[BUG-8100] Alpha Map Support for Mesh

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How would you like the feature to work?

An additional material map option (aside from diffuse, specular, and normal) for meshes labeled ‘Alpha Map’ that allows a user to apply either a black and white map, or an alpha bit texture to mask out areas of a mesh and render them fully transparent (with a 1-bit edging). This needs LSL support as well.

Why is this feature important to you? How would it benefit the community?

Currently, mesh creation is vibrant but stifled, especially in the field of mesh avatars. For mesh avatars to truly take off, one needs the ability to wear mesh clothing with them, however even with the fitted mesh implementation, mesh clothing will never truly fit ideally under the current system. Mesh bleeding, poking, and interference is common without elaborate and lag-riddled inefficient hacks or workarounds on the part of the mesh developer. To address this issue, as content creators do with legacy avatars, the ability to hide specific areas of a mesh avatar based on the silhouette of mesh clothing is a necessity, but, this is not supported by any viewer, leaving the average user in limbo, and mesh developers in a conundrum. Developers can not reach the fullest potential of mesh avatars without this feature, nor optimize mesh avatars for grid-wide use without unnecessary viewer load potentiated by hacks or workarounds.

Links

Related

• [ ] https://github.com/secondlife/jira-archive/issues/14440
• [ ] https://github.com/secondlife/jira-archive/issues/14781

  Duplicates

• [ ] https://github.com/secondlife/jira-archive/issues/16172

Original Jira Fields

| Field | Value | | ------------- | ------------- | | Issue | BUG-8100 | | Summary | Alpha Map Support for Mesh | | Type | New Feature Request | | Priority | Unset | | Status | Closed | | Resolution | Unactionable | | Reporter | TheMeshProject (themeshproject) | | Created at | 2014-12-22T23:00:26Z | | Updated at | 2015-02-22T19:31:56Z | ``` { 'Business Unit': ['Platform'], 'Date of First Response': '2014-12-23T03:53:42.935-0600', 'How would you like the feature to work?': 'An additional material map option (aside from diffuse, specular, and normal) for meshes labeled ‘Alpha Map’ that allows a user to apply either a black and white map, or an alpha bit texture to mask out areas of a mesh and render them fully transparent (with a 1-bit edging). This needs LSL support as well.', 'Severity': 'Unset', 'Target Viewer Version': 'viewer-development', 'Why is this feature important to you? How would it benefit the community?': 'Currently, mesh creation is vibrant but stifled, especially in the field of mesh avatars. For mesh avatars to truly take off, one needs the ability to wear mesh clothing with them, however even with the fitted mesh implementation, mesh clothing will never truly fit ideally under the current system. Mesh bleeding, poking, and interference is common without elaborate and lag-riddled inefficient hacks or workarounds on the part of the mesh developer. To address this issue, as content creators do with legacy avatars, the ability to hide specific areas of a mesh avatar based on the silhouette of mesh clothing is a necessity, but, this is not supported by any viewer, leaving the average user in limbo, and mesh developers in a conundrum. Developers can not reach the fullest potential of mesh avatars without this feature, nor optimize mesh avatars for grid-wide use without unnecessary viewer load potentiated by hacks or workarounds. ', } ```

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Whirly Fizzle commented at 2014-12-23T09:53:43Z

Duplicate of BUG-7010

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Valkyrie Jinx commented at 2014-12-23T16:14:23Z

I need more alpha options in the chest area. the alpha is cutting to much off the body to be compatible with low cut tops. cant you section the torso alpha like you did the upper arms? spec the under bust. i wrote the creater about this issue with photos etc... also, asked about diff nipple types,options of normal,puffy and so forth. this torso alpha is a big issue for me and my friends , we can not wear low cut outfits due to this flaw in the alpha.

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alexax Tebaldi commented at 2014-12-23T17:14:59Z

Mesh body are the best thing in SL at the moment, and with many more to come there is a need for a better Alpha Hud to be able to cover mesh, and be able to do it in a way that is more personalized and defined. The mesh clothes, even when are fitted mesh, still let part of the body to show, especially with certain poses and animations. Also, we need more choices to be able to cut more sections of the body around the female breast and chest area upper and lower breasts as well as in the middle (left and right option) in the lower part of the belly. There are so many mesh corset and tops and bras and tank tops that the actual alpha hud needs to be implemented with more choices.

