Vulpinus

OK folks, here's what you've all been waiting for... David Beckham's got nothing on me! Not sure the camera angle is the best, but it gives the idea. It makes the head-to-total height look higher that it is; the ratio is 1 : just-under-8 Odd... the skin colour comes out differently taking a photo - as if it's actually using a tungsten flash and washing out the reds. On my high-gamut montior it looks a little redder than those photos do. No, it's not the 'flash'. It's something to do with the colour balancing in different applications, so I've no idea what it looks like on your monitor. Inworld, the photo I took and a screenshot loaded into Paintshop Pro all look identical but when I post them here and view in Firefox it looks different. with reduced red and more yelloe cast Hmm... Colour space is a complicated issue. ...it's Firefox! In IE, it looks the same as it does inworld etc.

I think the dark version of that is on my shortlist - I've not got around to checking the lighter shades yet, but I will. Redgrave seems to have some decent stuff. Just tried a few - the caramel version looks pretty good, once I moved it around a little. Might have found a winner. By the looks of it I can edit individual parts of the hair too, which might help with the hat issue. Thanks for that!

Patience ladies, I'm away from my main PC ATM. Will show you what you want later... :smileywink: I'm really glad I didn't go for one of the hairs I shortlisted yet - it's Beckham's again!

Of course, :smileylol:

Thanks! At the mo I using the Akeyo_NanoAO_Rookie; I might invest more in that area later. My PP account is well aquainted with the marketplace, lol. (I top up my L$ with PP, then go shopping). Funny thing about the David Beckham resemblance; I'm not exactly a football fan and am only really vaguely aware of what he looks like... but when I compared the two newer avatars and before the comments I suddenly thought that the first of the two looked like him, not the second. I must remember him much younger than he is now. Obviously the skin is called David for a reason... as is the first shape. I didn't even think of it when I bought them. I have often been told in RL that I resemble an apparently famous boxer, but I've no idea who he is and can't remember the name. Oh well, I'm certainly happy with the one I've settled on, even if I do look Beckhamish. I've just bought some really good blue eyes to replace the aweful freebies I was using. NoirOptix - Midnight Blue. Makes a huge difference already. Then I bought a pack of Aviator sunglasses to hide them behind... <insert puzzled smilie here> The hair's growing on me. The only issue I have is that I have a few hats and the hair can only be simply resized, so it either sticks through the hat or I look otherwise silly. I'll keep my (new blue) eyes open for something similar, when my PP account has recovered a little.

Looks like I'm about done here; everyone has been really helpful, thanks! I went though Pussycat Catnip's blog on anatomical proportions, and found that the shape (to which I had already made small tweaks to torso and legs) was already almost exact. I had to make the arms longer and hands larger, and it does look better for it. Height is currently 6'8 (2.04m) but I get the impression that's on the short side for SL... we'll see. Also made some minor tweaks to the facial features and opened the eyes up so it doesn't look like he's got a serious hangover. I'll carry on looking at hair - got a lot of demos to work through. Look out SL, here I come!

I tend to agree with the OP, having recently paid about L$600 for a shape (that I couldn't even get a demo of, possibly because the vendor isn't here any more) then finding that the skin would cost me another L$1500. If it was at least mentioned in the advert what it cost, even if the actal skin was kept secret until purchase, it would have lessened my shock. Now I know that such is the going price though. I did realise that the shapes could be home-made; there is nothing in them that we can't do ourselves, unless... ...like me, one has the artistic talent of a dead snail. I spent hours trying to reproduce another shape I was looking at, only to get frustrated and waste that time. While I could have learned to do it eventually, I decided that the cost of the shape was less than the value of my time trying to make it myself. It's not what I wanted to spend my time doing. Funny though that I've ended up using a different (slightly tweaked) base shape that cost me half as much as the previous one. Still worth it to me as a starting point rather that wasting more hours trying to replicate it myself. It's all a learning curve which I'm just starting on, and if we don't like the way something is being sold, we can go elsewhere or learn to do it ourselves. The positive of all of the above for me was that I found the skin for the first shape to be just what I wanted, and I might not have found it otherwise. It went well with the second shape, better than the skins sold for that shape IMO.

OMG - I've created David Beckham! I knew it reminded me of someone after I had finished tweaking the face. Yes, number 2 was over 7 feet tall and a little tiny-headed - it wasn't once I had finished tweaking. I'll probably tweak further as the mood takes me but it's certainly better already that I started. The eyes are on the to-do list. I wore the Aurick demo shape for a while (no silly features but not mod'able) and the height and eyes were the two main things I wanted to change. As an ex real* bodybuilder I'm quite concerned about my shape. I still train but only a litlle, a couple of injuries mean I have to limit it. *By real, I mean I trained for true total-body fitness and strength, not just trying to get bigger biceps and more rips that everyone else. I'm not very artistic, but I'll get there now I've got the basic start that I wanted. Perhaps I should put an old pic of mine next to the monitor... that's not a bad idea! I'm using the Akeyo-NanoAO-Rookie now, thanks to Sassy, and I've spent over L$4500 on clothes, mostly formal stuff (I like Frank's and similar places) but I do need more casual stuff, and better shoes (just got some I'm about to try). Other than that, I'm going to hang on to the L$3000 I have left until I've got a bit more time inworld. Probably. Unless I see a bargain... I really apprecaite the welcome and help that everyone has given me!

