To wear a facelight or not?

[Marianne Little]

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You have a good point there. (Bolded)

Ina Fairport wrote:

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I use facelights also for taking pictures and use my own facelights. it is so easy to build a facelight .

And selfmade is full perm so you can change intensity and colour.

Ava's that spread a light like a lighthouse

usually can't see their own light because of low graphic settings

. If they could see it, it would be detached at once.

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[Dresden Ceriano]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a sensible facelight.  I created one for myself that has a very small radius and is as softly lit as possible.  I used directional lighting so that it would only cast light on my face and a little behind my head, which can only be detected if I'm standing with my back to a wall.  I don't wear it all the time, but I do wear it quite often and I've never had anyone complain about it.  I gave a copy to my sister to replace the one that we both used to wear, which was also very subtle but not as subtle as the one I made.  She wears hers constantly and has also never had a complaint.

I once had a friend tell me that I was vain for simply wearing a facelight, no matter how subtle it was.  I considered her comment and contemplated it for quite a while until I came to the conclusion that what she was suggesting was not and could never be possible.  I am not my avatar, which I consider to be the most attractive avatar in SL, simply because I created it to be extremely appealing to myself (which helps when you're attracted to the same sex... lol).  In order for me to be considered vain, I'd have to be similarly attracted to my RL self, which I can assure you, I am not.  As such, I see nothing at all wrong with wanting to gaze upon a thing of beauty as often as I possibly can.

The only claim against wearing facelights that I've ever heard that is actually worth considering is the one about the limited number of light sources that can be rendered in SL without advanced lighting turned on.  My answer to this is simple... I always run SL with advanced lighting turned on.  While I'm conflicted about affecting users that cannot or choose not to turn on advanced lighting, I fail to see why I should depreciate my enjoyment of SL for them or anyone else, for that matter.  That, plus, if they are so close to me that my very small radius of light is affecting their experience, then surely they need not be so close in the first place.  If this makes me selfish, then so be it.

...Dres

[Coby Foden]

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Ina Fairport wrote:

 

When I am standing next to a lighthouse-ava I derender the facelight or disable attached lights in preferences.

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Only thing is that other avatars nearby will still see that other person's lighthouse totally ruining your appearance.

[Paul Hexem]

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Dresden Ceriano wrote:

There's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a sensible facelight.  I created one for myself that has a very small radius and is as softly lit as possible.  I used directional lighting so that it would only cast light on my face and a little behind my head, which can only be detected if I'm standing with my back to a wall.  I don't wear it all the time, but I do wear it quite often and I've never had anyone complain about it.  I gave a copy to my sister to replace the one that we both used to wear, which was also very subtle but not as subtle as the one I made.  She wears hers constantly and has also never had a complaint.

I once had a friend tell me that I was vain for simply wearing a facelight, no matter how subtle it was.  I considered her comment and contemplated it for quite a while until I came to the conclusion that what she was suggesting was not and could never be possible.  I am not my avatar, which I consider to be the most attractive avatar in SL, simply because I created it to be extremely appealing to myself (which helps when you're attracted to the same sex... lol).  In order for me to be considered vain, I'd have to be similarly attracted to my RL self, which I can assure you, I am not.  As such, I see nothing at all wrong with wanting to gaze upon a thing of beauty as often as I possibly can.

The only claim against wearing facelights that I've ever heard that is actually worth considering is the one about the limited number of light sources that can be rendered in SL without advanced lighting turned on.  My answer to this is simple... I always run SL with advanced lighting turned on.  While I'm conflicted about affecting users that cannot or choose not to turn on advanced lighting, I fail to see why I should depreciate my enjoyment of SL for them or anyone else, for that matter.  That, plus, if they are so close to me that my very small radius of light is affecting their experience, then surely they need not be so close in the first place.  If this makes me selfish, then so be it.

...Dres

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You're third person vain?

[Nova Convair]

Facelights are old, obsolete and look like crap.

But that doesnt matter since I don't see them and everyone else who doesnt't like to see them can switch them off - all of them.

If you wear one I will not even know that if I'd meet you. So every discussion is pointless.

[Ren Toxx]

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Dresden Ceriano wrote: [...] 

I used directional lighting so that it would only cast light on my face [...]

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That's interesting, Dres... I thought directional lighting was only available with ALM on?

Gotta try it, anyway; thanks for the idea :smileywink:

[Drake1 Nightfire]

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SaraCarena wrote:

You have one already Clarence, it`s called "mute". Of course you`re totally right about sl being "fake" but c`mon, lola`s !!. What place do they have other than to objectify women more than they already are in sl. Apologies for going off topic.

