NUX Avatar

[Orwar]

15 minutes ago, Gabriele Graves said:

This is all those of us who stay with our alpha cuts have ever wanted, something with an equivalent ease of use and convenience.  We don't actually want bodies to be chopped up and scripted if there is something equivalent to replace it.  All we have ever said is that the alpha masks as they stand aren't it by themselves.

   My criticisms of alpha masks is primarily:

• You need to make the texture outside of SL. There's no means to generate alpha mask UV layouts in-world, that makes it very distant from a lot of the userbase.
• The standard SLUV with its mirrored arms, you can't have asymmetrical sleeves (such as 1 arm has a sleeve, the other doesn't). This makes certain fashion design options impossible to strive for without using alpha cuts.
• It's pretty unsexy to pay L$10 for an alpha mask texture, at least when you upload a profile pic or clothing/building textures and suchlike, it's something you get to show off to people - a good alpha mask is sort of there not to be seen!

   Furthermore, even if several bodies use the 'same' UV, the actual unwrapping dimensions varies. Notably, an alpha mask made for a short-sleeved shirt where the creator wore a Legacy body when making the mask, which is then labelled as 'alpha mask Legacy/Maitreya' is quite likely not going to work at all for a Maitreya user, as the masked area is likely to extend past the end of the sleeve of the shirt. That only makes it all the more important that the end-user has the ability to adjust the alpha masking to fit their own body and shape.

   I personally still do make a lot of custom alpha masks for things I buy, as I know how to do it and don't mind paying L$10 for an upload to get something that otherwise wouldn't work, to work. But then I think it's safe to say I'm by no means anywhere near any norms! 

[KathrynLisbeth]

1 hour ago, Emma Krokus said:

Thanks Blush:)

I managed to get as far as adding a NEW HAIR. However, when I go into editing this, there is no option... to "Put in an asterisk next to the sliders that DO NOT correspond to a workable rigging adjustment" or maybe I am misunderstanding what @KathrynLisbethis saying...

Not you, the end user,  put in an asterisk.    Designer of the Interface panel on the screen to include an asterisk.  Include the asterisk, like a footnote in a document,  next to slider options that control shape elements that are irrelevant in configuring mesh bodies or heads.     Irrelevant, because there is nothing to connect with the rigging.

[Gabriele Graves]

8 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   My criticisms of alpha masks is primarily:

• You need to make the texture outside of SL. There's no means to generate alpha mask UV layouts in-world, that makes it very distant from a lot of the userbase.
• The standard SLUV with its mirrored arms, you can't have asymmetrical sleeves (such as 1 arm has a sleeve, the other doesn't). This makes certain fashion design options impossible to strive for without using alpha cuts.
• It's pretty unsexy to pay L$10 for an alpha mask texture, at least when you upload a profile pic or clothing/building textures and suchlike, it's something you get to show off to people - a good alpha mask is sort of there not to be seen!

   Furthermore, even if several bodies use the 'same' UV, the actual unwrapping dimensions varies. Notably, an alpha mask made for a short-sleeved shirt where the creator wore a Legacy body when making the mask, which is then labelled as 'alpha mask Legacy/Maitreya' is quite likely not going to work at all for a Maitreya user, as the masked area is likely to extend past the end of the sleeve of the shirt. That only makes it all the more important that the end-user has the ability to adjust the alpha masking to fit their own body and shape.

   I personally still do make a lot of custom alpha masks for things I buy, as I know how to do it and don't mind paying L$10 for an upload to get something that otherwise wouldn't work, to work. But then I think it's safe to say I'm by no means anywhere near any norms! 

I agree 100%.  For me an alpha cut replacement must be as point and click easy to define what you don't want to be visible, be completely free in all respects and at least cover all of the functionality.  I don't think it's a big ask.

[Emma Krokus]

22 minutes ago, KathrynLisbeth said:

Not you, the end user,  put in an asterisk.    Designer of the Interface panel on the screen to include an asterisk.  Include the asterisk, like a footnote in a document,  next to slider options that control shape elements that are irrelevant in configuring mesh bodies or heads.     Irrelevant, because there is nothing to connect with the rigging.

If I understand this correctly, there is nothing I, as the end user, can CURRENTLY do?

[KathrynLisbeth]

Just now, Emma Krokus said:

If I understand this correctly, there is nothing I, as the end user, can CURRENTLY do?

Correct.   Your only recourse is to refer to the Wiki entry and find which sliders don't matter.   

Hence the include the information in the viewer so end users / new users not just think  "Well that is Broken!"

[Katherine Heartsong]

8 hours ago, Love Zhaoying said:

The NUX will be great for RP of cops.

Because they're all "flat-foots".

 

 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatfoot#:~:text=or plural flatfoots%2C slang %3A police,patrolman walking a regular beat

I swear, if you're not my dad, you are one of his close friends.

