Best type of Avatar, I know there are many right answers but I an confused to HECK

[SheMakesYou]

OK, 
I am newish but am making a new Avatar and I have had several tries not spending much and I find the clothes, boots etc are a bit hit and miss.
Female wanting to be looking good as a dom.
I think I need Mesh?
I understand there are many types of mesh, of makers, any pointers to what you think are the best and why?
I think It would be good to have separate feet, head, maybe hands, maybe more,  the feet I am realising that that makes boots possible.
Skins, and maybe layers? see I am still confused.

So, if I have banged on a little maybe you can point me in the direction of some reading, articles, Youtube resources etc. Anything you wish you knew before you blasted out and then like a 50p/50cent rocket fell to earth.

I am also considering an Avatar that is just role ready with outfits but that is costly and, I think maybe only able to take it's own clothes. 

If you are allowed, pointers to merchants/stores.
I saw some recommendation re Avatars and did not know where to look to buy.
All in all, bit confused, blundering my way around and I will get there in the end; any help will be very welcome.
I have been trying for such a long time, with a different account.
OK it's a few weeks and I am slowly making progress but I would like to make an investment that will take me forward and I am still not sure, Thanks

[Ayashe Ninetails]

11 minutes ago, SheMakesYou said:

OK, 
I am newish but am making a new Avatar and I have had several tries not spending much and I find the clothes, boots etc are a bit hit and miss.
Female wanting to be looking good as a dom.
I think I need Mesh?
I understand there are many types of mesh, of makers, any pointers to what you think are the best and why?
I think It would be good to have separate feet, head, maybe hands, maybe more,  the feet I am realising that that makes boots possible.
Skins, and maybe layers? see I am still confused.

So, if I have banged on a little maybe you can point me in the direction of some reading, articles, Youtube resources etc. Anything you wish you knew before you blasted out and then like a 50p/50cent rocket fell to earth.

I am also considering an Avatar that is just role ready with outfits but that is costly and, I think maybe only able to take it's own clothes. 

If you are allowed, pointers to merchants/stores.
I saw some recommendation re Avatars and did not know where to look to buy.
All in all, bit confused, blundering my way around and I will get there in the end; any help will be very welcome.
I have been trying for such a long time, with a different account.
OK it's a few weeks and I am slowly making progress but I would like to make an investment that will take me forward and I am still not sure, Thanks

Hi newbie!

Couple questions - how much are you willing to spend (super super budget avatar or something a bit more pricey)? And - do you like to shop? *grins*

If you're wanting something near-free, my suggestion would be go for the free Lucybody and the free Genus Strong head gift. Lucy will fit the majority of Maitreya clothes and shoes, so your closet will explode in no time. For tall boots, you'll want the foot addon (99L I think), and you'll need the BOM relay for 199L. Grab a super affordable skin in a weekend sale (tomorrow starts Saturday Sale and Happy Weekend, so you could grab a skin for 60L-75L, at the most). Shop the rest (hair, clothes, shoes, accessories) with free group gifts.

Something a bit more expensive - get a well-supported body (Maitreya, Legacy, Reborn, Kupra, etc.), the free Genus or something from Lelutka's Evo X line (3800L-ish) and shop the weekend sales for the rest.

If none of that makes sense, that's okay. I just wanted to throw some general recommendations out there, but if you need more in-depth help, I can post some store landmarks and give you a more thorough walkthrough of how to put things together.

[colleen Criss]

OR, you could demo / purchase Kalhene ERIKA and be set to go out of the box. Body , head, skins, clothes , shoes. If you need it it's there.

[Nalates Urriah]

A best body is only a personal preference. There are so many variables to consider and we each have our own opinions on those variables.

A consideration many have is how much support a body has from clothes designers. I think there is plenty of support for Slink, but others find it hard to find clothes for Slink. So I say it is more a matter of how easy or hard it is to find the designers supporting your body. The more designers, the easier, of course. But, that doesn't necessarily mean you are limited. And there are bodies that have very few designers making clothes for them.

