Ever since the advent of Animesh in November 2018, numerous creators have developed Animesh pets with varying prices and functionalities. In today’s post, we’ll explore some of the most popular Animesh pets and their creators currently available in Second Life.
What is Animesh?
Animesh is a relatively new technology in Second Life, and it has opened up many possibilities for creators to make more realistic and dynamic objects, particularly animals. Animesh allows for more complex animations and movement compared to traditional non-animated mesh objects. This is because Animesh can use rigged mesh and animations that are capable of being played on loop, and it also allows for the animation of specific parts of an object, rather than the entire object. This can result in more lifelike movements, such as breathing or twitching tails.
Animesh objects can be either rezzed in-world or worn as companion pets. However, to properly view Animesh pets or objects, you need an Animesh mesh enabled viewer. This is because Animesh requires a special set of tools and protocols to work correctly.
One of the downsides of Animesh is that it relies on rigged mesh items that cannot be resized. As a result, the prim count for Animesh objects is often quite high and cannot be lower than 15LI once rezzed. However, Animesh has several advantages for the Second Life ecosystem, particularly for animated animals. This is because traditional animated animals often use heavily scripted systems like Puppeteer or similar, which can be taxing on sim performance and lead to lag. In contrast, Animesh usually only requires at most 2 scripts, making it more lightweight and efficient.
Animesh offers a more realistic and improved experience as a pet companion.
Note that non-premium Second Life members are only able to wear one Animesh companion at a time, while premium members are allowed to wear two. Some residents have expressed dissatisfaction with this policy, but it is important to note that premium members pay for their membership and are entitled to certain benefits, including this one.
1.Rezz Room Animesh pets
Rezz Room has emerged as a frontrunner in producing Animesh pets that can be worn as companions or rezzed. These pets are priced at a standard rate of 800L, with some fatpack options available for additional Linden dollars. In addition, Rezz Room offers several Gacha sets, with the rare prize being an Animesh animal.
The initial pet I acquired from Rezz Room was the Doberman, and upon comparing it with my partner’s dog from TLC, there was a slight difference. The Rezz Room Doberman appears to be more active than a typical adult dog, possibly a hyperactive one. Interestingly, I have a friend in real life who owns a Doberman, and it seems to exhibit an unceasingly energetic nature.
I also own a Rare Gacha Cat, which cost me a small fortune to get, because at the time that was the only Animesh cat available from Rezz Room, or possibly the only Animesh cat at the time.
So, it was a delightful moment for me when Rezz Room finally released a standard Animesh cat branded European Kitten.
I absolutely adore the Animesh koala from Rezz Room, but unfortunately, it has a prim count of 70 which makes it quite heavy. I would love to have multiple koalas rezzed around Koala Beach, but it’s just not feasible. Despite this, they are incredibly cute, and I think it would have been even better if they came with an Eucalyptus tree branch or some sort of habitat. The koala is quite tiny, and when it’s on the ground, it can be challenging to see. Ideally, they would be up in the trees, which is where koalas typically reside. Nonetheless, the animations are adorable.
2. TLC Animesh pets
TLC has been a well-established brand for a while now and their initial Animesh launch was a set of charming birds. It was then that I became aware of the high prim cost associated with Animesh objects. TLC later released their first Animesh dog, which my partner got. For the purpose of this post, I purchased TLC’s Burmese cat companion to compare with Rezz Room’s offerings. While TLC’s prices are more reasonable than Rezz Room’s, I would say that the quality matches the price point.
3. SEMotion/Libellune Animesh Pets & Companions
How do the top three compare with each other?
Comparing the top three Animesh pet creators, Rezz Room stands out as the most expensive but offers more features such as a menu with different color options, name change, and poses for photos. The animations are also very sleek and the pets look realistic.
TLC’s pets, on the other hand, have a cute and realistic appearance, especially in their facial expressions, but the animations are limited compared to Rezz Room. Although TLC is more affordable, the cat design is not appealing.
SEMotion offers a more fantasy-based range of companions at a more affordable price point compared to the other two, but their features are limited, and the pets are more suitable for fun and colorful companionship rather than realism.
Other Animesh Pets Makers
Black Bantam Animesh pets
When Black Bantam announced they would be releasing an Animesh pet, I was curious. The animation is so subtle, that I wonder if it is worth it to make it Animesh. The price was the same as what Black Bantam usually charges.
Hextraordinary and Animesh
Hextraordinary offers a wide variety of animated animals, ranging from fantasy, to wild animals and pets, and have now adopted Animesh. When they release a kangaroo Gacha, even though most of the fur colours were geared with the fantasy genre in mind, I bought several of them that are now roaming on Koala Beach to replace my set of ancient animated kangaroos that were already high in prims.