LOL, thank you for that. Looking pretty hot yourself there! I'm leaning towards that one myself - it looks even better inworld. It feels more 'me', which is what I'm trying to acheive rather than a different persona. The other one was perhaps me five years ago.

OK, nearly there now... well, it's a big decision and I want to get it mostly right from the start. Once I've sorted this, I can actually get on being in SL. Frank's is calling... Which is better, the last photo I posted (Cahi David shape) or this one (Tellaq Aurick shape)? I haven't tweaked the Aurick version and the hair needs a little adjustment but it gives the idea I might end up changing the hair anyway, not sure yet. Plenty of barbers around though. I'm struggling to make my mind up. Funny but the Aurick face seems to look better to me when walking around, but I can't seem to capture that in a photo. It's between these two, cast your votes now. I know it's what I like myself at the end of the day that matters, but advice is always welcome. Basically, the second option (Aurick) seems to me to be a bit more mature-looking and rugged and the first one a bit younger.

Thanks for that. Sassy has just been kind enough to talk me through it as well. I must have been walking around glowing like a Christmas tree.

Thanks LoriLexa, that helps. Below is what I have so far - the clothes need tweaking. They fit perfectly on the previous shape. I'm using the hair that came with the skin until I decide to keep it or change it. One problem I'm having is that all the shirts I put on from different outfits look grey instead of white. It's obvious in the photo compared to the white collar. Any ideas why?

The demo wasn't available because none of the links to the inworld store worked. They all took me somewhere else, even the facebook page links. But yes, it worked out in the end; I just didn't think it would cost that much at first.

Yeah, I thought about that a litte after my initial shock and previous posting. I was actually about to edit it before anyone saw it, but I'll leave it alone and just say this: Having tweaked 'David' a little, wearing the demo skin, I'm going to pony up the cash and buy it. You're right, that seems about the going rate for skins. I looked at one demo an hour ago and liked it, until I saw the price of the full skin - L$7000! So, I'm off to the shops again!

Well, I took a risk on buying the Cahi David shape - I'm well unimpressed. What wasn't mentioned was that to get the look in the picture requires the purchase of a L$1500 skin from elsewhere!!! I'll admit that with the demo of that skin, it does look good, but I feel really conned right now! We live and learn I suppose :smileysad:

Thanks again. I've messaged the owner; awaiting a reply. I think I prefer the Cahi David, but I've just got the demo of Tyler, so I'll stop typing here and go and check it out. ...and no more white dot, lol. It had me well puzzled!

Thank you Panther Miklos! I tried searching for help about it but didn't find anything. Now I know. I have another question about the shapes... If I modify a shape that is in an outfit, does it just modify the shape when used in that outfit, or permanently whenever I use that shape? I'm guessing the latter. In which case, I should make a copy of the shape (if that's allowed) and modify the copy...

Thanks for the replies everyone - I don't object at all to constructive critisism. Let's face it, I'm a typical bloke with probably even less than usual fashion sense, lol. First thoughs: Don't want to look like a walking freebie, lol. @ Valerie Inshan, I wish I could find the store - can you point me to it? I checked out the link to the inworld store before, but it takes me to some place called "slightly dramatic creations". The owner was kind enough to give me a free shape and skin though! (must have really taken pity on me...) I've searched and been given the same incorrect link. I even found the store's facebook page, with a link to another location that wasn't correct (but next door to the previous place). Felt like following a spam trail. Sorry I was vague about 'little money'. At the moment I'm really struggling with glitches (forced log-outs when I transport etc) so I'm reluctant to invest too much yet. Let's say a budget of another US$15 (around L$4000 I think) to start off. I've already spent about L$4000 on clothes; outfits from Utopia, 69 Park Avenue and Class A. Plus so many freebies that I started binning many yesterday. I should have started spending on the body I suppose. I had seen the Redgrave Tyler stuff, and it is another that I shortlisted. I'll take a closer look; If I can slightly modify the chin, it might be the winner. The Auric (demo)shape I am wearing is not modifyable, and the advert says it does not have that permission. I wonder if that really means just the skin, as not being able to modify the body seems a bit tough. I suppose I need to ask. On the topic of modifying, I spent a few hours trying to do a face on another shape that I liked, and it looked aweful so I gave up. I have no (really, no) artistic tallent. I'm a scientist by nature! The hair? But I liked the hair! lol. I've always had short hair (it looks stupid if I grow it) so I fancied a change. I'll take a look at the suggestions and find something else though. The skin fair sounds a good plan, as do the group gifts. On a seperate note - I keep getting a white dot above my head. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it isn't. I can appear after I teleport sometimes. It floats perhaps a metre directly over my avatar, I can't tell that it is attached to anything and I can't click it, and it does not show up in photographs (I tried to photo it). It's annoying! Anyone know how I can stop it?