For others of us it is appearance. I dislike BIG butts. I like small butts. Others like huge or really small boobs. I like perky mid sized breasts. Mesh bodies do not work well when you have to push shape sliders to the max or min. So, we look for bodies that start with huge or small breasts. That gets us close to what we want and we have room on the ends of the shape slider controls. Always move the camera around the avatar when checking to see how a demo works. Often breasts that look OK from the front are horribly misshapen when seen from the side.

Then there are HUDs to control the body. Some are well designed and intuitive to use. Others often are total puzzles to the user.

There is the tech used in making the body. I think Slink is by far the best tech-wise. I hate Maitreya's misshapen shoulders. But most Maitreya users are oblivious to that. The advantage to body, feet, and hands being one attachment is the reduction in attachment points needed. Many find the limit on attachments a serious restriction that limits them. For others its not a problem. Not having wrist and ankle seams is considered a plus by many.

Skins are tech based on the old Classic SL UVMap. The EvoX and Slink's Cinnamon & Chai (C&C) are the only bodies that have moved away from the old messed up UVMap. Will others follow? Too soon to know. But SL residents have complained about the messed up texturing currently used on nearly every body being sold now for years. If you are into Maitreya, as many are, and have invested lots of L$ in clothes and stuff... well none of it is usable with C&C. Switching to C&C will be expensive. However, if more designers start updating to a better UVMap... we will all face that cost moving forward.

I suggest you take your time, play with all the demos, and find what you like. Consider what may be next and how quickly you think SL is moving in that direction.

 

[Persephone Emerald]

I'd suggest starting with the free LucyBody (hit their Midnight Madness board) and both the free Genus head and the free Kyra head from Rebirth. Then Demo Maitreya Lara, Reborn, Legacy, Kupra, Belleza Freya and any other mesh bodies you like. Demo the major brands of mesh heads too. Lelutka is the most popular now, but Catwa, Genus and Akeruka may be good choices too. 

The shape of your body is probably going to be your main factor in deciding which you like best. Do you want a slim or a curvy figure? Most of the bodies tend either to slim, Barbie doll, or very curvy. Picking one with plenty of clothes made for it will probably be important for you too, unless this avatar will only be used for a few purposes that don't require much clothing.

Getting a head that doesn't show a line on the neck between the head and body may be important for you, but that line can also be concealed with a choker or ribbon (not a collar if your avatar is going to be a Domme). Being able to adjust the size of the neck on the body will usually get rid of that line too, if you're wearing the same skin tone on the body and head.

There are many YouTube videos to help you create a new mesh avatar. Here's one.

 

Edited April 29, 2022 by Persephone Emerald

[So Whimsy]

3 hours ago, SheMakesYou said:

I think It would be good to have separate feet, head, maybe hands, maybe more,  the feet I am realising that that makes boots possible.
 

The well supported bodies like Belleza and Maitreya come with a multitude of hand and feet positions. There is zero need to spend extra Linden on those.

[Ceka Cianci]

2 hours ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I'd suggest starting with the free LucyBody (hit their Midnight Madness board) and both the free Genus head and the free Kyra head from Rebirth. Then Demo Maitreya Lara, Reborn, Legacy, Kupra, Belleza Freya and any other mesh bodies you like. Demo the major brands of mesh heads too. Lelutka is the most popular now, but Catwa, Genus and Akeruka may be good choices too. 

The shape of your body is probably going to be your main factor in deciding which you like best. Do you want a slim or a curvy figure? Most of the bodies tend either to slim, Barbie doll, or very curvy. Picking one with plenty of clothes made for it will probably be important for you too, unless this avatar will only be used for a few purposes that don't require much clothing.

Getting a head that doesn't show a line on the neck between the head and body may be important for you, but that line can also be concealed with a choker or ribbon (not a collar if your avatar is going to be a Domme). Being able to adjust the size of the neck on the body will usually get rid of that line too, if you're wearing the same skin tone on the body and head.

There are many YouTube videos to help you create a new mesh avatar. Here's one.

 

I love Naria's channel.. She's so relaxing and informative.

