Mesh

Blender and Shape Keys

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Blender has had shape keys for some time. They are a common part of most 3D models. But, since we can’t import Blender generated shape key information into Second Life™, the keys have not been much use to us. However, they can be used to make different size dresses, shirts, hands, feet, and whatever along with testing whatever we make.

AvaStar added tools for the use of shape keys to help in making standard sizes of our creations. Now Medhue Simoni has made a video showing what can be done with shape keys and how they work. He doesn’t say much about how we use the keys with things we are making for SL, but he does mention an important point: we will likely be able to use shape keys in the Next Generation Platform, SANSAR.

If you are interested in using shape keys to more quickly make standard size clothing items, refer to the AvaStar tutorials on Machinimatrix.org.

Next Generation Platform-SL2: The Avatars

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Everyone is curious about what the avatars in the Next Generation Platform (NGP), or SL2, will be like and what we can do with them. Now we have some clues. High Fidelity is working on their avatars and has just release a set of improvements. See: Creating and rigging an avatar with Blendshapes in Makehuman. The information is somewhat compatible with the current Second Life™ and I suspect a hint of what is coming for SL2 or the Next Generation Platform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZHyypkXDd4

This is a great video for designers. You’ll find references to a number software tools I have not heard mentioned in relation to Second Life. Some of those look to be handy for SL.

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Second Life: Mesh Body Revolution

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Strawberry Singh has a meme called What’s Your Digits? It is about shape and mesh bodies. So, what can I add to that?

My Digits 4/2015
My Digits 4/2015

If your new to Second Life™ you may not know the viewer’s appearance editor reports the wrong height for avatars. You can check this yourself by rezzing a cube and stretching it to whatever height you think you are. Make it phantom and walk into it.

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Second Life: Smooth Surface Mesh Seams

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If you have ever tried to make big things that require they be made in parts, you have probably run into this problem: the join points show. Look at the example in the lower right of the image (2 arrows). The desired result is to the left (single arrow).

Image by by Drongle McMahon - Arrows by me.
Image by by Drongle McMahon – Arrows by me.

This is not a matter of getting the vertices to match. Even if they do match perfectly, you get shading errors in Second Life. This is a problem with vertex normals.

There is an ongoing thread about this problem in the SL Forum: Visible seam when connecting two smooth shaded pieces. A good explanation of how to achieve a smooth surface at the connection point with correct shading is given by Drongle McMahon here.

Second Life: Mesh Bodies

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Coventina Dalgleish posted in the SL Forum: General Observations On Mesh Bodys – 4/6/15. Coventina came across a mesh body that has 2 million faces. OMG!

BA - angel daydreams
BA – angel daydreams by ~ Boudicca ~, on Flickr

The question asked is, don’t the Lindens have a limit on the size of mesh uploads? Well, yeah. They do. But a body is often 3 items, the hands 1 or 2 more items, the feet also 1 or 2 items, and the head another item. So, while it isn’t easy it is possible to get to 2 million faces without exceeding the Linden upload limits per mesh part, just make lots of parts with lots of materials. 

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Second Life: MayaStar News – Week 15

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A week or two back I covered MayaStar®, the addon for Maya® users developing Second Life™ content. I suppose many are aware of the similar product AvaStar for Blender. These are different products made by different people. They are not competitors as they serve different audiences.

Even if you are a Blender/AvaStar user there is still a bit of information here that may help you in  your design work. I’ve sot of added the work flow Cathy is building into MayaStar into my AvaStar work flow.

The video is 30 minutes long. 

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