New version of SL mesh bodies...what are you expectations? Hopes?

[Trinity Blakewell]

At yesterday's LabGab, the upcoming new SL bodies were discussed. There hasn't been any official info released on the blogs or on the forums, but what we do know, based on what Patch said on the video:

1. Just like their other big projects (Linden Homes, mobile viewer), LL wants to get it right, so it will be released when ready, but they're "very close"
2. There will be a developer's kit, and Patch hopes to get that into developer's hands prior to release, so folks can start working on items for the bodies
3. The bodies will come with a selection of clothing, hair, accessories, etc. so new users will have lots of options to mix and match their first look.

So here are some questions that I have:

1. Will there be a separate head and body, for compatibility with existing SL heads and bodies? I Hope so, because that would make the most sense. Maybe you want a different head or body, but you're happy with the other one that is included in the SL mesh version. For example, with the dominance of Lelutka heads and skins/makeup available for them, I can see that being an early purchase for someone who is expanding beyond the default.
2. Will it be BOM-compatible?
3. Will there be a HUD?
4. Will there be included skins? Will they be compatible with body skins from a major skin vendor (like Velour, The Skinnery etc.)?

[Chic Aeon]

Judging by what I "think" we know (mentioned before but of course things can change) and what has gone before AND "logic" == here is what I think we will get.

All in one (I think someone official said this but it was long ago) body and head. Bento so folks can customize and BOM.  There could be a basic hud also but it would need to be SIMPLE because the whole point IS to make it simple.

Beyond that I think they will make it "OK" but not "great" -- not because they couldn't make it great but in doing so that would just hurt the mesh body and head business and LL gets a lot of real dollars from those guys; hence self defeating. 

Also historically --    The mesh bodies in Sansar were awful and when they remade them they were not better and indeed not even bento *(this when LL owned Sansar).  So "their" idea of what is good and our idea of what is good can be completely different. 

 

I think it will be a step up for the NEW incoming folks and maybe alts but certainly nothing that any of us well-inventoried folks would be interested in.   I am hoping that with the new body and if they do go with alpha layers for clothing  that it will help the folks that can't afford to pay for an expensive head and body and let them have more clothes.  Note however that new folks ALREDY have a big wardrobe of starter avatar accessories to choose from. That is not new. They are just pretty awful by everyday standards.   

The best platform that I have been on for new folks was Sinespace where they gave you a lot of platform money and you could outfit your avatar from the regular market goods.  This was both fun and learning. There was back then though very little to choose from.  LL did something similar for awhile where you went on quests to earn money and then could spend it ONLY on the Marketplace [this in Sansar]. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Chic Aeon
adding info

[Love Zhaoying]

47 minutes ago, Chic Aeon said:

Judging by what I "think" we know (mentioned before but of course things can change) and what has gone before AND "logic" == here is what I think we will get.

All in one (I think someone official said this but it was long ago) body and head. Bento so folks can customize and BOM.  There could be a basic hud also but it would need to be SIMPLE because the whole point IS to make it simple.

Beyond that I think they will make it "OK" but not "great" -- not because they couldn't make it great but in doing so that would just hurt the mesh body and head business and LL gets a lot of real dollars from those guys; hence self defeating. 

Also historically --    The mesh bodies in Sansar were awful and when they remade them they were not better and indeed not even bento *(this when LL owned Sansar).  So "their" idea of what is good and our idea of what is good can be completely different. 

 

I think it will be a step up for the NEW incoming folks and maybe alts but certainly nothing that any of us well-inventoried folks would be interested in.   I am hoping that with the new body and if they do go with alpha layers for clothing  that it will help the folks that can't afford to pay for an expensive head and body and let them have more clothes.  Note however that new folks ALREDY have a big wardrobe of starter avatar accessories to choose from. That is not new. They are just pretty awful by everyday standards.   

