Applying asymmetric tattoos with TMP Legacy and using Tattoo layers

[Sheila Guisse]

Is it possible to do asymmetric tattoos with TMP Legacy? 

 

Also, it seemed that through advanced material editor you could use system tattoos as texture to apply. Am I misunderstanding something?

[Jennifer Boyle]

I am not familiar with that body. You can with the current (V5.3) version of the Maitreya Lara body. It can be done by wearing two tattoo layers and using the HUD to hide opposite arms of the two. I have no idea if other bodies and their HUDs have similar functionality. I suspect that some do, and some don't.

 

[Sheila Guisse]

17 hours ago, Jennifer Boyle said:

I am not familiar with that body. You can with the current (V5.3) version of the Maitreya Lara body. It can be done by wearing two tattoo layers and using the HUD to hide opposite arms of the two. I have no idea if other bodies and their HUDs have similar functionality. I suspect that some do, and some don't.

 

Actually with maitreya you only need one tattoo layer, and you just select where to apply (left arm, right arm) using the hud. And that way you can have asymmetric tattoos.

 

I knew it already, I come from Maitreya; that's why I've been wondering how it's done for Legacy. I can't believe they don't have such a feature, since every body does nowadays

[Sheila Guisse]

Apparently it can be done, only if the tattoo appliers support it. THere's no option on the HUD to do it

[Orwar]

   Whether asymmetric tattoos are possible on any given body is down to ... Well, a few different things, depending on how you approach it.

   I don't know what TMP's UV maps are, but any body that uses a UV map wherein the arms are two separate entities can have asymmetrical tattoos (or skins, or any other textures) made directly on the texture layer. Many bodies don't do this, however, and instead use an UV map wherein the arms are placed on the same spot of the UV map, to save space and allow a higher resolution of texture instead. Still, there is a trick, at least when it comes to Maitreya - and any other body that has a similar feature.

   Maitreya can deactivate parts of its layers, allowing you to apply a texture to the tattoo layer, and turn it off on the other arm. Great. But now the other arm is bare instead. To make it two different tattoos on either arm, you need to use two tattoo layers, one that you set up to only show one arm, and the other you then set up to only show the other, then you wear them both, and boom - asymmetrical tattoos. Also boom, you're now wearing two onion layers, bumping up your avi's triangle count by a ton; you may well end up being a jelly doll to most people, but if anyone is generous enough with their complexity settings to show you anyway, I guess they may notice if they look at you up close?

   Another thing with BOM is, any system layer can only have up to 3 textures - head, top, and bottom. So even if you made a mesh body that you UV'd in such a way that each part of it is separate, perhaps even did the arms on a completely different map than the torso to allow for higher resolution, then you'd need to use an applier system to put the skins on the body.

   Whether this is sufficient with modern expectations of graphics, meh - some people do very detailed tattoos and skins with the 3 map system just fine. But HD lips, nipples, eyes, etc, can have the same resolution as an entire torso with arms. We'll just have to see what the future brings - I've already seen some creators getting really creative with how they use BOM and how they circumnavigate its limitations.

[Wulfie Reanimator]

On 11/13/2020 at 6:24 PM, Orwar said:

Another thing with BOM is, any system layer can only have up to 3 textures - head, top, and bottom. So even if you made a mesh body that you UV'd in such a way that each part of it is separate, perhaps even did the arms on a completely different map than the torso to allow for higher resolution, then you'd need to use an applier system to put the skins on the body.

Don't forget -- BOM has extra features specifically tailored for asymmetry. BOM itself separates one of the arms and legs.

LEFT_ARM_BAKED and LEFT_LEG_BAKED can be used to apply a different texture to the other half. They both use the exact same UV layout. This means that you just need to make two versions of the base texture, one with bare skin and one with the tattoo. Then you apply the clean texture to either the default slot and the tattoo version to the left arm, or the other way around if you want the tattoo on your right arm.

Edited November 15, 2020 by Wulfie Reanimator

[Orwar]

5 hours ago, Wulfie Reanimator said:

Don't forget

   I had no idea, actually .. I'll have to look into this. When I'm awake properly. 

[Wulfie Reanimator]

On 11/15/2020 at 12:58 PM, Orwar said:

   I had no idea, actually .. I'll have to look into this. When I'm awake properly. 

I'll include some advice here since somebody asked me how to do it in-world.

From your inventory, you'll need to click the little plus-icon to create a "new clothing > new universal." Then you can wear it and edit it just like any other clothing/tattoo layer.

[Orwar]

48 minutes ago, Wulfie Reanimator said:

I'll include some advice here since somebody asked me how to do it in-world.

   Oh, so that's what those are .. Thank you!