Advice needed for day 1 noob

[TheWhiteZilla]

Hey guys, I've seen videos on how to make an avatar, but didn't know really where to start out. At first I thought I wanted those mega body builder types, but then found out they're a bit dated and hard to work with. I found this avatar online, mostly lookin for a body type like this where its not steroid muscle body but normal like the picture in the post. What brand am I lookin at and for someone who has basic right out of the gate avi, what order should I be doing my avatar build with so I know how I can shop?

 

For instance, do I get the head first then find the body?

 

 

 

 

 

[Josephine Carissa]

Greetings Zilla,

I would suggest looking at @Skell Dagger blog for a start, he has lots of helpful information:

https://virtualbloke.com/noob-dude-a-style-101-for-the-second-life-male-avatar

Kind Regards,

Josephine

[Anita61 Anatine]

Besides the great advise from Josephina remember to get demos and try them out before buying anything

[Alwin Alcott]

34 minutes ago, TheWhiteZilla said:

Advice needed for day 1 noob

go around in SL, get some experience and wait with bodies/heads till you know how things work.

[Chris Corvinus]

The avatar in the picture is the Niramyth Aesthetic Avatar. And yes, it’s very dated. I would suggest the Legacy Athletic Body as it’s closest to what you want. Then you would have to find a head…Catwa and Lelutka both have male heads. Then a skin for the head and the body. Make sure they both match (same skin for head and body). Maybe others can suggest good skin stores for guys. I would but all that info is at home and I’m at work lol

[Yukiko Yeshto]

1 hour ago, Alwin Alcott said:

go around in SL, get some experience and wait with bodies/heads till you know how things work.

This is actually the best advice if you are indeed still new to SL. A mesh head/body (~ 3,000 to 5,000 L$ each) are quite an investment, and you also have to consider purchasing for a skin (~ 1,500-2,500 L$). Shapes are, in my opinion, the easiest thing to create, however, if you don't have a clue at all, you will have to put that on your shopping list as well. Plus, any other sort of enhancement, like hair, facial/body hair, and of course, clothing that is actually rigged for the specific body.

While some bodies may look good at first look, they are actually producing quite some lag. So you may also want to consider this for your own performance. There are many posts all over the forum where these things are explained in detail, and where various bodies have been compared in such regards. 

Understanding how all of that works can be quite overwhelming for beginners, and you wouldn't be the first one regretting to have invested quite a budget too early. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Yukiko Yeshto

[FreeToSL]

2 hours ago, Chris Nova said:

The avatar in the picture is the Niramyth Aesthetic Avatar. And yes, it’s very dated. I would suggest the Legacy Athletic Body as it’s closest to what you want. Then you would have to find a head…Catwa and Lelutka both have male heads. Then a skin for the head and the body. Make sure they both match (same skin for head and body). Maybe others can suggest good skin stores for guys. I would but all that info is at home and I’m at work lol

I agree with this, Legacy Athletic body seems close to what the OP is looking for, and is not as terribly dated as the Niramyth one.

However, I have always had a problem with the neckline in the Legacy body, even with BOM, that I didnt experience while I was using Signature. (although signature doesnt have the body type the OP is looking for)

[Marianne Little]

Welcome to SL and the forums! ❤️

What is your budget?

I would suggest Signature Gianni. It is very easy to shop for that body. It already has a good deal of arm muscle and it is easy to use a skin with a lot of muscles painted in over it.

Legacy Athletic is very good looking, but it does not have much support. The Legacy original body itself would be better because it is easy to shop for. And you can and use a skin with a lot of muscle painted on.

But I would say Signature Gianni for the easy shopping, lower price and a much lower complexity than any Legacy body.

I have another blog for you. This guy makes lots of different avatars with different bodies. And he goes for more "strong man" look than Skell Dagger who is slim.

