Updating Models on Custom Shapes

If you used a shape other than the two default shapes, you need to follow these steps.

Take your model into SL with the latest viewer. It does not matter if it is the project viewer or not. Do NOT mark it to be deformed by the Deformer. You want a non-deforming model.

• Wear the newly imported model.
• Adjust your avatar’s shape to the best fit. You want the entire avatar inside the mesh model. This is very important.
• Once you have the best fit possible, export the avatar shape to XML.
• Upload the model’s DAE file again. This time you must use the project viewer, set it to use the Deformer, and use the CUSTOM option for the based on shape and use the just exported XML file for your custom base shape.

Now your model should work correctly with the Deformer and fit avatars regardless of shape settings, at least pretty well. Kitsune Shan explained this process in 1716. Thanks Kitsune. It saves having to adjust mesh vertices in a model.

Warning: if any of the model’s vertices fall inside the avatar, the Deformer will keep that part of the model inside the avatar. You will likely get results you do not want with vertices inside the avatar. So, it is very important to get all the model’s vertices outside the avatar’s mesh.

Why is it taking so long?

I’ve seen this question asked a few times in different places recently. I think this project is an excellent example of the design process and problems that come up when working with the community.

I think the reason is simple. The community has been slow to respond to requests from the Lab for test clothes and feedback on those clothes. Also lacking is significant feedback on mesh clothing problems for various types of clothes from the fashion community.

I believe the community’s lack of interest essentially got the project demoted to a lower priority. I was publishing information on the problem starting in June 2012. Ref 1, Ref 2, Ref 3, Ref 4, and Ref 5.

While many have said they have a high personal interest in getting the Deformer completed, that interest has not been demonstrated by providing help. I’ll qualify that statement… there are designers and a few fashion people that have provided excellent help. I’m not ignoring that. Karl, Max, Darien, Kitsune, Oz, some of my readers, and others have contributed a great deal. But a few dozen people does not constitute great interest by the SL community or the SL Fashion community.

I’ve been trying to get the word out as have others since August 2012 that this could delay the project. That just does not seem to have done much. An outsider looking in would assume most people do not care.

Now I expect the Deformer will get rolled into a more comprehensive evaluation of the SL Avatar and what steps the Lab may take to improve it. I suspect that will delay the Deformer even more.

If the community gets excited and decides the current Deformer is good enough and provides test clothes and rational commentary on its performance, we may see the Lab promote the project to a higher priority and I would guess Oz Linden would push to get it out.

But right now new comers to the 1716 thread and Mesh Deformer debate want a comprehensive solution. They want to add features. They want feet and hands to deform correctly; something that is not going to happen with the current avatar. They want the Deformer to do things it will never be able to do.

Solving current Deformer problems in how things deform can only be fixed by fixing the avatar. When people ask for avatar 2.0 I doubt some realize what they are asking.

If the Lab goes the comprehensive direction toward fixing the avatar because they perceive the community wants a more comprehensive solution than the Deformer, expect this project to take at least another year and possibly two.

Possible Plan

There is no doubt at the Lab or in the community that a better avatar is needed. But, that is a BIG project with a massive impact on existing content. That means the Lab will VERY carefully consider the plan and its impact.

I believe the Lab plans to look at the avatar in the first quarter of 2013 and make some type of plan. If the Deformer stays wrapped up in a comprehensive solution I believe it will be delayed.

However, if a majority of the community, at least the involved community accepts the Deformer as is as step #1 in an avatar improvement process then things may move forward.

Most of the current problems the Deformer has are from avatar. If we had a better avatar, the Deformer would do a better job. So, when the avatar is improved it will reflect those improvements.

So, I think we should go with what we have. Getting the Deformer released will be a big help for mesh clothing sales… even if it is not the end all be all.

What You Can Do

Simple. Get the word out.

We need new test clothes and good designers testing the Deformer. We need good feedback from informed and knowledgeable people. At this point ignorance can only slow the process down. So, if you are just now learning Blender and clothing design in SL, I suggest you sit this out. But, you can help by spreading the word about the delay.

If you know Blender or 3DS or whatever modeling program inside out and are just new to SL, step up and provide feedback. Just realize the entire SL system is NOT going to be updated to the state of the art game modeling available in other systems. We have to work with what we have and plan for gradual improvement. This is about how we get the best Deformer with the existing avatar.

Test clothes are needed. See: Examples Request.  It includes instructions for submitting examples.