A new RC version of AvaStar 2 is out. You can get it from your products page at Machinimatrix.
I am not sure what got fixed… the release notes and change logs are not up to date.
The Maintenance Update function doesn’t seem to work with RC’s. The panel showed 2.0.40 when I clicked for an update. Manually adding the RC 5 package the version in the panel reports 2.0.43.
Manual updates also clears my account data, which I have to re-enter.
The Blender-AvaStar combination is still the least expensive entry point for making clothes, animations, and avatars for Second Life™. Blender is free and awesome, if difficult to learn. AvaStar has sold for US$27 for, I think, a couple of years. So, a price increase is to be expected.
It’s Oh So Quiet
At the end of March 2017, the price of AvaStar will increase from US$27 to $40 for the full version and yearly support from $14 to $20. So, if you have been on the fence about purchasing AvaStar, now would be a good time. I plan to update my support package. See: AvaStar Pricing. Continue reading
There are a number of good and really bad Photoshop 3D tutorials online. I think Michael Hoffman makes one of the better sets of tutorial videos for those starting out. Clicking his name takes you to his YouTube channel. Here is his BASIC tutorial for getting started with Photoshop 3D (#1 in series) but, it isn’t specifically for Second Life users. So, I’ll add some SL specific help.
There are some things left out that I think are important for the basic starting out tutorial. Plus, it doesn’t answer questions about using SL Classic Avatar files. I’ll try to answer those questions and jump you to the things we do in Second Life. Continue reading
Today I see AvaStar has a release candidate out: AvaStar 2.0-RC1. This version is available to all AvaStar owners that have a current subscription. I’m unsure how that affects AvaStar 1.7 owners without a support subscription.
The Plan is to have AvaStar 2.0 out in March 2017.
Gaia is promoting this release a hot potato with some likely rough spots. It’s hard to know if she is just lowering expectations or if there are known problems. Whatever the case, this is the update you’ll want.
Discussion is active in AvaStar Support – 13:15 SLT.
I watch a lot of texture making videos. I’m not so good at it. I’m still trying to ‘get it.’
I came across this one: The FAST Method for Creating Realistic Materials & Textures || Blender Tutorial I’m including the link because there are a number of handy links on the YouTube page.
The CrazyBump normal maker talked about in the video is a US$99 retail app. There is a demo video on the site. It is impressive. The site is VERY small, almost nothing to read. If you an analytic personality, it isn’t enough.
However, CrazyBump has been around for a while. I first downloaded it in 2013, v12. It is now version 122.
Machinimatrix has a new beta release out. You can get it on your product’s page… may be.
My page still shows 2.0-beta-23 as the main candidate (green new). But, we’ve been warned not to use that one… Below with a red test button is 2.0-beta-29. Seems there is a 2.0-beta-28 some think doesn’t work… I’ve never seen it. To see some releases you apparently have to have an open trouble tickets… why? Gaia says so you can see if your issues have been fixed… So, I suppose the rest of us can forget working with Bento for now…
If you are somewhat confused, join the crowd.
The read-me file link doesn’t seem to work correctly. So, I can’t see what any differences from previous versions and 29 are.
The Trouble Ticket system has been fixed to allow some previously blocked file type to upload.
A new bug fix release is out. This version has 69 bugs fixed. I hadn’t found a one of them…
I came across this tip revealing a feature in Blender I suspect most of us don’t know.
Now if I can remember this it will be handy.