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Right, because there are so many average looking avatars in SL... I have yet to come across a frumpy, mousey lokking female av. 99% of SL is filled with beautiful people. and you are complaining about some women who want fake boobs?!? Like no one in RL has them, right?

 

[Dresden Ceriano]

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Ren Toxx wrote:

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Dresden Ceriano wrote: [...] 

I used directional lighting so that it would only cast light on my face [...]

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That's interesting, Dres... I thought directional lighting was only available with ALM on?

Gotta try it, anyway; thanks for the idea :smileywink:

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Your thought was correct... it is a feature of advanced lighting.

...Dres

[Dresden Ceriano]

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Gadget Portal wrote:

You're third person vain?

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An amusing interpretation.  Since I choose not to roleplay a character any differently than who I am (besides the way I look, of course), it could be said that, because I am not vain, it would be improbable that I would have an avatar character which is.  But, it could just as easily be said that since I find my avatar attractive, that my avatar's character would find my avatar attractive as well, making it impossible for me to have an avatar character which is not vain.  Perhaps that's something to ponder later, in a different, more topical thread.

...Dres

[Griffin Ceawlin]

If you ever do decide to use a facelight, be prepared to hear the following:

"You're ruining local lighting."

"You're an attention whore."

"You're vain."

"You're selfish."

And the extreme:

"You're a griefer."

Heard it all before. Never from anyone inworld, mind you, just from busybodies on the Forum.

[Varquell Blaisdale]

I don't see how wearing a facelight could possibly translate to "you're vain" lol the simple fact of the matter is that, if im going to spend L$1,500 on a skin, i would atleast expect others to see the detail and how my avatar looks, therefore, SL should have a light setting that is default and looks good when you download the game. 

Ive decided to made the facelight very subtle, low intensity, low radius etc. I also did my windlight settings too and my avatar looks fine, no shadows under the eyes. My facelight is hardly noticable and does not light up my body, the floor, or anyone around me, it looks fine and i personally dont see how it could make me a newbie or a vain lol #

Thanks so much for all the feedback guys decided to have best of both worlds hehe

[Dresden Ceriano]

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Varquell Blaisdale wrote:

I... decided to have best of both worlds hehe

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Good for you.

...Dres

[Monica Querrien]

If everyone used the proper windlight, there would be no need to wear facelights at all. As for wanting people to see them, people can see if a person is very nicely put together, or needs work. Proper lighting isn't going to make someone look drastically different if everyone is being viewed in the same lighting.

[Ceka Cianci]

i'm wondering how they can be out of date if so many people still wear them?

hehehe

i use mine for pictures and i'll forget it sometimes..it's really low lighting..

i've never had anyone say anything bad to me before.. infact nobody has ever said anything about it when i forget i have it on..which tends to be a lot since i'll log off after taking pictures to go edit them..then still have my light on the next time i log in hehehe'

i've checked the distance on it before..someone ould have to be standing right in front of me for it to change anything on them..

[Venus Petrov]

I agree that, for the most part, facelights are not necessary for ME.  I will use a gentle one now and again for photography but that is it.  I used to wear one all of the time when I had a lousy graphics computer ('07, '08) and was called a 'lightbulb' on more than one occasion which I found curious as I could not even detect the effect of my own facelight.

Anyway, one can shut them off in viewer preferences if one does not wish to see them on others.

P.S. 'facelights' on lolas?  Hummm...the possibilities..lol

[Teagan Tobias]

Not necessarily aimed at you, or anyone, just an opinion...

Years ago a face light was almost needed. But many still went overboard and killed everything around them with the extreme lighting. Today they no longer “show off”, all they do is “pi$$ off” everyone around that gets blasted by the light. If you want people to see something you are trying to show off, a face light is the worst way to do it. I move away from them and have left places due to them. And if someone reading this owns a venue, this is one thing that will keep you from getting a tip, I can't tip if I am not there. But thats just me, or, IMHO.

[Venus Petrov]

I know someone who used to snap photos of avatars entering a club with glaring facelights and pass the photo to the offender.  Most of the time (99%?) they would be ignored.

So, do as you see fit and enjoy your SL.

[Ren Toxx]

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Varquell Blaisdale wrote: [...] 

I don't see how wearing a facelight could possibly translate to "you're vain" [...]