[Marianne Little]

Avoid full avatars on the Marketplace. These can be ripped from a game, have 0 second party support so you can not buy any other clothes and accessories than the ones that comes with them.

Or they are older type avatars that score high because they have many reviews before mesh. Sometimes new people can not see the difference between mesh or older things from a small picture on the Marketplace.

If it does not have a demo, it is something shady about it. All trustworthy creators have demos these days. Those who don't, do not want you to see what you get before you have paid for it.

Of course you can buy freebies without a demo, because it is free, so you can just delete it if it is not to your taste.

 

[SheMakesYou]

Hi, everyone who has replied.
I have had a quick read through the, above, replies and first. THANKS, really helpful.
You have course given me some reading and research, but Yes, I love shopping:) and I love a bargain but I want to get a bargain and sometimes that's not cheap!

So, I am going to read through all of these, I will play, I will look at the guides. I have seen some before but just to many subjects covered; these look more focused. Big Grin.

Really, thanks for the help, please, if you have time, keep this in view and I will be getting back with what I have learned and, maybe follow up questions just for clarity.

So, Read, View tutorials, learn, maybe try and then realise how lucky I am to have your help,

 

[Marianne Little]

I think you should start with the body, and wait with the head. It is enough to learn, take it in steps.

Since you want to be a dom, your body is important to you? Breast shape, hips, legs? You get demos for all bodies that look promising and work the sliders. Move them up and down and see what you like.

Many talk about clothes, but it is more things. Like piercings and body harness. These things need to fit perfectly, you can not skimp on an almost fit.

I recommend the store Secrets for body jewelry. You should go the store, pick up demos and look at what bodies they support. You can always try them with other bodies that "almost" fit Maitreya. https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Isle of Moon/149/144/27

Secrets also participate in weekend sales. As already mentioned, you save much there. Popular bodies gives you more to pick from in sales and freebies.

Edit: Blueberry has a weekend sale of lingerie, classic pumps and angel wings. https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lenox and Blueberry/249/130/23

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by Marianne Little

[AnnabelleApocalypse]

My two cents would be an EvoX head (kinda expensive, but they come with TONS of accessories and extras like piercings, makeup, face poses and tons more) and either Maitreya for a very "standard" body that is very flexible in terms of shapes or Kupra if you prefer the very curvy/thicc look. I hear a lot of people like Ebody too, but I didn't try yet. Though I hear lot of positive talk. 

But yes, demo, demo, demo!

Chances are you will be sticking with your first mesh avi for quite a while, so take the time to find something that is right for you. But generally speaking, stick to well known brands. This is because otherwise finding accessories that fit can be a nightmare. 

In terms of head - EvoX and Catwa all have good support.

Bodies - Maitreya, Ebody, Legacy, Kupra, Belleza Freya are all solid choices depending on your personal taste. 

happy hunting! 

Edited April 30, 2022 by AnnabelleApocalypse

[SheMakesYou]

So, quickly coming back to, again say thanks.
What I am doing is watching and working my way through Naria's Noob to Mesh "How To" and she is good, thanks for that pointer.    (Ceka Cianci, you are right, she is good.)

My progress, 23 minutes into the video I seemed to be flying, I had to stop as RL intruded, when I cam back, must has missed so I am going back to fix of start again. So much to learn.
As a hint to my skills, this 23 minutes of video took me several hours. 
Please keep up the hints and tips, some of them are already making more sense now I have that little bit more understanding.
T h a n k    Y o u   A l l

[SheMakesYou]

I am back to once again to say thank you for all the replies.
I am currently sticking with the "virtually" free mesh Avatar and Genus head as per Naria's YouTube video as Persephone Emerald recommended. I have a really pretty Avatar right now am am delighted that I know so much more.
I know loads (Well a bit) about Mesh bodies, Alpha layers Baked On Mesh BOM, I know where to look for free or cheap stuff and I have a access to the Naria library of videos.
I now think that I am ready to live SL in a body I am happy with but I will be back here to have a play later. Such good advice. Thanks again. I hope soon I can help other with what I am learning.

