Jolene Rae Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 About 3 or 4 years ago, when I first started SL, I spent a lot of time and money creating my avatar. Now, people tell me I look like a noob. My theory is that the skins and shapes have improved so much, that even though I got a top notch skin/shape back then, it now looks like a noobie one. I will gladly shell out the Linden to update my skin and shape but here is the problem. I don't want to change my face. I've learned that if one changes the skins and shape, the face will change. Also, my shape is a custom made Brazillian one (I am a big woman) and I'm very happy with it. How can I magically make myself look more sophisticated (the opposite of a noob) and keep the details of my avatar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coby Foden Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Just keep your shape and go shopping for new skin. Try a lot of different demo skins to find the one what pleases you the most. I think it will be difficult to find a skin that would not change the appearance of you face to some degree. But anyway with lots of searching you may get close how your face looks now. And you will be happy with the brand new good looking skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Vuissent Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Keep the shape, change the skin. The shape system hasn't actually changed at all, as far as I know: It's still just a system of the very same sliders that it was when your shape was created back in 2009/10. Skins, however, have changed a great deal since then; they tend to be far more detailed now. Shop for a new one. Al Vulo, LAQ, Pink Fuel, Curio, Belleza, and any number of others are very popular and very well-made. Personally, when I go skin-shopping, I pick up demos of anything that looks interesting and then teleport to a quiet, low-lag sim to try them all on before I pick my favorite and go back and buy it. Skin does affect how the overall face looks. I'd look for either a) a newer skin from the same creator as the one you're using, or b) any skin from any creator that still gives you the same look. You're not alone in this; some people spend hours looking for just the right skin for their avatar when they decide to update. That's why it's so important to try on demos first! You might also look at getting new hair and new eyes. Eyes can actually go a long way to making your avatar look more detailed and realistic, and hair has advanced as well. (This is just general advice; I haven't seen your avatar, so you might already have the world's best hair and eyes.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeline Blackbart Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 shape will be fine. I've used the samme chape since I joined (made it myself only recently change to a new one) and that was 3 years ago... no one says I look like a noob 'cause I update my skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dresden Ceriano Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Great advice so far... I just want to add that an important factor when trying on skin demos while trying to maintain a similar appearance, is the eyebrow shape. Eyebrows can be very different from one skin to another. This means you may have to play with their underlying shape to get the right look. The easiest way to get to it is to right click your hair shape, click edit then go to the eyebrow tab; then just play around with the Height, Arc and Point settings. Make sure you save a copy of the original first, that way you can easily switch back to it. ...Dres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nox Vought Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Yeah skins have changed a bunch. Don't need to change your shape at all. Al Vulo group has a really pretty tanned free skin right now if you join and click the sign where you TP in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syo Emerald Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Going from your profile picture I also suggest new hair. There are better textures available now and it looks like a mostly solid primhair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade Nova Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Skins will change your face to a point, but for the most part the proportions will remain about the same. You may have to tweak your face a little to fit the new skin, but you shouldn't have to change it so dramatically that it looks like an entirely different person. I would do what some of the others suggested -- look for a newer skin from the same creator of the skin you're currently wearing if they are still around. That'll be your best bet because you'll get a very similar skin but much more updated and detailed. Otherwise some of my personal favorites for skins are The Body Co, LAQ, Tuli, and Pink Fuel. As some others also suggested getting new hair and eyes, that'll definitely help too but since I don't know what your avatar currently looks like I don't know if what you have is that outdated. I would highly recommend picking up some rigged mesh hair though! It moves with the avatar, so when your avatar turns her head, the hair stays on her shoulders rather than clipping through them. Magika, LeLutka, Wasabi Pills, Exile, and Alice Project are some of my favorite places for nice rigged mesh hair. And for eyes, I tend to wear my own (search Nar Mattaru if you want to try them -- I have free demos available) but I also really love Ikon and Insufferable Dastard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sephina Frostbite Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I agree with every one else on this one. However if you want to keep your face go to edit appearance then copy the numbers to chin, mouth, ears, head, nose, eyes. When you change your shape put those numbers in and viola.. Remember to write down the name and number with it so you dont get confused. I have two shapes now my tall and slender model shape and mini me whos short and curvier both with the same face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sierra