Designer's Toolbox: Texture changing options

This is a new kind of post for the blog, where I talk about some of the tools I couldn't have done without in designing and building for SL.

Today I want to talk about texture changing scripts. Anytime you want to offer more than one texture option for your build, a texture-changing script is a good way to do it—it allows you to include all the textures in the same version, rather than making a unique version with each texture option. If you have more than one variable texture, this becomes necessary more than just convenient.

For home and garden at least, there are a few ways to go when you want to offer texture-changing options. For some things, a HUD may be the best option. It's not part of the build itself, but is set up to interact with the build and provide the various texture changes you want/need. In other cases, a script that enables the build itself to contain the texture changing options is ideal. I tried out multiple options for both kinds before arriving at the ones I'm recommending here.

If you are looking for a good system to create HUDs for texture changing, I highly recommend the BOSH texturing HUD options. Boshwer Honi has made several versions that allow you to include only what you need: if you don't work with materials (normals, specular settings) at all, there is a version that does only textures and colors. If you need multiple pages of texture options in your HUD, there's a version that offers this. If you need it all, there is a version for that too. They are surprisingly simple to set up, if you follow instructions well—but Boshwer is famously helpful with support if needed. Check out Boshwer's Marketplace Store here.

If texture control within the object is your thing, then there's not a better option than the Black Tulip Theme Change scripts. Here again there are options: they have a version with materials, and one with no materials changes. You can also embed the texture menus within the AvSitter menu if you prefer. All of it is fairly simple to set up and configuration is easy, if tedious. Check out Black Tulip's full materials version in the Marketplace here.

Disclaimer: I paid full price for all of the versions of these tools that I own, and have received nothing from either scripter in return for these endorsements. These are not "sponsored" posts but simply my opinion of what the best tools are for the job.

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