This is the place to ask questions, share information to help answer someone's query or to talk about what programs we use, what techniques we like to help us get the effects we're looking for. To post a question, please use the THREAD feature at the bottom of the page. To answer a question (it doesn't need to be posted here first, it's enough that you know others wonder or that you yourself came up with a solution to a problem you used to have), click EasyEdit and add the question in bold and then the answer below, in plain text.

For clarity I suggest we use a format such as this, for answers:
Answer: text about how to solve the problem [Fire-Valkyrie]
This way multiple members can give their advice without us all changing texts and colours into something that in the end proves difficult to read... I also suggest that a thread, once answered in the FAQ, is deleted from the page. If the answer by necessity becomes very long, I would recommend writing a tutorial, posting it in the tutorial section and then posting a link to it, from this page.

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Q: What program do I need to make 3D objects?

A: You can create VRML objects with a simple text editor like Notepad or Wordpad, or a VRML editor like VRMLPad.

• You can get VRMLPad here.

However, most people make use of a 3D modelling program that can export files in VRML .wrl format. The most popular one in CT has always been Spazz3D, but Spazz3D is no longer supported or sold.

• Spazz3D has been dramatically updated and given great new features and is now available as Flux Studio, which is absolutely free. You can get Flux Studio here.

CAUTION: Flux is great, but if you want to keep your blaxxun browser plugin, for compatibility with CT, then be sure, when installing, to say "no" to the installation of the Flux Player. Or, reinstall blaxxun afterwards, and set it as your default VRML plugin.

Other free 3D modelling programs include Blender and Wings 3D. You can also use higher end programs like 3dsMax, with a VRML export plugin. There are many ways to create, the important thing is you pick something that works for you and CREATE!

Q: How do I upload an object which has multiple textures?

A: There are several ways around the limitation that you can only upload one texture file to the CT mall. The one you'll probably use most is to make one texturemap file with several patterns. For example, half the texture has a wood texture on it and the other half is used for the patterned cloth of a chair or bed... Then you apply half the texture to the wooden parts of your item, and the cloth part to the cushions, bedspreads or whatever it may be. Sometimes this is not an option, and then you can also use a Universal Media texture from the CT mirror. Just keep in mind that most textures in that collection are very large in filesize and you still have rules on that, to which you must keep if the item is to be accepted. Finally, you can use PixelTexture - at least if you know a bit of handcoding. Pixeltextures are (preferably!) small and simple textures that are described in the code instead of a separate file. A checkerboard PixelTexture could be made up of 4 pixels, 2 black and 2 white (in the code is a digit - the third in the code - which determines if the texture is greyscale, colour and with or without transparency). Code: texture PixelTexture { image 2 2 3 0xffffff 0x000000 0x000000 0xffffff } [Fire-Valkyrie]



Comment: Being in a 3D community it makes sense that I'd want to begin creating things, especially since they don't have everything I would like for my home. Given that, I began working, from a tutorial on You Tube, on creating the object I most wanted to see in the stores in my community.

Obviously, when someone is new, it isn't as cut and dried as explanations in tutorials would make it seem. New creators, simply said, don't know a lot and need, at times, the most simple explanations of things.

Case in point. I followed the tutorial I'd found and used that technique on a different object than was being created in the tutorial. It worked. I actually created my object. Except when I went to upload it, that part didn't work. The texture was unable to be loaded. Well, nothing was said in the tutorial about that so I had no idea what I'd done wrong. It is this kind of problem with which we need help. I hope that this forum will touch on not only helping, but on knowing the questions to ask the new creator so that what steps were taken can be examined and may even lead to a more simple way to create, or at least to fix what isn't working. I'm looking forward to seeing this particular area expanded to include not only the more advanced techniques, but to also include basics.