Sae Luan

I really don't want to spend over $200 on a graphics card, but of course just want the best thing I can get for my money. I don't HAVE to spend $200, just don't wanna go over $200.

If I were to upgrade the graphics card what do you recommend? I'd like to run my graphics in SL on the highest settings IF I can..

Thank you I am trying that now

Recently I purchased a new computer because my old computer was shot. My ex husband had built that computer specifically to run SL like a dream. Over the years, it wasn't running SL so good, but one day it just crapped out. I didn't have a lot of money saved, so I had to go to Best Buy and get something I could afford. The computer I got runs SL after a power supply upgrade, but it's not that great. When I'm around a lot of particles or moving textures, my frame rate drops to like nothing. I crash around too many sculpties (this sucks since I create sculpties a lot..). I cannot even use shadows. I'd like to be able to get back my dream SL where I can run it with no issues. SO I need someone on here that is computer savvy to tell me what I can purchase and upgrade in my computer so that SL will run awesome. I've come into a good deal of money recently and would like to make a few upgrades, I just don't know what I should do. Here's my system specs- Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.110622-1503) Language: English (Regional Setting: English) System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard System Model: p6744y BIOS: BIOS Date: 08/12/10 11:36:37 Ver: 6.05 Processor: Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5800 @ 3.20GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.2GHz Memory: 4096MB RAM Available OS Memory: 4096MB RAM Page File: 1909MB used, 6279MB available Windows Dir: C:\Windows DirectX Version: DirectX 11DX Setup Parameters: Not found User DPI Setting: Using System DPI System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent) DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled Display Devices--------------- Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT Manufacturer: NVIDIA Chip type: GeForce 9400 GT DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0641&SUBSYS_82BE1043&REV_A1 Display Memory: 2797 MB Dedicated Memory: 1005 MB Shared Memory: 1791 MB Current Mode: 1600 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz) Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor Monitor Model: Acer P215H Sorry if that was too much info or not enough. Either way, let me know what you think I can do to run SL GOOD. If you need more info, please let me know!! Thank you!

After all the comments on this thread and advice, I'm going to redo the frame completely. I never thought my thread about UV mapping would teach me a better way to model the frame itself lol. It's great that SL has so many people so willing to help others. Thanks again.

The live model thing annoys me. One or two is fine, but a store full is silly. I just don't like it, personally. I've never needed to see an outfit or accessory modeled to know if I want to buy it, and I've been in SL since 2006.

I am no where near advanced enough in this stuff to do something like that, but if I was, I would do it in a heartbeat. I prefer to make things my customers can get a lot of use from.

This certainly does have a lot of ways to go about it! I appreciate EVERYONE'S input so much! You are all awesome, and I've learned a lot about thinking outside my little box. I can't thank you all enough!

Chosen, thank you. I briefly considered a torus before I decided to create it out of a cube and just add edge loops where I needed and to cut the center out. Your approach is even more simple. I appreciate your input! I've learned so much from you over the years, I feel like I should be paying you lol.

I thought they had planned to start charging per listing.. What happened with that?

Its funny how sometimes you will get your brain wrapped around doing something a certain way and won't see other possibilities which may be easier or just as easy!

You are awesome! I can do this in Maya. I understand the things you left out, so no worries, but thank you so much for your reply. I wasn't thinking of doing it in such a way.

I haven't done anything but upload a random pic for it myself, but I'm good with doing that kind of stuff. What did you want on your badge?

That's what I thought to fix it as well, thanks. I just wonder if there's a better way to create an empty space other than modeling around it.

You're right, it's just hard to see the people do that. IDK, my sales are ok either way. It's just that with this being my main income other than the husband's, of course these things are going to worry me, but personally, I do too much of that worrying thing on everything... Not just in SL! Lmao.

Figured I'd add to that- the tool literally punches a hole out of the mesh. I figured that was the best route to getting the frame a hole in the center. If any Maya users have a better technique for this, PLEASE let me know hehe!

Thanks for the reply! I will try your suggestion. By make hole tool, I literally mean the Make Hole Tool found in Mesh->Make Hole Tool in Maya.

Actually that didn't work out quite like I thought it would. I used in Maya the tool called make hole tool. I used it to put a hole in the center of the frame so you could use regular prim to put a picture. But when I uploaded the mesh, the part where I put the hole is completely transparent instead of having a border as it does in Maya. I know this doesn't make sense so I will post a picture of what I mean.... But anyway, that square is the part that wraps the inside of the frame..which is transparent in world.

This is what I have now for a UV map with my new found knowledge lol. It's not perfect, but it's much better than my starting point! Thank you all again!!!

Ok thanks for everyone's help. I just figured it out from watching along on a digital tutor's video. You simply have to select the faces in groups and then project for each group. I know that may not be the proper way to say how I am doing it, but I'm no expert in Maya lol. I'm happy!

For me personally, I don't hate competition, but I don't understand why people price so low. Of course people don't want to pay HIGH prices for things. Back when sculpties first came out, I had some of the lowest prices on full permission sculpt work, but it was still enough to make sense for the time I spent to create it. The people pricing SO low...I just don't understand..I mean does it just take them a couple of minutes or do they just not care? SL is my RL income, and SL alone. My husband works, but we need the extra money to support our baby and such and not be broke all the time. For this reason, it just really makes me wince when I see such high quality work being practically given away. Yes, I could go out and get a RL job, but I want to be able to be home with my 5 month old. I prefer competition because it makes me strive to do better work, so for me they are two different issues.

Thanks...I'll try to look into it some more. I have a digital tutor's account I kind of forgot about that auto renews, so I'm going to go on there and see if they have any info on getting better results. Of course, if anyone knows any info that is for doing it in Maya, please reply here. I don't mind popping into Zbrush to do it, but I really hate having to use multiple programs to do things. I prefer to find a way in Maya to get the results I want, if possible.

I have a VERY basic understanding of creating the UV maps for meshes. I work in Maya, but I never had to do UV maps since before I only did sculpties. My question is.. I see some people have really simple UV maps much like the UV maps for the SL avatar for making clothing. Like a front and a back side by side. When I try to create UV maps, no matter what I do, it comes out either overlapped or in TONS of peices. I use automatic mapping because it seems to do the best job of making nothing overlap, but how do I create a more simple UV map? If I give this to someone to use it to texture the mesh, it's really hard for them to mess with because it is in so many peices. Is there some secret to UV mapping I don't know? Is there a better program to create the UVs? I do also own Zbrush. I'm attaching a picture to show what I mean with my UV map as well as what the object looks like inside Maya. Any help would be appreciated. :)

I wonder if LL intends to create a section of the marketplace specifically for mesh items. That would at least help with this problem as it relates to mesh.

Mesh or not, this is a problem. An item doesn't have to be mesh for it to have taken a lot of TLC to create. I thought when LL took over SLX they said they were going to keep freebies from coming up in normal searches. I guess I was wrong. Honestly, I'm so tired of people listing items for $20L and under. There's no reason for this. Those people are ruining the marketplace for everyone. Releasing a freebie is fine, even I have released a freebie or two, but these days, it's ridiculous!