Edit: The guy immediately below (I've left the original post intact) has now paid a fortune for cosmetic surgery, and at the moment appears like the bottom photo... Second Edit: Changed the last picture to the final result. The younger guy got binned in preference for someone who looks like he's a little more experienced, I'm trying to get a good look (who isn't???). I don't mind spending a little money on a shape/skin if I need to. I really want the avatar to be a little like me, with improvements. I used to bodybuild (I'm a qualified advanced fitness instructor) but I never liked the over-developed muscle-bound shapes. I prefer a smoother but still strong, broad-chested look. I should probably add that I'm male... lol. There's a real photo of me on my SL profile. This is what I have so far, based on the Aurick Avatar by TELLAQ (shape only, I don't like the skins) and the freebie Michael Photorealistic Skin that I picked up somewhere. I'm tempted to try either "Cahi Store - David" or "Bad@zz - MALE SHAPE "Charge"" from the marketplace, but neither offer a sample shape and I don't have much money left to waste. Other suggestions are welcome. So, what do folks think of what I have so far? Final result - this is me:

@Marigold, Yes, I think I'm going to like Frank's. It's the sort of place I've looked for in RL for years, and never found. I've joined the Elite Jazz Club - nice place indeed! Must brush up on my dancing... @Madelain, thanks for the link, I'll take a look, along with checking the stats on my router which I was just about to do. I've just done the first few checks from that link and everything looks as it should. That's in The Free Dove where I go to change clothes, and where I get most of the frustration. Ping around 200ms or less, 0% packet loss, Time Dialtion around 0.995 and SFPS of 44 and over. I'll keep digging. Thanks everyone for the speedy help and replies to my (probably a little rude-sounding when I read it back) post.

[Reply to second post] Seriously? I'm not arguing with you as such, because I suppose it's possible. However, I can download constantly right now at 20Mbyte/s on usenet or ftp (just tested it, not actually doing it right now). My latency isn't the best because I refuse to pay extra for the 'expedited, gaming' service, but I've never noticed it causing any issues. Other than that I have a good service; no traffic shaping or filtering, true unlimitted, etc. I run a Cisco 1841 router here so that's not a bottle neck. I'll hit my ISP forum and see what they say about it. Edit: I was tryping as the third post came in. So: I'm not actually running much in the way of external services or anything clever. I have them turned off most of the time on my server. I'm loading the viewer (Second Life 3.7.3) as an executable from the installed shortcut, I'll try what you suggested. Another thing I might try is running through a dedicated public IP address with no NAT etc. If the viewer uses a lot of rapid connections, it might help. Thanks!

I've been here for about a week now, and have even spent some money and would spend more probably, but.... The number of glitches, crashes, forced log-outs, and just really slow performance is ridiculous. So far, it seems almost a 50-50 chance of being logged out if I try to teleport. I've been trying for twenty minutes just now to change my outfit to another one I have saved. It's loaded part of it but not finished. This happens regularly, to the extent that I dread making changes to my appearance. Just changing an item of clothing can take several minutes. This is particularly annoying because I've spent a fair bit of money on posh outfits for Frank's. Often, when I log back in after a forced logout I don't get my avatar back properly; usually a grey face and other parts. More so a problem because of the above if I try to make any changes to bring it back. When trying to view profiles, my own and other people's, I get either an SSL or a "Your browser isn't accepting cookies' error more often than not. I've logged in using explorer so have the certificate. If I try repeatedly, I'll eventually get the page to open but it can take several tries. Occasionally it will work first time to catch me out. This has been going on since I started. It does seem time-dependent. In the morning, it seems better but I'm on mainly in the evening. For what it's worth, I have an i7 CPU at about 3GHz, 16GB RAM, an nVidia graphics card that was top of the range 18 months ago and a serious internet connection (easy 20Mbps, routed subnet IP block). My PC is fine; I'm a network and server geek! I've reinstalled the software, and had an automatic update too. The PC recently had a clean re-install. In the prefences, I've upped the maximum network speed to the max, but rarely see more than a trickle of data to my SL viewer once logged in. I'm loading my inventory before doing anything as I've read helps. I've also tried (repeatedly) clearing the cache. So, is it always like this? I would love to be told there is something I'm doing wrong, but really, I doubt it. Edit to add: I forgot a few other glitches, especially that have occured in the 'hunt the crystals and dodge the rock monsters' realms (where I was trying to earn some cash). I haven't even managed to complete one because of either being logged out or having my avatar refuse to stop walking in a straight line, as if I'm pressing the button down. I'm not.