 

[SheMakesYou]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:02 PM, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Hi newbie!

Couple questions - how much are you willing to spend (super super budget avatar or something a bit more pricey)? And - do you like to shop? *grins*

If you're wanting something near-free, my suggestion would be go for the free Lucybody and the free Genus Strong head gift. Lucy will fit the majority of Maitreya clothes and shoes, so your closet will explode in no time. For tall boots, you'll want the foot addon (99L I think), and you'll need the BOM relay for 199L. Grab a super affordable skin in a weekend sale (tomorrow starts Saturday Sale and Happy Weekend, so you could grab a skin for 60L-75L, at the most). Shop the rest (hair, clothes, shoes, accessories) with free group gifts.

Something a bit more expensive - get a well-supported body (Maitreya, Legacy, Reborn, Kupra, etc.), the free Genus or something from Lelutka's Evo X line (3800L-ish) and shop the weekend sales for the rest.

If none of that makes sense, that's okay. I just wanted to throw some general recommendations out there, but if you need more in-depth help, I can post some store landmarks and give you a more thorough walkthrough of how to put things together.

Until I had made my Naria inspired Avatar, lots of this did not but now it does. Thank you, the sales and the "Get a well supported body" is very sound. Thanks.

 

[SheMakesYou]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:17 PM, colleen Criss said:

OR, you could demo / purchase Kalhene ERIKA and be set to go out of the box. Body , head, skins, clothes , shoes. If you need it it's there.

Hi, again, I am a bit more knowledgeable now, this is sound advice, I have started to make sure I get a demo of pretty much anything I buy because it means I don't end up wasting L$ on stuff that just does not work.
Thanks, this saves so much of my earlier frustration.

[SheMakesYou]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:35 PM, Nalates Urriah said:

A best body is only a personal preference. There are so many variables to consider and we each have our own opinions on those variables.

A consideration many have is how much support a body has from clothes designers. I think there is plenty of support for Slink, but others find it hard to find clothes for Slink. So I say it is more a matter of how easy or hard it is to find the designers supporting your body. The more designers, the easier, of course. But, that doesn't necessarily mean you are limited. And there are bodies that have very few designers making clothes for them.

For others of us it is appearance. I dislike BIG butts. I like small butts. Others like huge or really small boobs. I like perky mid sized breasts. Mesh bodies do not work well when you have to push shape sliders to the max or min. So, we look for bodies that start with huge or small breasts. That gets us close to what we want and we have room on the ends of the shape slider controls. Always move the camera around the avatar when checking to see how a demo works. Often breasts that look OK from the front are horribly misshapen when seen from the side.

Then there are HUDs to control the body. Some are well designed and intuitive to use. Others often are total puzzles to the user.

There is the tech used in making the body. I think Slink is by far the best tech-wise. I hate Maitreya's misshapen shoulders. But most Maitreya users are oblivious to that. The advantage to body, feet, and hands being one attachment is the reduction in attachment points needed. Many find the limit on attachments a serious restriction that limits them. For others its not a problem. Not having wrist and ankle seams is considered a plus by many.

Skins are tech based on the old Classic SL UVMap. The EvoX and Slink's Cinnamon & Chai (C&C) are the only bodies that have moved away from the old messed up UVMap. Will others follow? Too soon to know. But SL residents have complained about the messed up texturing currently used on nearly every body being sold now for years. If you are into Maitreya, as many are, and have invested lots of L$ in clothes and stuff... well none of it is usable with C&C. Switching to C&C will be expensive. However, if more designers start updating to a better UVMap... we will all face that cost moving forward.

I suggest you take your time, play with all the demos, and find what you like. Consider what may be next and how quickly you think SL is moving in that direction.

 

Thanks, the demos are the best suggestion as I had lots of small purchases that just did not work. Now, it is just my taste that is the problem.
Playing is a lot easier nor so much is working for me. Thank you.