[Paul Hexem]

4 hours ago, Blush Bravin said:

Since, this was not an official launch of the bodies, I'm going to withhold judgement until I see a blog post and an official release. I think if it had really been ready the parts would still be available on the main grid. So I'm anxious to see the released product and not just speculation based on incomplete data. Though it's been interesting to see the speculation. I just know from the years of speculating on what a Linden Home theme is going to be that we quite often don't get that right and quite often are absolutely wrong.

 

4 hours ago, Gabriele Graves said:

I think it's accurate to say what we've seen is a fair representation of what LL were expecting to release.  Especially as the same thing is on the beta grid and still available for all to play with by all accounts.  It would have been easy for LL to nix that also if it didn't represent what they planned to release.

Whether or not they now decide on a course correction based on feedback they may have received, that's another story but I've got no doubts at all that what we saw was a close to final version.

Because we've never seen LL roll something unfinished out without feedback or testing and then leave it broken and forgetting it exists! That's just so out if character for them!

[Love Zhaoying]

2 minutes ago, Paul Hexem said:

Because we've never seen LL roll something unfinished out without feedback or testing and then leave it broken and forgetting it exists! That's just so out if character for them!

..is Tsarchasm?

 

[Blush Bravin]

7 hours ago, Gabriele Graves said:

I find it ironic that someone uses an example in an attempt to bolster their complaint against people engaging in speculation but all it really does is serve to show that they too were once convinced they knew the future of something before it was released and speculated on what impact it would have.  Gotta just laugh at the hypocrisy.

The speculation I was referring to about Linden Homes was speculation in the forums not so much my own speculation, because as I've said I learned early on that that kind of speculation was not profitable. I'm not understanding why you take such exception to my voicing my decision to take a wait and see approach as far as the NUX bodies are concerned. 

I used to comment often in the forums, but now I'm remembering why I stopped. Y'all have fun.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Blush Bravin

[Paul Hexem]

10 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

..is Tsarchasm?

 

From someone as empathetic as me? Never. 

[Scylla Rhiadra]

6 hours ago, Rowan Amore said:

They were links...

Well, predictably, you and a number of other people were able to do MUCH more with this head than I was. This really looks pretty good! I wonder if part of my problem was using skins that are too recent?

/me brushes away a tear as she abandons her dream of opening a business as stylist and avatar customization consultant . . .

[Rowan Amore]

7 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Well, predictably, you and a number of other people were able to do MUCH more with this head than I was. This really looks pretty good! I wonder if part of my problem was using skins that are too recent?

/me brushes away a tear as she abandons her dream of opening a business as stylist and avatar customization consultant . . .

I grabbed a couple of older skin demos off the MP.  Aside from those fingers and toes, they looked good.

[Persephone Emerald]

26 minutes ago, Blush Bravin said:

The speculation I was referring to about Linden Homes was speculation in the forums not so much my own speculation, because as I've said I learned early on that that kind of speculation was not profitable. I'm not understanding why you take such exception to my voicing my decision to take a wait and see approach as far as the NUX bodies are concerned. 

I used to comment often in the forums, but now I'm remember why I stopped. Y'all have fun.

This is why we can't have nice people on the forums. Combative, negative people are scaring them away.

[Zalificent Corvinus]

3 hours ago, Orwar said:

  It's pretty unsexy to pay L$10 for an alpha mask texture, at least when you upload a profile pic or clothing/building textures and suchlike, it's something you get to show off to people - a good alpha mask is sort of there not to be seen!

I suspect one of the major reasons why a brand that USED to be top 3, dropped off the bottom of the chart after going "no alpha cuts just do-it-yourself alpha masks" was that for long term customers, with 500 outfits, none of which came with alpha layers, being told they needed to not only learn how to make alpha layers, and find SLUUV templates to make them with, but upload some 1500-2000 separate textures, to make all the alpha layers for their 500 pre-BOM outfits, at a cost of L$15,000 to L$20,000 was kind of a BIG disincentive.

 

Especially when they could buy a Lara for L$2750, and most of their 500 pre-BOM outfits came with a Lara fit with autohide, already included in the folder...

 

And so we said farewell to the First and LAST major body to try and force the abandonment of alpha cuts.

Bodies that NEVER had alpha cuts had an easier time of it, because new customers knew in advance it wouldn't have them, and clothes made for it either didn't need alpha cuts or came with alpha layers included, non of this "You must learn to make your own and drop 20 grand to do so".

[Scylla Rhiadra]

14 minutes ago, Zalificent Corvinus said:

I suspect one of the major reasons why a brand that USED to be top 3, dropped off the bottom of the chart after going "no alpha cuts just do-it-yourself alpha masks" was that for long term customers, with 500 outfits, none of which came with alpha layers, being told they needed to not only learn how to make alpha layers, and find SLUUV templates to make them with, but upload some 1500-2000 separate textures, to make all the alpha layers for their 500 pre-BOM outfits, at a cost of L$15,000 to L$20,000 was kind of a BIG disincentive.

