Create A Noob!

Okay, I am new. I have been lurking around the Web reading about SL and finally got an account and purchased some Lindens on eBay.

Now, you were all noobs at one time or another, so help a brother out.

It's your turn to turn this noob into a good looking, nice walking/standing/flying etc. man with your best piks in the following catagories: In your opinion, where do I go (and what should I get) for the best (high quality) male:

Skins
Shapes
Hair
Animation Overrides
Business Casual Clothes
Business Power Suits
Hot General Clothes
Sweet Tats

Thanks, I really appreciate your assistance!

Noob Number 6,674,221.

Nomine for skins -hers are gorgeous, well-defined, and reasonably priced. And, if you need something special, she'll work with you personally.

Blaze has fantastic menswear, from what I've seen. They were the first SL clothing I actually bought--every other item of clothing I'd either made myself or grabbed as a freebie.

I don't even have a male avi, but I had to have that tux!

okay well I never use animation over rides cause I seem to loose the bits and pieces and I"m lazy but the rest I use

At present everything I wear I made skins shape (everything), but once upon a time I didn't make everything i wear.

I spent a very long time looking for stuff but I found what I wanted at Made men skinwise. I actualy didn't buy a lot of male clothes but the one or two outfits I did buy were from Simone and I got a pair of shoes there as well. I found a decent asian type skin at HYRDO as well it was the first asian male skin I had ever seen as well and its pretty well done, but I didnt like the shape so i made a shape for that. Hair again didnt buy a lot of that but I got a couple of hairdo's at Pazzazz or is it pazazz? doh

Tatoos are another thing i never bought I made mine (dont like huge overbearing ones) and then a couple of people gave me some that they had made.

I wouldn't do that...a lot of those were originally purchased by fraudulent means and, if LL traces them back to you, the least they'll do is confiscate them. Use the Lindex or SL Exchange to be safe.

That said, here are a few suggestions:

Skins: Naughty, FNKY!, Body Politik
Hair: Naughty, ETD, Gurl 6
Animation Overrides: Reverie, Abraminations, Animation Warehouse
Business Power Suits: Blaze
Hot General Clothes: Shops at The Block, DE Designs
Sweet Tats: FORM

Body Politik may also have shapes...most of the people I know made their own, so I'm not sure. Also, hair can be a problem for guys, so be forewarned. But most of all, if you see someone wearing something you like, don't be a afraid to ask where they got it.

A good outside resource:

http://www.second-man.com/

Have fun!

Check out this site for all the SL mens fashions stuff.

http://www.slmen.com/

Well override animations I got mine at Devils Moon as they were recomended here and cheaper for the same animation offered at another shop suggested by another resident. Your best bet is to start with a set that you like best, you won't like them all in the set but you will have a good base. From there you can buy other animations seperately.

Still being newbish my self I am not up on all the Cloth spots. You may want to check out Head to Toe, they have decent stuff. My attier is more of a mix and match goth style though using elements the Black Ops Counter Terrorist Outfit, a modified flexy goth trench skirt, and the trench belt and upper trench coat from Head to Toe. So maybe your thing, maybe not, at any rate, check out Head to Toe, it may not be the best but it's worth a look.

For Shapes and Skins, I got mine from a resident that specializes in makeovers, she also took me to a shop and helped me pick out some hair. I can't remember where it was and I am not at home so I can not check just yet. By the way Head to Toe also has Shapes and Skins, not totally sure on quallity.

I will try to get back to you and post some SLURL's for you when I get home. I will also keep an eye on this thread and see what others have to say.

I'm going to be a shade daring, and actually answer this.



Skin: Not needed, but if you insist, get one. Go for understated. At best: it won't be noticed much. At worst: you'll look horrifically vain.

Shape: Again, something understated. Yes, it's true, many are intimidated by largish, buff avatars (not sure why) but I have friends that swear by the effect for business. Skip it. Quirky, eccentric or whimsical does better in the long run. Ideally something that matches your true personality. Think: heart and soul, not poser. People are smart and pick up fast; all the kiddies try to be GI Joe-ish.

