How to Upload Models From 3ds Max to Second Life
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Note: This is a basic walkthrough of how to upload a model. For full details on the parameters bachelor for uploading a model, run across Model Upload UI reference.
Update: Viewer version 3.8.1.303230 modified the mesh importer to (optionally) ameliorate debug output, perform name-based LOD association, and handle models with many materials. For additional information on this update, see the official Second Life Viewer release notes.
Prerequisites
Before y'all can upload mesh objects, y'all must:
- Take payment data on file. You can add payment information by visiting the Billing Data department of your 2d Life account page.
- Take accepted the IP terms on your account folio. If you are planning to apply the beta grid (Aditi), you must likewise accept the IP terms in that location, simply do non need payment information on file.
- Take at to the lowest degree one compatible COLLADA (.dae) file on your computer. Yous can create your own past using near popular 3D software packages, or, if you have the appropriate rights, you can download models created by other 3D artists from online repositories. Try our sample content folio for a gratis model if you're just getting started.
You may bank check your mesh upload status at any time by visiting your account page on the 2d Life website.
Toll to upload
There is a Linden dollar fee to upload a model; the fee depends on the model'south complication.
GETTING STARTED: Uploading your first model
If you're new to uploading mesh models to 2nd Life, here'southward a quick and easy set of instructions to go you lot started. Don't worry about the myriad of controls in the upload window for now; they're for Residents who want fine command over their model's appearance and physics. For a more than detailed breakup of the upload process, keep reading below.
To upload a mesh model:
- Choose a .dae file stored on your calculator by choosing Build > Upload > Model. If you don't have any models on your computer, you may download some from the sample content folio.
- Preview your model's automatically generated levels of detail on the Level of Detail tab past clicking High, Medium, Low, and Everyman. Notice how the object's complexity is reduced at each level.
- Click the Physics tab and choose Lowest from the dropdown menu in Pace i: Level of Detail. Pace ii and Step three are not required.
- Click the Upload options tab and bank check the boxes for whatsoever additional features on your model, such equally textures.
- Click Summate weights & fee, then review the resource weights, country impact, and Linden dollar upload cost of your model.
- Click Upload to upload your model to 2d Life.
Tip: To avoid spending Linden dollars while experimenting with uploading models, you may wish to use the Second Life Beta Filigree (Aditi). The Beta Grid allows you to test new features and experiment with potentially costly designs in a safe environment, using a copy of your Second Life account. Actions taken on the preview grid cannot affect your inventory or L$ residual on 2nd Life's main filigree.
Step one: Choose a model to upload
Second Life accepts COLLADA (.dae) models, which tin be edited and created in many popular 3D modeling packages. If you exercise not currently have any COLLADA models on your computer, you may download some from the sample content page.
To begin uploading a model:
- Choose Build > Upload > Model...
- Select the .dae file on your figurer and click Open up.
- In the Upload Model window, enter a suitable name for your model in the Model proper noun field.
- If your model includes textures, check the Textures box underneath the Preview pane to make certain the textures are displayed properly.
Step 2: Define visual levels of item
Levels of particular decide what your model looks like from various distances. Every bit you lot get farther away from a model, information technology renders in less detail to boost visual performance. Second Life generates these lower particular models by default, but you may utilize this pace to tweak each level or even upload your own lower detail models. You lot can preview your model at any level of detail by clicking High, Medium, Low, or Lowest.
While previewing your model at each level of detail, y'all may change the parameters used for simplifying information technology from your original model if you choseGenerate from 1 of the Source dropdown menus. For full details on Triangle Limit and Mistake Threshold, run across Upload Model UI reference.
Uploading your own LOD files
Yous may upload your own simplified models past choosing Load from file from the Source dropdown menus. You may wish to create your ain lower-detail models in society to preserve critical details that may be lost during the automatic simplification process.