 

Especially when they could buy a Lara for L$2750, and most of their 500 pre-BOM outfits came with a Lara fit with autohide, already included in the folder...

 

And so we said farewell to the First and LAST major body to try and force the abandonment of alpha cuts.

Bodies that NEVER had alpha cuts had an easier time of it, because new customers knew in advance it wouldn't have them, and clothes made for it either didn't need alpha cuts or came with alpha layers included, non of this "You must learn to make your own and drop 20 grand to do so".

I think this is pretty much exactly right. Slink was beginning to lose its popularity already by the time that BOM was introduced, and I think the ideologically-pure decision to abandon alpha cuts finished it off.

Slink Physique was -- and notionally still is in some ways -- my favourite body, and I did make some attempt to adapt, but finding or making alpha layers that worked with a particular garment easily added a half hour to the process of assembling an outfit. Eventually, I reluctantly grew weary, and started using Maitreya as my default go-to.

The one thing that Slink DID do which was clever and innovative, but which has not been adapted by other mesh body creators (and should be) was a means to adjust the alpha layer, even if only a little, using the HUD. It actually worked quite well -- not in all cases, but often enough that I think it was a pretty worthwhile innovation.

[Love Zhaoying]

So, NUX is not onion AV?

[Zalificent Corvinus]

3 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

So, NUX is not onion AV?

It has "onion layer" Hairbase objects, instead of BOM hairbase tattoos, see the posts about these  earlier from @Rowan Amore

[Qie Niangao]

Probably questions will be answered at the Content Creation User Group, less than an hour away, although I won't be there to ask nor hear any of those answers. I'm hoping Inara will have a summary if there's not anything sooner.

[Patch Linden]

 

Some of you saw what will be released.  Some of you have seen my confirmation earlier about some components of this.  This is a multi-phase project.  We are already working on Phase II content production with even more options and updates planned to what will come out with phase I.  

Please remember, we have not officially released anything, we put it on AGNI briefly to test something, for now it's gone.  

The target audience for the Senra avatar is brand new users to Second Life.   

There is a significant component to this that will be part of the supporting system to enable these avatars that no one has seen.  A missing key piece of context everyone lacks insight on.

Devkits and the application process to acquire one will be released imminently.

I can confirm that very well-known content creators (avatar body, head, hair, clothing) came on board with us, as Moles, to work on this project - they are watching your feedback, please keep it human and civil.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

9 minutes ago, Patch Linden said:

There is a significant component to this that will be part of the supporting system to enable these avatars that no one has seen.  A missing key piece of context everyone lacks insight on.

Devkits and the application process to acquire one will be released imminently.

I can confirm that very well-known content creators came on board with us, as Moles, to work on this project

This is all good news. 🙂

[Love Zhaoying]

15 minutes ago, Patch Linden said:

Devkits and the application process to acquire one will be released imminently.

That's fancy-tawk for "VERY VERY SOON"!

[Katherine Heartsong]

18 minutes ago, Patch Linden said:

I can confirm that very well-known content creators (avatar body, head, hair, clothing) came on board with us ...

Please let one of them be Hilly Haalan, please be Hilly Haalan, please be Hilly Haalan ...

PS. Not a fan of all her designs and styles, but value for money? Unbeatable.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Katherine Heartsong

[Bloodsong Termagant]

On 7/18/2023 at 2:59 PM, Claireschen Hesten said:

NUX/Senra is here check the library section of your inventory.

...

and did they TELL anybody???

did they release any devkits?

and thank you, Qie for the narrowing down of where the info was.  i do appreciate that very much!

 

PS: i'm at the Content Creator Office hours right now (July 20), and the senra folders in the library were emptied, due to that content being rolled back.

and none of the lindens here know about the devkit.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Bloodsong Termagant

[Honey Puddles]

11 minutes ago, Katherine Heartsong said:

Please let one of them be Hilly Haalan, please be Hilly Haalan, please be Hilly Haalan ...

PS. Not a fan of all her designs and styles, but value for money? Unbeatable.

So, something you may not realize.. nearly all of Hilly's products are based on fullperms prefab clothing items that she purchased, iterated textures on, added huds, and resells at an affordable price.

This is why a lot of clothing you see there, you may see in other shops with different textures.

Hilly buys great prefab meshes, and she does a great job with the texturing of those meshes, and her prices are great too.. all of which results in fabulous product offerings. But in the grand scheme of things, she has very little in the way of original mesh in her shop.

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Honey Puddles

[Rowan Amore]

4 minutes ago, Honey Puddles said:

So, something you may not realize.. nearly all of Hilly's products are based on fullperms prefab clothing items that she purchased, iterated textures on, added huds, and resells at an affordable price.

This is why a lot of clothing you see there, you may see in other shops with different textures.

Hilly buys great prefab meshes, and she does a great job with the texturing of those meshes, and her prices are great too.. all of which results in fabulous product offerings. But in the grand scheme of things, she has very little in the way of original mesh in her shop.

 

Most of us are aware.