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What we need is a new type of Skin


Darrius Gothly
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I haven't really dug into this .. it's just a wild idea borne from looking at a few of the products featured on the SLM. But it seems to me that what is needed is a new type of skin for models to wear. Instead of being ultra-realistic like skins tend to be, it would be bland, almost featureless, very much like a stylized and minimalized store manikin.

Part of the problem with advertising the more intimate items is .. all the "bits" show through. But with a clearly stylistic model to drape the product on, you can still display the final result without walking across lines of decency that some folks are picky about.

Just an idea ... shoot it or praise it as you wish.

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That certainly is one option. But posing a manikin (or mannequin as your spelling prefers) is a lot different than having a model use various animations for poses. Plus I was thinking that it needn't be that androgenous. It could be something like a doll or similar over-painted .. or deliberately muted looks.The body shape and facial features would be "correct" .. and it would look like a normal avatar .. mostly.

Something similar to this?



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I see what you mean, and if you are handy in photoshop and can use an SL template;  making a plain minimal detail skin would be easy.. I made a few several years ago, in different colours to be used with fantasy outfits..  or even get a hold of a cheap full perm skin template,  and blurr over or even remove the naughty bits so they don't show save it and upload it,  again pretty simple.

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Referring to my skill with graphics programs as "handy" would be an overstatement of immense proportions. LOL But I really put this idea up in case others felt it had legs and would make a nice side-line or addition to their offerings. There are many people much more skilled at skins and graphics than me. I just thought it would fill a niche that is there ... just hasn't been seen yet. (Okay .. maybe thats's more "opening" a niche .. but still ... )

Since you already walked down that road before, what was the interest in the offering? Did folks understand why it was different and how to use it? Or did they just kinda look .. maybe twice .. then shrug their shoulders and wander off?

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LOL,  well it was many years ago I been here 10 years so it was about 8 years ago I did that, and it was mainly for a few Halloween costumes, which actually sold pretty well back in the day..  they would NOT cut the mustard today for sure lol.  and I sold the whole shebang skin and clothing etc. in a pakage.  

As for your idea, who knows someone might pick it up.. but i am not a skin maker so don't think I would give it a go:)

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what is needed is a new type of skin for models to wear. Instead of being ultra-realistic like skins tend to be, it would be bland, almost featureless, very much like a stylized and minimalized store manikin.

I have one of those skins.  I use it for trying on clothing because even avatars get embarrassed when visitors land in the house.

 

I don't remember if it was a commercial PG skin or if I altered one of Eloh Eliot's freebies by deleting the naughty pixels, but it has all the sexiness of a commercial mannequin.

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Darrius Gothly wrote:

I haven't really dug into this .. it's just a wild idea borne from looking at a few of the products featured on the SLM. But it seems to me that what is needed is a new type of skin for models to wear. Instead of being ultra-realistic like skins tend to be, it would be bland, almost featureless, very much like a stylized and minimalized store manikin.

Part of the problem with advertising the more intimate items is .. all the "bits" show through. But with a clearly stylistic model to drape the product on, you can still display the final result without walking across lines of decency that some folks are picky about.

Just an idea ... shoot it or praise it as you wish.

I do not sell the type of intimate (apparently see-thru) apparel of which you speak, but if I did, I might consider the showing through of "bits" as their main selling point.  Nor do I believe those shopping for such intimacies would run screaming from their monitors when faced with an exposed "bit" or three.  I assume LL has set in place the ability to choose differing maturity levels when searching through Marketplace for just the type of person that would.

...Dres

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Dresden wrote:


Darrius Gothly wrote:

I haven't really dug into this .. it's just a wild idea borne from looking at a few of the products featured on the SLM. But it seems to me that what is needed is a new type of skin for models to wear. Instead of being ultra-realistic like skins tend to be, it would be bland, almost featureless, very much like a stylized and minimalized store manikin.

Part of the problem with advertising the more intimate items is .. all the "bits" show through. But with a clearly stylistic model to drape the product on, you can still display the final result without walking across lines of decency that some folks are picky about.

Just an idea ... shoot it or praise it as you wish.

I do not sell the type of intimate (apparently see-thru) apparel of which you speak, but if I did, I might consider the showing through of "bits" as their main selling point.  Nor do I believe those shopping for such intimacies would run screaming from their monitors when faced with an exposed "bit" or three.  I assume LL has set in place the ability to choose differing maturity levels when searching through Marketplace for just the type of person that would.

...Dres

I'm not the squeamish type either, but I can understand the POV that others who ARE squeamish would take. A lot of folks set their basic maturity rating to "G", thus a lot of Merchants do everything they can to get their listings also G-rated. After successfully filtering the description and other text to remove "naughty" words, they can set it to "G" .. and so they do.

