how to BUILD
In the ActiveWorlds program, users create interesting and fun structures out of premade objects. These objects can be generic objects such as panels or specific household objects such as computers or chairs. A good way of looking at objects is to compare them to Lego pieces, which can be combined together to make larger and more complex structures. In the program, we can move, rotate and make actions for our objects.
Here, I made an object. This is a umbrella.
Let's right click on the object. We'll get something like below:
Notice how we have an object text bar with the words "umbra01" in it. This is the name of the object that we see above. Each object has a unique name. By changing the name in the text bar, we will change how our objects look.
For example, I now changed "umbra01" to "love2." Because the name is now different, the program changed my original umbrella to the sofa below:
Now your question is "How do I make my own objects?" The answer is very easy. Firstly, notice what it says at the bottom of each object.
What I circled signifies the owner of the object. Only this person may manipulate this object. Notice that I am the owner of this object. To make your own object, you simply have to copy mine. Press INSERT to copy an object (if you look below, you will see I copied a fire hydrant). Notice that this copy will now have your name instead. To see a movie of this, go here.
You have now created your own object. You can move this object very easily by using the keyboard (the arrow keys) or by using the transform icons in the Object Properties Menu.
You can copy other people's objects just as simply as that! But what if you want something no one else has? The answer is to look in the User Manual, which has a list of all the objects that the program recognizes.
Firstly, copy an object as shown above. Take that object and move it to your own area. Now go to the User Guide and then Building and then AlphaWorld Building Objects, like below.
 |
 |
 |
Notice how you are given lots of different categories of objects to choose from. By clicking each link, your browser on the right will display a whole chart.
The key is here is to choose different names and test them on your object. You are also given information on the dimensions and textures of the object but let us just ignore that for now. I am going to choose aplia3.rwx and see what it is.
By right-clicking my fire hydrant and entering aplia3.rwx instead of firehy1.rwx, I have now made a fridge.
Explore the different objects you
can make and definitely ask a mentor if you need any help!
© John Sun 2004. Comments? Problems? Suggestions? Email me.