But if you can't stand seeing MM kissing and a bit risky pictures, the blog is not for you. And a NSFW image can show up, because he also review mesh male parts that the avatar is missing. https://billybeaverhausen.com/

I must say that the best is to don't start shopping yet. Read blogs, walk around in SL, learn from Youtube how to unpack boxes, and learn what Demo is. Serious sellers offer demos so you can try before you buy. If it's not a demo, think twice. And then some more.

It is very smart that you come here and ask before you buy! So many start to throw out money and then struggle with what they bought.

[Marianne Little]

I will say, find the skin first. Skin makers work with different brands, and the topography is different on the heads. A skin made for a brand can be used with another head, but it will often look weirs around the eye corners, nostrils and mouth. I usually recommend this skin maker: (I don't know him, lol)

He has many dark skins that I personally like. And his body detail is great, I think.

But the LeLutka EVOX heads comes with good skin. You can take a look at their gallery and see if you like Ford or Luka. You save money because you get head + skin. And take the demo first and see what you think. https://lelutkasl.com/evolution-heads/

[Lillith Hapmouche]

I'm thinking if the shown body might rather be this one: 

Always on display at the Man Cave event.

One more component to demo ☺️

[TheWhiteZilla]

To be honest the Heracles body loooks dope as hell, would I have to find a matching head for that from another brand or?

[So Whimsy]

1 hour ago, Lillith Hapmouche said:

I'm thinking if the shown body might rather be this one: 

Always on display at the Man Cave event.

One more component to demo ☺️

I prefer a swimmer's build on my men but dayum, that body looks sweet.

[Janet Voxel]

3 minutes ago, So Whimsy said:

I prefer a swimmer's build on my men but dayum, that body looks sweet.

I would be careful with that body because it doesn’t use the SL UV. What that basically means is you would have to get skins specifically made for that body. Most skin makers use the SL UV.

Long story short, you’re going to have a hard time getting the skin you want and will have extremely limited choices.

Stick with the Jake/Gianni/Legacy trinity.

[Alwin Alcott]

2 minutes ago, Janet Voxel said:

I would be careful with that body because it doesn’t use the SL UV. What that basically means is you would have to get skins specifically made for that body. Most skin makers use the SL UV.

Long story short, you’re going to have a hard time getting the skin you want and will have extremely limited choices.

Stick with the Jake/Gianni/Legacy trinity.

and i think it's pretty new.?.. dare to doubt there's lot of clothing support

[Marianne Little]

Wow! The Herakles is new to me. I hope it will be support for it fast. Without clothes to buy, you have to wear only the clothes that comes with it.

Try the demo of a LeLutka head with it. I already linked to LeLutka and Stray Dog.

42 minutes ago, TheWhiteZilla said:

To be honest the Heracles body loooks dope as hell, would I have to find a matching head for that from another brand or?

 

 

 

 

[Marianne Little]

3 minutes ago, Janet Voxel said:

I would be careful with that body because it doesn’t use the SL UV. What that basically means is you would have to get skins specifically made for that body. Most skin makers use the SL UV.

Long story short, you’re going to have a hard time getting the skin you want and will have extremely limited choices.

Stick with the Jake/Gianni/Legacy trinity.

The body skin is theirs UV, but they list skin creators on that poster. Big, well known names. I would guess that Invictus are working with them and provide a neck fit so the head skin seamlessly blend with the body. A demo will show.

Does not Kupra have a different UV and that body got support real fast?

But guys does not shop much, so Invictus have to convince creators to supply this body with clothes, shoes and rigged items like piercings.

This body is a new, fresher, better bodybuilder than Aesthetic, and that one was very popular even if you could not find a body skin for it.

[Orwar]

7 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

But guys does not shop much

   Yes, quite the catch 22 that. No one makes anything worthwhile for the guys 'cause 'no one buys anything', but in reality 'we' don't shop 'cause there's nothing worthwhile to buy.

[Janet Voxel]

12 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

The body skin is theirs UV, but they list skin creators on that poster. Big, well known names. I would guess that Invictus are working with them and provide a neck fit so the head skin seamlessly blend with the body. A demo will show.

