Building Tips 101 for Novice Builders

After finally spending a year plus learning the skills and techniques necessary to build at a consistent level in SL. I finally took the time to write down some of the techniques and standard guidelines I use when building. There not the Holy Grail of Building but they are helpful and I'm sure most good builders use many of the techniques and processes mentioned.

The most important thing for a new builder (Noob ) :) is to learn the basics of Building, I suggest you learn from the SL Wiki and Tutorials, go to the Build Schools in world, there are some great ones that take you step by step through the process. Then practice and experiment see what does what and learn as you go.

For the next level of Builders the Novice, I have made a series of Note cards that I used for the University of Western Australia, when I was approached and asked to help with the basic of Building for the Novice level Builder. It's a two part note card 101 & 102 Building and Design and addresses some fundamental building skills and techniques.


Design and Build Basics 101

This simple tutorial is designed to assist the novice builders in Second Life. A Novice Builder is an individual having a solid understanding of basic prim shaping, elementary texturing and basic application of scripts into a build format.
If you do not as of yet have these elementary skills, please look at SL Wiki for tutorials and information to assist you. Also doing a search in the SL search tab for Building class will find several good building classes you can attend in world to learn the basics.
~~~
Design is the planning that lay the basis for the making of every object or system. It means applied arts and engineering , "to design" refers to the process of originating and developing a plan for a product, structure, system, or component with intention.

The person designing is called a designer, which is also a term used for people who work professionally in one of the various design areas, designing often requires a designer to consider the aesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object or a process, which usually requires considerable research, thought, modeling, interactive adjustment, and re-design.

Being defined so broadly, there is no universal language or unifying institution for designers of all disciplines. This allows for many differing philosophies and approaches toward the subject.

So with this in mind remember every great designer, architectural engineer, artist or SL builder all began at the beginning with the basics.

Philosophies for guiding design
A design philosophy is a guide to help make choices when designing such as ergonomics, costs(time), economics, functionality and methods of re-design. An example of a design philosophy is “dynamic change” to achieve the elegant or stylish look you need.

Approaches to design
A design approach is a general philosophy that may or may not include a guide for specific methods. Some are to guide the overall goal of the design. Other approaches are to guide the tendencies of the designer. A combination of approaches may be used if they don't conflict.

Some popular approaches include:

KISS principle, (Keep it Simple Sweetheart, etc.), which strives to eliminate unnecessary complications.
There is more than one way to do it (TIMTOWTDI), a philosophy to allow multiple methods of doing the same thing.
Use-centered design, which focuses on the goals and tasks associated with the use of the artifact, rather than focusing on the end user.
User-centered design, which focuses on the needs, wants, and limitations of the end user of the designed artifact.
Form over function design, is one that can and is used a lot in SL. Many builders and designers go for the feel of the build at the expense of the real life applications required to have it be workable for them in SL. This can fall into two categories, 1- it is an artistic choice to build this way, 2- they just don't have the skill set yet to build in SL with RL applications.
~~~
Learn to utilize as many workable design approaches as usable and realistic for you and your abilities what ever level they are at. With this in mind there are some basic 101 rules that will help all of the builds you produce look better and work no matter what approach or design method you follow.

1- Use a build platform to make your build - It is easier to build off site when first building. A build platform above 2000 meters will get you away from the distractions that occur most often, chat, visitors, and lag from scripts close by.
2- Be prepared, have the design concept and tools needed to begin and finish the project prepared, Texture organizers loaded specific for the project at hand. A folder loaded with scripts for the build. In world concept pictures of the build you are going to use. Plus the required build tools you will be using on the project, grid covered prims, prim alignment tools if using them, texture viewers and alignment prims.
Being organized is essential in design and building in SL!!!
3- Build a section at a time and finish the basic design element and prep texturing process before going on to the next section. You don't want to as the old saying goes "paint your self in to a corner" which is easy to do in Sl with more complicated builds.
4- Align all prims as you build, checking for over lap and proper angles. Now is the time to make sure your prims are correct so later there is no - glimmer, shimmer or bleed through where textures bleed through and you have to go back into the prims and correct them. This is extremely time consuming and a real pain and not easy to do on bigger builds. Use standard prim sizes through out your build- the walls, floors , ceilings and doors are all .500 thick. The basic prims making up the build are all the same size what ever is proper for the build size 10 x 10 x .500 or 7 x 10 x.0500 what ever you have figured out based on the size of the footprint of the build.
5- Total texturing of a prim with a basic texture on all sides of the prims you rezz and link into a project. SL is not RL so you cant hide the studs of your build behind the walls, we all have X-ray vision and some of us do cam inside the walls to see how and what you have built. So bare prims and loose joints and gaps are truly not acceptable for anyone beyond a novice level as a builder. If you are going to continue and sell objects and builds in Sl you will compete against individuals who have mastered this technique.
6- Prims linked into objects procedures are a basic skill you need to learn right away. Do proper linking of prims. naming of objects and setting of permissions as you build. Keep a note card on your build objects and make the names of the objects you will be linking into groups individual and unique to the objects. This is required to use rezz boxes to deliver and rezz builds later.
7- Walk your build with your avatar as you build it, does it feel right , does it look right, can you move and see from your avatars point of view in the build space you have created. Keep in mind SL is a different point of view from RL so the perspectives will be different than RL.
8- Apply all scripting and animations effects as you move through the build. Doing this process when the build is still open and easy to view and access will help the time line of the build be faster rather than going back into a completed build and doing the task then. Also you can check while creating to make sure it works properly.
9- Does it look right, does it follow the concept and purpose of the design? If it doesn't look right or feel right its Not! Fix it make it correct, rethink the concept. Building in SL is a process that will follow a process but part of this process is it sometimes and sometimes often changes as it goes along. Don't be afraid to make corrections or change the concept design for a section of the build as you move through your building process.
10- Finally the most important lesson to learn about SL building:
Have fun and be as creative as you can be within the concept of the design you are building. Realize its ok to make mistakes we all do and we will always have a few as we get better, But in Sl you can delete and redo oh so fast.

Also, remember that not every one will like your build or style or textures or methods or design its ok, listen and learn from what input you get from them and use it to get better as you develop your style and methods of design and building.

These are just basic guidelines, but applying them will make you a better builder in a faster time. So as all great builders, designers and artist use the basics and let your mind free to do the fun stuff.

Good Luck and Good Building.

Nyx Breen