BOM on a custom mesh

[PureRich]

Hello people,

I'm still not experienced with BOM, but I would like to know how to use BOM on a custom mesh.

My aim is to have different textures and layer them on top of each other, but also be able to color each channel individually.
Is this possible?
Does each channel have its own materials options?
How many channels can I have per custom mesh?

Regards,
PureRich

[Theresa Tennyson]

17 hours ago, PureRich said:

Hello people,

I'm still not experienced with BOM, but I would like to know how to use BOM on a custom mesh.

My aim is to have different textures and layer them on top of each other, but also be able to color each channel individually.
Is this possible?
Does each channel have its own materials options?
How many channels can I have per custom mesh?

Regards,
PureRich

You seem to be confusing the term "channel" and "layer." "Channels" are composited textures created by the baking service that can be applied to various parts of the avatar. Most current avatars, including the system avatars, use three "channels" - "HEAD", "UPPER_BODY" and "LOWER_BODY". The baking service now can provide up to eight 1024 x 1024 channels, but just because they're there doesn't mean that you should use more than necessary. Any of the channels can be applied to any part of a non-standard avatar using any UV map; however, there is a small blank spot in the "HEAD" channel used for system eyelashes that you'll have to work around.

Within each "channel" there are the potential of using over 50 layered diffuse textures by using wearable assets. If you use channels other than "HEAD", "UPPER_BODY" and "LOWER_BODY" you'll need to use the "Universal" wearable and you won't be able to use worn alphas for those channels. Every wearable can be textured and tinted individually.

BOM does not support materials; however, the body can be textured with materials and worn alphas will cut through them the same as with the diffuse texture.

ETA: If this is about your toe overlays and lighting issues, the problem that's happening in your previous posts is that bodies are set to "Alpha Masking" and your overlays are set to "Alpha Blending" in order to fade out. Under certain lighting conditions, especially projector lights, alpha blending and alpha masking will look different even with exactly the same texture.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by Theresa Tennyson

[PureRich]

Thank you very much for explaining me the difference between "channel" and "layer".

It's not about the skin part of the toe overlays, but about the nail itself.

I want to build a applier system, and for that I need to know how to layer different textures on top of each other and color them individually.
This should happen on a custom mesh with a custom UV map.

Regards

Edited November 1, 2021 by PureRich

[Aethelwine]

Not entirely sure if I understand your question.

To apply BOM to an object, in firestorm at least, edit the object when worn, select a face, the texture tab and click the preview texture image. From there you should see you can add a texture from inventory, a local texture or a Baked texture. If you select Bake there is then a drop down of the textures you can use that are bom enabled on a body. I presume for toe nails you would want to select the one for lower body, or left leg?

If you add your toenail tattoo, it should then bake on to the texture on the face you set up for it above the skin texture.

You can add quite a few tattoos, it used to be 6 but it is more now.

Does that help? or is there something more complex you are asking?

Edited November 3, 2021 by Aethelwine

[Drake1 Nightfire]

On 11/1/2021 at 7:32 AM, PureRich said:

Thank you very much for explaining me the difference between "channel" and "layer".

It's not about the skin part of the toe overlays, but about the nail itself.

I want to build a applier system, and for that I need to know how to layer different textures on top of each other and color them individually.
This should happen on a custom mesh with a custom UV map.

Regards

If your custom mesh doesnt use the SLuv it wont be BOM. I assume you are talking about a mesh body? BOM removes the need for an applier entirely. You wear the clothing/skin/tattoo/makeup layer and off you go. 

[PureRich]

My aim is to have a HUD applier system for nails.

Different layers of patterns to apply on top of each other as a texture on the custom nail mesh.
The colors can be changed of the individual layers.

No tattoo, no skin or body.

Regards

[Lillith Hapmouche]

That sounds incredible laggy, just by reading it...

[Rowan Amore]

So, you are creating mesh nails and want to apply different layer on them using an applier?  Can't say I've ever seen a mesh item (aside from a body or head) with applier HUD that allowed more than one applier at a time.  I own mesh nails from several different places that include coloring huds and it's one color at a time.  

[PureRich]

11 hours ago, Lillith Hapmouche said:

That sounds incredible laggy, just by reading it...

Please explain it.

9 hours ago, Rowan Amore said:

So, you are creating mesh nails and want to apply different layer on them using an applier?  Can't say I've ever seen a mesh item (aside from a body or head) with applier HUD that allowed more than one applier at a time.  I own mesh nails from several different places that include coloring huds and it's one color at a time.  