The best platform that I have been on for new folks was Sinespace where they gave you a lot of platform money and you could outfit your avatar from the regular market goods.  This was both fun and learning. There was back then though very little to choose from.  LL did something similar for awhile where you went on quests to earn money and then could spend it ONLY on the Marketplace [this in Sansar]. 

It will be interesting if they somehow make the body in such a way that it looks good with a few different existing mesh creator's body and head skins.

Versus: Everyone with NUX body/head looks the same until creators get busy.

 

[Maitimo]

4 hours ago, Trinity Blakewell said:

So here are some questions that I have:

1. Will there be a separate head and body, for compatibility with existing SL heads and bodies? I Hope so, because that would make the most sense. Maybe you want a different head or body, but you're happy with the other one that is included in the SL mesh version. For example, with the dominance of Lelutka heads and skins/makeup available for them, I can see that being an early purchase for someone who is expanding beyond the default.
2. Will it be BOM-compatible?
3. Will there be a HUD?
4. Will there be included skins? Will they be compatible with body skins from a major skin vendor (like Velour, The Skinnery etc.)?

1. They've already stated that head and body will be separate (I actually asked this question directly to them when they were first announced).

2. Yes. As fas as I know, it will be BOM-only.

3. Probably not, except maybe for foot height. I very much doubt there will be an alpha hud or anything else.

4. They will HAVE to, at least once they're released in the wild. Starter avatars must  include a skin, an avatar (mesh or not) can't exist without one. So it'll be business as usual on that; a handful of different starter avatars each containing one skin, one shape and one NUX body. Of course, everyone will have access to them in the Library as usual so you won;t be stuck with the one skin for your particular choice, you'll be able to switch to any of the others.  I doubt they'll be compatible with anything else though, unless they've recruited a well-known skin maker to make them. Likely they'll be one-piece skins, body and face all in one, to reduce the confusion with new users. 

 

[Ceka Cianci]

From what I remember, the The NUX Avatar is finished, they are just working on the rest o the things that will be coming with it...

NUX stands for New User eXperience..

From what i remember them saying, they said they want to get the Dev kit into creators hands.. Since SL is a creators platform, that should mean that it will be released to everyone..

If they don't deliver it to everyone, then they would be missing out on a big opportunity to increase the content made for the NUX avatars with new creators learning and creating things  for their portfolio's for applying for the more popular  bodies that require showing their work and even an already existing store in some cases.. The byproduct of them learning to create would be NUX avatar content created in the process..

If they limit the dev kits to certain creators, it more than likely won't be nearly as successful as it could have been.. Let alone it's a good way to piss off a lot of the user base that have been waiting for those kits.. hehehe

[Conifer Dada]

To succeed, the NUX avatars need to:

1) Have a set of complete out-of-the box avatars for new users

2) Be fully customisable on sliders, as with 'classic' avatars, and also be further modifiable outside of SL in Blender or similar, for example if you want an obese avatar with rolls of fat!

3) To be compatible with existing skin templates.

4) To be realistic and glitch-free.

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by Conifer Dada

[animats]

It needs to Just Work.

• Clothing should be fitmesh.
• No need for alphas.
• No HUDs.
• No making skins out of some huge number of faces.

[Orwar]

6 minutes ago, animats said:

No need for alphas.

   BOM alphas are handy though, at least if you want to do more than T-pose with your avi. Alpha puzzle piece HUDs, on the other hand .. That we can do without.

   But it does come with the issue that, assuming it uses the current standard avatar UV, we'll be stuck with mirrored arms which limits both tattoo options and one-sleeved designs for clothes.

[Ceka Cianci]

5 hours ago, Orwar said:

   BOM alphas are handy though, at least if you want to do more than T-pose with your avi. Alpha puzzle piece HUDs, on the other hand .. That we can do without.

   But it does come with the issue that, assuming it uses the current standard avatar UV, we'll be stuck with mirrored arms which limits both tattoo options and one-sleeved designs for clothes.

I hope they thought of getting the evox maps put in there somewhere for the head or new users may be wasting money not knowing there is two different versions of the head maps.