Use the Inner Spheres Pandorabot as an Avatar

The Inner Spheres Pandorabot, a set of rotating geometric objects, can be worn as an attachment. In fact, using the alpha mask feature of the appearance editor, you can make your avatar invisible and wear the Inner Spheres Pandorabot. In this way you appear to be rotating cool objects emitting particles!

First, edit your appearance (Edit -> Appearance). Save your current appearance in case you want to restore it later by clicking the "Save As" button and giving it a name. Click the Alpha tab. Check all of the Alpha boxes (Head Alpha, Upper Alpha, Lower Alpha, Hair Alpha, and Eye Alpha). Click "Save As" and save your invisible appearance.

Click "OK" and exit the appearance editor. You should now appear invisible except for any attachments you may be wearing. Remove all attachments. I even detach my AO as an invisible avatar really doesn't need an AO.

Locate the Inner Spheres Pandorabot in your inventory. Right click on the Inner Spheres Pandorabot and select "Attach to -> Spine" (or another attachment point if spine is in use). You should appear as rotating geometric objects and respond as a Pandorabot.

The most common problem with wearing a Pandorabot as an attachment is the use of the greeter when teleporting to other locations. I recommend turning the greeter off or minimalizing your greeting. To configure the greeter and a few other things to tailor your Pandorabot as an attachment you will need to edit your configuration notecards.

Right click the Inner Spheres Pandorabot you are wearing and select "Edit". In the Contents tab of the edit window find the Configuration notecard. Right click the Configuration notecard and select "Open". Add the following lines to the top of the Configuration notecard:

FIRST_NAME = <your avatar's first name>
LAST_NAME = <your avatar's last name>
NAME_ENABLED = TRUE
TEXT_ENABLED = FALSE
RESTRICTED_ACCESS = 1
HOVER_ENABLED = FALSE
GREET_ENABLED = FALSE
AI_ENABLED = FALSE

Save your changes and close the edit window. Some of the above are only suggestions based on my experience using Inner Spheres as my avatar appearance. I like to set NAME_ENABLED = TRUE because then the Pandorabot will only respond when either my first or last name is used in local chat. Otherwise it responds to all local chat and that can be annoying. Since I will be teleporting to other locations I turn the greeter off. Use your own judgment.

If you wish to leave your greeter on but fine tune it's behavior, set GREET_ENABLED = TRUE in the Configuration notecard and edit the greeter configuration notecard Greeter_Config. Several parameters allow you to adjust your greeter in the following ways:

If you wish to send new arrivals an Instant Message greeting, set
GREET_ENABLED = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

If you wish to give new arrivals a landmark, set
GIVE_LANDMARK = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

If you wish to give new arrivals a notecard, set
GIVE_NOTECARD = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

If you wish to give new arrivals the named notecard NOTE_NAME,
GIVE_NAMED_NOTECARD = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

I also like to edit the Inner_Config notecard and set:

SOUND_ON = FALSE

Finally, I edit the Inner Spheres Pandorabot and position it a little higher so the rotating prims don't go underground and the whole assembly appears to float slightly above my head. This way I can wear a cape or hat or other attachments and it will look like the invisible caped person with rotating geometric objects floating over her head is present.

Create a 3D Sculpted Pandorabot

If you own one of the 2D Pandorabots you can easily transform it into a 3D Pandorabot using a sculpted prim. Sculpted prims can give the appearance of a 3D avatar. All that is required is to move the scripts, notecards, and landmarks from your 2D Pandorabot into the contents of a 3D sculpted prim. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you.

First, find or create a 3D sculpted prim you want to use as a Pandorabot. It doesn't have to be a single prim, it can be as elaborate as you like or just a single prim. You must have modify permission on the sculpted prim. XD Fusion has a few free full perm 3D sculpted prims and some animated sculpted prims for sale. Any modifiable prim will do and it doesn't have to be a male/female human form. I run one Pandorabot as a spinning texture changing bunch of prims in a club setting.

