Lighthouse Beam

Aim: Install lighthouse light with rotating beam
Resources: Linden Building tools, free scripts from NCI and the human resources at NCI
Action: Take particles scripting class. Learn how to script a beam of light. Install and add script for rotation.
Project Status: Completed

Ha! As if it would be that easy.

I took the class and it was a lot of fun, but it did not cover making steady beam of light. Neverthe less I learnt that there were plenty of parameters to explore. So I did. For a day. Without success.
Marious then gave me a hand. With a copy of his green lazer, I stood on the hill at Wyre and spent another day. Still I did not have a crisp beam of light. I am now facing the likehood that particles never were the way to go!

So I decided to skip the particles and instead use a textured cone with a texture animation script. Tadah! Very acceptable.

Installed it. Happiness! I stood on the ground and appreciated the view. Then I ran up the stairs to enjoy the view from the top.
THUD!
I couldn't get off the ramp. Thud..... thud.... I flew up a bit and was able to manuever out onto the deck, but then I couldn't walk around the deck.
I looked. Thought. Worried. Then noticed that someone was at Nox's so I flew over for some advice.
We considered it likely that it was the ghost of bits I had just moved around and Nox suggested asking Otenth to restart the sim.

Oblidgingly, he did.
But it didn't work. I IMed Aley but she was off line. I dragged Corcosman over to check that I wasn't imagining it.

More thinking. I decided that it seemed that the computer was somehow remembering where the beam sat in edit mode, even though it was now rotating. So I uninstalled it. And yes I could move easy once more. More thinking. If I make the beam a phantom... then it shouldn't do it again.

Viola!

It worked. Shortly after, Aley IMed me with the explanation.

It turns out that this script for rotation is client based only. It is seen to be moving, but in fact the object is where it was left rezzed. So making it a phantom is the only way to go!
Of course everyone I dragged into this probably would have expected that I had made it a phantom in the first place...but I didn't know! Honest! I need a course in when to use the various categories of prim. Something like "From Physical to Phantom"

Don't you feel sorry for those people I drag into these adventures? In the interests of my belief in "passing it on", feel free to contact me if you would like a free, functioning lighthouse beam!