Help with avatar

[MaratKirilov]

So, I have bought a shape from Boston Blaisdell and all the components, but after watching all the videos and trying my best to put things together, the avi still looks like a Neanderthal. Is there anyone who can help with this? I’m willing to pay of course.

[Cinnamon Mistwood]

Can you take a picture of your avatar to show us?  Some people can tell what you need to do just by looking at it.

[Rowan Amore]

8 minutes ago, MaratKirilov said:

So, I have bought a shape from Boston Blaisdell and all the components, but after watching all the videos and trying my best to put things together, the avi still looks like a Neanderthal. Is there anyone who can help with this? I’m willing to pay of course.

Those shapes correspond to mesh heads and bodies purchased separately from other creators.  Wearing that shape with a system body{the underlying body everyone has) will look odd.  He seems to use mostly Lelutka mesh heads with his shapes. Legacy, Jake and Kario being mesh bodies.

✦ Shape for Lelutka Eon 3.1 Head
✦ 3 Body Shape versions for Legacy, Belleza Jake & Kario

[MaratKirilov]

8 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

Those shapes correspond to mesh heads and bodies purchased separately from other creators.  Wearing that shape with a system body{the underlying body everyone has) will look odd.  He seems to use mostly Lelutka mesh heads with his shapes. Legacy, Jake and Kario being mesh bodies.

✦ Shape for Lelutka Eon 3.1 Head
✦ 3 Body Shape versions for Legacy, Belleza Jake & Kario

I bought everything and still can’t get it together. Like, the nose looks weird and the skin tones don’t match even though I’m using the same skin tones. I’m not sure why this is so difficult, but if someone could just do this for me, I’d be really happy.

[Eddy Vortex]

From what I've observed, there are two ways of setting up the mesh avatar: the applier method and BoM method. This is just a general basics...

Let's start over by taking off everything until you're left wearing these 4 basic system body parts: skin, shape, hair/hairbase, eyes. Then choose one of the methods below.

The Applier Method: this is where you use HUD appliers to put the skin and eye textures on your mesh body.

1) Put on the body shape and brow shape (aka hairbase) you brought.

2) Put on your mesh body. Put on the alpha layer to hide body.

3) Put on your body skin applier. Click on the HUD to apply the skin. Detach the HUD.

4) Put on your mesh head, mesh eyes, and mesh teeth. Put on the alpha layer to hide the head and eyes.

5) Put on your head skin applier. Click on the hud to apply the skin. Detach the HUD.

6) Now for the eyes. Attach the eye hud applier. Click to apply the texture to eyes. Detach the HUD.

================================

The BoM Method: this method uses system layers as a way to put textures on your mesh body without the need for HUDs.

1) Put on the body shape and brow shape (aka hairbase) you brought.

2) Put on the eye layer.

3) Put on the head skin. It may be in the form of tattoo layer or system skin layer.

4) Put on the body skin. It may be in the form of tattoo layer or system skin layer.

5) Put on the mesh head and head HUD. Find the BoM button on the head HUD. Detach the HUD.

6) Put on the mesh body and body HUD. Find the BoM button on the head HUD. Detach the HUD.

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Eddy Vortex
forgot a word

[Echelon Alcott]

2 hours ago, MaratKirilov said:

I bought everything and still can’t get it together. Like, the nose looks weird and the skin tones don’t match even though I’m using the same skin tones. I’m not sure why this is so difficult, but if someone could just do this for me, I’d be really happy.

Hey Marat, it was nice chatting with you today inworld. As I mentioned in our conversation, you might want to take a look at this tutorial [link] on how to setup your mesh head and body, and this tutorial [link] on how to use BOM. If you'd like to confirm that your body and head are BOM activated, take a look here [link]; scroll down to the Lelutka Evolution and Belleza sections. Once you get the basics working, then we can move onto customizing your eyes, tattoo, body hair, hair base and so on. I also noticed that you have the starfish hands, so we'll need to look into a good bento AO for you.

Hope this helps!

[Maitimo]

For a bento hand AO, my alt uses this one:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Bento-Hand-Animator/11560035

Animations are subtle and look natural but most important they stop Belleza's splay fingers bug.