Create a folder in your inventory where you will temporarily store the scripts, notecards, and landmark(s). Rez the 2D Pandorabot and edit it by right clicking and selecting "Edit". In the edit window click on "Contents". Select all the items in the contents by left clicking on the first one and shift left clicking on the last one. Left click and hold the mouse button down as you drag the items from the Pandorabot contents to the new folder you created. Release the mouse button. Your Pandorabot contents should be in the new folder. You can close the edit window and take the Pandorabot back into your inventory.

To make sure the Pandorabot does not attempt to apply a texture to itself, edit the Configuration notecard. Right click on the Configuration notecard in your new folder and select "Open". Add the following line to the top of the Configuration notecard:

TEXT_ENABLED = FALSE

Close the notecard editing window.

Rez the sculpted prim you want to use as a Pandorabot. Edit the prim and click on the Contents tab. Select the items from your new folder you wish to copy. You do not need to copy the textures. Drag and drop the items from your inventory into the Contents tab of the edit window. While still in edit mode, select "Tools -> Reset Scripts in Selection" from your viewer's menu bar. Close the reset window and close the edit window.

You should be running a 3D sculpted Pandorabot now!

Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Released

Pandorabot V5 is now integrated with METAbolt to provide a realistic 3D animated bot avatar that can chat, greet new arrivals, query Wikipedia, check spelling, send email, deliver notecards & landmarks, and issue group invitations. The Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On can significantly enhance a METAbolt bot providing the many features of the Pandorabot V5 as well as a graphical dialog menu your guests can use to interact with your METAbolt bot.

The Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On is available on the Second Life Marketplace for L$395.

Steps required to setup an integrated METAbolt/Pandorabot:

1. Purchase one Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On for each of your METAbolt bots
2. Create a Second Life account with Scripted Agent Status set to bot (create one account for each METAbolt bot you want to run)
3. Install METAbolt and enable Auto Sit
4. Rez the Pandorabot METAbolt Base Prim and edit configuration notecards
5. Edit the Pandorabot METAbolt Base Prim description field
6. Copy desired animations into METAbolt base prim
7. Reset scripts
8. Login your METAbolt bot

Setup is detailed in the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Manual

 

Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On and Restless Studio are not associated to or sponsored by METAbolt (http://www.metabolt.net).

Pandorabot V5 Upgrade Instructions

If you own a Pandorabot V4 or earlier and want to freely upgrade to Pandorabot V5 you can do so by following these steps:

• Copy any changes you have made to configuration notecards
• Copy/Move any items you have added to the Pandorabot (e.g. landmarks, notecards, textures, ...)
• Take the Pandorabot back into your inventory (right click the Pandorabot and select "Take")
• IM Missy Restless (search for "Missy Restless", click on the "Missy Restless" search result, click on "View Full Profile", click "Instant Message")
• Drag and drop the Pandorabot item from your inventory onto the Instant Message window

You should receive the Pandorabot V5 as soon as I receive notice of the IM transfer. When you receive the Pandorabot V5 box, rez it, open the box, copy the contents to your inventory, and rez the Pandorabot V5. You will need to re-do any changes you made to your previous Pandorabot (use the saved configuration notecards as reference). Note: I may be away from my computer so allow me a day or so and if you do not hear from me drop me a reminder.

Note also that owners of the Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On and Add-On Lite can use the same process to upgrade to V5.

Enjoy!

Pandorabot & Actorbot Add-On V5 Released

The new improved Pandorabot V5 and associated Actorbot Add-On and Add-On Lite were released today January 3, 2011. Available on the Second Life Marketplace at http://tinyurl.com/26vjryb these updates include many new features as well as bug fixes and performance enhancements. The updated V5 manuals are available in OpenOffice and PDF format at http://www.scribd.com/missyrestless

Owners of the Pandorabot V4 and earlier can upgrade freely to Pandorabot V5. Upgrade instructions are detailed in a separate post.

Enjoy!