look at what is there. Some Third Party Viewers have better tools for managing textures and there are texture managers for sell in SL and the Market Place. But, I find them slow and awkward.

I usually browse over to CG Textures. They have an easy to browse collection of textures. Some are great and some are crap. Most require some serious work before they can be used and many lack the supporting files; normal, specular, occlusion, etc. But, they are free, with a daily download limit.

RenderTexture.com
RenderTexture.com

A new site I came across is RenderTextures.com. They also have free textures and Terms of Use I can live with. 

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More on 123D

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I just found 123D Catch and wrote about it in: New 3D Modeling Tool – 123D Catch Review. 123D Catch is a program that runs on iPhones, iPads, and desktops. It allows you to turn photos of an object into 3D models that can then be ‘printed’ as real physical models. Of course Second Life™ users would use the result as 3D models with textures for import to SL.

However, 123D Catch is only part of a suite of 123D programs being created by AutoDesk to capture the consumer design market. We have new technology like Cubify 3D Systems that can turn 3D models into real life objects.

The suite of programs is free and consists of:

  • Catch – Uses photos of real objects to generate a 3D model.
  • Design – Create 3D models on your Mac, PC, or iPad
  • Sculpt – 3D sculpting
  • Make – unique projects using incredible slice or fold techniques.
  • Creature – Used to create… well… creatures.

 

The Catch Video:

[youtube 6aU2s85Zw3A]

Available for iPhone, iPad, and Desktops. 

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RedPoly and Mesh Upload

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Redpoly has a new tutorial video out. It is for the people buying mesh clothing kits that plan to sell the clothes made from the kit. Check it out and then I’ll explain why the kits are sold in such a complex way.

[youtube epaA9AmD81w]

Creators making mesh clothes and uploading their model are shown as the creator in the objects’ properties in-world. But, if you buy a mesh kit, usually a mesh object and template files, the creator that uploaded the mesh object shows as the creator. This kit misnaming creates problems for everyone.

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Whiskey Monday’s Art iRL

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Several blogs have covered the art of Whiskey Monday. See the following articles for information on who Whiskey Monday is and some of her art. Hamlet Au: I Love Everything About the SL Blog of Ms. Whiskey Monday Inara Pey: Whiskey’s shots: now to be savored in real life Me: My Top Ten Second Life Sites … Read more

Content Creation Improvement Week 33

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The Content Creation Improvement User Group (CCIUG) has been discussing redesign of the Build Panel. Geenz Spad has been bugging me to get people interested in redesign of the panel. I’ve been like, “OMG! This is boring…” Now with the announcement of a materials system project, I understand his motivation. See: Second Life Materials System Announced.

Idea for New Build Panel – Enlarge

To implement the materials system will require design changes to the Build Panel. Whether anyone likes the idea or not the panel is going to change. So, you can either participate in the design process or not. HOWEVER… for all the clueless people that can’t handle change or cope with frustration and fill the forums with rants without participating in the process, remember. We will be pointing to this point in the design process to mock you. :p

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