Mesh and kits

[Suki Hirano]

Does anyone else notice that practically everything mesh now is made from a kit? Specifically a certain popular mesh designer's kits (I would like to name her store but don't know if I should)? Her kits are absolutely gorgeous, I myself have bought several, but does anyone else think that the loss in originality in creating your own models is pretty severe in SL right now? Indeed some of these re-textures are gorgeous, but most simply do a color change in photoshop and immediately resell it, sometimes at a higher price than the kit itself which I find absurd. The kit is only 200L, yet I've found tons of simple recolors being sold for like 300-400L per color, what's up with that? I was doing the "mesh around" hunt, and in tallying all 63 stores I've visited, I have perhaps seen 1 or 2 stores out of the 63 with mesh items that are completely original and not from a kit, it's severely limiting the number of mesh designs since everyone's selling the exact same things. It was similar with sculpty, but much less severe I think.

I would think that with mesh people would get more original since it opens possibilities in many more softwares like maya and blender, but it's turning out to be not the case. Even though with these mesh kits it's impossible to change the creator names, people have found ways around it by linking the mesh model to a central prim so the object would have the reseller's name as the creator, then making the whole thing no modify so the customer can't inspect the mesh prim to see who created the mesh. Smart huh? Pretty low too.

Thoughts? Or if you just downright don't care lol. I know lots of my friends would hope to see more variety in mesh. *shrugs*

[Amethyst Jetaime]

Learning mesh presents a steep learning curve to most people.  The software is expensive, and the one free program is not user friendly at all.  Further, it takes you outside of SL for hours on end and most people are in SL to be in SL , not to be in Blender. Uploading mesh is also expensive compared to uploading anything else, and requires more technical knowledge.  Since most creators are in SL part time at best and really only do it for the enjoyment, not because they make any real money, its not surprising at all.

As far as showing themselves as the creator, I view that like this.  If its a simple recolor and nothing else, than it's borderline.  But if the mesh has an original texture and /or is part of a larger build or an outfit made of other things than a talent for design went into it.  It is like an architect.  No he didn't personally build the building, or make the bricks, pipes and things that went into making it, but the design and the talent for making it happen is his.  Would you dispute Frank Lloyd Wrights name being on "his' creations?

[Da5id Weatherwax]

Learning mesh isn't easy - My SL partner runs a very successful clothing store by applying her own creativity, eye for color and style etc to mixing and matching templates from different creators into her own distinctive styles. She's in no position to tackle the everest-like learning curve of mesh creation but has produced excellent results using mesh kits. I, on the other hand, was already experienced in making static models but I know I suck at texturing.... The solution: I tackle the still-steep but by no means as daunting as starting from scratch task of learning to rig and weight models well and I make kits for her to texture. They'll be unique to her business once I get good enough at this that we agree they are now good enough to sell, but until then she's doing pretty well with some of the kits out there.

Give it time, as more designers either learn mesh themselves or team up with others who already have learned it the variety will increase. 

[Dilbert Dilweg]

Texturing is an artform in it self.

there is a lot of modelers that suck at texturing like me lol

Learning Mesh and the art of UV layouts is a daunting task to say the least. I have been working for a good 3 months now learning it all. It deffinately is not easy lol

But when i get it all figured out. I will enjoy knowing everything I make is done by me and no kits. I have made some nice Fedora hats and now making an electric guitar. Not many have the patience to learn it nor the time.

I feel the kits do take away a little bit of the originality of original creation, i think users will figure it out when they all see the same shape with different textures and say hmmmmmmm heyyyyyyyy . we all the same lol

[Amethyst Jetaime]

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Dilbert Dilweg wrote:

..... i think users will figure it out when they all see the same shape with different textures and say hmmmmmmm heyyyyyyyy . we all the same lol

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Consumers already know this goes on unless they are blind.  For example,look at all the clothing templates that are sold and you have a particular style, of let's say, dress turning up all over by various 'designers'.  However each one puts their own spin on it, choosing different fabrics and colors, adding different details and/or adding other accessories and things as part of the package.  Each one also decides on a price. 

The template creator sells the template for a higher price than they could get for a dress alone to multiple designers and but isn't required to put as much work in to the details as they would if they sold directly to the consumer.  Designers can spend a lot less time making an outfit so can offer it for less and also offer more variety.  The consumer then can choose the combination of price, color and details that works best for them as they have a much wider choice than they would if that particular style was offered by just one creator. A win win for everyone.

This is not to say that a unique creation made by one creator start to finish does not have a higher value.  Many people prefer that, seek it and are willing to pay a higher price for it.  It IS highly valued by discerning residents.   But there are alot of residents that only are looking for something nice to wear at a cheap price and are more than satisfied with a template based dress. There are also a lot of residents that like both.  The cheaper things for everyday wear, and the creative originals for special clothing.  It is the same in RL.

