tap Titans Apprenticeship Program
" Achieving Excellence Through Understanding"
Introduction | Announcements | TAP Guidelines | TAP Contacts | TAP Schedule | TAP Training | TAP FAQS | Reference Links
INTRODUCTION
This course focuses on only basic principles that you will need to create and build using Active Worlds technology. By the end of this course each trainee should be able to create basic objects and build correctly. If after completing this course successfully you will then be ready for advanced training in either TAP Land or TAP Creator courses. Each section of this basics course will have exercises so that you will be able to practice what you have learned.
COURSE OUTLINE
Outline of TAP Basics Training Use the buttons to left of each section for quick reference to that section |
|
I. Units of
Measurement in Active Worlds
|
 |
| II. Keyboard Control (avatar vs object)
|
|
III. Object Actions
|
|
| IV. RWX Scripts A. Fundamentals
B. Starting A New Object
C. Bring Life To Object
|
|
NOTE: The majority of the information you will need for building is contained in the HELP section of your AW browser. There is allot of good information there, take advantage of it.
A. Terms Defined
Click - depressing a key one time
Half click / shift click - depressing a key one time with the SHIFT key depressed at the same time
Lat/Long - "lat" stands for latitude, which is a direction North or South. "long" stands for longitude which is a direction East or West.
Altitude - This is measured in meters and is controlled by the "+" and "-" keys on your keypad. This is the Up and Down direction, but altitude is your position relative to ground.
Linear - This is movement parallel to ground not vertical movement.
B. Measurement Comparisons
CELL 1 deg lat x 1 deg long 10 meters square 20 clicks lat x 20 clicks long
LINEAR 1 meter = 2 clicks = 20 shft clicks ROTATION (pgup/pgdwn) 15 degrees = 1 click = 10 shft clicks
This section deals with keyboard controls and how those keystrokes affect your avatar or object.
A. Cursor Keys or Arrow keys
1. ï
AVATAR - moves you to the left
OBJECT - moves object to the left after it is selected. One click is equal to .5 meters in that direction, or 1/2 a meter.
2. ð
AVATAR - moves you to the right
OBJECT - moves object to the right after it is selected. One click is equal to .5 meters in that direction, or 1/2 meter.
3. ñ
AVATAR - moves you forward
OBJECT - moves object forward or away from you after it is selected. One click is equal to .5 meters in that direction, or 1/2 meter.
4. ò
AVATAR - moves you backwards
OBJECT - moves object backwards or toward you after it is selected. One click is equal to .5 meters in that direction, or 1/2 meter
B. Page Up / Page Down
1. PageUP
AVATAR - nothing
OBJECT - rotates an object in a counter clockwise direction after it is selected. One click is equal to 15 degrees in that direction.
2. PageDown
AVATAR - nothing
OBJECT - rotates object in a clockwise direction after it is selected. One click is equal to 15 degrees in that direction.
C. Plus and Minus Keys + / -
(refers to the + and - keys on your keypad)
1. Plus +
AVATAR - moves you upward
OBJECT - moves an object vertical in an upward direction from current position after it has been selected. One click is equal to .5 meters or 1/2 meter in that direction.
2. Minus -
AVATAR - moves you down
OBJECT - moves an object vertical in a downward direction from current position after it has been selected. One click is equal to .5 meters or 1/2 meter in that direction.
D. Shift Key
1. Shift ï
AVATAR - allows you to move through objects in that direction.
OBJECT - moves object left as you are facing it. One click is equal to .05 meters or 1/10 of a meter.
2. Shift ð
AVATAR - allows you to move through objects in that direction.
OBJECT - moves object right as you are facing it. One click is equal to .05 meters or 1/10 of a meter.
3. Shift ñ
AVATAR - allows you to move through objects in that direction.
OBJECT - moves object forward or away from you as you are facing it. One click is equal to .05 meters or 1/10 of a meter.
4. Shift ò
AVATAR - allows you to move through objects in that direction.
