Prepare your Workspace for MST

To get up and running with the MetaHarper Show Tools, wear the show tools package and then click it to receive a folder of items, if you have not done so already. Then, complete the following steps:

1. Find a place to build: Go to a place where you can rez objects and leave them out for many hours. Ensure you are not too close to any region boundaries or edges. When looking for build space, be sure to avoid the terrain floor and also avoid the 4096m build height limit. Don’t work directly on the terrain floor or you can have trouble rezzing objects that need to be moved down. Similarly don’t work too close to the 4096m altitute limit, or you will have trouble rezzing objects that need to be moved up. You should have at least 200 prims free, as a general guide, for set building and temporary rezzing of various HUDs and tools.
2. Pay attention to "nearby chat": When using the MST tools, the components will tell you what they are doing in nearby chat, or if there is an unexpected situation that must be addressed. Often warnings are errors will show up in chat first, and you can save yourself some time just by watching for any unusual messages.
3. OPTIONAL: Rez your stage template if you have one: Some theaters give out stage templates to assist people creating shows. If you are building and act for a particular theater, ask the owner or theater manager if there is a “stage template” you can use to help build your act to the right size and shape.
4. Rez the MST Centerpoint: Find the “MST Centerpoint” object in your show tools folder. Rez this object on the ground. If you are using a stage template for a particular theater, you may have instructions for where to place the centerpoint and you should follow these instructions now. Otherwise, if you do not have any special instructions it is fine to rez the centerpoint in the middle of your stage floor. (Note: Some veterans will rez the MST Centerpoint under their stage floor to keep it out of sight, but when you are learning you can rez it directly on your stage floor, and then make the MST Centerpoint transparent in the SL Viewer’s build tools window later.)
5. Name your Centerpoint: Using your viewer, select and edit this centerpoint. If you are using a stage template, follow any instructions you may have over what name to use with your MST centerpoint. Otherwise, select the centerpoint object, edit it so that the build window pops up, and change the name of the centerpoint object to something specific to you, such as 'ArrehnStageCP”. Try not to use any spaces or punctuation, and keep the name short. (Note: veterans will often add "CP" at the end of a centerpoint name, as a shorthand for 'centerpoint')
6. Rez and name your Performance Engine: Next, find the object “MST_PerformanceEngine_rename_me” in your show tools folder. Rez this object on the ground. You should also select and edit this object. In your viewer’s build tools window, rename this performance engine to reflect the name of your act. For example “PirateAct”. You should keep the name of your engine short, ideally with no spaces or punctuation.

You have now rezzed the basic components that you will need to quickly build and take down a future performance. You can think of the above components as the digital version of an efficient stage crew, or in SL terms, you may think of the above tools as theater-specific rezbox that can hold your choreography routines, special effects, scenes, and props.