[SheMakesYou]

On 4/29/2022 at 9:33 PM, Persephone Emerald said:

I'd suggest starting with the free LucyBody (hit their Midnight Madness board) and both the free Genus head and the free Kyra head from Rebirth. Then Demo Maitreya Lara, Reborn, Legacy, Kupra, Belleza Freya and any other mesh bodies you like. Demo the major brands of mesh heads too. Lelutka is the most popular now, but Catwa, Genus and Akeruka may be good choices too. 

The shape of your body is probably going to be your main factor in deciding which you like best. Do you want a slim or a curvy figure? Most of the bodies tend either to slim, Barbie doll, or very curvy. Picking one with plenty of clothes made for it will probably be important for you too, unless this avatar will only be used for a few purposes that don't require much clothing.

Getting a head that doesn't show a line on the neck between the head and body may be important for you, but that line can also be concealed with a choker or ribbon (not a collar if your avatar is going to be a Domme). Being able to adjust the size of the neck on the body will usually get rid of that line too, if you're wearing the same skin tone on the body and head.

There are many YouTube videos to help you create a new mesh avatar. Here's one.

 

Just, perfect answer for me. Thank you so very much for taking the time for me, brilliant.

[SheMakesYou]

On 4/30/2022 at 1:00 PM, Marianne Little said:

I think you should start with the body, and wait with the head. It is enough to learn, take it in steps.

Since you want to be a dom, your body is important to you? Breast shape, hips, legs? You get demos for all bodies that look promising and work the sliders. Move them up and down and see what you like.

Many talk about clothes, but it is more things. Like piercings and body harness. These things need to fit perfectly, you can not skimp on an almost fit.

I recommend the store Secrets for body jewelry. You should go the store, pick up demos and look at what bodies they support. You can always try them with other bodies that "almost" fit Maitreya. https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Isle of Moon/149/144/27

Secrets also participate in weekend sales. As already mentioned, you save much there. Popular bodies gives you more to pick from in sales and freebies.

Edit: Blueberry has a weekend sale of lingerie, classic pumps and angel wings. https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lenox and Blueberry/249/130/23

 

 

 

Hi, This is quite good, I have done well so far but now I am happy with the body I am starting to go down the other nice to have as you suggest.
I will be looking at these stores in the next few weeks. Rome was not built in a day but you may well have made my build more reliable and a lot better looking, thanks.

[SheMakesYou]

OK, some time has passed, I hate it when it just stops and all the advice people gave it is unknown what use it was.
Well still say, all the advice I received was helpful.

Status today.
I have now kept my Genus Head, it works well for me. (another day?)
I had, still have a [Classic body] and I now have the Midnight Madness Lucy Body which is very good. It fits the Maitreya clothes quite well although I am having trouble with some Latex kit that just dose not even show up (More to learn, I suspect layers and their order are involved. I asked the maker for help, silence to date but I will attend one of their parties soon so watch this space.)
My older [Classic] body loves the Latex kit so Win Win.

I have also bought the "CTS Wardrobe" which makes switching a pictorial piece of cake. (I am sure you can use the #RLV  folder to do the same at no cost but the Wardrobe is easy once you have played with it a bit.) (no they did not pay me to say this)

Multiple bodies!!!
When I started this I was so scared of any change that I made because so many times I messed up and had to start again (Mind you, it helps you learn) Now I swap between with ease.

Thanks All

[Rowan Amore]

19 minutes ago, SheMakesYou said:

OK, some time has passed, I hate it when it just stops and all the advice people gave it is unknown what use it was.
Well still say, all the advice I received was helpful.

Status today.
I have now kept my Genus Head, it works well for me. (another day?)
I had, still have a [Classic body] and I now have the Midnight Madness Lucy Body which is very good. It fits the Maitreya clothes quite well although I am having trouble with some Latex kit that just dose not even show up (More to learn, I suspect layers and their order are involved. I asked the maker for help, silence to date but I will attend one of their parties soon so watch this space.)
My older [Classic] body loves the Latex kit so Win Win.

