The Shirls Tips and Tricks

Physically Based Rendering (PBR)

How to Create Default Custom Avatars for your Grid
For Opensim Grid Owners Only

Custom Default Avatars for Opensi wear clothes and body parts that YOU WANT your new users to wear when logging in the first time. This way new users already look nice from the beginning and they do not have the ugly default look.

Follow these easy instructions to create each of the custom default avatars for your own Opensim grid.

These instructions will show how to setup the Tiny Avatar.

1. Use Firestorm - This will not work in Singularity
2. Create an account for each of the default avatars and their first and last name should be named as:

A. Female Avatar
B. Male Avatar
C. Neutral Avatar
D. Tiny Avatar

If your grid does not offer the Tiny Avatar option, simply create an account for the other 3 defaults listed above.

These instrucitons are NOT for your PERSONAL AVATAR. These are for creating the custom default avatars that you want people to look like when they first signup on your grid and log in.

3. Sign into Firestorm as Tiny Avatar

When the Default avatar first comes in, it will look like the defaults. (Purple shirt, Blue pants, brown hair) But Don't Panic... that's why you're here, to change that.

4. Choose an outfit you wish for all Tiny Avatars to look like when they first come in. Once you finalized your look for the Tiny Avatar.

5. In your inventory, create a folder and name it "Tiny Avatar.
Make sure everything your avatar is wearing is placed in that folder. Everything, which will included eyes, skin, shape, hair, clothes, shoes, HUDs and any attatchments your avatar is wearing folder.

6. Make sure you DRAG the "Tiny Avatar" folder filled with items that your avatar is wearing into the "BODY PARTS".

7. Look in your inventory, under the "Worn" tab and make sure your avatar is not waring the default purple shirt and blue pants your avatar first came in with.

8. When you look in your inventory both the "Clothing" folder and the "Outfits" folder should be empty.

9. Log out.

10. If you want to test it, create a new Tiny Avatar using any first and last name you choose. That avatar should come in looking just like the new "Tiny Avatar" you just created.

I used Outworlz software to create my grid and I own my own server which I purchased a VPS Windows server thorugh ZAP HOSTING.

You can host your grid on your laptop or desktop computer. You can even create your grid on a desktop and log in with your laptop or another desktop. You can also rent or purchase server. How you choose to run your grid is up to you. You can run Hyper-grid or Local-grid. Local is an on or offline version where Hypergrid (Teleporting to other grids) is not an option. You can also find an offline grid version by clicking HERE)

Outworldz software only works on a Windows system only but if you're on MacOS or Linux, you can use Wine or any windows simulator to run your windows grid for this particular outworldz software.

I know there are places like Contabo and many more places that you can rent a server but the only place I'm aware of where you can actually purchase a life time server is through ZAP HOSTING. I know there are more places.... but those are the ones I'm aware of.

These Instructions should work on any Opensimulator software that you have.

If you would like a Text File copy of these instructions, click the icon below

Namaste!

3D Modeling Uploading Tips

Did you ever have one of those days where your mind just spaced what you doing and you can't understand what the heck just happened? That's what happened to me today. I forgot to apply the LoD and it crushed as soon as I took one step away from the house that you see below. So I wanted to take this opportunity to make a Upload time sheet in case this ever happens to you. Feel free to right click and copy anything on this page that is helpful to you.

Actual Image size below is 1920 x 1080

Windows 93

Virtural Operating System for your world or your Grid. Can also be picked up at the SE Mall.

Simply put this URL in an Media Object.

(Choose Media in drop down menu for textures)

Choose Textures>Media>"Choose"

Insert url: https://www.windows93.net

Works on PC Desktops and Phones as well. Just click the image below and have fun!

Works in in 3D Virtual world that allows url's and Media

Dealing with Disabled Scripts

Jumping textures in Viewer

In your view go to:

Preferences>Graphics>Hardware

and you will see Texture memory (MB) by default it is 256mb, raise it to 512 or 1024. I also turned on compression and enabled GL

Here is a screenshot, I hope this helps whoever needs it.

Creating a Gazebo Roof

(Right click on the picture below for a larger view)

Raising objects - Creating Roofs

I wanted to learn how to create a roof, the ability to raise an object from where the object sits. I found a youtube video and everyone kept asking, "How did you do that?" All the person responded with was "Use the move tool" but that was all they said. What he didn't tell him was that you have to hold the Alt key as you're moving/raising the area upwards. That is the only way it will work for some projects People tend to think that withholding information keeps them on above everyone else but it actually shows how selfish they really are. That's where people like me come in. I have no problem telling people straight out what is what. I think it's cruel to hold back information that could help someone accomplish, advance or move ahead with what they're trying to do. Just sayin.......

Differences between Prims, Sculpts, Mesh and Uploading Mesh

I realize there's a lot of debate on these subjects. First let me say that I am not here to debate anyone or anything. Many people have their own ideas between the differences and that's fine.

There also seems to be a some confusion when uploading a "Mesh". When you upload an item, most browsers it may say, "Upload Mesh" or "Upload Object" depending on which browser you're using, it's simply the browser's terminology for the object you are uploading and nothing more. So don't let that throw you.

As far as the differences between Prims, Sculpts and mesh... Keep in mind that I am simply sharing information that I found useful from around the internet for a better understanding the differences below.

