Classic vs Mesh?

[Conifer Dada]

1 hour ago, Coffee Pancake said:

It's not snobbery.

Classic avatars are dead.

They have no on going support or development and haven't for years. LL replaced them with off the peg starter avatars years ago and are about to replace those with the new NUX avatar bodies. The only reason classic avatars will continue to exist at all is to support legacy content, aka, novelty under the guise of "history".

 

So that all said, if you chose a classic avatar, be under no illusion that it is a choice and people will have opinions on that. By wearing a classic avatar you are (perhaps inadvertently) culturally and socially choosing to align your avatar with disposable griefers and trolls. Rejecting assistance to update your avatar (at no cost) makes the choice crystal clear in the wider SL cultural context. No one has the time or energy to unpick your precise motivations. 

If you want to speed run becoming a social pariah, doggedly sticking with a classic avatar with all the attached cultural baggage, is absolutely how you do that.

You're that guy. On purpose. Expect to be treated as such.

I still see mesh avatars with flexi hair or even with ballgowns made from flexi sections that separate when they move. I even saw a mesh avatar wearing twinkling bling the other day. So some people are happy to mix and match.  Aside from the couple of people I mentioned who offered to 'update' me, I haven't encountered any anti-classic discrimination. I'll certainly give the NUX avatars a try whenever they come along, but I'll stay with classic until then. I'm not against mesh avatars - I did try quite a few demos, but none would let me reproduce the understated shape I was after.

I do agree that LL could have done more to rectify the shortcomings of the classic avatar's basic mesh, though.

I even made this T-shirt (mesh) for fun . . .

Edited May 2, 2023 by Conifer Dada

[Lyssa Greymoon]

29 minutes ago, Conifer Dada said:

I still see mesh avatars with flexi hair or even with ballgowns made from flexi sections that separate when they move.

I'm still using flexi hair I bought in 2009. There are still cases where flexi hair is better than mesh hair helmets.

[Cali Souther]

3 hours ago, Janet Voxel said:

It may be snobbery, it may be someone attempting to be helpful and take you around to the hottest mesh head and body shops. Tact isn’t everyone’s strong suit. I’ve seen many default avatars at Lelutka and various skin stores.

I also don’t think it’s necessarily a mesh v ‘classic’ avatar issue. There are quite a few trolls that show up in one of the default avatars on sims to start trouble. I’ve seen it many times before. So much so, people are known to have their guards up around default avatars.

 

This is a valid point,  well made.    I'm always friendly to new residents,  because I remember what it was like to be new --- but sometimes you find out the person behind the avatar is anything but new to SL and has ill intentions.  

I would also like to say,  there's a difference between wanting / liking your mesh avatar with the latest fashions --- and being a "snob" about it.   I am a shop-a-holic with an inventory full of new and shiny things - because I enjoy dressing up my avatar.   You're only a "snob" if you look down on others and make rude comments or put something in your profile proudly proclaiming yourself as an "avatar snob" - which I've seen a few times in the last year or so.

PS --- Janet ..  that's my RL name     

Edited May 2, 2023 by Cali Souther

[benchthis]

Maybe @Strawberry Linden  can get us some sneak peaks  with Lab Gab, nothing too formal. Will there be a hud to control the alpha parts? What will it look like. We need some behind the scenes spoilers pleeease. Because the last time I remember seeing anything about the NUX avatar was meet the moles 2022 at around 14:00. Will the clothing and accessories be modifiable? 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by benchthis

[LittleMe Jewell]

7 hours ago, elleevelyn said:

if you have no plans on getting nekkid in SL then getting a mesh body is a waste of time and money, as the only skin showing will be your face and hands

You never go to the beach, wearing sandals or no shoes?  What about wearing shorts and/or short sleeve tops?  Even long sleeve tops, if button up style, might show a bit of the chest also.

[Persephone Emerald]

This  was my guy alt in 2015, wearing a system body & head with mesh clothing for standard sizes.  An avatar doesn't have to be mesh to look good.