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zafia Vesta commented at 2014-12-23T22:51:42Z

I fitmesh clothes and I would like to make chords alpha maps with clothes that I do, if this can not be, I would like more options alphas in the body

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TheShops commented at 2014-12-23T23:01:39Z

Whirly, since that older request was posted new discoveries have been made in regards to lag efficiency and the growth of mesh avatars has dramatically increased. This feature differs in more detail, updated requirements, and more in depth research, we feel that this feature is desperately needed, and requested, and should not be overlooked.

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GiseleHendrix commented at 2014-12-23T23:11:34Z

Yes, more Alpha options would be nice! specially at pants, low hip pants dont work mostly, same like tops with open cleavage.... i think it would be nice to have an overworked alpha hud!!!! Same is the "transparent" clothes / tattoos, sometimes they dont work right, only when they put a layer off in troubleshooting!!!!

I really would like overworked version

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Tadeen GossipGirl commented at 2014-12-23T23:27:53Z, updated at 2014-12-23T23:30:46Z

I have to say to TheShops, amazing development with the mesh body, head and all related items. Alpha definitely needs a update. I notice you sent out a recent update for the mesh body & head, I can't wait to see. But in regards to the Alpha Hud if it was section out better especially in the chest area and legs would be great. TheShops is doing awesome, Love love you guys.

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Toby Velvetleaf commented at 2014-12-24T00:19:09Z

I fully support the need for texture based Alpha Maps for all mesh products, rather than alpha HUDs to turn mesh parts on or off to hide them. However, not if it compromises the look and quality of the textures used. A mesh avatar is nothing more than another mesh object. As we all know, we can place an alpha enabled (masked) texture on any in-world object and it will make specific parts of the object see-through. While we can place an alpha masked texture on the classic SL avatar to hide poke throughs on attached mesh items, it seems we cannot get the same effect with attached mesh objects. If we consider the classic SL mesh body as an onion, it doesn't matter what clothing layers you place an alpha masked texture on, they all get along nicely and you can see one through the other, with alphas blended correctly. Perhaps this is due to how these textures are rebaked together as a composite texture when we add or remove classic clothing layers. Now consider the third party mesh body as the onion. While each individual layer of the body is able to display an alpha masked texture, it has no way of combining the textures to form a single composite like that of the classic SL mesh body. What is clear is the alpha of the outer-most mesh takes precedence over any other alpha masked mesh layers below it, cutting undesirable holes into parts of underlying mesh. For example, if I wear some mesh hair stlyes over my mesh test body, the sloppy alpha of the hair cuts through some of the clothing layers of my body, exposing the skin layer at the centre. If the skin layer of the mesh body was also alpha enabled (masked) it would probably blast a hole through that as well. While I understand the proposed work-around is a 1-bit alpha texture, I have to say they look terrible. What is meant to be a softened shadow or edge to a clothing layer texture, is turned into a solid black edging. All pixels that are not completely transparent are solidified. You can effectively kiss tattoo layers goodbye and semi-transparent clothing, if 1-bit alpha textures are implemented as the solution. I do hope they find a way to make this work while retaining proper alpha blending. Good luck with this Jira. :)

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talaluz commented at 2014-12-24T00:39:50Z

All mesh body alpha HUDs are very basic and don't cater for complicated asymmetrical mesh clothes. It's difficult to design mesh to suit an alpha HUD since not all mesh body makers will follow the same body section patterns. The best option is for a designer to continue to provide the mesh glitch layer like we do for the basic SL body now or let customers make their own. How this can be properly applied to a mesh body, I'm not sure but I hope they implement something soon. I also agree 1-bit alpha textures look bad. They turn some of my items into cartoony looking textures.

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fallensoul.tepper commented at 2014-12-24T01:29:22Z

im just wondering why vote i mean should it not be done anyways? but alas i am no longer interested in this product to costly and i spent too much money on slink shoes and hand products and since the creator wont make their body match the slink hand feet weel to much money for that but hey go for the alpha stuff always good

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Judy Nowles commented at 2014-12-24T03:16:24Z

We need to have the ability to properly wear mesh clothing with our mesh avatars. We should have support for this especially considering the Linden $ we contribute to SL

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leonafox.asalia commented at 2014-12-24T03:50:06Z

To me, this would not be as huge of a problem if they would make more fitted mesh clothes for their product. It is like a huge TEASE because they obviously can make fabulous clothes but just crazy slow at producing them. I want to say unacceptably slow considering the cost of everything. Anywayssss not gonna rant here, not the place. I have TMP I just love it and hate it. I vote for this alpha map support because this is for the sake of mesh bodies everywhere! yay :)

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SoulfulLife commented at 2014-12-24T05:41:53Z

more options please

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0ooOOoo0 commented at 2014-12-24T07:05:49Z

more alpha options on thigh . mid length skirts are not looking good when walking . a thought to the cleavage area would be nice to hide boobs if wearing lower cut tops .. thanks for your work tmp body is a sleek machine !

