I was not waiting for the Genus Project mesh head update because I haven’t worn it since the end of 2020. Then I saw a notice recently that there was an update, so I wondered if all of the previous issues with the HUD and eyes were resolved. When I first tried on the Genus Project Baby mesh head back in April 2019, I liked it a lot and it became my main head for over a year, even though it had issues from the start! Those issues were never updated, so eventually customers and brands flocked to other brands.
When Genus announced an update recently, I was very curious and kind of looking forward to something new. I was ready to be drawn back to Genus, as long as the updates are good and the skin designers supported them with new skins.
Within the first few minutes of putting on the Genus 2.0 Baby head, I felt like I had been transported back in time. All of the issues that I noticed back in 2019 are still there, but now with the added complexity of 4K, 4K BoM, and regular BoM. I tried on an old system skin, an applier skin, and the Genus 4K BoM skin. All of it applied fine, as long as the correct skin selection is chosen and paired with the right alpha (or no alpha) layer.
Right now I’ll wait until more brands release updated skins for Genus before committing to buying products for it or wearing it long-term. I also noticed there was no option to adjust the eyes position, and the Genus support team is telling people to just wear unrigged eyes. That’s not a solution, Genus! Please bring back the eye positioner, that was the only thing that made wearing the original Genus an option for me, to fix the wonky eyes that sit too low on the head for my taste.
There’s a lot of potential in this head, but it’s also way more complex than necessary, and there are still issues that prevent me from fully switching back. Have you tried the new Genus update? Let me know in the comments!
All current owners of the Genus Project mesh head can get a free delivery by joining the SL group and getting the redelivery HUD: secondlife:///app/group/a6f4ef80-b04e-af48-eb13-55603ed73461/about
I can’t believe they have ignored the wonky eye issue from years ago. We complained about it a very long time, and they said they would fix it. Then they disappeared.
This update is just going to sit in its box in my inventory if they can’t be bothered to fix the eyes.
I have not had issues with the eyes using the rigged eyes. As for positioners I bet the Lelutka HUD might work. I love the heads back then and I love them now.
The problem with the eyeballs rigged to the eyelids/head is that you can’t reposition it independently, so when you’re making shapes, you’re limited in what you can do with your eye shape. Some people like wearing small iris eyes and some people like larger, but they’re both at the mercy of these rigged eyes cos since they can’t reposition, they have to just adjust the eyelids so it looks normal.
I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t do like Akeruka had and tried to work with Lelutka to use the same rigging as the EvoX. It would’ve provided a lot more flexibility to users since most skin, makeup, and tattoo shops use that mapping. I had the Strong Head and loved it, but I won’t change from Lelutka because I don’t want to try to buy all new skins for a different mapping. Kind of disappointing in many ways even though I think they have lovely shapes to their heads.
I agree about the eyes but the profiles of the noses also still bother me. Lelutka noses have the same issue with the exception of Lilly. I am half Asian but no one I know friends or family have that awful Ceylon nose. Genus has some of those same problems but from a different perspective.