Oskar Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 you can also use jewelry, good hair, make up, tattoos, nails, lashes, etc to make your avi more detailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidnella Riler Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Keep up to date, change often, specially skin, hair, add make up layers, different eyebrow shape, thing is, you do need to keep up to date with new stuff coming, so your avatar doesn't look outdated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syo Emerald Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 SID Riler wrote: Keep up to date, change often, specially skin, hair, add make up layers, different eyebrow shape, thing is, you do need to keep up to date with new stuff coming, so your avatar doesn't look outdated This gets the price of the day for the most untrue statement seen in a forum. I know you are a fashion victim and being beautiful means to you to wear what fashion blogs and wannabe fashionistas show you. But thats not what definies an updated avatar and in NO WAY does changing the look frequently anything better. Does someone look outdated because he isn't a trained doggy running around refusing to create a unique look for the sake of being "up-to-date"? Like having huge mesh boobies (which is a trend at the moment). If someone refuses to look like a barbie doll after some plastic surgery...is she outdated then? Was someone outdated in the past, because the avatar wasn't 3 meters tall, blond and had a skin like she was laying outside for a whole summer? Adapting new, usefull things thats what keeps an avatar updated. Like using wellmade hair from todays creators and a skin that looks realstic and has details and using new materials to solve problems from the past (like mesh for skirts). But changing completely every day makes someone a doll. Also fashion and progress aren't moving forward that fast as you suggested it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeline Blackbart Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Syo Emerald wrote: SID Riler wrote: Keep up to date, change often, specially skin, hair, add make up layers, different eyebrow shape, thing is, you do need to keep up to date with new stuff coming, so your avatar doesn't look outdated This gets the price of the day for the most untrue statement seen in a forum. I know you are a fashion victim and being beautiful means to you to wear what fashion blogs and wannabe fashionistas show you. But thats not what definies an updated avatar and in NO WAY does changing the look frequently anything better. Does someone look outdated because he isn't a trained doggy running around refusing to create a unique look for the sake of being "up-to-date"? Like having huge mesh boobies (which is a trend at the moment). If someone refuses to look like a barbie doll after some plastic surgery...is she outdated then? Was someone outdated in the past, because the avatar wasn't 3 meters tall, blond and had a skin like she was laying outside for a whole summer? Adapting new, usefull things thats what keeps an avatar updated. Like using wellmade hair from todays creators and a skin that looks realstic and has details and using new materials to solve problems from the past (like mesh for skirts). But changing completely every day makes someone a doll. Also fashion and progress aren't moving forward that fast as you suggested it here. No reason to be soooo defensive here. While the original poster isn't correct does that mean you need to bash everyone who changes there look daily? Or everyone who wears mesh boobs? no. Not everyone doing those things is "doll" some of us are doing them because we like the look. I personally wear prim boobs and change my outfit daily (I used to change my skin to match my outfit though I didn't buy a new skin everyday) I do so because I like to create new looks everyday. That's part of who I am. It doesn't make me a "doll". And what's wrong with dolls anyway? got an issue with the dollification community there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melita Magic Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I don't know if it's current but FabFree says there is a skin called Margot at the current Collabor88. I don't know if you know of it, but Collabor88 is a group effort. Designers sell things at reduced prices ending in 8. Margot has red eyebrows and fair skin. Sort of looks like your av. Might work for you. If you change shapes just save the one you are wearing first. Changing a skin will change the appearance a little, but it shouldn't be drastic. Depends on what they used for a model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidnella Riler Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Nothing wrong with keeping your avatar always the same, as there is nothing wrong with changing it all the time, everyone does what likes to do, that is the whole point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Little Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I have heard people say before, that they want to keep their face, but when they try on new demos and see how much more detailed skins are now, they change their mind when they find a updated skin that feels "right". If I shall judge from the tiny picture here, https://my.secondlife.com/jolene.rae you want a fair skin with red eyebrows? You can find some here: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Your-Avatar/Irish-skins/m-p/1897197/highlight/true#M29720 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Little Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I can't link to your profile page it seems... To get back on topic, maybe you don't use that hair anymore but yes... if you do, that needs an update. Try Exile, Truth, Magica, Wasabi Pills. If you find mesh hair too stiff, Truth and Exile has lots of pre-mesh hair still up for sale, and it is very good. Truth hair has a sale until may 3. That is worth noticing for all who don't like mesh hair. He is going to retire a lot of his hairs, I think this is the time to shop flexi hair before it is gone. Hair to be retired is only 35 L! And new hairs is 75 L a pack, that is not bad since they ordinary sell for 250 L. His store is packed and laggy, so what we all should do, is to order demos from the Marketplace and try them out before we teleport in and face the lag. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Little Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Hm, maybe I am crazy, but Truth had much more hairs on the MP? Maybe he has started the retirement prosess there. The sale is only inworld at the mainstore. And Analog Dog, how can I forget their hairs? If you like curls, they have them. And nice, vibrant reds too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syo Emerald Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I haven't said mesh/prim breasts are wrong, if someone finds them pretty...why not? But I see them as an option, not as a general progress. And the doll thing has nothing to do with some dollification fetish or community. If I speak about dolls, I think of Barbie. She is pretty, but her look doesn't show any personalty or personal taste. For some avatars in SL I noticed the same, especially if its about fashion blogs, where every model looks the same (thats a strong trend in the invisible ponyrider group). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syo Emerald Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I found that you sounded like to be not noobish oder outdated one has to change their complete avatar every day and everyone who doesn't do that is outdated/noobish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madelaine McMasters Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Jolene Rae wrote: About 3 or 4 years ago, when I first started SL, I spent a lo t of time and money creating my avatar. Now, people tell me I l ook like a noob. My theory is that the skins and sh apes have improved so much, that even though I got a top notch skin/shape back then, it now looks like a noobie one. I will gladly shell out the Linden to update my skin and shape but here is the problem. I don't want to change my face. I've learned that if one changes the s kins and shape , the face will change. Also, my shape is a custom made Brazillian one (I am a big woman) and I'm very happy with it . How can I magically make m y self look more sophisticated (the opposite of a noob) and keep the details of my avatar ? There is nothing about the mechanics of SL shape that has changed since SL started. There may be trends in avatar shape, but I don't advise following them unless they're heading in a direction that pleases you. I don't gain and loose weight in SL to follow the fashion trends, I just try to maintain a healthy physique. Since you are happy with your shape, keep it. As for skins, there's also nothing about the mechanics of SL skins that's changed, other than the tattoo layers which now allow you to change makeup without altering the rest of your skin. When I first entered SL, I purchased a Minnu (which has changed name) skin that I think would have served me fine right up to today. I currently use a makeup-free base skin (obtained somewhere on the web years ago) that I've modified and upon which I layer makeup to match my mood, just as I do in RL, and with similar infrequency. I'm hardly an expert on sophistication, but I do appreciate avatars decorated with attention to detail that, over time, exhibit a distinctive style. I'm all for experimentation, but throwing on different looks day after day, with no apparent underflying fashion sense, turns me off. Sophistication is not magic, it's the result of thoughtfullness. ETA: For me, hair is central to the look of an avatar. As I approach a group of friends, I recognize them first by their hair. Those friends who switch styles generally do so in a way that makes sense to me, and that contributes to their style. If you know who you are, show it! If you don't, spend some time thinking about it. That effort will serve you well in both SL and RL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dresden Ceriano Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Marianne Little wrote: Hm, maybe I am crazy, but Truth had much more hairs on the MP? Maybe he has started the retirement prosess there. Maybe they haven't completely migrated to direct delivery and, since magic boxes have recently become a thing of the past, not everything they once had available on MP is any longer... just a thought. ...Dres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Jetaime Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 SID Riler wrote: Keep up to date, change often, specially skin, hair, add make up layers, different eyebrow shape, thing is, you do need to keep up to date with new stuff coming, so your avatar doesn't look outdated You don't have to do this. People don't need to be a slave to fashion to keep their avatar looking updated. If you are a fashionista and want to follow the latest trends, that is your choice and there is nothing wrong with it, But don't make people feel that if they don't their avatar is outdated. They can find a unique look they like and only change it when there is an improvement that will enhance their avatars realism or they are ready for a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sephina Frostbite Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I agree. A few years ago avis were taller. Now it seems everyone wants to be shorter. I love my avi and will not change her despite sometimes being mad fun of. Rarely but it happens. I made a short avi and although shes a cutie I think she might collect dust lol. I am me and thats all I can and will be. Btw you are right its amazing what a good hair and shoes will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coby Foden Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Sephina Frostbite wrote: I made a short avi and although shes a cutie I think she might collect dust lol. I was wondering why my hair is always very dusty! :smileysurprised: :smileytongue: :matte-motes-big-grin: :smileywink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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