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xKamilyx commented at 2014-12-24T13:02:20Z

PLEASE.... you really have to give us more options, I have many beautiful shorts i've bought, and i can't use them because of the cuts of the alphas from deluxe mesh body are limited, need more little cuts alphas in front of body and behind it, to use with more shorts and pants... i have to change my body to get using my clothes, that's sad. i'm having problems with pants on back, the alpha near the back and the ass, looks like a heart draw, not a line more straight, so the alpha there appears in some clothes, and principally, on breasts, i CAN'T use my corsets or any clothes with that kind of draw alpha... and some shoes too i'm getting problems... the alpha body need more cuts... more options.. and as i'm already here, i'd like to ask for more hands options too and i can't find color nails to those hands and feet... thanks dear. I really hope you all fix these problems... it's good for you, because you'll have more customers and better reference.... the people will choose TheShops store to buy things, and not others.

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VampirePam commented at 2014-12-24T13:02:50Z

The chest and back areas need more options as it is very hard to wear backless or very low cut tops. Also smaller increments on the legs would be helpful as well. As a designer many of my meshes will not work with this body as the Alpha system can not support the deep cut tops or very short skirts. The second Alpha area I would like to see is the head for rigged hairs that can not be adjusted that the scalp breaks through the hair...to be able to alpha the hairbase area would be a big help for many I believe

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Ami Deceit commented at 2014-12-24T17:04:05Z

I would LOVE either alpha map support for mesh and / or better alpha hud customizing. Currently, I can't wear mesh corsets, some tank tops and all my knee high boots.

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torri Clarity commented at 2014-12-24T17:48:09Z

Please improve the alpha options.

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Dagmar Back commented at 2014-12-24T18:21:17Z

Man sollte endlich mal den Mesh-Shop so ändern das auch alles zu erkennen ist. Diese Farbabstimmung "all in white" ist einfach nur furchtbar.

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DannyDeMarco commented at 2014-12-25T18:17:57Z

Would be great to see more possibilities to fine tune around the chest, breast, bottom and stomach - but just repeating ;-)

And I'd love to see a 'save function' - where I could store different alphas - with names ;-)

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Truism Theas commented at 2014-12-25T18:46:57Z

Be great to be able to save states created in the TMP alpha HUD as alpha profiles you can apply to the TMP mesh body... my boobs are just too big for some clothing :-)

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AndoraSkye commented at 2014-12-25T20:39:27Z

We need better alpha options!

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moises Weezles commented at 2014-12-25T23:40:31Z

as it seems, everyone need more alpha options, why don't you guys just do a new update solving troubles with alphas etc ? btw, theres just a few options for body, I know that you guys have your only hands & feets, but you should think about build a version compatible with slink, and its not really about be slink or not, it's about that for slink theres tons of options lmao

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SugarPutty Magic commented at 2014-12-26T00:12:50Z

this isn't a jira about the body its self!

The more you comment about what to do for the body, What changes you think the body needs. The less LL will look at real suggestions for making the changes to the system that are needed. Keep on topic

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Sorcia Dakun commented at 2014-12-26T03:43:06Z

I would love the Alpha HUD to have the first full 'alpha' on the back to be split in two. It's too large for some items, especially corsets. I have to agree with Danny! A 'save' option would be GREAT!

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chokobii commented at 2014-12-26T06:28:31Z

Not sure if this would be the right place to post this but it would be great if you could have a click and drag sort of feature when turning alphas on and off instead of having to click on each section individually. It would be beneficial for users who have to constantly switch outfits and clothing that requires different alpha variations.

For example a user would click and hold a section of the lower arm and be able to drag the selection all the way to the top of the shoulder and all the alpha sections selected would be turned on/off. I think its more easier than having to click through each one which takes longer and the smaller sections are a pain to click on.

If this already exists please show me the light :D

Thank you!

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Cranston Yordstorm commented at 2014-12-26T13:39:19Z

Just got the TMP Male Mesh Body and LOVE it. A great addition to the alpha HUD would be a button that add ALL alphas (Making the body invisible) so that one might work backwards from that, rather than adding alphas individually.