I have also bought the "CTS Wardrobe" which makes switching a pictorial piece of cake. (I am sure you can use the #RLV  folder to do the same at no cost but the Wardrobe is easy once you have played with it a bit.) (no they did not pay me to say this)

Multiple bodies!!!
When I started this I was so scared of any change that I made because so many times I messed up and had to start again (Mind you, it helps you learn) Now I swap between with ease.

Thanks All

The Lucy Body is not BOM compatible out of the box.  There is a BOM relay somewhere near the Midnight Madness board that is a purchase.  This will allow you to use system layers and anything else BOM on the body.

Edited June 23, 2022 by Rowan Amore

[Karl Herber]

2 hours ago, SheMakesYou said:

OK, some time has passed, I hate it when it just stops and all the advice people gave it is unknown what use it was.
Well still say, all the advice I received was helpful.

Status today.
I have now kept my Genus Head, it works well for me. (another day?)
I had, still have a [Classic body] and I now have the Midnight Madness Lucy Body which is very good. It fits the Maitreya clothes quite well although I am having trouble with some Latex kit that just dose not even show up 
Thanks All

Lucybody is not compatible with mainstream appliers (Omega, Maitreya etc) and it does not have Bakes on Mesh enabled out of the box. You need to buy the BOM relay from the main store (around L$200 I think). Buy the Bom applier, wear it, click it, (turn red) take off your body alpha and you're done.

Once you have BOM enabled on your body, you can wear the exact same system layers that you wear on your Classic body. 

[Ceka Cianci]

There two heads you can get right now before the 1st of next month.. A male and a female head from AKERUKA  for 1L each..

Here is from the group notice.. Just join the group and pay 1l for each one.

Here we are to another anniversary of Akeruka Brand.
This year we did a different product you can get as gift 2 Androgen heads. A Female and a Male full ADVX head.
They will be sold after the anniversary so hurry up to get your gift
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akeruka/123/58/23
The gift will Stay until the 30th june!
JUST 1 LINDEN!

Enjoy your 2022 gift
By Akeruka

REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR GROUP TAG TO GET THE GIFT!

[SheMakesYou]

Hi thanks, Yes, I bought the Lucy Body BOM applier but maybe I messed it up, did it turn red???? always learning!, but I will look into that, thanks It would be great if that is the case.

The other heads; I will head (see what I did there?) there this evening.

 

[Katie Aurelia]

30 minutes ago, SheMakesYou said:

Hi thanks, Yes, I bought the Lucy Body BOM applier but maybe I messed it up, did it turn red???? always learning!, but I will look into that, thanks It would be great if that is the case.

The other heads; I will head (see what I did there?) there this evening.
 

Remove the body's alpha

Edited June 23, 2022 by Katie Aurelia
quote fail

[Persephone Emerald]

5 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

There two heads you can get right now before the 1st of next month.. A male and a female head from AKERUKA  for 1L each..

Here is from the group notice.. Just join the group and pay 1l for each one.

Here we are to another anniversary of Akeruka Brand.
This year we did a different product you can get as gift 2 Androgen heads. A Female and a Male full ADVX head.
They will be sold after the anniversary so hurry up to get your gift
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akeruka/123/58/23
The gift will Stay until the 30th june!
JUST 1 LINDEN!

Enjoy your 2022 gift
By Akeruka

REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR GROUP TAG TO GET THE GIFT!

The $L 1 Akeruka heads are good if you're used to Lelutka or thinking of buying a Lelutka head, yet are hesitant to spend nearly $L 4000 on a mesh head. The Akeruka heads and their HUDs are similar to Lelutka (much as LucyBody is similar to Maitreya), but they're not quiet as easy to use. It costs $L 150 to join the group, so the cost is more like $L 151 if you're not in the group already. Akeruka has a history of offering $L 1 group gift heads twice a year though, so the join fee is still a good deal. Their AK ADV heads are compatible with Lelutka Evolution skins and BOM layers. Their AK AVDX heads are compatible with Lelutka EvoX skins and BOM layers. Neither are compatible with Lelutka appliers.

Edited June 23, 2022 by Persephone Emerald