Sculpts:
A sculpty is a special variety of mesh object. It has a fixed number of vertices, so you cannot extrude or remove any. All you can do is shove them around. That restricts how complex your models can be, and means that some kinds of models are impossible.

Prims:
A primitive, or prim, is a single-part object. Multi-part objects will have multiple parts ("prims"). Virtual physical objects such as cars, houses, jewelry, and even less obvious things like hair and clothing are made out of one or more prims.

Mesh:
Mesh is object or objects are "rigged" when it is anchored to your avatar's bone structure, so that it moves and bends as your av does. Learning how to do that is another subset of skills.

Just as having too many scripts can cause lag, too many prims will also cause Lag that you will experience in your world.

Map Viewing Results with Map Options

Keep in mind the higher the settings, the longer the load time and the more resources it will take. Although the graphics will be more and more realistic, it will slow down or even timeout depending on your computer. Note: that If you are hosting a grid using your computer, I do not recommend "Best" Setting. I have found that if you can run GTA5 on your computer as far as graphics, ram and video, you should have no problem. I have found that to be a great test, for me anyways, that has always proved accurate. You can check GTA5 requirements here.

For a Better FPS

Want better FPS? Check these settings in your viewer:
Make sure you set cache as high as possible for speedy loading of places you have already been to. Keep in mind adjusting settings may not be the best thing for your computer. Be sure to make sure your computer is able to run the higher end graphics. Again.. if you can run GTA5 on your computer, you should have no problem.

Set the GPU to use as much of the RAM as possible and disable two settings and enable two more in Hardware

Creating a Sandbox

Most regions are set to NO BUILD but a sandbox is where people can place items on the ground from their inventory. Open boxes they purchased/copied while shopping and the testing of those objects, scripts, etc. they have just received.

When creating a Sandbox for others to use in Opensim or for Second Life, you have to be sure to change the settings so objects so people can build and their objects will be returned to the them after a certain amount of time has elapsed. Whether it's 1 hour or 4 hours. You can create a region specifically for a sandbox or section a part of the land, then divide into a subregion which would make it the designated area (a region within a region) for the sole purpuse of a sandbox. Any and all building would be confined to that area for others to use, providing you're settings are properly set.

For a 4 hour return on items left in the sandbox are usually 4 hours ie. 240 minutes, unless youchoose to give more or less time. Example of settings for a sandbox below. Hope this helps!

Quick Time references
Hours/Days to Minutes

1 Hour	60 mins
2 Hours	120 mins
3 Hours	180 mins
5 Hours	300 mins
10 Hours	600 mins
12 Hours	720 mins
1 day/24 Hours	1,440 mins
3 Days	4,320 Mins
1 week/7 days	10,080mins
30 days	43,200mins
60 Days	86,400mins
90 Days	12,960mins
120 Days	172,800mins
1 Year 365/days	525,600mins

There are 525,600 mins in One Year which is equivalent to 8,760 hours that are in One year. NOT counting Leap Year.

If you're new to opensim and not sure where to get free items or you need ideas to start creating, you can visit our other pages here for many Raw files, Oar files and lots of freebies. You can also visit any of our regions once in-world where you'll find lots of free stuff to get you started.

Collecting Free Stuff

When shopping for Free stuff, this is how you obtain it and find it in your inventory. There are hundreds of regions that give free stuff all the time and there are some who sell their items to cover their hosting/server services so they can continue to provide regions and serve you the very best way they can.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Fix for a .dae Parsing Error

When I get that error, I go back into sketchup or whatever program I'm using at that time and I completly unlink/ungroup/unfreeze all objects in the model. Once I have done that, I "Select All" and render as a .dae and upload it and it seems to work without a problem for me. I realize not all cases are the same but I have always found that this seems to work for me, without fail. So far.

SIM (Region) Sizes

Whether you're just starting your own grid, picking a region location from our grid or in another grid, or wanting to know what .raw or .oar file to use... it is important to know your region sizes. Keep in mind the larger the region, the greater possiblity the region may take a little longer to load due to the size.

Mouse over for SIM (Region) Sizes

"Varregion" is a feature of OpenSimulator that enables region sizes larger than 256x256. The region is just larger so it acts like a regular region but with borders farther apart.

Solve the issue of "opensim missing physics_convex block"

Click the cube to download the 00_PhysicsCube.dae file (2.48kb)

Running into that issue can be a real time consumming issue as well as frustrating. Especially when it's a model you really took the time to create and want to see in-world. I have found this method to work for me 99.99% of the time. I hope it helps you as well. I have also included step by step screenshots as well. It may not work for everyone... but it works for me and I hope it works for you! If this method doesn't work, I suggest using the Singularity Viewer and under the Level of Detail/Physics tab, Choose Medium and then click Analyze then under General tab choose "USE LOD ABOVE"
3.) Click Generate Normals and upload.

1.) Browse to the model you're uploading, then go to the physics tab and choose the load from file and browse to the "00_PhysicsCube.dae" you just downloaded from this page.
2.)Go back to Level of Detail tab and Choose "USE LOD ABOVE"
3.) Click Generate Normals and upload.

REMINDER: If you want textures uploaded go to "Upload Options" and make sure to check to include textures.

...And that should do it!!! Hope this helps!

Like my work? Buy me a coffee! Any donations are greatly appreciated!

Here is a quick video showing you the steps as mentioned above

For more tips, tricks and tutorials, visit my "Tutorial" channel by clicking below