This post covers the new LaraX body from Maitreya. Check out the Maitreya LaraX, Maitreya LaraX Petite, and Maitreya Lara Original listings on The Mesh Directory to get an overview of each body and compare them to others. Maitreya LaraX Flat will also be listed once it is released.
The highly anticipated Maitreya LaraX has been released! Owners of the original Maitreya Lara body will receive LaraX for free when redelivering their current Lara body. This can be done for those using Lara v5 or newer via the Maitreya HUD (in the tab labelled “Misc.”) or by visiting the redelivery terminal in store. I highly recommend redelivering via HUD as it can be done from anywhere that allows scripts (aka anywhere your HUD works.) It’s expected the Maitreya sim will be packed and difficult to access for a while after the release.
What’s New
Lara Original was created in 2014 then updated over the years to include the new features of SL and address the needs of Lara users. Over this time lots of feedback was heard from both those who used the body and those who created content for the body. Many of the changes we see in LaraX were a direct result of that feedback and used to improve the body as a whole.
Weights
While weights may not mean much to the average user they’re still very important. They play a role in how clothing fits, how body parts (and clothing) scale, physics, and more. LaraX has improved weights which makes creating for it easier. It also gives users more versatility in creating shapes for the body. The sliders scale things a bit nicer and as a result LaraX can go a bit curvier than Lara Original was able to. Another big perk is the addition of bum physics to LaraX. Yup, you can have the booty jiggle now as a native part of the body!
Mesh
More easily noticed for the average user are the changes to the mesh itself. Areas like the breasts, hips, and bum scale more smoothly. The shoulders, wrists, ankles, arms, and groin have been adjusted. The Alpha cuts have also changed, adding more to the torso and removing some from the legs. This does mean auto-hide scripts made for Lara Original will likely not work well with LaraX. Maitreya has given a way to disable those auto-hide scripts in clothing. You can learn more about that in the FAQ section below.
Products
With the changes made to these aspects of the body, most products made for Lara Original will NOT fit LaraX. Even though LaraX is given as a redelivery with Lara Original, LaraX is a whole new body. This means that you’ll need to purchase items specifically made for LaraX to ensure a proper fit. Products made for the hands and feet of Lara Original will still work with LaraX, but if they extend to/beyond the wrist or ankle you may run into issues. Some Lara Original outfits may fit if you’re able to alpha the body under them. Of course if you love outfits made for Lara Original you can still use them with Lara Original. Maitreya has stated that the older body will be supported still, so you can keep using everything you have been without issue.
Petite and Flat
Important Note: At the time of posting LaraX Petite has been released. LaraX Flat has been confirmed, but not yet released. We do not have a release date for Flat at this time.
The Original Lara Petite and Lara Flat addons gave Maitreya users the option for smaller breasts or no breasts on Lara Original. While LaraX users can also use these as addons, the X versions can instead be purchased as standalone bodies if desired.
Those who owned the Lara Original addons before the release of LaraX can go to the store to get a redelivery that will include the full body version of the addon. They can also do a redelivery of just the addon if they so choose, and a version supporting both Lara Original and LaraX will be sent. If you didn’t own the addon prior to the LaraX release you have the option of purchasing just the addon for your existing Lara Original and LaraX bodies, OR you can purchase a full LaraX body that has the Petite or Flat option built in.
If you already own LaraX and just want the different chest options the addon may be a good choice for you. It’s less expensive than another full body and will work with the LaraX you already own. That said, wearing the addon requires an extra attachment slot to be used. If you want to use only one attachment slot for the same result the full body purchase would be a better fit for those needs.
What’s the Same
Just because LaraX is a new body doesn’t mean it strays far from Lara Original. There’s a lot of overlap between the bodies that makes it easier for those who want to use things they already own and are familiar with.
Skins & Shapes
The UV map for LaraX is the same as Lara Original. This means BOM and applier skins, tattoos, etc that work with Lara Original will still work with LaraX. Shapes will also still work, however with the new scaling you may need to adjust them a little. Make sure to make a copy of your existing shape before changing it! That way you can keep using the shape you love with Lara Original and have the updated one for LaraX.