Also ... the ability to choose a preset to save AFTER making the choices, as opposed to BEFORE. Often I think I would make the choice to save a preset AFTER I've made all the choices I need. Right now, I would need to choose a preset, then make the choices, then save.

OR ... instead of presets just have buttons on the alpha hud that correspond generally to different appendages (arms, legs, front, back, etc.)

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SugarPutty Magic commented at 2014-12-26T17:17:11Z

Doesn't anyone realize this jira is not about TMP or their alpha system? its about getting LL to allow all mesh makers to allow a type of system alpha like we use on normal system avatars. Flooding this jira with tmp issues will do nothing but make LL ignore it!

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Siddean Munro commented at 2014-12-26T19:31:48Z

Not only do we need this feature, but it needs LSL support straight away, not months and months later like specular and normal maps.

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TheShops commented at 2014-12-26T21:25:00Z, updated at 2014-12-26T21:26:22Z

Thanks for chiming in Siddean!

Also I think most mesh developers will agree this will need to support multiple (perhaps 5?) maps for hiding different areas when wearing more than one mesh clothing. Ie: a t shirt will use one map slot, pants can use another, jacket another etc etc

And yes, this is for all mesh developers not just TheMeshProject, so no need to overly reference it. So many possibilities! We really won't be able to take advantage of mesh avatars unless either this is implemented or the skeleton support for meshes are drastically overhauled (unrealistic).

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Hart Larsson commented at 2014-12-27T10:44:27Z

The full support of mesh masking must be introduced like other material property on day 1, not after years. The fact that to give some Freedom to customers, mesh designers need to split in zilion of pieces a mesh, is not good for rezzign tme, stability and resource consuming. Scripters now to develope a hud get crazy and every time a mesh designer implement a new piece/cut/alpha area the script must be redone or updated. The solution to have at last 5 alpha mask textures applied by scrips on a mesh could be a great improvement. Will make dress designers to create their mesh dfress and release a alpha mask to accomplish the creation. This feature is like a alpha tattoo layer that can be wear on normal avatar mesh. I hope other designer and scripters VOTE this request but i doubt that Linden Lab will add it to SL because probably they focusing more on sl 2.0.

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Sasy Scarborough commented at 2014-12-27T11:39:24Z

This is such a must as it would mean creators can stop updating as often, and keep creating, where their focus should be. I hope this is something the Lindens strongly push forward, as the linden default body is now not even a product available on arriving as a new resident, this would even enable creators to create for the NEW existing LL default mesh bodies.

Thank you Sasy Scarborough

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zafia Vesta commented at 2014-12-27T14:41:21Z

I think if LL can not support this type of alpha maps would be nice to them through hud or Installer, just as we do the textures now able to also through this tool specific for alpha maps mesh clothes we create.

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SilverSin commented at 2014-12-27T23:04:34Z

We need more cuts on the back and front of the female body. Something made for corsets and underbust corsets. I am having a really hard time finding a corset that fits this body. Maybe I'm asking too much to try and get a corset on this body...

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Belladora Darkfold commented at 2014-12-28T00:22:34Z

this is very important as building in SL grows and the linden labs alpha support falls far behind. Your customers are years ahead of you already, please catch up.

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RavaRedfield commented at 2014-12-28T10:10:12Z

For me the important issues are the fitting arms and the tmp feet which fit in slink shoes or any other shoes. For the most shoes the height is not correct. Maybe I even don't know how to solve it. The arms are ... well ... many Jackets doesn't fit with the arms. The arms are lower than the Jacket. But the mesh body looks great. Maybe there can't be a solution.

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Kalunista commented at 2014-12-28T15:25:34Z

A useful idea even for all mesh avatars on the grid. This could also be added to the new Linden Lab default mesh avatars since many new people do not understand the difference between mesh and legacy clothing. I have had to help many with this very confusing issue. This would be helpful to creators and a welcome addition by those of us who love those creations.

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krasnirex commented at 2014-12-29T00:20:37Z

Very useful feature. I also suggested this back in July. https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/BUG-6598

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Jack Fawcett commented at 2014-12-30T18:37:20Z

One useful feature for the alpha hud would be the addition of buttons allowing full sections of the body mask to be applied or unapplied all at once instead of having to click every single masking layer. It can get tedious having to always do them one at a time, unless you don't wear clothes. Then I suppose it wouldn't be a problem lol

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Rob Colter commented at 2014-12-30T19:43:38Z

For mesh bodies it would be great if there was a body alpha separate from the clothing alphas.