That may be, but I'm pretty sure there will be something like skins from those creators included in the HUD or with the body and they will not be making further skins for that body.

13 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

Does not Kupra have a different UV and that body got support real fast?

No, it uses the SL UV. You can definitely use a regular skin with Kupra.

15 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

But guys does not shop much, so Invictus have to convince creators to supply this body with clothes, shoes and rigged items like piercings.

This body is a new, fresher, better bodybuilder than Aesthetic, and that one was very popular even if you could not find a body skin for it.

But the question is....does it even get any support?

[Marianne Little]

2 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   Yes, quite the catch 22 that. No one makes anything worthwhile for the guys 'cause 'no one buys anything', but in reality 'we' don't shop 'cause there's nothing worthwhile to buy.

Yep... sorry. 😟 That is the reason I hear when it's questioned why it's so little clothes for guys.

But I have noticed more stuff for the men in weekend sales, and that is a good sign, is it not? I think stores that participate in the weekend sales see that they sell more than before.

I googled for reviews and found none, but for a video in Spanish or another language I don't understand.

[TheWhiteZilla]

Whats similar to this body that gets support would you say? Cause I've seen some where they look alright, but not as detailed when it comes to the body abs, muscles etc.

 

Also I'm online now if anyone would be down to come help me out 😏

Edited July 26, 2021 by TheWhiteZilla

[Persephone Emerald]

I'm gonna echo what others have suggested. Signature Gianni is probably your best bet for a body that has plenty of skins & clothes made for it. Belleza Jake is a good choice too, & I think it's slightly easier to use than Signature. Legacy male is also popular, but costs a bit more than Signature or Belleza. Apparently the Legacy athletic build is not as well supported as their standard male shape, so you'd be better off not going that route unless it's very  important for you to have the extra-muscular look.

Demo these bodies and see how you like them before paying for one.  Then do the same with heads - Demo, demo, demo.

 I don't think any of these bodies get great customer support. Belleza hasn't updated it's bodies in a while, so in that respect Signature of Legacy might be better.

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Persephone Emerald
to add info.

[Marianne Little]

1 minute ago, Janet Voxel said:

That may be, but I'm pretty sure there will be something like skins from those creators included in the HUD or with the body and they will not be making further skins for that body.

No, it uses the SL UV. You can definitely use a regular skin with Kupra.

But the question is....does it even get any support?

Thanks, then I know that about Kupra. I think new body creators need to be as good in marketing as Meshbody Legacy and Kupra.

[Marianne Little]

9 minutes ago, TheWhiteZilla said:

Whats similar to this body that gets support would you say? Cause I've seen some where they look alright, but not as detailed when it comes to the body abs, muscles etc.

 

Also I'm online now if anyone would be down to come help me out 😏

https://www.lure-sl.com/second-life-statistics-male-body/

Belleza has not had updates in years. And unless they do something about it, the news about the dormant body has started to spread. A popular blogger simply refuse to blog it because of the neck.

I wish you did not have to buy something just now. It is very interesting to see how this new body will pick up support.

[Alwin Alcott]

52 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

but they list skin creators on that poster. Big, well known names.

for the head.. so i think they have matching skinstones build in /delivered with the body

just a note... i don't understand the negativity around Belleza (M) .. it's well supported for clothes and other stuff, and broadly used. Looking fine.
Yes it doesn't get updates.. but very workable as it is.
Newer things like BOM are great, but not mandatory. People, and many are, don't really need weekly new bodies after updating a inner pixel in the armpit... it's mainly snobbery to get newest of newest.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Alwin Alcott

[TheWhiteZilla]

Welp, not gonna lie the inventory and applying ***** and taking things off is a bit overwhelming. Couldn't really find a tutorial that was beginner friendly or maybe I'm just too dense to understand the process of making an avi, wouldn't mind someone with me in game to help me