A call to melee weapons makers

[Merlin Oddfellow]

I'm always frustrated when I want to buy melee weapons and the merchants don't show or say where are the attachment points for the sheathed version. It's important when you wear them to know if it's a belt attachment or a back attachment, or both. I tend to wear my weapons on the back, and unfortunately there aren't many merchants who offer that possibility. Ok. But at least if you don't, please, could you say it somewhere in your product description? I've been dissatisfied by many purchases because of it.

[Freya Mokusei]

You can change the attachment point, unless it's rigged mesh.

Just right-click in your Inventory and use Attach To > [Wherever]. You'll probably need to Edit it some to fit comfortably, but it's better than not using your purchases.

[Sassy Romano]

Being pedantic, you can change the attachment point even if it's rigged mesh, it just won't change how it appears worn.

 

I know you know this, I was just starting it as there is sometimes a desire to change it. I get annoyed at lazy creators leaving rigged mesh attached to right hand.

[Freya Mokusei]

---

Sassy Romano wrote:

Being pedantic, you can change the attachment point even if it's rigged mesh, it just won't change how it appears worn.

 

I know you know this

---

I didn't! But that makes perfect sense - I still need to fill out my wardrobe with mesh stuffs, I hadn't thought about it.

Thanks! Pedants welcome.

[Merlin Oddfellow]

Of course it's theoretically possible to do it. However, lots of sheaths are made to be worn at belt level and have some chains or ribbon parts which can't be modified (no mod weapons, yeah). Besides, it would be much better to have the two options offered, if it's that simple ?

I'd still like the merchants to SAY where their attachments are, it would be so much easier for customers...

[Freya Mokusei]

Not just theoretically, it's practically possible!

The only market that regularly states attachment locations are those that use the RestrainedLove functions (since it's required in naming, for performance of Shared Inventory).

I think that sadly, your request will remain wishful thinking. My personal view is that if you can't change something (and you can't, really, creators won't change based on a single forum post), it's best to work out a different solution: It is reasonable to only buy products that have Modify permissions (which are more typically listed on products), allowing you to be sure that you can at least create the effect you want yourself. There is a reasonable level of support already behind merchants who offer Modify permissions, allowing you more market power when approaching people offering content.

All depends on how much this issue bugs you, and how much energy you want to put into this.

[Sassy Romano]

---

Merlin Oddfellow wrote:

I'd still like the merchants to SAY where their attachments are, it would be so much easier for customers...

---

Playing devil's advocate... "why?"  What difference does it make?  If you can wear it on pelvis or stomach by choosing Attach To and then specifying the location, followed by editing to fit. 

Would you NOT buy something if it said "default attachment point PELVIS" but you preferred stomach even though you can put it there yourself?

Unless there's a technical reason that would prohibit moving it and it were to conflict with something else, i'm just not sure I see the issue here.

The other solution is for the item to be scripted such that no matter where you wear it on compatible fixed attachment points (such as stomach and pelvis which are fixed relative to each other), then the attachment can adjust its own position but if I were creating that now, i'd do it in rigged mesh such that you attach it anywhere and it's automatically in the set place.  If you don't want it in a set place, then it would be prim/unrigged mesh and then you just attach it anywhere and it won't matter.

[Merlin Oddfellow]

Hm...Am I the only one who tries to be realistic here?  

1- Some of the draw movements are obviously made for belt-positioned sheaths

2- Some sheaths include chains/ribbons/belts and aren't possible to mod, which gives some really ugly appendices pointing out of your back (when you're lucky)

3- Why is it such a problem for merchants to talk about the way they placed the sheaths? Some of them do! It's a service and information to customers.

 

 

[Freya Mokusei]

I don't feel as though you're being particularly realistic, actually. Realistic expectations imply that you're working within the realm of possibility to resolve the discrepancy between your expectations and reality.

3- Getting any singular merchant to change their methods is doable, getting a small handful to listen to what you're saying (like Sassy and I) is also possible, whether we act on it is less certain. Any number of people above this will be almost impossible - look at established 'consumer' movements in SL (e.g. the Modify movement, the scale movement, the resize movement) - they have very limited outreach. There's just no good way of changing merchant behaviour in general in Second Life.

2- I think I've addressed this.

1- As I said above, you're welcome to sink as much time/effort into this as you please. I've offered options that you can use (draw animations can be replaced - see Medhue's post later in this thread - and relying on Modify permissions leaves you a large market area still to choose from), but I'm not willing to pretend that this thread will change any one persons mind, let alone the whole weapons market.

Good luck.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Merlin Oddfellow wrote:

I'm always frustrated when I want to buy melee weapons and the merchants don't show or say where are the attachment points for the sheathed version. It's important when you wear them to know if it's a belt attachment or a back attachment, or both. I tend to wear my weapons on the back, and unfortunately there aren't many merchants who offer that possibility. Ok. But at least if you don't, please, could you say it somewhere in your product description? I've been dissatisfied by many purchases because of it.

---

What difference does the attachment point make as long as the animation appears correct?

You need to think through how an object moves in relation to the various sections of the Ava.  Attached to your spine is going to move differently than attached to your pelvis.  The way attached objects move creates limitations.  Often times a creator has to use an invisible prim as the root so the rotation of the whole object relative to your body as you move looks correct.

You also need to think through here what it takes to move a sheathed weapon to your hand. 

There's a lot of things going on here that need to be taken into consideration.

 

[Sassy Romano]

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

What difference does the attachment point make as long as the animation appears correct?

 

---

Yes, that's what i'm getting at.  It makes no difference where it's attached if it only has an animation to draw from right hand with a sheath on the left hip.  Attaching it to nose, right hip or left foot won't make the animation any different and then whether it's attached to pelvis or stomach makes no difference either.

Having said that, we do have a couple of things that look to see if they're held in the right hand or left hand and then play the appropriate animation so it's not that it can't be done on an animation basis but the attach point remains insignificant.

So, since the advert will usually have a picture, you can SEE where it goes and from that probably determine how a draw animation or whatever will work.

[Medhue Simoni]

The reason why so many don't make weapons that fit on your back, is because they can't find the animations for that. This is also why it makes no sense to try and mod the product, as you still need to have the animation.

Incase any creators do see this thread, I sell sword unsheathing and sheathing animations for swords that go on your back.

[Perrie Juran]

---

Sassy Romano wrote:

---

Perrie Juran wrote:

What difference does the attachment point make as long as the animation appears correct?

 

---

Yes, that's what i'm getting at.  It makes no difference where it's attached if it only has an animation to draw from right hand with a sheath on the left hip.  Attaching it to nose, right hip or left foot won't make the animation any different and then whether it's attached to pelvis or stomach makes no difference either.

Having said that, we do have a couple of things that look to see if they're held in the right hand or left hand and then play the appropriate animation so it's not that it can't be done on an animation basis but the attach point remains insignificant.

So, since the advert will usually have a picture, you can SEE where it goes and from that probably determine how a draw animation or whatever will work.

---

I have a Ninjata (sword) and a Bow and Arrow and both are attached to my spine.  When sheathed, the sheaths are meant to look like they are on my back.  I don't have a sword that hangs from my belt.

If you had a sheath that was meant to appear that it was hanging from your belt, as I stated above, when your Ava moved it would swing in odd ways in relation to your Ava if it was attached to your spine.  A sheath that hangs from your belt would need to be attached to your hip or pelvis or it's simply not going to look right.

So I go back to what I said, the OP needs to think this through further.