But there is no automatic "this picture is not quite G-rated" filter for listings. It depends on someone spotting it, reporting it .. and LL taking action against the item. But even worse is the "poison pen" follow-up behavior that a lot of very strict folks employ.

As Merchants we all know the pain of being the recipient of a targeted attack. It's no fun, it has no useful purpose .. and it happens all too often in SL. In an effort to avoid such fall-out, I was thinking a pro-active approach would make more sense.

Using a model with appropriately fuzzed features and "bits" would allow a proper listing in the G-rated maturity setting .. but for decidedly mature products. (Up to a point of course...) Much the same way that an "Adult Novelty" store in a mall will use faked cutouts or non-descript mannequins to display merchandise that would be far too risque on a realistic human form.

It really wasn't a comment on the state of products, their maturity settings or any single maker/product in specific. It was more an idea of a way to remove any "issues" that might wrongly and inappropriately develop when one's toes are on the line.

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Alaska Metropolitan wrote:

I made one ages ago based on Eloh Elliot's for Footwear Expo's fashion shows. I also have a Slink (female) applier for it. If you want it for vendor pics or anything like that, send me an IM and I'll drop it on you.

Suggestion? Make it into a product, price it at what you think is appropriate .. and advertise it in the normal manner. See how it does. It might turn into a slow burner that .. over time .. keeps your account from hitting rock bottom.

(and we ALL know the joys of "what do you mean all my money is spent?!?" ... LOL)

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Darrius Gothly wrote:


Dresden wrote:


Darrius Gothly wrote:

I haven't really dug into this .. it's just a wild idea borne from looking at a few of the products featured on the SLM. But it seems to me that what is needed is a new type of skin for models to wear. Instead of being ultra-realistic like skins tend to be, it would be bland, almost featureless, very much like a stylized and minimalized store manikin.

Part of the problem with advertising the more intimate items is .. all the "bits" show through. But with a clearly stylistic model to drape the product on, you can still display the final result without walking across lines of decency that some folks are picky about.

Just an idea ... shoot it or praise it as you wish.

I do not sell the type of intimate (apparently see-thru) apparel of which you speak, but if I did, I might consider the showing through of "bits" as their main selling point.  Nor do I believe those shopping for such intimacies would run screaming from their monitors when faced with an exposed "bit" or three.  I assume LL has set in place the ability to choose differing maturity levels when searching through Marketplace for just the type of person that would.

...Dres

I'm not the squeamish type either, but I can understand the POV that others who ARE squeamish would take. A lot of folks set their basic maturity rating to "G", thus a lot of Merchants do everything they can to get their listings also G-rated. After successfully filtering the description and other text to remove "naughty" words, they can set it to "G" .. and so they do.

But there is no automatic "this picture is not quite G-rated" filter for listings. It depends on someone spotting it, reporting it .. and LL taking action against the item. But even worse is the "poison pen" follow-up behavior that a lot of very strict folks employ.

As Merchants we all know the pain of being the recipient of a targeted attack. It's no fun, it has no useful purpose .. and it happens all too often in SL. In an effort to avoid such fall-out, I was thinking a pro-active approach would make more sense.

Using a model with appropriately fuzzed features and "bits" would allow a proper listing in the G-rated maturity setting .. but for decidedly mature products. (Up to a point of course...) Much the same way that an "Adult Novelty" store in a mall will use faked cutouts or non-descript mannequins to display merchandise that would be far too risque on a realistic human form.

It really wasn't a comment on the state of products, their maturity settings or any single maker/product in specific. It was more an idea of a way to remove any "issues" that might wrongly and inappropriately develop when one's toes are on the line.

Oh well in that case... I find your suggested solution to this issue more problematic than that which it purports to resolve.  What you're actually suggesting is a way in which sellers of mature content could sell that mature content to those who either choose not or are not allowed to see it.

The only reason why an adult novelty shop in RL can get away with such a thing is because they're manned by actual employees capable of determining to whom it would or wouldn't be appropriate to sell.  We don't have that ability here, which is why such maturity levels have been put in place.

As far as I'm concerned, any merchant trying to sell mature items as g-rated content should be reported and face the negative ramifications of doing so.

...Dres

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Dresden wrote:

Oh well in that case... I find your suggested solution to this issue more problematic than that which it purports to resolve.  What you're actually suggesting is a way in which sellers of mature content could sell that mature content to those who either choose not or are not allowed to see it.

The only reason why an adult novelty shop in RL can get away with such a thing is because they're manned by actual employees capable of determining to whom it would or wouldn't be appropriate to sell.  We don't have that ability here, which is why such maturity levels have been put in place.

As far as I'm concerned, any merchant trying to sell mature items as g-rated content
should
be reported and face the negative ramifications of doing so.

