Getting Started

One of the more common things I hear from new users of MiceOnABeam is "What's the best way to get started?".  They're impressed by the tool's capabilities, the comprehensive online documentation and find the tutorial helpful, yet the design paradigm is different enough that it can still be difficult to know how to get started on a new script model.

To assist these new users, a Model Library is now available. The library consists of an initial set of model examples that illustrate designs for some basic Second Life® activities such as animating an avatar or displaying a menu dialog.

As MiceOnABeam is a visual design tool, pictures of each state of a model are shown along with short descriptions of the logic flow between the connected modeling elements.

Using a Model Example
The support for reusable components is a great feature of MiceOnABeam and the Component Library is key to this. Model examples should be downloaded and stored within the Library folder of your MiceOnABeam user directory. They can then be accessed and their descriptions viewed via the Component Library browser from within the tool.

To use a component, click and drag it from the browser into a State Editor, then connect it to other modeling elements within your script model as required.

While these models were created for illustrative purposes only, they can be configured/customized and incorporated into your designs if desired. Note that the models are provided free of charge but without warranty of any kind. You are free to modify and redistribute them.

Initial Set of Examples
The initial set of model examples include:

• AnimateAvatar: Animates an avatar with a set animation.
• AnimateOnSit: Animates an avatar that sits on a prim.
• ChatAnimate: Animates an avatar that chats a desired animation.
• ChatCommands: Chat command processor.
• FollowAvatar: Causes a prim to follow it's owner.
• MoveAvatar: Moves an avatar via a prim.
• SetAvatar: Chat commands to animate; set floating text; turn on a face light.
• ShowMenu: Displays a menu & waits for the user to make a button selection.
• Timer: Shows how a model can be subject to an overall timeout constraint.
• And more...

I'm working on more model examples for inclusion in the library down the road. A Community Library has also been set up where you can share models that you think will be useful to others.

Antonius