[Echelon Alcott]

1 hour ago, Maitimo said:

For a bento hand AO, my alt uses this one:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Bento-Hand-Animator/11560035

Animations are subtle and look natural but most important they stop Belleza's splay fingers bug.

I've used this one in the past. I'm satisfied with it, and the price is good. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/AnimAlive-BENTO-HANDS-animator-for-AO-dance-or-furniture-just-wear-UNISEX-ANIMATIONS-not-poses/13378769

Marat is currently not using an AO at all. So I'd recommend getting a full bento AO from either Vista or Body Language, which will fix the issue with the hands as well.

[MaratKirilov]

16 hours ago, Echelon Alcott said:

Hey Marat, it was nice chatting with you today inworld. As I mentioned in our conversation, you might want to take a look at this tutorial [link] on how to setup your mesh head and body, and this tutorial [link] on how to use BOM. If you'd like to confirm that your body and head are BOM activated, take a look here [link]; scroll down to the Lelutka Evolution and Belleza sections. Once you get the basics working, then we can move onto customizing your eyes, tattoo, body hair, hair base and so on. I also noticed that you have the starfish hands, so we'll need to look into a good bento AO for you.

Hope this helps!

I’m very grateful to you! I’m currently doing my assigned reading. 

[Nalates Urriah]

The image sections A, B, D, and E show how the avatar face can change based on the shape. Section A and E are the same classic avatar head. B and D are the same GAEG head.

The problem in SL is we wear heads made by one designer and bodies made by another designer but only one shape. Head designers make a shape for their head and use whatever body settings. Body designers make a shape for the body and use whatever settings for the head. It is up to us to blend the two shapes into one. The feature request was made hoping the Lindens would make it easier for us to blend the shapes.

[MaratKirilov]

With all credit to Echelon Alcott's infinite patience and kindness, a new Marat is coming together. What I don't know, if anyone can tell me, is how to actually *add* the Bento AO?

[Echelon Alcott]

2 hours ago, MaratKirilov said:

With all credit to Echelon Alcott's infinite patience and kindness, a new Marat is coming together. What I don't know, if anyone can tell me, is how to actually *add* the Bento AO?

Hello Marat. There are many places where you can get good AOs. My top two recommendations are Vista [SLurl] and Body Language [SLurl]. 

If you go to Vista, the signs will tell you which are the newest AOs, which are bento. At Body Language, all the male AOs I tried there were bento.

When you get to the stores, you can try the animations in the AOs, before deciding which one you want to purchase.

Once you purchase the AO, just add it; it is like a HUD. You can turn the AO on and off, if needed.

Some people will suggest that you use the AO built into Firestorm, but I understand that Firestorm does work in your computer, so it is better to just add the AO as a HUD in your case.

Hope this helps!

Edited January 19, 2022 by Echelon Alcott

[Nalates Urriah]

@MaratKirilov AO's are not really Bento or non-Bento. AO's are just the animation player controls.

Animations are either Bento or non-Bento. As far as the AO itself is concerned, an animation is just an animation. Bento or not makes no difference to the player. The promotional hype for an AO is unlikely to make that clear. Avoid letting it confuse you. Any AO will play any animation.

AO's are called Bento or not depending on what animations have been loaded into the AO. Many of us buy sets of animations or  individual animations and load them into Firestorm's built-in AO. I do a lot of mixing. I use Stands and Walks from a number of different sets. I very seldom like all the animations in any single set. Plus I build various sets for different occasions. I have ...like a valley girl... a more elegant lady, a working girl. and my mostly worn every day "me" set.

Most of the newer AO's are very script heavy. Wearing those AO's limits what else I can wear and stay under the 3MB limit I try to stay under. When flying or sailing I often remove my AO and rely on the vehicles animations/poses.

...and animations come in sizes. Usually small, medium, and large. The size related to avatar height. They very from animation maker to maker.

The free ZHAO II is an old note card based AO. But, it works well and has a small script load. When I am not using Firestorm, I wear the ZHAO.

Try several. Decide what works for you.