Second Life Meets The Sims

Second Life Meets The Sims: Roleplay System Makes Your Avatar Look Wet, Sleepy, Dirty, or Even Drunk Based on Your In-Game Behavior

Here’s a huge and fun new update (SLurl to check it out) from The Really Useful Scripts Corner, a proud sponsoring partner of New World Notes — a major expansion to its Really Needy roleplay HUD (created in collaboration with top SL cosmetics brand Izzie’s):

Visible, physical changes to your avatar body based on how you interact in-world. (Watch the demo above!)

“If your avatar dives into water or goes swimming, he or she will emerge with water droplets on the face and body, and dripping wet,” says HUD creator Grace7 Ling. “If your avatar is tired or sleep-deprived (according to the HUD), they will get eye bags. Don’t drink enough water, your avatar gets chapped lips; don’t shower for days, your avatar starts to look grimy! Izzie and I think this will raise the level of realism for roleplayers who desire a truly immersive experience.”

So pretty much Second Life meets The Sims. Here’s all the details from Grace herself:

SL roleplay HUD Really Needy face changes

This concept of avatar skin changes being triggered by factors other than the user voluntarily wearing an inventory item, was previously implemented in the Injuries add-on. As covered by the recent NWN post, roleplayers using the Really Needy HUD as a roleplay-cum-combat system, would see gunshot wounds automatically appear on the part of the avatar body which has been shot by compatible firearms. (Weapon-makers interested to collaborate, contact me.)

Scripting this is made possible by utilizing “RLV”, more famously associated with the BDSM community in Second Life. RLV is often used to let other people control your clothes and capture you. In this case, I am using it to put on BOM tattoo layers made by Izzie’s, when triggered by physiological conditions of the avatar as simulated by the HUD. Such as ‘Hangover Face’ if your avatar is drunk or ‘Flush’ if your avatar is exercising, feverish, or aroused. RLV comes with Firestorm and some other viewers, but not the official viewer unfortunately.

The same tech would even allow Really Needy HUD users to set their avatar shape and appearance to change ‘involuntarily’ due to the female cycle or pregnancy if they wanted to. For example, breast veins or slightly swollen breasts due to hormonal changes.

There are a couple of technical challenges encountered; any advice from anyone would be appreciated. First, the avatar turns grey for a split second while tattoo layers are being applied, which spoils the immersion. Presumably that can’t be helped until Linden Labs does something. Secondly, there are some instances where although multiple BOM layers are being worn, somehow the new layer added (not replaced) is not visible until the user does a right-click and choose Edit Outfit.  

The Skin Effects Pack works with the latest Really Needy HUD, and is on promotion for L$199 only from 20-21 August. Buy both in my store.

And this is what my collaborator Izzie Button, owner of Izzie’s store, has to say about this collaboration:

“It was fun to work on the Skin Effects Pack with Grace. The Really Needy HUD makes it easy for roleplayers to have the BOM layers get put on automatically depending on their roleplay situation. It makes the whole experience feel more real. I can see my customers and Grace’s customers having fun with this! If we see good  response, we can do more!”

Have A Great Week From All Of Us At Zoha Islands and Fruit Islands