Yes. That's why I'm doing it.

[Theresa Tennyson]

12 hours ago, PureRich said:

My aim is to have a HUD applier system for nails.

Different layers of patterns to apply on top of each other as a texture on the custom nail mesh.
The colors can be changed of the individual layers.

No tattoo, no skin or body.

Regards

If you want all the nails to have the same set of effects that will be very easy - just use a free BOM channel and stack up all the various effects using universal wearables.

If you want to allow different nails to look different from each other that's going to get complicated. You'd need to set up a matrix with your textures and set up the wearables like that - (i.e. imagine a bingo card: "left middle toe" would be "N4", for instance). It's doable but it would be far more work than the average consumer would want to deal with.

[Drake1 Nightfire]

13 hours ago, PureRich said:

My aim is to have a HUD applier system for nails.

Different layers of patterns to apply on top of each other as a texture on the custom nail mesh.
The colors can be changed of the individual layers.

No tattoo, no skin or body.

Regards

But, most mesh bodies have done away with the dozens of layers and now just use system layers. Thats what BOM is. I think you want to utilize the system layers as a hud? I dont know i there is a max for each layer, it was 5 at one time i believe, all you would have to do is make different textures for for nails and.... Wait.. Dont mesh bodies use unique nail appliers? I remember seeing different UVs for various mesh bodies in the creator packs specifically for nails. Like, Slink, Maitreya, Belleeza, and the rest all use different UVs for nails, they arent universal. ZI could be wrong, but that would throw a monkey wrench into your plans, no?

[PureRich]

1 hour ago, Theresa Tennyson said:

If you want all the nails to have the same set of effects that will be very easy - just use a free BOM channel and stack up all the various effects using universal wearables.

If you want to allow different nails to look different from each other that's going to get complicated. You'd need to set up a matrix with your textures and set up the wearables like that - (i.e. imagine a bingo card: "left middle toe" would be "N4", for instance). It's doable but it would be far more work than the average consumer would want to deal with.

Yes, I have already a concept for the matrix.
But not build or scriptet so far. Not sure how much this would cost me.

The problem is that I've never worked with BOM and therefor I have a problem with planing the system.
Also there is no simple tutorial that showcases the BOM with a custom mesh.

45 minutes ago, Drake1 Nightfire said:

But, most mesh bodies have done away with the dozens of layers and now just use system layers. Thats what BOM is. I think you want to utilize the system layers as a hud? I dont know i there is a max for each layer, it was 5 at one time i believe, all you would have to do is make different textures for for nails and.... Wait.. Dont mesh bodies use unique nail appliers? I remember seeing different UVs for various mesh bodies in the creator packs specifically for nails. Like, Slink, Maitreya, Belleeza, and the rest all use different UVs for nails, they arent universal. ZI could be wrong, but that would throw a monkey wrench into your plans, no?

I have my own nail system.
It has a standard for all bodies.

Edited November 4, 2021 by PureRich

[Drake1 Nightfire]

9 minutes ago, PureRich said:

I have my own nail system.
It has a standard for all bodies.

So, you made a singular custom mesh nailset that are rigged for every mesh body? How? 

[PureRich]

10 minutes ago, Drake1 Nightfire said:

So, you made a singular custom mesh nailset that are rigged for every mesh body? How? 

Build and positioned in Blender, imported to SL and done.
It's a bit technical to describe the process in detail and it's also kind of my secret to have a unique product on the SL marketplace.

[Drake1 Nightfire]

3 minutes ago, PureRich said:

Build and positioned in Blender, imported to SL and done.
It's a bit technical to describe the process in detail and it's also kind of my secret to have a unique product on the SL marketplace.

Looking over your store, it seems you have made nails for each different mesh body as it is impossible to rig ONE mesh to fit all of them. Not without hundred of layers and invisible mesh pieces. Which will lag out not only the wearer but everyone around them. 

[PureRich]

19 minutes ago, Drake1 Nightfire said:

Looking over your store, it seems you have made nails for each different mesh body as it is impossible to rig ONE mesh to fit all of them. Not without hundred of layers and invisible mesh pieces. Which will lag out not only the wearer but everyone around them. 

Without telling too many details, the mesh is in very low resolution.  
Don't worry about that.

I would like to point you to the topic. BOM for custom meshes.
Do you know a step by step tutorial?

[Drake1 Nightfire]

2 hours ago, PureRich said:

Without telling too many details, the mesh is in very low resolution.  
Don't worry about that.

I would like to point you to the topic. BOM for custom meshes.
Do you know a step by step tutorial?

