Eyescapade, part 2

I have to admit that I never thought I would enjoy posting about eyes so much. I can even say that in the few days I’ve been eagerly exploring this less documented fashion avenue, I’ve become addicted to irides and pupils. What was only supposed to be a casual search to replace my aging eyes has turned into a hobby, one that I’m  pleased to embrace and pursuit because it’s probably one of the less expensive accessories you can buy. For the price of a single skin –usually around 1500L to 2000L for a high quality one– you can easily get 15 eyes and leave some cash to pay the weekly tier.

Since I mentioned Endeavor in my previous entry, I think I should start this batch with that shop. Visiting their main store at Takaraduka, you will find that half the second floor is filled with peering peepers, available as single units or complete sets. Prices start at 120L for one of the older pairs and go up to 300L for the most recent offerings: the Shiny Eyes Pro collection I’m testing, which is also the most natural looking one on display (pictured below in one of the darker samples).

Endeavor eyes may be on the expensive side of the business, but let’s see what they add to your inventory before concluding so. First, each package includes three editions: small, medium and large. The small one is larger than other designers’ specimens (also referred to as “normal eyes”), so take that into consideration if you’re looking for or really need a small iris. Actually, scale variation between them is quite subtle, being noticeable only when comparing the two extremes. The medium size, in turns, comes in five variants (yep, as you read it), depending on which side you want your glance to focus on: left, right, up, down or straight ahead. Weird, isn’t it? But well, it do adds versatility and flexibility.

All the line has a well drawn capillary system defining a conjunctiva, as the Tuli and Mojo products do, but it also adds another interesting and unique element not found in other eyes I’ve reviewed: a blue reflection in the upper half of the iris, simulating what would happen if a person looks up under a cloudless sky. A very charming effect I may say, and an extra step into realism.

The other extra element included as part of the bundle is a set of scripted prim eyes intended for short distance viewing, as in close up photography, for example. According to the instructions, these balls use a high resolution texture to reproduce extremely rich details. But not only that: touching the prim eye (yep, like fingering your eyeballs, oh, my gosh!) a menu will pop up, letting the wearer fine tune the eye’s direction, just as you manually do with the five medium versions. The ones I bought had some “mechanical” problem, and the script didn’t work. Fortunately I caught  Mif Yifu online, so a few minutes later I had a new set of working eyes.

When I saw those prim eyes in the folder, I was like “What would I do with these?” At first I didn’t think they have any practical use at all, other than pure vanity (Look mom, I have prim eyes!!!). But then, I realized there was something else that perhaps designers were not necessarily aware of or did not  plan when they created these artifacts: Why not use them to give this perfect world a little twist? Thus,  I decided to use Endeavor eyes to model some optical conditions present in our RL experience. For instance, strabismus (exotropia and esotropia pictured below) and lazy eye.

Even if you don’t have a commodity such as a scripted eyeball, you can accomplish the same goal with a regular counterpart. You only need to manually rotate each prim until you reach the deviation you wish to register. So in that respect, you don’t specifically need Endeavor eyes to visit the orthoptist. Small shops such as J&S also offer prim eyes for less money (99L for a pair of layer and prim eyes), though they’re not so well stocked. Basically, J&S eyes are mutations of the same iris, only varying in hue. Though they don’t display a well defined conjunctiva, they do show depth to accommodate some reality inside that skull cavity.

But to conclude this treatise in ocular conditions, let’s talk about heterochromia, or having different colors in the two eyes. Though it is said to be uncommon in humans, we denizens of this virtual world, fond of sporting cat’s tails and cow hoofs, are in no need of sticking to the natural trend. So wearing two different sets of prim eyes (one in each hole, please) may add to our repertoire of options.

Second Life should not be all about immaculate beauty. There’s plenty of space for diversity and phenotypes.