Hair: Honestly, I'd go with someone like Robin Sojourner's textures or something like that at most. Female avatars tend to need prim hair simply because default female hair is so bad, but for men... heh, don't do much. When you see men plastered in prims, do you think: "whoa he's a cool dude" or do you think "wow, teh vanity, wonder if he's got male pattern baldness RL?" None of your friends will have the guts to tell you, but I just did.

Animation overrides: Doesn't matter much, but Abranimations or such has some good ones, and I hate to say it, yeah, avatars need one. Simply because the default walk in SL is so horrifically bad. Here's what you do, though: strip out the tough, slouched, punky looking 'stands' in anything you get from anyone. Why? Because instead of being tough, you look like someone *trying* to be tough. Online. With a doll.

Business Casual: When it comes to modern clothes you can't go too far wrong with Pixeldolls. I'm more 19th c. myself so you'll see me in Silver Rose or Silentsparrow, but then, I may be far more conservative than most.

Business Power Suits: Avoid 'em. Makes you look like someone trying too hard. Better to be understated and people soon learn you are more, than look like a million bucks and people find out you are all that - and less.

Hot general clothes: I'm a land baron, and don't dress out of business character for just anyone. But when I step away for some rare socialising, I'll wear stuff like Section 9, or Bare Rose.

"Sweet tats": Don't have tattoo's unless they have personal significance. So if you ever wear any, odds are it will be bought or made for you by someone else, or it's mere affectation.


Honestly, for coolness, it ain't your clothes. It's who you hang out with.

Good luck, you'll do fine, and at the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. That path leads to teh internetz drama...

Most of what Desmond said. I disagree on the hair though. Stock avatar hair is .. bleh.. I have gone through several different styles however, and settled on one that I think is conservative, and gives my avatar a relatively clean look. It's a design by Tami McCoy.

The only other thing I'll add to the mix is about the shape - *don't go buying shapes.* Your appearance editor is your one stop shop for endless possibilities there. (TIP: Learn to manipulate your camera, using the alt, control, shift keys in various combinations + mouse. You MUST acquire this skill, and when you do, you'll know why. It's very handy when editing appearance, among MANY other tasks)

Overall, don't be afraid to ask your friends for advice as you develop your character, and don't expect that what you settle on tomorrow is going to be what you look like 3 months from now. You will evolve, trust me.

Yes dont try to do it all at once. I actualy went around bald and in a close to default avatar for 8 months because I could not find what I wanted. The built in hair it does kinda suck though even if you get an avatar skin with a beanie shave it looks better. There are a few options out there.

I was never a noob, I was a newbie, though tyro is an ever better term.


I second the suggestion for second-man.com. Most people find shapes easy enough to do yourself, skins are only really needed if you're planning on spending a lot of time without a shirt. Personally, I believe prim hair looks better than the built-in stuff, flexiprim hair is optional. Elegant evening wear make more sense to me than business power suits. The only places where business suits are required these days are courtrooms and legislatures, neither of which exist in SL. Don't forget to get nice shoes!!

Clothing is such a matter of taste, you're better off getting a listing from a review site or the search box, and checking them out for yourself.

Sweet tats are made by grating yams or sweet potatoes, forming small balls, and deep frying them.

I'm still trying to visualize Desmond in a Bare Rose ensemble.

Damn...

I'm sorry, what was the question?

grins

Pictures! Proof... must have proof! LOL

I put together an outfit for my male "dress maker's dummy" avi, and didn't want to spend too much.

I'm going to have to disagree with "Teh Guv'nah" here. I think men look a bit better an understated skin. Doesn't have to be fancy--the Koren Male Avi skin (free at NCI) looks nice, for example. There's also some nice dark and light

Gurl6 had some good men's hair, there were some freebies for newcomers. The stock SL men's hair can look nice for shorter styles, but for that cute tousled look, get some prim hair. Again, no need to spend lots, there are some good freebies (not as many as women, I'm afraid).

/me sells understated men's skins

don't like the buff look, look me up and tp to my shop

Chip Midnight's African American male skins are works of art IMHO. Also RAC for hair and male skins.

And please don't go around with the horrible uber male look..try to look original...not another Ken doll on steroids.


But Desmond is right..whimsical and something that resonates to you is the way to go. I think the Tiny's and Hatchlings are some of the greatest Avs around..they are gender neutral and full of personality. I have seen a Tiny Badger lead the charge on Roma when the Gladiators fought...so cool.