Hextraordinary’s selection may not be extensive yet, but their current offerings are fantastic. For instance, who could possibly resist the charm of their delightful octopus?
Dolphins Animesh Pets
I came across two types of Animesh dolphins: one is a rezzer that allows anyone to swim with a dolphin, while the other is a personal dolphin that can be rezzed to roam freely in the water.
SeaMe offers a dolphin Animesh that boasts FRAMEMOTION scripts for smoother movements, as well as artificial intelligence to detect and perform tricks for its owner when prompted by included gestures. The dolphin will interact with nearby swimmers when submerged below sea level, or can be commanded to swim alongside the owner.
We have a few of them rezzed on Aussie Shores. In one tenant’s house, if you’d go in the pool, the dolphin would jump in the pool with you. It was bizarre because most houses have pools, and it was only that one dolphin that would do it. Sam also noticed the dolphin when he was underwater doing some terraforming. He said the dolphin came up to him and started to play with him.
SeaMe also offers an Animesh killer white shark that has similar features to the dolphin, with the added ability to attack and consume any strangers who enter the water with you. The shark will gradually eat away the body of the stranger until only their skeleton remains, and the victim will have to teleport to regain their appearance. Onlookers can see the water turn red during the attack.
SeaMe also has an Animesh killer white shark. It does the same as above, plus: “If you are in the water, below sea level, it will interact with friendly movements next to you, but if a stranger shows up, it will attack them and eat their body, piece by piece, until it will releases their skeleton. The victim will disappear completely and will have to teleport to regain their appearance.” As an onlooker, you see lots of red in the water.
It’s a brilliant concept, and to simulate shark infested waters in Australia, we have a few rezzed in Aussie Shores waters, so beware when swimming … The shark also detects seals ans will eat them.
Now I just need for the SeaMe creator, Solotemiro Veliz, to come up with crocodiles…. but for now he is working on a panda bear, so look out for those if interested.
The other Animesh dolphin I’m using on Aussie Shores is Swim with Dolphin Rezzer: Enjoy scuba, dolphin ride and dynamic dolphin jumps with your friends.
Both dolphins are great and look the same. As a rezzer, it’s not cheap, but well worth it, and anything by SeaMe is worth it too.
Animesh Horses
Waterhorse
I was so excited when Waterhorse announced the first Bento horse, that of course I was excited about their Animesh horse, but the 4,299L price tag simply doesn’t agree with my wallet, so I can’t really say much about their features. I was satisfied with my Bento Waterhorse, so I’m sure their Animesh horses are great. I did get their Animesh horse decor which looks fantastic, so I’m looking forward to eventually invest in an Animesh Waterhorse.
Waterhorse offers high-quality products that come with greater details, so you get what you paid for.
Teegle
Teegle’s Animesh horses are priced at a more affordable 1,500L compared to Waterhorse. Teegle offers additional features like interactive feed and water buckets. They also provide decor, stalls, and a foal that can be linked with any of your Teegle horses as the mother. The horse can either be rezzed or added to ride. Additionally, the foal is quite adorable.
If the Waterhorse’s price is out of your budget, Teegle’s Animesh horse is an excellent alternative that won’t break the bank. Plus, Teegle offers many add-ons to enhance your experience.
Other Animesh Pets & companions
I had initially thought that snakes would be the most popular type of Animesh pet in Second Life, as I assumed they would be easier to create. However, I have only come across one so far – a ball python offered by Clover for 999L.
I was intrigued by some of the features of the Clover ball python, which includes its ability to interact with its surrounding environment effortlessly. Moreover, each snake has its unique preferences and behaviors, where some might get along with others, while some might exhibit aggressive tendencies. Additionally, the Clover pet has the capability to interact with other pets nearby, and if it encounters a mouse or a rat, it may attack the animal.
Conclusion on Animesh Pets
There are numerous options available for Animesh pets, catering to a variety of preferences, styles, and budgets. The choice ultimately depends on individual needs and wants. Rezz Room offers a wide range of realistic pet companions and is the frontrunner in terms of variety, albeit at a higher price point. On the other hand, SEMotion provides affordable options for fantasy Animesh pets.
Animesh can be a hard sell as a rezzed object due to the amount of prims they require, but it would be great to see more Animesh creations in 2021, not just as companions.
What’s your go-to Animesh pet and why? Do you prefer realistic or fantasy Animesh companions?
If you’re aware of any other amazing Animesh animals that I should check out, please reach out to me in-world or share your recommendations in the comments section below.
And, if you want to see most of the Animesh pets mentioned in this article, be sure to visit Aussies Shores.