This is him in 2021 with a mesh body & head. Bento hands allow for more detailed hand gestures. The original feet are very bad too.

Edited May 3, 2023 by Persephone Emerald

[PermaRuthed]

22 minutes ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

You never go to the beach, wearing sandals or no shoes?  What about wearing shorts and/or short sleeve tops?  Even long sleeve tops, if button up style, might show a bit of the chest also.

These ladies certainly wear normal footwear to the beach:

 

https://youtu.be/m3y8fhn9kIQ?t=514

Edited May 3, 2023 by PermaRuthed

[Marianne Little]

On 5/3/2023 at 2:40 AM, LittleMe Jewell said:

You never go to the beach, wearing sandals or no shoes?  What about wearing shorts and/or short sleeve tops?  Even long sleeve tops, if button up style, might show a bit of the chest also.

That's what the 1 L Legacy body is for. A good beach option, because it is 100% possible to find swim shorts, sandals and other beach wear made for TMP.

Unless one need a big wardrobe, the TMP sizes is still enough for a modest wardrobe covering different needs - a formal dance, a beach outfit, a casual jeans and tee, a sweater and boots winter outfit. And more.

Yes, the quality does not have to be superb since it is been some years since TMP, but stores like Cold Ash is so great with texturing, their TMP sizes can beat much of what's brand new today.

If you want a huge wardrobe, Belleza Jake is a better body option. Jake is not expensive, you can buy so much up to date cheap and special weekend offers for that body, that it is worth it.

[JeromFranzic]

5 hours ago, Marianne Little said:

That's what the 1 L Legacy body is for. A good beach option, because it is 100% possible to find swim shorts, sandals and other beach wear made for TMP.

Unless one need a big wardrobe, the TMP sizes is still enough for a modest wardrobe covering different needs - a formal dance, a beach outfit, a casual jeans and tee, a sweater and boots winter outfit. And more.

Yes, the quality does not have to be superb since it is been some years since TMP, but stores like Cold Ash is so great with texturing, their TMP sizes can beat much of what's brand new today.

If you want a huge wardrobe, Belleza Jake is a better body option. Jake is not expensive, you can buy so much up to date cheap and special weekend offers for that body, that it is worth it.

And that is fine for me. I use the male TMP for an older male alt, so ya, I can find older clothes for free or low cost. Win win for me! Only my younger male alt is allowed to use Jake hahaha!!! As far as suits, I generally have both of them wearing the Kauna (sp?) collection or the free Gabriel threads. Costs nothing, looks great in any formal setting.

[Lewis Luminos]

On 5/2/2023 at 7:43 PM, Conifer Dada said:

I still see mesh avatars with flexi hair or even with ballgowns made from flexi sections that separate when they move. I even saw a mesh avatar wearing twinkling bling the other day. So some people are happy to mix and match. 

 

This is the best way. Use what mesh you want, don't use what mesh you don't want.

Madison doesn't have a mesh head, and I don't care, I still think she looks beautiful. And she still wears flexi gowns when we go dancing, and I love the way they move, and there isn't a mesh gown anywhere on the grid that looks as lovely in motion as her system gowns from 2008-2010.

Ain't no mesh dress can do this:

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Lewis Luminos

[JeromFranzic]

21 hours ago, Lewis Luminos said:

This is the best way. Use what mesh you want, don't use what mesh you don't want.

Madison doesn't have a mesh head, and I don't care, I still think she looks beautiful. And she still wears flexi gowns when we go dancing, and I love the way they move, and there isn't a mesh gown anywhere on the grid that looks as lovely in motion as her system gowns from 2008-2010.

Ain't no mesh dress can do this:

 

Yep... I also have a few fairy wings in my inventory that move about similarly, I guess they're flexi. Probably from that era as well. 

[EliseAnne85]

On 5/2/2023 at 10:06 AM, Coffee Pancake said:

I will add there is something of a carve out for very old accounts with very old system avatars.

