Update: 1/2014 – See: Fitted Mesh Base Avatar Files for an update on available files for use in clothes making.
Update: 11/2013 – Fitted Mesh, previously the Alternate method or Liquid Mesh, is now the approved method for making mesh clothes that conform to the avatar’s shape. See: Fitted Mesh.
UPDATE: 6-25-2012 – Things may drastically change. See: Alternative to the Deformer. 4/2013 – Several designers are using the alternative methods now. Linden Lab is recommending avoiding use of those non-supported features. The Lab may make changes that break the feature some day.
UPDATE: Rewritten 5/24/2012 for the Bone Weights problem.
Maya users see: Rigging Mesh in Maya
11/27/2012 Avastar Users: Check out AVASTAR: Using Freeze Mesh for Edits and Seams.
My previous article on setting up Blender for making mesh clothes (Second Life Mesh Clothing Tutorial) was written in September 2011, eight months ago. I’ve updated it several times, but it is still out of date and awkward in some places. Blender is now at 2.63+ and has BMesh. Photoshop is up to CS6. The Mesh Deformer is close to being completed. We have a self correcting Bone Weight Copy add-on and more. So, lots of stuff has changed as of May 20, 2012. So, it’s time for a new version of the tutorial.
#1 The Default Avatar Shapes (Kinda funny)
A few days after I wrote this tutorial I found a problem with the file. The Paint and Weight Paint Brushes were messed up. How we create the files has to change. So, I’ve rewritten this tutorial again. This is the revised version. It replaces the previous one.
In this tutorial I’ll assume you are new to making mesh clothes. I’ll also assume you have some knowledge of Blender and Photoshop. I’ll be using only Blender 2.63a in this tutorial. I will also omit the import to Second Life as this Tutorial is already over 9,000 words. Plus, there are lots of tutorials on the Second Life mesh import.
Index
- Page 1 – Blender Install, Base Mesh Selection
- Page 2 – Details on Files and Base Avatar Meshes Available
- Page 3 – Deconfuser, File to Use, Actual Mesh Differences, Easy File Fix
- Page 4 – Not So Easy Fix for Learning, Exporting Shapes from SL, What’s Needed
- Page 5 – Getting Started, Customize Blender, GPU Kick-in, Load Mesh – Import OBJ, Setup Layers
- Page 6 – Join Parts or Not, Remove Doubles, Parenting, Check Parenting, Start Weighting – Vertex Weight Painting
- Page 7 – Weight Painting, Checking Weight Painting, Checking Weighting Source, Bone Weight Copying
- Page 8 – Checking the Weighting, Exporting Collada for Second Life
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