Robots, Furries, a small rapter. Tom Servo ...enjoy

This is a great post Desmond.

Note to men reading:

If your interested in dating a woman the least bit superficial or shallow - IGNORE the entire quoted post.

Colette, love your new look btw.

thank you ^^ -



---------------------------
Back on topic:

I actually dont mean men shouldnt try to look realisticly shaped or skinned. Its just that a lot of women want men to look GOOD.

Which might translate into those guys looking like they are vain by Desmonds description.

Now of course what a lot of SL men think looks good ... doesnt.

The huge hulking muscle with a pin head and the dancers waist thing .. looks bad.

Thanks everyone!

I really appreciate all of the advice and suggestions on where to shop. I will try, as I get things worked out to post a picture of myself so you can all see what I've done with myself.

Thanks again!

While I agree with Desmond's sentiments about how an avatar looks, about being vain and not looking like that in Real Life... I also disagree with it.

I don't look like my avatar in real life. I don't want to look like my avatar, and I don't want my avatar to look like me. I didn't design it to get comments on it's looks either, though.

I designed it because it was what I thought was awesome looking. I like my prim-hair, I like my prim-accessories. I like my skins, and my cool eyes (something no one would notice anyway, unless they cammed on you.) I like my clothes that are awesome, and my boots that were well made. I enjoy changing how my avatar looks. If my avatar were a real person he would be a very vain person indeed, but the thing about it is the way my avatar looks isn't for you, it's for me.

Design your avatar how you think is cool. People will like you no matter how you look, if you are a cool person. The beauty of Second Life is you can be whatever you want. It is like a universe of super-beautiful people, but that's because they wanted to look like that. Because really, customizing and designing my avatar is almost as much fun as building and designing things in the game.


EDIT; I do agree on the shape thing though. How many more overly muscle-bounded male SL avatars do we really need? They look stupid.

*ponders*
Do you think the saying "More muscles then brains" would be fitting? Personally I would like someone who is also capable to think... (I exaggerate here, but stil....).

Morwen

The shoe fits on the other foot as well. Female avatars with heavy load in front of them (and more often than not on their back as well) are L$1 a dozen as well. Sometimes it still amazes me how shallow people can be....

My first advise to a newbie is - don't spend any money for the first month, better the first two. Learn the ropes of SL, decide for yourself if it is worth your stay or not. If you then happen to leave for good - judging the login and resident numbers you wouldn't be alone in your decision - you wouldn't have spent any good money on it.

There are good freebies around. Take your time and search for them, every L$ saved is a L$ earned, especially if the items you get for free are as good or sometimes even of higher quality then the stuff you pay for.

I agree with the last poster, it is too easy to spend more money than necessary as a newbie because you don't know the worth of things in SL, because something looks cool and you think you need just that item, or because you are led to believe your appearance shouts 'Noob' in an embarrassing way.

Instead hunt around for some good freebie and 1linden items, that will also give you a start on how to explore SL. Especially a male avatar doesn't need much to lose that newbie sheen. Just playing around with your appearance sliders will make you stand out from the newbie crowd, a few extra shirts will do most of the rest. A few places to start:

Yadni's Junkyard. Lots and lots and lots of freebie boxes. Don't get them all, just the boxes that contain things you want, otherwise your inventory will end up a junkyard in itself.

Sarah's Newbie Paradise. More single items. Some 1 $L, most of them well worth it.

The GNUbie store. Mostly 1 $L items, well worth it.

As for animation overriders: you can also look for a free "walk replacer". Only replaces your walk, which is really all you need as a guy, because SL's standing poses are really fine, it's just the newbie shuffle walk that looks bad.

Also a good place to look for clothing: just go to the venues you like. RPG sims often offer a free outfit to fit in with the theme. Clubs that have a dress code often offer a free outfit as well, because they don't want to lose potential paying customers who don't have anything to wear. It's quite possible to build up an impressive wardrobe this way without paying a penny. Wear the clothes you find this way to other places than the place you got them, that way you won't be in a room with several people in the exact same outfit. Also mix and match: use the great jeans from one club, put on a shirt from another freebie, and presto, you got the looks.