Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
avatar's inventory and then assemble and “wear” the wheelchair. It should attach itself to your avatar's body
and put you into a sitting position. Because this object is attached to your avatar, it will move up steep hills
and ramps more easily than a real wheelchair would, so you want to double-check your ramp rise again, by
the numbers, to make sure it is not too steep. The wheelchair attachment should help you make sure there is
enough room for turning around and width for two people in wheelchairs to pass each other. Roll down onto
the lower platform and check the view from there. All around the entire path, there should be a barrier just
high enough to stop a wheelchair from rolling off, but not so high it blocks the view from the avatar's camera.
5.7.2
s
afeTy
B
arriers
on
W
heely
i
sland
Another thing to consider is the inclusion of “invisible” barriers or transparent prims that keep people from
entering an area. In fact, you may want to consider some of these around the volcano to prevent a visitor
from wandering a bit too close to the edge and falling in or on turnaround areas where you have not added
in the wooden barrier from the walkway. It is not that the virtual lava will hurt them, but falling down into a
pit can make it dificult for a novice visitor to escape, especially when there is lots of smoke particle activity
blocking the view.
5.8
MAKING AN “ALL-ACCESS” ELEMENT: THE BASIC SIGN
For the last bit of this chapter, let's consider signage and its relationship to the concept of all-access building.
You will probably want to make some signs for Wheely Island that say things such as, “Welcome to Wheely
Island” or “This way to the volcano.” Assemble a three-prim sign from 2 cylinders and one box, so that it
resembles the one in Figure 5.15. From the content you downloaded for Chapter 5, ind the 5 Wheely Island
FIGURE 5.15
Screen shot in OpenSim showing a sign with “Design for All” considered in its construction. This is
readable by most vision types. The front face is set to full bright so that the sign is visible even in a night setting.