The mesh uploader uses very strict naming rules for these custom LOD files:
- File names catastrophe with "_LOD2" must be used for Medium level of detail
- File names catastrophe with "_LOD1" must be used for Low level of detail
- File names ending with "_LOD0" must be used for Lowest level of detail
- File names ending with "_PHYS" must be used for the model's physics shape
Additionally, material names must matchexactly between each level of detail. Some 3D modeling programs such equally Blender automatically change cloth names to prevent duplication when multiple versions of a model are loaded into the same scene.
Material names are sorted alphabetically upon importing a model from the 3D modeling program of your option, and may not retain the club they had in the original model. If cloth order is of import to your model, y'all must proper name them accordingly.
For more detailed data on uploading mesh models with multiple materials, run into Uploading a multi-face mesh on the Second Life Wiki.
Annotation: If you need to upload an quondam model that does not conform to these LOD naming rules, y'all may enable the debug setting calledImporterLegacyMatching in the Second Life Viewer. Admission the Debug Settings window by choosingAvant-garde > Debug Settings from the peak carte du jour bar.
Footstep iii: Ascertain the model'southward physics shape
A model'southward physical shape, as interpreted by Second Life's physics engine for computing collisions, can be dissimilar from its visual shape. For example, you may wish to simplify a very complex vehicle into a square physical box shape, which allows you lot to have a visually complex vehicle that requires comparatively piddling physics computation and does not overtax the region's ability to procedure moving concrete objects. You may upload your ain physics representation as a .dae file or yous may use 2nd Life'due south assay and simplification tools to generate a physics shape automatically.
The quickest way to generate a physics model for your object is to cull Utilize Level of Detail and select a level of item from the dropdown menu. This creates a physics model based on one of your model's visual levels of particular. Remember that lower physics costs are desirable, and so choose the lowest level of particular that reasonably represents the shape of your model.
Yous do not need to complete Step 2: Analyze or Step 3: Simplifiy unless your physics model is extremely complex or shows ruby lines in the preview window. For advanced information on usage of the physics analysis and simplification tools, see Upload Model UI reference.
Footstep four: Upload options
Earlier you upload, make sure to include any necessary optional parameters on the Modifiers tab:
- Calibration: Changes the base size of your model. Increasing the calibration increases the resources cost.
- Include Textures: Includes any textures applied to the COLLADA model. The textures are automatically applied to the Second Life version of the model when it is uploaded.
- Include Pare weight: Includes whatever skin weight information in the COLLADA model. This option only applies to models that are meant to movement and flex with your avatar when worn equally avatar attachments.
- Include Joint positions: Includes articulation position information from the COLLADA file. This selection only applies to models that are meant to alter an avatar'south joint positions when worn as an attachment.
- Pelvis Z Offset: Changes the vertical positioning of a rigged model.
Step 5: Calculate weights & fee
When you click Calculate weights & fee, Second Life calculates the download, physics and server weights of your model in order to determine its land impact and Linden dollar upload cost. The base Linden dollar toll to upload is L$10 plus L$10 for each texture applied to the model, and an boosted cost based on the complexity of the model.
For more information about weights and land impact, see Calculcating land affect.
Step 6: Upload
When you upload a model, it appears in the Objects binder in your inventory. Equally with all objects in Second Life, yous tin and so drag it from your inventory to the footing, or you tin wear information technology as an attachment.
Bonus section: Rigging options
Rigged models let yous to represent your avatar skeleton as a mesh that conforms to your joints and motions. This means that you lot can article of clothing a rigged model that changes the length and orientation of your avatar's limbs and animates appropriately.
If your COLLADA model contains joint position and skin weight information, yous tin can preview how information technology will look with an avatar's default idle blitheness by checking thePeel weights box underneath the Preview pane.
Wearing a model with rigging
You may wear a rigged model past correct-clicking it in your inventory and selecting Wearable. Yous may often wish to pair a rigged model with an alpha mask to hide your avatar's normal shape.
Source: https://community.secondlife.com/knowledgebase/english/uploading-a-mesh-model-r274/
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