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TJ Ashland commented at 2014-12-31T01:31:56Z

It would be nice if the alpha hud had a higher layer option for the back right under the neck. I got my mesh clothes to all fit except my collared shirts. There is still skin showing right under collar of my shirt, right under my neck, in the back. There is no layer option I can select that is higher.

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Toby Velvetleaf commented at 2014-12-31T04:01:32Z, updated at 2014-12-31T04:03:40Z

You guys really need to read the Bug report heading carefully! This is NOT about an Alpha HUD! It's about the ability to use alpha maps on your new mesh bodies! Similar to the texture based alpha clothing layer you used to wear for the SL Classic avatar to hide peekaboo parts. This could even do away with the need for a complex HUD altogether! Stay on topic if you want these changes adopted by LL! VOTE for the JIRA (top right of this page) and make your comments about your AGREEMENT FOR ALPHA MAP SUPPORT FOR MESH and avoid making references to any HUD! If you are in a group for other mesh body products other than TMP you may want to suggest they come to this JIRA and vote as it is not only for TMP. It benefits ALL mesh makers!

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Mona Eberhardt commented at 2014-12-31T09:13:43Z

I think this would be an even better option, and it could potentially do away with appliers completely. https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/BUG-8132

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NiranV Dean commented at 2014-12-31T11:00:08Z, updated at 2014-12-31T11:02:29Z

@Mona No, it would require you to wear the skin and alpha's you want on your mesh first, then allow the script to grab these textures and put them on the mesh, that means you would have to become halfway visible again through your mesh just to make the server bake the texture you want, grab it and put it on your mesh and then again this would ONLY work on meshes that use the default LL UV Map. Not a valid alternative therefor. This here needs to be implemented, it is the only proper way and isn't even that hard to implement.

See the problem with your Jira entry? You can only grab textures that are baked by the server, to bake them you would have to wear your desired skin/alphas first otherwise it would take your entirely invisible body as example.

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Sivellah commented at 2015-01-01T00:22:10Z, updated at 2015-01-02T06:26:31Z

Head alphas? You can't wear rigged mesh hair with mesh heads, which is sorta major.. And varies of different ones to fit different styles, included with covering the ears, so you can wear different mesh ears and elf ears. Really important. Till then the mesh head - mostly for females, are quite useless. Shame, cause they're nice otherwise.. #TMP

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LaureCurie commented at 2015-01-01T11:11:59Z

For me, it would be desirable that the alpha hud could be saved with the outfit, so when i change the outfit i have not to reset it and begin once more to hide parts of my body that previously were showed, with the other outfit, i mean. I hope this will be worked in the future, its important to get dressed quickly and easily. Thank you for your work. Laure

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Hart Larsson commented at 2015-01-01T18:45:49Z

PLEASE READ THE TOPIC OF THE JIRA!!!!!!! IS NOT A JIRA ABOUT THESHOP BODY OR HUD/ALPHA SYSTEM IS A MESH ALPHA FEATURE IN GENERAL!!!!

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zafia Vesta commented at 2015-01-01T18:51:41Z

I actually agree if that LL should consider how the designers we could do the alpha maps to mesh avatars just as is done for classic avatars.

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Zinbaco Kattun commented at 2015-01-02T17:15:13Z, updated at 2015-01-02T17:18:16Z

Just bought the mesh body today (TMP version) so far I've got most things to fit except thigh high boots. (I@ve not tried corsets yet that someone else has mentioned they have issues with). I'd like to see a better way of managing the alphas to hide that last piece of body, in the case of the boots it's around the ankles and thighs where I am struggling. There seems to be a gap in the mapping at the bottom of the leg before the foot kicks in?? (oops fixed the ankles by taking my feet off !!) Still puzzling over the fit of the boots at the thighs.

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Rain Tehani commented at 2015-01-02T22:02:58Z

I checked out Maitreya's body today, my personal opinion it is not as well designed as TMP, but the other options they provide are excellant. Their Alpha Mask and the break down of it is supurb not to mention that they have made it compatible to Slink and their products as well as the Omega Hud. Not sure of the voting but they also need to fix the tattoo layers, the troubleshooting on/off layers is a joke. They don't work and they make the tattoo's an inky black. No matter how much you toggle or turn one off or the other... IT DOESN'T WORK.