Gaia Clary is working to release an improved AvaStar 1.6 in October of this year. (Reference) An ‘Alpha’ version has been available since June. (Ref) But, it is not recommended for production or new users. The change is Gaia trying to get a better work flow for fitted mesh creation.

“Surrounded by an embrace”

People are becoming more interested in working with the various mesh bodies. I’m doubting Gaia can do much that is specific to any private brand of mesh body or would want to. I don’t see a necessity to try. We are building better polygon layouts than the classic avatar’s. So, our weighting will be better and likely unique. Plus we will have polygon layouts that vary from the various mesh bodies as the bodies use different layouts.  But, if we have good layout and weights, our stuff is going to work well with most bodies mesh or classic. 

The problem is always the classic avatar’s use of morphing. We can’t upload morphs. To match what the sliders change exactly we would have to use morphing with our clothes. That isn’t built into the viewers. Morphing is limited to the classic avatar body. Period. So, we use a morphless mesh body and morphless mesh clothes so that both react the same to body appearance sliders. That is how we get a way better clothes fit.

You’ll notice it is the Appliers that are so brand specific. That is because of the alpha layer, tats layers, and clothes layers of mesh bodies vary by brand. We don’t see the same ‘for brand x’ appearing in mesh clothes promos, because elbows, knees, and other flex-points are the same on all avatars, classic or mesh. There is some of that with mesh clothes. I think some designers test their designs with specific bodies and tweak them for that body. But, not like there is for Appliers.

I can’t see the body makers handing out exact copies of their bodies for anyone to use in clothes making. So, I can’t see copies making it into AvaStar. But, like I said, it probably isn’t necessary.