What is Bakes On Mesh (BOM), and how do I turn it on?
BOM lets mesh bodies and heads use the native skin, tattoo, makeup, and alpha layers directly, without taking up inventory slots and with stacking. Reborn has it on by default; Maitreya and Legacy turn it on differently.
What BOM is
Bakes On Mesh (BOM) is a technique that applies the native avatar textures to mesh parts (mesh bodies, mesh heads, etc.) for wearing skins, tattoos, makeup, and alpha masks. It does not use extra attachment slots, layers can stack freely, and the layer order can be adjusted; adjust it while editing your outfit.
Many stockings are BOM items.
Which bodies and heads support it
Most mesh bodies (Maitreya, eBODY, Legacy, etc.) and heads (Lelutka, TONKATIHEAD) support or enable BOM by default. Bodies that do not can still enable it by changing materials.
How to enable it per body:
- eBODY Reborn: BOM is on by default, so there is no switch to flip. But you need to buy skins made for Reborn; the skin that comes with a starter avatar (such as Morgan) will not work.
- Maitreya: Lara 5.3 needs it enabled in the HUD (SKIN/BASE tab, light up "BAKES ON MESH"); LaraX has it on by default.
- Legacy: off by default. Type
/1 meshbody bom onin local chat to enable it and/1 meshbody bom offto disable it.
What to watch for once it is on
- You need extra skins: with BOM on, the body no longer shows its own built-in skin; it shows whatever skin you are wearing, so you need to get those skins separately. Without a matching skin you get odd results (the classic creepy Lelutka head with no skin). For bodies like Maitreya, picking a starter avatar normally gives you body skins that are not great but acceptable; Reborn needs a skin you buy for it.
- No full-body alpha: alpha masks also apply on BOM, so once BOM is on you must not wear a full-body alpha or the whole body will be hidden. The same goes for Lelutka heads. Only wear alphas for the parts you actually want to hide.
- Tattoos have a wearing order: tattoos are BOM too, and have an order. If one tattoo is covered by another, the order is wrong; adjust it in the outfit window and save the outfit afterward.
- Grey while switching: changing skins or wearing or removing tattoos or alphas is not instant; there is a baking step during which your avatar looks grey all over. This is normal; wait for baking to finish.