BOM Alphas - How to Use?

[ManekiNeko2017]

Hello everyone! 

I recently attempted to use a mesh item that required me to alpha out the mouth on my bento CATWA head.  The item came with an alpha specifically made to be used with the BOM function--which I do have an updated head that has the BOM button located in the Skin tab on the HUD.  I have included a link to the product I purchased below:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/VALKYR-The-Mantis-Kiss-NEW/20984354

I don't completely understand BOM yet and have done some research, but from what I understand, it is made to work with all alphas removed.  If this is the case, why does the updated CATWA head itself come with BOM-specific body alphas?  Why do these alphas not make the designated parts invisible when they are applied?  What is their purpose?  I removed all other alphas from my avatar, clicked the BOM button on the HUD and applied the alpha that came with this product.  I got to the "red" stage that shows the BOM function is working, but the alpha did nothing.  I also tried the CATWA BOM-designated alphas, and they seemed to do nothing.  I am using the recently updated Firestorm Viewer.  Is there a step I might be missing?

I would appreciate any insight anyone might have.  Thank you in advance!

--Suma

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by ManekiNeko2017

[Theresa Tennyson]

56 minutes ago, ManekiNeko2017 said:

Hello everyone! 

I recently attempted to use a mesh item that required me to alpha out the mouth on my bento CATWA head.  The item came with an alpha specifically made to be used with the BOM function--which I do have an updated head that has the BOM button located in the Skin tab on the HUD.  I have included a link to the product I purchased below:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/VALKYR-The-Mantis-Kiss-NEW/20984354

I don't completely understand BOM yet and have done some research, but from what I understand, it is made to work with all alphas removed.  If this is the case, why does the updated CATWA head itself come with BOM-specific body alphas?  Why do these alphas not make the designated parts invisible when they are applied?  What is their purpose?  I removed all other alphas from my avatar, clicked the BOM button on the HUD and applied the alpha that came with this product.  I got to the "red" stage that shows the BOM function is working, but the alpha did nothing.  I also tried the CATWA BOM-designated alphas, and they seemed to do nothing.  I am using the recently updated Firestorm Viewer.  Is there a step I might be missing?

I would appreciate any insight anyone might have.  Thank you in advance!

--Suma

 

What an alpha does is erase part of the "avatar bake" which is a series of special textures generated by Second Life for avatars. They were originally used for the default system body; BOM allows them to be used on mesh bodies instead.

Before BOM, mesh body parts use alphas to erase the avatar bake from the system body, making it invisible so it wouldn't poke through the mesh parts. However, with BOM if you were to wear the typical alphas for mesh body parts they would erase the graphics that you'd want to use for the new body parts. To get around this, a body part using BOM automatically erases large sections of the default avatar without needing an alpha to do this. With a head, it automatically erases the entire head bake from the default avatar and instead paints it on the mesh head.

However, with BOM you can still use alphas to erase part of the avatar bake - for example, the lips. In order to do this the mesh body part needs to be set up a certain way, which a body part maker offering BOM should do automatically. However, I just checked with a Catwa head - the BOM button apparently does set this up properly, but you'll need to log out and log in to see it.

If you're seeing your head turn red this usually means you're wearing an alpha that erases the entire head bake, which you do not want to do with BOM. Try taking off all alphas except for the one from your new purchase and then re-logging.

 

[ManekiNeko2017]

1 hour ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

What an alpha does is erase part of the "avatar bake" which is a series of special textures generated by Second Life for avatars. They were originally used for the default system body; BOM allows them to be used on mesh bodies instead.

Before BOM, mesh body parts use alphas to erase the avatar bake from the system body, making it invisible so it wouldn't poke through the mesh parts. However, with BOM if you were to wear the typical alphas for mesh body parts they would erase the graphics that you'd want to use for the new body parts. To get around this, a body part using BOM automatically erases large sections of the default avatar without needing an alpha to do this. With a head, it automatically erases the entire head bake from the default avatar and instead paints it on the mesh head.

However, with BOM you can still use alphas to erase part of the avatar bake - for example, the lips. In order to do this the mesh body part needs to be set up a certain way, which a body part maker offering BOM should do automatically. However, I just checked with a Catwa head - the BOM button apparently does set this up properly, but you'll need to log out and log in to see it.

If you're seeing your head turn red this usually means you're wearing an alpha that erases the entire head bake, which you do not want to do with BOM. Try taking off all alphas except for the one from your new purchase and then re-logging.

 

Thank you!  I will give this a try using a new copy of the head.

Edited April 28, 2021 by ManekiNeko2017