OBJECT - moves object backwards or towards you as you are facing it. One click is equal to .05 meters or 1/10 of a meter.
5. Shift PageUP
AVATAR - nothing
OBJECT - rotates object counter clockwise. One click is equal to 1.5 degrees.
6. Shift PageDown
AVATAR - nothing
OBJECT - rotates object clockwise. One click is equal to 1.5 degrees.
7. Shift Plus +
AVATAR - allows you to move through objects in an upward direction.
OBJECT - moves object up from it's current position as you are facing it. One click is equal to .05 meters or 1/10 of a meter.
8. Shift Minus -
AVATAR - allows you to move through objects in a downward direction.
OBJECT - moves object down from it's current position as you are facing it. One click is equal to .05 meters or 1/10 of a meter.
The following information in this section are commands used within the action field of an object.
A. Primary Actions or Triggers
1. Activate - The activate trigger is used so an AW user will be able to click and object with their mouse and it will trigger the secondary action.
2. Bump - The bump trigger is used so that when an avatar comes into contact with an object it will trigger the secondary command.
3. Create - The create trigger is used to start the secondary part of the action whenever an avatar is in that particular range or area.
B. Secondary Actions or Results
1. Sound - This is can be used for midi files that you can attach to an object, it can be used as a stand alone without a trigger.
example: "sound: http://www.midi.com/rock/song.mid"
* TIP do not use "http://"on front of URL for midi, this will help save space within the cell which will help you further avoid the message "Area Full"
2. Noise - This command is used on objects in order to use a .WAV file
example : "bump noise yell.wav" or "create noise yell.wav"
In the next set of secondary commands, the following information is necessary. Each command either warp or teleport should have a latitude and longitude value but can also have an altitude and or rotation value. Each value used is listed as follows:
Latitude(N or S)
Longitude(E or W)
Altitude (negative or positive)
Rotation (0-360degrees)References to Warp or Teleport Variables:
INCREMENTAL VALUES positive value in latitude is North, negative value is South positive value in longitude is West, negative is East positive value in altitude is up, negative is down positive value in rotation is to the left or counter clock wise, negative value is to the right or clockwise
ROTATION VALUES FOR COORDS 0 is North 90 is West 180 is South 270 is East 45 is NW 135 is SW 225 is SE 315 is NE *TIP - I have used incremental in developing rides moving people throughout them , but they have proven to be unreliable after several of them are being used back to back. Always try and use the specifics to maintain accuracy. Use the incremental for quick movement one time shot.
3. Warp - This command will move a person to another location or set of coordinates. The movement is not instant but only a faster walking movement. This can be used either as specific coords or incremental.
(3a.) example of specific: "bump warp 30n 30w +10a 180"
(3b.) example or incremental "bump warp +1.0 -0.0 -0a" or "bump warp +0.0 +0.0 -0a +90"
4. Teleport - This movement will move a person immediately to another location or set of coordinates.
examples - same as warp but substitute "warp" with "teleport"
A. Fundamentals
1. Terms Used
"Verts" or Vertex
Quad
Triangle
Polygon
UV Mapping
Axis
2. Units of measurement in RWX Scripts
3. X, Y, and Z axis
4. Basic Script Structure
B. Starting A New Object
1. Drawing Your Object To Help You Visualize
2. AW Object Standards
3. Centering your Object
4. Zero on Y axis or Ground Level
C. Bring Life To Your Object
1. Object Characteristics
a. Opacity
b. Scaling
c. Color
2. Model Lighting
a. Lightsampling
b. Surface
3. Textures
a. Texturemodes
b. Basic UV mapping
The TAP Basics Course has been designed and written by FishinHook and is a copyright of Titans Guild Productions Any copies and or distribution without the express written permission of FishinHook in agreement with TGP is strictly prohibited.
TAP © 1997 Titans Guild
Productions
Send all comments or suggestions concerning this web to titans@titans.net
Please have "TAP Web" as subject in email
Last TAP web update was : 10/04/97 9:10 PM PST