what does a shoebase do?

[nordicjohn]

what does a shoebase do? Neccessary with a mesh body with mesh feet?

[Lindal Kidd]

A shoebase distorts your classic avatar foot, so that it fits a shoe better.  For high heels, it also lifts you up onto your toes.

However, the distortion is not very comely.  Try wearing a shoe base sometime, without any other parts of the shoe.  Your foot distorts into a sort of wedge shape.

Because of this, classic shoes also were made with an "invisiprim", an item that made your foot invisible.  Invisiprims don't work any more, but they were a sort of precursor of alpha masks.

Nowadays, with mesh feet and mesh shoes, you might be able to get away without wearing the shoebase part.  However, I always do, because it affects my height, putting me up on my toes.

[Rolig Loon]

Lindal has it exactly right.  Depending on the type of shoe you're wearing, and the type of Av body, the shoe base might not make any difference at all.  Don't just assume that's the case, though.  Experiment with each new pair of shoes to be sure.

[Bobbie Faulds]

These days, what the shoebase does for the most part is adjust your hover height so your feet aren't buried in the ground. Some shoes you won't need it for. Try with or without and see how it works.