[Ashasekayi Ra]

The creator of the mesh kits that you are referring to has been brought up before in another thread on this topic outside of the SL forums. Some people voiced the same concerns as you. I can only speak for myself not all creators in SL. That being said, I'm not surprised that the market is flooded with content made from those kits. Making a finished clothing product takes modeling, skinning and texturing knowledge. Many people can't master all of the skills needed to make a professional product. On that note, if a texture artists uses the kit to make an amazing handpainted texture, I think that adds considerable value to the product.

At the end of the day, I think that there will be a group of people that search for original and unique products that are also willing to pay a higher price for them. Then, you will have the lower priced clothing made from kits that will appeal to another group of people.

Now, on the subject of why there isn't more original and unique content, I can only say that I have a number of mesh outfits created. However, I'm really loathe to release them as long as the sizing issue exists. And, I have talked to other designers that are holding off on releasing mesh clothing until that issue is fixed. Once the mesh deformer is released, I think you will see a serious increase in original designs hitting the market.

[Suki Hirano]

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Ashasekayi Ra wrote:

The creator of the mesh kits that you are referring to has been brought up before in another thread on this topic outside of the SL forums. Some people voiced the same concerns as you. I can only speak for myself not all creators in SL. That being said, I'm not surprised that the market is flooded with content made from those kits. Making a finished clothing product takes modeling, skinning and texturing knowledge. Many people can't master all of the skills needed to make a professional product. On that note, if a texture artists uses the kit to make an amazing handpainted texture, I think that adds considerable value to the product.

At the end of the day, I think that there will be a group of people that search for original and unique products that are also willing to pay a higher price for them. Then, you will have the lower priced clothing made from kits that will appeal to another group of people.

Now, on the subject of why there isn't more original and unique content, I can only say that I have a number of mesh outfits created. However, I'm really loathe to release them as long as the sizing issue exists. And, I have talked to other designers that are holding off on releasing mesh clothing until that issue is fixed. Once the mesh deformer is released, I think you will see a serious increase in original designs hitting the market.

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It's always nice to see original creations. I think as long as it has the standard sizing, specifically the sizes that everyone use (S, XS, XXS - honestly who uses size L and M? They're like gigantic) most people will be happy.

I keep hearing about this deformer, what exactly is it? Is it just some new function that allows editing mesh size?

[jada Tigerpaw]

*coughs* Me? I use L & M..... Barely ever am able to fit into a small and my avi is not exactly gigantic. It's just that M & L happen to fit my shape in places I couldn't even begin to manage squeezing into a small with.. just had to put my opinion in there!

As far as the mesh creator... I think it'll take time for people to catch on to how to properly make a good quality mesh but like anything, once people have caught on, the competition will be stiffer. It already is with  Mesh-creators who offer full perm to designers due to the high-quality mesh coming from said-creator for such a low price, IMO.

[Pussycat Catnap]

Its sad but innevitable due to the steep learning curve of using 3D modeling applications.

But it also a bit like RL where those cheap jeans from the dollar store are actually made in the same barbed wire locked in sweat camp as the designer label from 'random famous Italian/French guy'. ")

- One has no label, the other has some Italian guy's signature on the butt - but the jeans were both actually made by the same 3rd world woman sitting in row 37 10 feet over from the guy with the AK-47 there to make sure she doesn't run for it. And the difference is only when they cut the stack into 3 piles, which pile each ended up in.

So, SL is not all that different from RL now, in this regard. Minus the AK-47 (since this isn't WoW - came to light last year that prison guards in China were forcing inmates to play WoW 12+ hours a day to farm gold).

 

 

[Pussycat Catnap]

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jada Tigerpaw wrote:

*coughs* Me? I use L & M..... Barely ever am able to fit into a small and my avi is not exactly gigantic.

It's just that M & L happen to fit my shape in places I couldn't even begin to manage squeezing into a small with.. just had to put my opinion in there!

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Those sizes refer to bust-waist-hips. Not height or thickness.

Here are the ONLY settings they apply to:

• Body Fat
• Torso Muscle
• Breast Size
• Love Handles
• Belly Size
• Leg Muscle
• Butt Size
• Saddle Bags

Every other setting on your shape does not impact this stuff.

Mesh clothes only care about those settings, plus breast buoyancy and cleavage.

- I believe they smartly chose to ignore those two because anyone with boobs or who has 'worked with' boobs, knows that the things are somewhat pliable.

If you are not willing to adjust your buoyancy and cleavage to fit an outfit, its a good sign that you've never actually felt a RL female's boobs.

So an avatar with a height of 0, and one with a height of 100, might BOTH be XXS - if they are both thin and waife-like.

 

[jada Tigerpaw]

I try to make sure I still have a couple of them RL boobs attached every now and then.

My point in the post was in reply to someone asking if anyone used Medium/Large... Which I do. hence my response!

Im quite content with fitting in M or L.. So have no need to change my avatar to fit into a small. But good information.