Tips

It's always helpful to have someone give you some hints and tips when it comes to creating, so I'm going to use this post to cover a few different things that new creators may not be aware of. We'll start with mapping.

As a creator you must be well versed on IMVU's Virtual Goods Policy and in particular, for clothing creators, the Minimum Coverage Guidelines (MCG). For an item to be considered GA it must follow these guidelines.

The image above shows the minimum coverage areas on male and female avatars, the red parts MUST be covered. Meaning there must be no red pixels showing. A GA article of clothing not adhering to this risks the product being flagged and customer service either removing the product or changing to it AP. It can be quite a long process to get the item changed back. From personal experience, I gave up on trying to get it changed back and just left it. It is best to always apply an underwear layer in the client, especially if you are making an item that includes transparent layers as these often disappear in the client when viewed through windows, water, lights and particles. I often notice this step is forgotten with many new creators. I cannot stress how important it is to stick to the MCG. A lot of meshers will place a ready made MCG opacity map in the client for your use.

Occasionally you will find a mesh that you want to derive from and the mesher has not supplied any maps for you to use. The best thing to do for this is to use a colored, numbered grid.

Apply the grid into the texture slot and its just a matter of matching up the squares to a particular area.

Sometimes you'll find once you've created an outfit that there is clipping and gaps in the mesh, usually most noticeable once the avatar starts moving. The best way to compensate for this is to add white to those areas on the underwear opacity map, the one closest to the skin. It is best to apply the same texture to that layer as the one above so the clipping isn't noticeable. In the image you'll see I've added white to the areas around the arm and the arm pits as well as my MCG layer.

When it comes to creating textures, IMVU works with certain sized canvas's called "The Power of two". Meaning that the height and width of the textures must be a combination of 32, 64, 128, 256, 512. However do not work with a square texture larger than 256 x 256 as IMVU will automatically scale down anything larger, include 512 x 512. This automatic adjustment can squash your texture, leading to some loss of detail. If i need to work on something detailed, I will work on 512 x 512 canvas however I will scale it down myself before uploading it to the client.

Never be afraid to work on layers in your editing software. Some of my creations have 20+ layers. Working in layers makes it much easier to correct any mistakes you've made rather than undoing or messing with your texture on a whole. It should go without saying, but save often. I have lost many things by not saving, you would think I would know better by now!

Finally, to make things easier for myself I invested in some avatars to help me. I own a male and female stand still avatar, these in particular were made with creators in mind to help a creator see all areas of the avatar easily with no default movement. As per the example below. I also own invisible avatars for taking photos of accessories, I find it adds a more professional finish to the icon images.

I also invested in a room to load into the creator window when I work on something. This allows me to work in a room with no lighting effects and I am able to change the background color to suit myself. I mostly work with a grey background as I find this is easier on my eyes over long periods.

Finally, never rush. Take your time creating and learning. Take pride in your work. Not all outfits can be made quickly, some take hours, some take days. I do not submit anything I wouldn't wear. Create for yourself and not for the market, it will bring you much more joy that way. Best of luck creating, please don't hesitate to ask any questions. Good Luck!