Again, BOM doesnt work that way. It uses system layers to apply to a mesh body that uses SLuv. If your custom mesh doesnt use that BOM wont work. The BOM system does NOT use a HUD. You just wear system layers and they apply. You want a custom HUD for your own mesh. You kind of have to make that yourself. 

[PureRich]

On 11/4/2021 at 4:28 PM, Drake1 Nightfire said:

Again, BOM doesnt work that way. It uses system layers to apply to a mesh body that uses SLuv. If your custom mesh doesnt use that BOM wont work. The BOM system does NOT use a HUD. You just wear system layers and they apply. You want a custom HUD for your own mesh. You kind of have to make that yourself. 

Probably I understand.

Do you know someone who could help me out with building this HUD?

Regards

[Jenna Huntsman]

Why are you overcomplicating it?

Use one of the BoM AUX layers (I'd recommend using either AUX_2 or AUX_3 to avoid conflicting with LeLutka's ear textures) and use the bakes system to handle tinting and layering. That means you don't need 100s of onion layers, you don't need a HUD, and users are free to create their own compatible textures (if they're so inclined).

[Drake1 Nightfire]

1 hour ago, Jenna Huntsman said:

Why are you overcomplicating it?

Use one of the BoM AUX layers (I'd recommend using either AUX_2 or AUX_3 to avoid conflicting with LeLutka's ear textures) and use the bakes system to handle tinting and layering. That means you don't need 100s of onion layers, you don't need a HUD, and users are free to create their own compatible textures (if they're so inclined).

I dont think they want people making layers for their mesh

 

[PureRich]

2 hours ago, Jenna Huntsman said:

Why are you overcomplicating it?

Use one of the BoM AUX layers (I'd recommend using either AUX_2 or AUX_3 to avoid conflicting with LeLutka's ear textures) and use the bakes system to handle tinting and layering. That means you don't need 100s of onion layers, you don't need a HUD, and users are free to create their own compatible textures (if they're so inclined).

Sounds great, but how to achieve it?

I need a tutorial for this.

Is there a script I can purchase to support me building the HUD?

42 minutes ago, Drake1 Nightfire said:

I dont think they want people making layers for their mesh

 

Why do you believe this?
If the technology is there, people can use it.

[Jenna Huntsman]

5 minutes ago, PureRich said:

Sounds great, but how to achieve it?

I need a tutorial for this.

Is there a script I can purchase to support me building the HUD?

Why do you believe this?
If the technology is there, people can use it.

Here's a good primer on how to set up BoM: https://modemworld.me/2019/08/27/bakes-on-mesh-a-basic-primer/

HUDs, your best bet would be to contact a scriptor via the Wanted forum, or tinker with LSL yourself and get some assistance from the LSL forum.

[PureRich]

8 minutes ago, Jenna Huntsman said:

Here's a good primer on how to set up BoM: https://modemworld.me/2019/08/27/bakes-on-mesh-a-basic-primer/

HUDs, your best bet would be to contact a scriptor via the Wanted forum, or tinker with LSL yourself and get some assistance from the LSL forum.

Thank you very much.

I'll get into this now.

[Lucia Nightfire]

On 11/3/2021 at 6:24 AM, Drake1 Nightfire said:

If your custom mesh doesnt use the SLuv it wont be BOM. I assume you are talking about a mesh body? BOM removes the need for an applier entirely. You wear the clothing/skin/tattoo/makeup layer and off you go. 

Unless I'm misunderstanding the target application, I just wanted to mention that BoM is not SLUV exclusive/dependent.

It just has to use textures with UV layouts similar to whatever head/body/body part they're meant for.

There are currently anime/furry/feral heads/bodies that use BoM that are certainly not SLUV.

[Drake1 Nightfire]

1 hour ago, Lucia Nightfire said:

Unless I'm misunderstanding the target application, I just wanted to mention that BoM is not SLUV exclusive/dependent.

It just has to use textures with UV layouts similar to whatever head/body/body part they're meant for.

There are currently anime/furry/feral heads/bodies that use BoM that are certainly not SLUV.

At its most basic, BOM is simply a series of coding that tells a mesh body part to apply a SL system layer to specific parts of said mesh body part. Appliers have nothing to do with it. Its not technically a BOM if its an applier. If we start mixing up the two systems then people will get very very confused. 

If those anime/furry/feral heads/bodies use an applier to add skins/tatts/makeup, they are NOT BoM. They are an applier system. If they use system layers then they have to use SLUv as you the system mesh is based on that.