...Dres

I suppose here is where we will have to remain in disagreement. While on the surface it would appear to be a simple "G or Not" answer, human nature is much more complex.

For example, your Profile Picture (here in the flogs) is a bit edgy for me. It's decidedly racy, but not overly so. However it's in a place where the norm should be totally G-Rated without a hint of sexuality or "forbidden fruits". Yet there it is .. and for what reason? Because it expresses who you are!

Fashions .. and especially intimate fashions .. are that odd category of product that "good folks" do not EVER buy. (But they will sneak back around and pick up a few when no one is looking.) It's about image, perception and public reputation. It's about how we think others see us. And that's where it gets REALLY complicated.

The intimate fashions of which I speak are no doubt sold to only adults (or kids without a clue). A responsible adult would see what it is, recognize it for its purpose .. and then make a private decision on whether to purchase or not. But those with a bent toward inflicting their opinions on the rest of the world will see an image that is racy, a garment for which the purpose is clear but unstated .. and raise holy heck in adamant protest.

I do agree, my "solution" (suggestion?) would allow Merchants to walk even closer to the edge. But in all honesty I think that most would use it to help prevent future issues ... even if they keep their products listed as Mature Only. It's one of those "public grace" habits that (IMO) makes a Merchant more popular .. and builds a solid customer base.

"Recognize the REAL extent of your customer base .. not just want you WANT them to be."

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I think I'll respond to this bit by bit.

 


Darrius Gothly wrote:

For example, your Profile Picture (here in the flogs) is a bit edgy for me. It's decidedly racy, but not overly so. However it's in a place where the norm should be totally G-Rated without a hint of sexuality or "forbidden fruits". Yet there it is .. and for what reason? Because it expresses who you are!

Firstly, I must commend you for being the very first person to bring up my forum badge within a context where it somewhat makes sense to do so.  I say somewhat, simply because your OP was specifically about bits showing through.  If my bits were showing through, I would fully expect to be reprimanded because of it.

As it is, there is nothing the least bit not g-rated about my pic nor does it hint at any sort of sexuality whatsoever.  It's not my fault (or intention) that you or anyone else would see a guy without a shirt on and automatically think in terms of "forbidden fruits".

 


Darrius Gothly wrote:

Fashions .. and especially intimate fashions .. are that odd category of product that "good folks" do not EVER buy. (But they will sneak back around and pick up a few when no one is looking.) It's about image, perception and public reputation. It's about how we think others see us. And that's where it gets REALLY complicated.

I don't find it complicated in the least.  There's nothing stopping anyone with the ability to shop for mature content from switching to a mature shopping experience when and only when they choose to do so; then switch back to general once they're done.

 


Darrius Gothly wrote:

The intimate fashions of which I speak are no doubt sold to only adults (or kids without a clue). A responsible adult would see what it is, recognize it for its purpose .. and then make a private decision on whether to purchase or not. But those with a bent toward inflicting their opinions on the rest of the world will see an image that is racy, a garment for which the purpose is clear but unstated .. and raise holy heck in adamant protest.

I would expect those sort of Puritanical individuals to be much more unsettled by a merchant that attempted to unscrupulously sell mature content as g-rated by graying out the naughty bits, than I would one with said content placed at an appropriate level of maturity, showing the product exactly as it's meant to be.

 


Darrius Gothly wrote:

I do agree, my "solution" (suggestion?) would allow Merchants to walk even closer to the edge. But in all honesty I think that most would use it to help prevent future issues ... even if they keep their products listed as Mature Only. It's one of those "public grace" habits that (IMO) makes a Merchant more popular .. and builds a solid customer base.

Obviously it would behoove merchants to display their mature content with some semblance of class and decorum.  But we're not talking about pornographic pictures here... we're talking about a bit of see-thru clothing.  I simply believe that merchants have enough to deal with without having to bend over backwards trying to appease some idiots who might be prone to becoming outraged over seeing mature content when they set themselves up to see mature content.

...Dres

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Darrius Gothly wrote:


Alaska Metropolitan wrote:

I made one ages ago based on Eloh Elliot's for Footwear Expo's fashion shows. I also have a Slink (female) applier for it. If you want it for vendor pics or anything like that, send me an IM and I'll drop it on you.

Suggestion? Make it into a product, price it at what you think is appropriate .. and advertise it in the normal manner. See how it does. It might turn into a slow burner that .. over time .. keeps your account from hitting rock bottom.

(and we ALL know the joys of "what do you mean all my money is spent?!?" ... LOL)

Oh I have enough products to worry about and it's hardly up to my current quality standards. It's just a nice little skin for snapping some vendor pics. :) Maybe I'll mess around with it more and make a freebie.

 

 

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