New to Mesh Bodies/Heads & SL

[EmmarieLee]

First, hello and thanks for taking the time to read this post from a newbie.
I'm Emma and I've been on SL for about 3 weeks now. I browse the forums, stalk group chats and talk to the very few people I know to try to get the information I need, but since I don't know many people and I'm not finding the information I'm needing I figured I'd post here.

My main question is how do I get started with mesh bodies/heads without sacrificing an arm and a leg in terms of cost? I've added money to my account and have ended up signing up for some amazing groups and getting some nice things. I recently got a mesh body from #TheMeshProject and I got the gift heads from Genesis Labs. From what I've learned so far certain clothing items won't work with certain bodies. A problem that I'm having is that only 1 pair of shoes that I have fit with the body that I wear. If I use just the classic avi then I have more options, but only a few. I'd love to wear the items that I have, but I guess I'm just confused on how the entire mesh system works. 

I'd really like to learn more and if anyone has any blogs or posts that they've come across that have helped them get a deeper understanding then I'd appreciate if you could let me know. There is a lot to learn in SL and so far I feel like I've managed to do well finding the information on my own, but sometimes the best answers come from the "experts" which hopefully are reading this right now.

So, just to make myself clear (if I didn't before) my question is how do I find a body that works with most types of shoes/clothes/accessories? I know there are a few main types out there such as Belleza, Slink, Maitreya, and I guess more recently Bento? 
I'd like opinions on which is best for a beginner and which is more cost effective. Again, being new I'm pretty limited to funds unless I add them with RL money. Finding a job in SL has been tough since I'm only 3 weeks unless I want to dance which I don't want to do. 
 

Any help, tips, articles, blogs, etc. are appreciated! 
Also feel free to IM me inworld! 
Thanks to everyone reading! 
Emmalee

[angeoco]

You can't get started with quality mesh bodies/heads without spending a few thousand lindens on the body/head. The TMP free body is very limited; it is popular with nudists, but offers very little customisation after that. I'm not familiar with the Genesis free head but I would be surprised if it wasn't hobbled as well.

The most popular female mesh body is Maitreya Lara, and so it also has the biggest selection of clothes designed to fit it out of the box. Slink has the biggest selection of shoes. The Belleza bodies are also popular, and there are also several other quality bodies. TMP is not recommended by those in the know. Bento is not a brand, it is a feature that all the main bodies support. The website Mesh Body Addicts has reviews of the most popular bodies and heads. All the major bodies have full-featured demo versions available, and you should try demos of all the bodies that interest you. Most of the bodies contain everything except the head, but Slink sells hands and feet separately. The most popular option starting out is to get the full body minus the head.

Clothes designed for your particular body are simplest to work with, but most other clothes can also be used, with a bit of work adjusting your shape and setting up the body, so there's no need to worry about that too much. The only clothes that definitely won't work are texture clothes ("painted-on" stuff like underwear) unless they include an applier compatible with your particular body or with Omega. Shoes do tend to only fit the body they are designed for, though boots are more forgiving.

There are lots of quality free clothes and shoes available in the usual freebie sources, group gifts, etc. Fab Free is a good blog to follow, with links to quality freebies every day. So you don't have to spend a fortune on clothes.

Edited August 9, 2017 by angeoco

[Tazzie Tuque]

hey there welcome to SL.  I have been in SL almost 12 years now,  and I was a hold out when it came to getting a mesh body and head.. It took me a few months to decide what I wanted and my criteria was:  the body had of course to look great, with the ability to use my own body shape with it,  it had to be one that had lots of clothing available for it, it had to have a great alpha hud so that I could wear other clothes with it as well.  So after testing out demos for the main body makers,  I settled on Maitreya Lara body (although I don't use the hands and feet, I use instead hands and feet by Slink).  Then there was the head,  after about 50 demos for those from a few head makers,  I ended up with none as I could not mess with the features..  Then came Bento heads which do allow for some alteration of the features, and after more testing I found a Catwa head that works for me.  Fortunately my skin is made by a skin maker who also does appliers for both Maitreya and Catwa, so the end result  is pretty close to the look I had already cultivated over the years which is what I was after.  I guess my point here is, experiment, get demos, read the Mesh Body Addicts website as suggested by aneoco,  and just have fun with it.. if you are looking for good skins to use that also does appliers for body and head 7 Deadly skins is a good place to start.  But do take your time, and be sure you are gonna really like the end result before making a huge investment.  Don't settle until you are perfectly happy !!

Edited August 10, 2017 by Tazzie Tuque

[Morgan Rosenstar]

On 09/08/2017 at 8:21 PM, EmmarieLee said:

how do I find a body that works with most types of shoes/clothes/accessories?

Maitreya Lara is compatible with SLink shoes, Omega appliers and most creators have a tacit consensus to support this meshbody over the others.

 

On 09/08/2017 at 8:21 PM, EmmarieLee said:

I know there are a few main types out there such as Belleza, Slink, Maitreya, and I guess more recently Bento? 

I'd like opinions on which is best for a beginner and which is more cost effective.

Maitreya Lara is the most beginner friendly. The HUD is very intuitive. It is also updated to Bento.

 

On 09/08/2017 at 8:21 PM, EmmarieLee said:

I'd really like to learn more and if anyone has any blogs or posts that they've come across that have helped them get a deeper understanding

As already mentioned, Mesh Body Addicts is a good blog with good reviews on the different mesh replacements (heads, bodies).

StrawberrySingh.com is another good blog, she usually provides a video along her review that shows the different options on this or that mesh.

[EmmarieLee]

Thanks for the response! 
In an effort to save money I've went with the Belleza Isis body and Catwa Sarah head. 

I do plan on getting the Maitreya body though because even though a lot of clothes go with Belleza bodies I've found most are fitted for the Lara body. I dont feel like I wasted money though because the Isis body really is beautiful. 

I think I'll end up buying a new head though. The Sarah version seems to have sharper facial features than I'd like. 
 

I've checked out both of those sites and love them. They're so helpful!

Thanks for the help! Greatly appreciated!!!
Oh, and I managed to get myself looking decent compared to what I was before haha.