Using RLV with Mesh Bodys

Using RLV with Mesh Bodys

Anyone interested in RLV knows that handling appliers with RLV can be rather tricky...here's a couple tactics that can be useful in making your favorite outfits RLV friendly.

The One Body Per Outfit Tactic

This one is fairly simple... set a body up the way you like for each outfit you own  and place with your outfit in the RLV folder.  This works best with meshes like kitties lair that have clothing layer controls built in, or meshes that you've found 3rd party scripts that will control what layers are currently visible.  However without some sort of control script, you will be forced to undress yourself via your meshes hud, or to make a body for every state of undress...not a great solution.

Pros: Fairly Simple to set up
Cons: Requires 3rd Party Scripting to be viable.

The Clothing Shell Tactic.

This is the tactic I prefer. This essentially converts your clothing into shells that can be attached and detached with RLV.

Step One: Making a Base Body

1. Make a copy of your body. 
2. Set up your skin, tattoos and other markings that should NOT come off at any point. 
3. Remove the scripts from the body. This ensures that layers are not accidently changed or turned on.
4. Optional: If possible, consider unlinking and removing unused prim. (ie, the clothing layers you're not using. This will cut down on lag. Just note this is not possible with no-mod bodys.)

Step Two: Creating Clothing Shells

1. Rez a copy of the body.
2. Set the skin layer to a transparent texture either manually through edit mode, or by using a skin applier you've added transparent textures to.
3. Rename and take a copy of the body for reuse later. (you'll use this copy to skip steps 1 and 2  next time!)
4. Use appliers and your mesh hud to add the layers you wish this item to have.
5. Optional: If possible, consider unlinking and removing unused prim. (ie, the skin and clothing layers you're not using. This will cut down on lag. Just note this is not possible with no-mod bodys. If you're careful, and keep the root prim as the root prim, you may be able to make yourself single layer clothing shells that still respond to appliers. )
6. Rename the new shell so you know what outfit it is set up for and pick it up.

Once you've created a mesh shell for each item of clothing you intend to wear, place them all in your RLV outfit folders! Your partner will be able to remove  and add each one..  :)

Pros: Once set up, clothing can be removed in any order and combined at will.
Con: Long Set up process.

Other Tactics

These are the tactics I've found and employed, but there are undoubtly more! If you have a tactic I've not listed, please leave it in the comments!