Why do so many shapes have ugly, block-like heads?

[palmiera]

I've been looking at skins and shapes, and I keep finding free or almost-free shapes that have nice bodies but great big heads. Why is that? Some shapes are normal, have normal-size heads and nice faces, but A LOT of them have enormous block-like heads with weird faces.

Is this a style?

Someone told me it was so you'd have to pay for the REAL shape (with a normal head). Is that true?

Edited January 30, 2021 by palmiera

[LittleMe Jewell]

28 minutes ago, palmiera said:

I've been looking at skins and shapes, and I keep finding free or almost-free shapes that have nice bodies but great big heads. Why is that? Some shapes are normal, have normal-size heads and nice faces, but A LOT of them have enormous block-like heads with weird faces.

Is this a style?

Someone told me it was so you'd have to pay for the REAL shape (with a normal head). Is that true?

The shapes are likely designed for specific Mesh heads.  The underlying shape for Mesh Heads almost always looks really odd, but it works right once the applicable mesh head is attached.  The vendor/ad for those shapes should mention the mesh head that the shape is designed for.  

If you do not use a mesh head, then look for a shape designed for a Classic or System avatar.  Or buy one of the others, IF IT IS MOD, and edit it yourself.

Edited January 30, 2021 by LittleMe Jewell

[Rolig Loon]

24 minutes ago, palmiera said:

Someone told me it was so you'd have to pay for the REAL shape (with a normal head). Is that true?

Yup.  You are looking at demo bodies.  Most designers offer free versions of their work to you can try it out before spending a lot of L$.  Desigfners aren;t dumb, though.  They know that some people would gladly just take the demo body instead of buying the real thing after they have given it a trial run, so they sabotage the free version by giving it big feet or a big nose or blocky hands.  ALWAYS try out the demos before you buy, but don't expect to get many good quality products without paying for them.

[palmiera]

Just now, LittleMe Jewell said:

The shapes are likely designed for specific Mesh heads.  The underlying shape for Mesh Heads almost always looks really odd, but it works right once the applicable mesh head is attached.  The vendor/ad for those shapes should mention the mesh head that the shape is designed for.

Thanks for that. But still, the heads must be huge, right?  I haven't seen that many people in Second Life, but I haven't seen anyone with a head that size.

[Fritigern Gothly]

Yes, this is true. Note that the ones that you describe are demos. Not all demos have grotesque heads, some have huge hands and/or feet.

Demos are supposed to show you what you will be buying, and to make sure you don't just use a demo instead of the actual item creators make it so that it is not attractive to wear the demo. With shapes this is done by changing a body part to make you look otherwise ridiculous, but skins, clothing, hair, etc, typically have demo written over it or have an extra demo sign that you carry around.

[palmiera]

3 minutes ago, Fritigern Gothly said:

Yes, this is true. Note that the ones that you describe are demos. Not all demos have grotesque heads, some have huge hands and/or feet.

Demos are supposed to show you what you will be buying, and to make sure you don't just use a demo instead of the actual item creators make it so that it is not attractive to wear the demo. With shapes this is done by changing a body part to make you look otherwise ridiculous, but skins, clothing, hair, etc, typically have demo written over it or have an extra demo sign that you carry around.

Okay, demos -- got it. But then I'd have to buy the real shape to see the right face.

Edited January 30, 2021 by palmiera

[LittleMe Jewell]

3 minutes ago, palmiera said:

Thanks for that. But still, the heads must be huge, right?  I haven't seen that many people in Second Life, but I haven't seen anyone with a head that size.

I forgot about the "demo - make something about it really bad" part.  While the underlying system head for a mesh head almost always looks really odd, the really big ones would be the "demo protection" ones.

[Fritigern Gothly]

1 minute ago, palmiera said:

Okay, so there'd be a shape for sale with a normal-size head, then.

Yes, that is indeed the case, unless you were playing with toddler shapes 🙂

When in doubt, contact the creator, most creators that I have ever talked to are kind and will patiently explain everything you want to know.

[Rolig Loon]

Perhaps the missing bit of information here is that the shape for a mesh body usually does not include a head.  Heads are sold separately, often by a different creator.  When you buy a body, the smart thing to do is get a demo that you like the look of and then go shopping for demo heads that look good with it.  When you settle on a combination that you like, then go back and buy the real body and the real head.

[palmiera]

Thank you all. I just went back and re-read all your answers, and I think I get it now.

[Rowan Amore]

1 hour ago, palmiera said:

Thank you all. I just went back and re-read all your answers, and I think I get it now.

If the shape you are looking at also say for ..catwa, genus, lelutka....those are shapes for those specific mesh heads and @LittleMe Jewellanswer would be the reason the head is large.  I've not seen a demo shape for a system head/body have a large head but as the others mentioned, they usually have large hands and feet.  

Edited January 31, 2021 by RowanMinx

[palmiera]

1 hour ago, RowanMinx said:

If the shape you are looking at also say for ..catwa, genus, lelutka....those are shapes for those specific mesh heads and @LittleMe Jewellanswer would be the reason the head is large.  I've not seen a demo shape for a system head/body have a large head but as the others mentioned, they usually have large hands and feet.  

Right -- that makes sense. I looked through my inventory, and all the big-head shapes AREN'T demos, and they all have "catwa" or "genus" on them.

I'll have to get a demo head and see how it squishes all that extra shape inside.

[Rowan Amore]

3 minutes ago, palmiera said:

Right -- that makes sense. I looked through my inventory, and all the big-head shapes AREN'T demos, and they all have "catwa" or "genus" on them.

I'll have to get a demo head and see how it squishes all that extra shape inside.

That made me laugh..all of us squishing our big heads into our mesh heads but surprisingly, it works!  Good luck.