#SL Mesh Deformer Worries

Worrying is generally pointless. However, the concerns that bring the worry can be important to consider. Such concerns have come up in a thread over on SLUniverse. The basic concern is what will the Deformer do to our existing mesh clothes? Since they are mostly expensive it would be good to have an answer.

This is Alpha

The Deformer is in the alpha stage. So, we don’t know what the final Deformer will make mesh clothes look like. We have found problems and it seems many feel we will need a flag to tell the deformer whether to deform or not. But, even that is undecided as some of the problems the flag would address can be handled in other ways.

There is also the thought that perhaps a slider setting the amount of deformation may be better. So, we could tell the Deformer to deform by 0% to 100% of its normal deformation.

With so much unknown, all we can do is make intelligent guesses and speculate.

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#SL Content-Mesh UG Week 2

The big news for mesh is currently Qarl’s Mesh Deformer. It is out and now in several Third Party Viewers (TPV) and a Linden Lab project viewer. I had to figure out where it is hiding. When I found it found it I had a ‘D’oh’ moment. The download link is in the summary. The feature works well enough in TPV’s. There are some problems.

Deformer Complcations

Part of the idea of the Mesh Deformer was to eliminate the need for us to change our shape to fit the clothes. The clothes would change to fit us. But, we are finding it is not that simple. Things like mesh shoes mess up unless one changes their foot size away from the 0 size many of us use. At 0 size the distorted foot distorts the mesh shoe. So, some are thinking that a switch is needed to tell the mesh deformer to deform or not. We could then mark the shoes No-Deform.

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Nirans Viewer Releases Deformer Version

Niran has added Qarl’s Mesh Deformer code to the Niran viewer 1.03. I tried it out and played with mesh. There are some things I learned.

Fit

The size of the mesh does matter. The Deformer does not move all mesh to the outside of the avatar. In some cases I found small mesh clothes were inside the avatar. Also, large clothes left a space between the avatar and the mesh.

[youtube gRT0fWacyEY]

An explanation of the video is below in the Video section.

So, I guess the base avatar that one designs mesh from is going to be important. I’ll have to do some experiments to see how using a personal shape avatar works compared to using the base avatar.

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#SL Mesh Deformer Goes Alpha

On the 31st Qarl Fizz released a video update on the mesh deformer. I have the YouTube link below. This is good news and we get more information on how the Deformer will work. Gianna Borgnine of MetaReality was tweeting about the coming announcement in their podcast. I’ve been involved in the holidays and not paying too much attention to events in SL. So, this is a nice New Year’s surprise for me.

[youtube yoOywmSKG2k]

The video is 16:03 minutes long.

00:00 – Qarl tells us that in this alpha release the heavy ‘heavy lifting’ part is done. The math and integration to the viewer’s render pipeline is done. This does not mean the Deformer Project is complete. It means the foundation has been build and is ready for testing. Qarl is ready for feedback on the Deformer.

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#SL Content & Mesh News Week 51

Last week Charlar Linden posted an announcement that the Mesh Upload group would be expanding its focus. This week’s meeting was the first week with the expanded focus. At this point I’m not sure everyone has a clear idea what this means. There is much to consider.

Getting My Groove

First the past meetings have been about helping develop mesh. Users get a new tool, go play with it, and provide feedback. The Lindens consider the feedback, work out a fix or change, and restart the cycle. Now that process is changing. Effort on the Lab’s part is no longer toward developing mesh and mesh tools. It is toward stability and performance. Feedback is not as important as system stats provide a quantifiable measure of success or failure.

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#SL Mesh Statistics

At the last Content/Mesh User Group Charlar Linden provided some interesting statistics on mesh in Second Life.

55%

55% of users logging in are running mesh capable viewers. This number is probably mostly the pre-Phoenix mesh release stat. Talking with Jessica, of the Firestorm-Phoenix team, she believes the change to the newest Phoenix viewer will up that percentage to 80%

Mesh Sales

In the past week the sale of mesh objects has doubled (Gross Revenue).

Regions

18% of the regions in Second Life now have mesh objects rezzed in them.

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