Avatar face looks bad in game, but fine in edit appearance?

[LylahRose]

My avatar's skin on her face looks awful in game, really blurred and just strange, but in edit appearance it looks fine?

I'm on a 15 inch Macbook pro, is there something I can do to fix this

 

[Ariel Vuissent]

Windlight?

Extra light is applied when you edit your appearance (unless you have it set otherwise in preference, like I do). The extra light usually takes away the shadows on the face caused by the default lighting. To fix the shadows "in game," you have two options:

1. Wear a facelight. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS. A facelight is an object that, well, shines extra light on the face. Everyone can see it, again unless their settings prevent local lights, but they're incredibly annoying. SOME are decent, because they don't add much light, but many are like shining a giant flashlight on yourself. Not good.

2. Change you windlight settings. I DO recommend this one. I have no idea what viewer you're using, but I think all of them have the option to change your personal lighting. I ALWAYS do this. It takes away all those unattractive shadows. Downside - only you can see it. Others will see you through whatever their light settings are. Still a better option than a facelight, in my opinion.

[LylahRose]

How do I change the windlight?

[Ariel Vuissent]

On the official viewer, I have no idea. On Firestorm, it's on the bottom of the screen. 

[Lewis Luminos]

Click on the "World" menu then Environment Editor >Sky Presets > New Preset

An edit window will open up.  Click the "Lighting" tab then the "Sun/Moon" colour box. Turn this way down to black, or nearly so.

Click the "Ambient" colour box.  Make this one lighter. You can add a tint if you want but for getting a good clear view of your avatar, light grey is best.  You can adjust these two colours to get the best balance for your monitor and graphics settings.

Give your new preset a new name, tick the "make this preset my new sky setting" box and hit Save.

This is assuming you are not using Shadows. In this case, too much Ambient light will wash out your shadows so you need to have Sun/Moon lighter and Ambient darker.

[VioletCities]

Also, no matter WHAT your sky settings are "Local Lights" can wreak havoc on your face in the form of disgusting and flagrant smile lines on your avatar's face. Even on CalWL sky settings. For example, this first picture is a picture of me on Mid-level graphics with Local Lights turned OFF. The second is on Mid-level graphics with Local Lights turned ON. See the difference? Oh, and if you're using higher than Mid-level graphics you are simply out of luck when it comes to your avatar's face looking decent. The final picture is me on CalWL sky settings on Ultra graphics. You'll see how Advancdd Lighting Model and Ambient Occln show the ruination of your avatar's face.

(This is how your face should look. This is Mid-Graphics with Local Lights turned to off.)

(This is with Local Lights turned on, Mid-graphics. Disgusting.)

(And this is is Ultra Graphics, the ultimate in UGLY. It's a shame that the better your lighting the worse your face looks.)

[Coby Foden]

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VioletCities wrote:

You'll see how Advancdd Lighting Model and Ambient Occln show the ruination of your avatar's face.

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As I showed in this post here:

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Your-Avatar/How-Second-Life-Light-Wreaks-Havoc-on-Your-Face-And-What-to-do/m-p/2802358#M55775 

.. it's NOT the Advanced Lighting Model NOR Ambient Occlusion which make ugly the lines show clearly.