If you were here when they were legit, you get to keep it.

Well, that's good to know.  

This was interesting thread and I can only say "ditto that" to being yourself.

But, old Classic avatars being thought of as griefers or trolls is pretty sad.

The one guy I loved in SL was a Classic avatar.   Our relationship was kind of romantic-based as opposed to really into any kind of sexuality.  He planned amazing dates to take me to in the most beautiful settings and it was just him.  The way we could easily talk and laugh and he was always interested in founding out what I was interested in and how I was doing in real life.  He was interested in me and an insightful and deep person to talk too.  

Well, still, to this day, he is the one I'd choose, Classic avatar and all.  I'm sitting here wondering if he changed into a mesh avatar, if it would have felt like he went away?  At the time we were together, I would not have wanted him to change.  When I was with him, I was fully with him, and the outter him was how he looked as a Classic avatar.  He had his own facial expressions and eyes that looked at me a certain way.  It's difficult to explain really, but all that would be "changed".  The body language, etc, would be changed.  Those wouldn't be his lips anymore...those wouldn't be his eyes...etc.  

[EliseAnne85]

I just wanted to add a little bit more about the one guy I loved in SL who was a Classic avatar.  

He put a lot of effort into his avatar.  He was from a different country than most here and he did every detail of his Classic avatar to represent his ethnicity.  His body shape was terrifically proportioned and his face and skin made him look like a one-of-a-kind and he choose his wardrobe well too.  He looked slightly casual but classy.  I could tell he spent a lot of time making the avi to represent his country and himself, and look good too.

What else I wanted to say was that the Classic avatars look better on ULTRA setting and I used to use the Windlights (the lighting system before EEP) a lot which always gave a soft but moody kind of look.  On ULTRA, I don't think the Classic avatars look all that bad except for maybe the wrists (but I used to do the glove thing when I was a female Classic avi that one person mentioned in this thread).  He could have put on gloves as well, such as motorcycle gloves.  But, again, I thought on ULTRA setting, Classic avi's don't look that bad.   

Noobs in the default avi's may be a different story, but he was not that.  He was a real, I put work into this, kind of avatar.  

[xBaeBeex]

On 5/3/2023 at 3:04 AM, Coffee Pancake said:

It's not snobbery.

Classic avatars are dead.

They have no on going support or development and haven't for years. LL replaced them with off the peg starter avatars years ago and are about to replace those with the new NUX avatar bodies. The only reason classic avatars will continue to exist at all is to support legacy content, aka, novelty under the guise of "history".

 

So that all said, if you chose a classic avatar, be under no illusion that it is a choice and people will have opinions on that. By wearing a classic avatar you are (perhaps inadvertently) culturally and socially choosing to align your avatar with disposable griefers and trolls. Rejecting assistance to update your avatar (at no cost) makes the choice crystal clear in the wider SL cultural context. No one has the time or energy to unpick your precise motivations. 

If you want to speed run becoming a social pariah, doggedly sticking with a classic avatar with all the attached cultural baggage, is absolutely how you do that.

You're that guy. On purpose. Expect to be treated as such.

This is a bit harsh.. will that assistance also include said snob help pay for the body, the clothes, the skin and any skin enhancements?? Because if not then maybe they should keep their opinions to themselves. I know if someone was trying to be 'helpful' with their 'suggestions' I would like them to be helpful paying for it too.

[Lindal Kidd]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:07 PM, smoothazndude said:

I have selected one of the default "Classic" avatars that I liked to start with. 

I want to draw a distinction here.

When we refer to the "Classic" avatars, we mean avatars that are not wearing mesh attachments for their bodies or heads...in other words, the avatars with shapes that are completely editable with the Appearance sliders, and that can wear system layer-type clothing directly and that don't have a HUD controlling their alpha transparency. You know...the "simple" avatars, the ones that don't cost several thousand $L.

We do NOT mean the starter avatars that can be found in the Library section of your inventory. The ones like the avenging angel, the mustard and orange polka dotted 70's guy, the fashionista shopper with her big hat, etc.