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As has been said, facelights are a sensitive topic (I can't personally figure out why, but it is), and as usual, some people can only manage one level above name-calling those who disagree with them   /*shrugs*/

 

Fortunately, as you have discovered now, both solutions (facelights and windlights) have their advantages and disadvantages, and can in fact be combined for different situations. Moderation, without bending to the huge sense of entitlement of a few, is the key to make the most of your SL experience without spoiling that of the other residents :smileywink:

[Pussycat Catnap]

Facelights cause serious issues for anyone running in 'Advanced Lighting Mode' - which is what is now more or less default, and needed for materials.

As a default - I run with advanced lighting on, and shadows off - which gets the same FPS as advanced lighting off.

 

Facelighting screws up all local lighting effects.

 

These are shots taken a few months ago, after trying to turn -down- the impact of the lights:

- This is a popular 'Soul' club in the south west corner of PG Bay City, that seems to have about 38 avatars 24/7 standing around mostly AFK.

On initial entry here, I basically had a white screen...

Facelights... ought to get their users sim-ejected. They had their place before advanced lighting. The screenshot above was before Materials and some other changes - changes that now make it much more useful to keep advanced lighting on.

 

(I've always wondered why the most popular clubs have the worst decor... and this one... is just a ground prim, a DJ-booth decoration, and a dance ball. No events or DJs... Every high traffic club I've been too in SL has garish decor, or less...)

 

[Perrie Juran]

The real issue as I see it is that there are still many people, especially newer users, who don't understand that what they see on their screen is not necessarily what someone else sees on their screen.

Essentially there are two reasons to wear a facelight.  You want to look good to yourself and/or you want to look good to others.

The problem with the second point, 'looking good to others,' is that you have no control over other peoples settings.  Some people will see no difference in the way you look.  Some people, yes you may look better.  But then their are those who you are going to look like trash too.

I have encountered people wearing attached lights who didn't even realize they had them on because of their own settings.  Usually this is with freebie hair.  I have met people wearing them because someone told them they'd look better with it.  But when I challenged them to take screen shots of themselves with and without and compare they actually could not see a difference.

My take on it is this.  If you want to look better to yourself, use the windlight settings.  A side effect will be everyone else will look better to you also.  This is the better way to go because while wearing a facelight may cause you to look better to a few other people, there are both people whom they will have no effect for and people who the facelights will completely screw up the environment for.

Just my two cents.

 

[Coby Foden]

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Dresden Ceriano wrote:

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Ren Toxx wrote:

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Dresden Ceriano wrote: [...] 

I used directional lighting so that it would only cast light on my face [...]

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That's interesting, Dres... I thought directional lighting was only available with ALM on?

Gotta try it, anyway; thanks for the idea :smileywink:

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Your thought was correct... it is a feature of advanced lighting.

...Dres

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Yes. And everybody who hasn't got ALM on will see that directional light as an ordinary one - light emitting to all directions.

I made two directional lights for my boat - to see better at night in narrow waterways were I'm going to. With ALM on they look superb - casting light only forward where I'm going to. WIth ALM off they look absolutely terrible - bright light shining all over the place.

 

[Coby Foden]

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Varquell Blaisdale wrote:

... if im going to spend L$1,500 on a skin, i would atleast expect others to see the detail and how my avatar looks ...

 

... therefore, SL should have a light setting that is default and looks good when you download the game.

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You cannot expect anything how others might see you. Many turn off attached light rendering in their viewers. So they do not see you as you expect them to see you. Your facelight was wasted effort - if you expected that everybody will see you as you yourself do.

SL has lots of different Windlight settings. Some are especially made so that skins look excellent. Then again if you adjust your Windlight setting to something where the skin looks perfect, others might have totally different Windlight setting on which your skin may not look so good.

So much for the "shared same experience". It does not exist in SL because everybody can tweak their personal settings (i.e. how they see the world) at will. :smileywink:

[Pussycat Catnap]

I'm also seeing a growing number of places with a 'No Facelights' sign right next to the script limits signs.

- As advanced lighting becomes the norm, I suspect the facelighters will get shoved off to a corner somewhere alongside the bling wearers and the people running 37mb's of scripts.

 

[Griffin Ceawlin]

Thanks for posting probably one of the most extreme examples of facelighing that you could find.

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Pussycat Catnap wrote:

Facelights... ought to get their users sim-ejected. 

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Buy a sim and eject anyone you like.

[Aethelwine]

It is all very well to say use windlight settings, but I am noticing when I go back to the secondlife viewer I get messages about not finding the TOR windlight settings used by the region. Obviously I can just pick a setting I want to use, but isn't the point of region windlight settings that everyone sees things kinda the same.

As for facelights... just use a subtle one like the free Nlight, if you need to because you can't otherwise get graphics settings such that you look good.