Project Bento Update 2016 w37

No video this week. I recorded one. But, it is too much of a mess to try and clean up.

Wetcat | The Book of Daniel - Fund-raising event ♥
Wetcat | The Book of Daniel – Fund-raising event ♥

There is a new Bento Viewer out: Second Life Bento Viewer version 5.0.0.319688. This is the one that came out earlier this week. It is in RC stage now. If you login with your ‘old’ Project Viewer, it should automatically update. If you log into the ADITI grid and update you may get a second update when you log into the main grid, AGNI. It will be the same viewer version you already got but, the viewer is confused so it updates again. Some people have seen their viewers update twice. 

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Second Life: Bento Wings Kit

Everyone is excited by the new Bento heads. They are pretty neat. I am also excited about Bento Wings. I have a collection of prim/sculpty wings in my inventory. Some are way gorgeous. But, they are mostly just there, when worn. Project Bento is going to change that. We will be able to animate the Bento Wings in ways not before possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpGUKowqim8

Damien Fate has a Bento Wings Kit out. See: FATEplay – Animated Wings Template. This is one of those Full Perm with an agreement type things where all the mesh and animation stuff is done. You only need to supply textures.

These show some of what can be done with Bento Wings. I expect some really impressive wings to start appearing.

Second Life: Another Bento Head

Strawberry Singh recently revealed a test Bento Head made by Akeruka. Now the site Honey Junkie has an article showing a Catwa made Bento Head. See: Catwa Bento!

These heads are using the viewer’s shape panel to adjust the head’s shape. Daeberethwen Arbenlow has the thought that we will likely need multiple heads. I pretty much agree in the sense that we can’t deviate too much from the base look without getting distortions.

As you watch these reviews you’ll notice that some shape sliders don’t work. That is probably a metter of how the designers has weighted the head. I’ll point out the under bite slider not doing much is an on going source of problems. If you watch the Project Bento user group meetings you know teeth and lower lip overlaps have been an animation problem.

First Bento Head Released

I’m surprised someone already has a Bento head out. And they are selling it, L$99. You have to join a group to get it. Also, it’s not a final version, at least I suspect it isn’t.

Strawberry Singh has a video showing the head and writes a bit about the project. See: Project Bento Mesh Head Preview from Akeruka. Nice head and looks well done.

Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage , not weakness
Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage , not weakness

Strawberry is guessing we may see Bento merged into the main viewer soon, she is in the 1 to 4 week range. I’m guessing too but, I’m in the 4 to 8 week range. I am pretty sure we will see the project viewer advance to RC Viewer status very soon, 1 to 2 week range. Then it takes some time to get through the RC stage. Also the Lindens want to soak up some feedback from a larger group of users. The more they want the longer it takes.

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Second Life: Project Bento Update 2016 w/35

There was no Project user group meeting this week. Some of the users showed up and there was some discussion. Not much of substance was related while I was there, about 30 minutes. Also, no one was using voice. Conversations were in local chat.

Since there was no voice used I sped up the video by 100% (x2). I also added some of the Server Scripting user group meeting. It too is in local chat without voice… x2.

It is looking like several people expect Project Bento to go into RC status this month. I expect the project to stay in RC status for longer than most candidates do. We have to wait for AvaStar and MaysStar and possibly MaxStar (?) to stabilize, people to learn to use them, start uploading animations, and reporting bugs.

Once the project has an RC my interest jumps up. I’m not a good enough animator to deal with the mechanics of how it works and be helpful. My ‘why does it…’ questions with ‘because you did or didn’t…’ answers would slow things down.