I know very few people who have stuck to these starter avatars for more than the first day or so. They look pretty awful, and what's worse, they are not easy to edit and customize.

Classic avatars, on the other hand, ARE easy to edit and customize. In fact, they're easier to work with than the more "modern" mesh avatars.

Classic avatars can look VERY good.  The only place where I would say they really need a mesh enhancement is the feet and hands. This shortcoming was taken care of for a long time by SLink, who made popular mesh replacements for the feet and hands.  Sadly, they are now closed, and the best way to get nice feet and hands is to go all the way and get an entire Mesh body.

You can do this without having to take the next step and replace your classic head with a Mesh head, though.

[LittleMe Jewell]

19 hours ago, Lindal Kidd said:

I know very few people who have stuck to these starter avatars for more than the first day or so.

I'm not nice at all to my alts.  The vast majority of them are still stuck in those Starter Avs.  😁

[Sammy Huntsman]

I would suggest just staying standard until you find the mesh body and head that works for you. That is what I did. 

[LittleMe Jewell]

On 5/1/2023 at 12:07 PM, smoothazndude said:

This topic may have been covered but I have not yet found more discussions.  I am a noob to SL and have been enjoying exploring the many worlds and lands which also includes some social aspects like chatting and just saying hello.  But I have had comments on my avatar; I have selected one of the default "Classic" avatars that I liked to start with.  With my avi, I made some small purchases of clothes and accessories to make the game seem more real and fun.  But I have received some comments about my "classic" look including a quip "Well, looks like someone needs an upgrade" when I said "Hello" in the Nearby Chat.  Another person IM'd me and suggested (kindly) that I might consider a "Mesh" body and who I might talk to for suggestions; another person mentioned brands and body types.  I have to say that some of the bodies do look nice but I kind of like my avatar TBH.  So in SL are "Mesh" considered the more attractive and more desirable vs Classic being less so?  I do not see a lot of "classic" avatars running around.  I did some checking on marketplace and I am unsure if I want to spend all that money on a mesh look.   Is this Classic vs Mesh a "thing" in SL?

More than anything, do not let anyone push you into buying something before you really feel like it will work for you.  Mesh bodies and heads are not cheap and there have been plenty of people that bought a specific body/head being touted by someone else, only to discover later that they really prefer a different one.

[cunomar]

Personally i hated mesh , everything about it is anti-intuitive . I will never fathom why anybody thought to make your body fit the clothes might be a good idea .

Bom fixed mesh , gives me the updated look but for me in every other sense its a classic av . No layers or slots or hiding body parts and you don't end up with fingers locked widespread .

If your a female avatar theres loads of free stuff to experiment with and create a full avatar which needs to be done in order to allow who you want to be to evolve as more possibilities come to light .

When your ready to commit to a look go BOM .

Only two types of male avatar as far as i know and that would be the freebie macho man or the very expensive macho man and they both go to the same gym for fugly people .

[Teagan Tobias]

On 5/9/2023 at 11:26 PM, Lindal Kidd said:

 

Classic avatars can look VERY good.  The only place where I would say they really need a mesh enhancement is the feet and hands. This shortcoming was taken care of for a long time by SLink, who made popular mesh replacements for the feet and hands.  Sadly, they are now closed, and the best way to get nice feet and hands is to go all the way and get an entire Mesh body.

 

 

 

It has been years since I went mesh. Before that I used products that were not Sink but with them I could wear Slink shoes, not all but a vast majority of them would fit. And there were more than one other brands that sold similar products, and the cost was a fraction of Slink and looked good and Slink shoes fit.

I’m not going to go searching but I know several of them are still in business and I would guess still sell the feet and hands.

Its for that reason when I went mesh the avatar had to be able to use Slink shoes because by that time I already owned a large amount of shoes, as luck would have it the one mesh avatar I liked best has Slink compatible feet. Still have and only use that mesh avatar.