Flexi Skirt Maker
News & Updates

 
     
  Flexi Skirt Maker  - News and Updates

Click Here for Main Page on our OnP Deluxe Flexi Skirt Maker

NEWS AND UPDATES

TRY THE MAID PETTICOAT SUGGESTION - We think some of you might like the power shown by doing the maid petticoat suggestion, shown in our online fashion location.  It of course also shows how to make it.  Just click the link below:

Maid Petticoat Example

TURBO FAILURES - While we have not as yet seen a failure of our "fast" skirt maker, Turbo is a different story.  After making about 50 test skirts with our turbo maker we have seen two failures.  Since those two failures do not repeat and the way they look when made, the failures seem right now to be a "lag" issue.  Actually the fast and turbo versions use exactly the same software package.  A simple option we type in at the top, 0 or 1, tells it whether to be fast or turbo.  What does that mean?  They both make skirts much the same way.  The differences are only in the permissions and the linking speed.  We have been doing software now on SL for years.  What we have found is that SL "lag" can damage almost any software.  Likely there will be a case one day when it will damage a "fast" skirt maker as well.  We have put a great deal of lag protection in our dance animation software for example, but no matter how much, lag can find a way to damage now and then.  The "turbo" version is more vulnerable since it breaks SL rules.  SL wants one second of dead time after software links items.  This drives software people like us crazy.  We do not know why they need this.  But apparently SL does.  The turbo which links faster than the 1 second asked for by SL does so by trickery - it has one large program and three small software helper programs doing the linking.  But in times of lag, it can be vulnerable.  We think from what we see, we know what the problem is, but the type of problem it is is not very fixable.   We believe that if there is a lag on a sim, the linking may be out of order.  That might mean that the skirt will look normal at first glance after it is made, but some of our software such as xy center openings or texture spreading will not work correctly - since it expects the skirt pieces to be linked in a certain order.  What to do?  If frustrated, try the "fast" version instead of "turbo".  You also might simply get good results by trying it in a lower lag sim or by simply trying turbo again.  The problem is in the making of the skirt, but may not show up till changing the center opening or doing texture spreading.

SPEED FIXES - Our "fast" version was introduced in version 3.01 and continues in 3.04.  This fast version is about twice as fast as our first version and now runs close to SL limits for normal software linking.  Second Life adds a one second delay every time an object is linked - in spite of complaints from some of the customers online since this can cause delays.  But our fast version is close to that time, being perhaps 1.25 seconds per skirt piece attached - as measured on our system.  We have also added a "turbo" version in 3.04 for those who want more speed.  The turbo version is about twice as fast as the "fast" version.  It does however ask for four permissions instead of just one, and can also be more subject to sim "lag failures".

LIMITATION - NUMBER OF SKIRT PIECES: - NOW FIXED in 3.04! - We still have the limitation that the number of skirt pieces must be a multiple of 4.  But we also had a previous limitation that not every multiple of 4 gave good results when making a center opening - circle or oval.  That second issue has been found and fixed in 3.04.  All multiples of 4 should be fine.  We tested many values up to and including 100 skirt pieces

New Texture Spreader:  Available now with the Deluxe Flexi Skirt Maker and has been since about Mid-April.  What this does is a few things.  Instead of just every flexi piece having the same thin texture that you apply to it, you can spread the texture out as you wish.  Best to keep it an integer divide of your skirt.  Huh?  If you go with our recommended 24 piece skirt you could decide to spread a texture over every two pieces or 3 or 4 or 6 or 8 or 12 or all 24 of those pieces.  An integer divide is anything that gets you back to the total, 24 in this case, by multiplying it by another integer.

To do this, one goes from the Main menu to the Adjust menu and then choose the Texture menu.  You may only need to set one item to spread horizontally - "Hphotos".  And the number you give it is essentially how many photos to take across your texture - the integer divide number.  If you have 24 skirt pieces and you choose 24 for "Hphotos" then you will spread a single texture around the entire skirt.  That could allow you custom skirt designs such as a maid costume or a poodle skirt.  If you have a 24 piece skirt and you choose "12" then you would get two images of 12 in your 24 piece.  If you choose "6" for Hphotos for a 24 piece skirt then you will get 4 images of 6 each.  And we do try and line the front center of your skirt with the center of the texture you are using - if you choose "Do Normal" to do the job.  "Do Offset" will be just a bit off the exact center but will give you an alternate view of what is in-between the skirt images.

You must do the main texture first as shown above since it modifies all faces of the the texture.  But then when done you can stay in the texture menu and choose "face" and choose "bottom" for example.  Then choose "TxtUse" for texture to use such as "lace2" is a good one.  Then "Do Normal" to execute.  Then repeat for insides.  We like to use "txtd" for a satin lining.  And of course you can change txta, txtb, txtc or txtd textures in the skirt maker to put in your own favorites.  We also have stored lace1, lace2, black, white, and trans (for transparent) that are stored as options.  You could also replace those if you wish.

We did track down at least most of our SL Marketplace customers and tried to give them this update

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thanks!  Hope you enjoy our products


Visit us at the Owl and Pussycat Mall in Second Life at Tissela
look under classifieds for Owl and Pussycat ..or

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tissela/64/92/102