Hands & Feet
As mentioned earlier, the hands and feet on LaraX have not changed. If you have rings, gloves, shoes, etc. they will still fit on the feet and hands themselves. If anything extends past the ankle or wrist they may not fit properly. You may be able to still wear some high boots, socks, and long gloves, but you’ll likely have to play with the alpha HUD to see if they’ll still work. If you’re buying something made for Lara Original to use on LaraX for these areas make sure to demo first!
HUD
While there are slight changes to the HUD, overall it’s pretty much the same. It says LaraX on it now when minimized. The included skins are from Velour, so you’ll see some changes in the skin tab. The biggest change will be the alpha tab which is still fundamentally the same, it just has some different alpha cuts than Lara Original. If you’re used to the old HUD you’ll find the new one to be very familiar.
FAQ
I’ve included these answers to questions that I’ve seen asked around by multiple people. I may add more questions as time goes on and more are asked!
Will skins and appliers for Lara work with LaraX?
Yes! Whether BOM or Applier, your Lara Original skins, tattoos, etc. will work with LaraX.
Can I use the clothes I have for Lara on LaraX?
Maybe! But probably not. Clothing that covers large areas (full legs, full torso, etc) can likely still be used as long as you alpha out the body parts that go under them. That said, most clothing won’t fit as LaraX is a new body. Products made for Lara Original hands and feet will still work on LaraX provided they don’t extend past the wrists and ankles.
My clothes are putting weird holes in my body, how do I fix it?
Some products have autohide scripts built into them for your convenience. Clothes made for Lara Original will be autohiding based on the old alpha cuts. When the autohide tries to apply these to LaraX’s cuts the results may not be what you expect! Thankfully Maitreya has given us a workaround for this issue. You can adjust the autohide alpha sections or remove the autohide entirely even on no mod products.
If you want to change the alphas that auto-hide: Type “/95 (one word in the item name) menu” in local chat. For example if you’re using this on a product named Regeneration Body Dress you could write “/95 Regeneration menu” in the local chat. This will bring up a menu including the product’s name where you can adjust the alpha settings (among other things). “/95 Body menu” and “/95 Dress menu” would also work. If you’re wearing multiple products with autohide make sure to use a word that’s only used in the product you’re wanting to change, or just wear one auto-hide item at a time when changing.
If you want to remove the auto-hide completely: Type “/95 (one word in the item name) delete” in local chat. So to make the change on the fictional item called Regeneration Body Dress you would send “/95 Regeneration delete” to remove the autohide script. It’ll bring up a popup menu including the product’s name to confirm you want to delete the autohide from that specific piece. “/95 Body delete” and “/95 Dress delete” would also work. If you’re wearing multiple products with autohide make sure to use a word that’s only used in the product you’re wanting to delete, or just wear one auto-hide item at a time when removing.
How do I find things for LaraX?
Remember that no matter how you hunt, things labelled Maitreya or Lara with no X likely mean they are for Lara Original. Products labelled with LaraX will be for LaraX. Make sure to demo everything before purchasing to ensure it fits properly and suits your needs. More things are coming out every day, and there’s a few ways to find them.
First is keeping an eye on the new events. Seraphim is a great way to peek at events and products from your browser. While you can’t always tell what fits what body from the images provided, you can get an idea if there’s something you like the look of and then swing by the event to see if it will fit LaraX.
Second is using the Marketplace. When searching for Lara X products make sure to search specifically for LaraX all as one word OR “Lara X” as two words in quotes. If you just search with Lara X as two words and no quotes you’ll get all results including Lara Original and have to wade through them all.
Third is checking Maitreya’s Discord (specifically the #new-releases-creators channel) and the Maitreya Lara Friends group notices. Both allow creators to post their Maitreya products in there.
Will there be a LaraX Flat?
Yes! LaraX flat has been confirmed, however we don’t have a release date at the time of this post. Maitreya usually doesn’t give release dates and instead releases and notifies that it has been released. Keep an eye on the official channels to see when LaraX Flat comes out!
Can I use the old version of Lara Petite (or Lara Flat once it’s out) as a full body if I purchased the addon before LaraX came out?
Yes! When you go to redeliver the addon you’ll see a full body option. When you open this you’ll see the LaraX full body version right there, but the Lara Original full body is in there too, just hiding a little bit. Put on the Extras Unpacker HUD and choose the Original Lara option. That will unpack a full body version of Lara Original with the Petite (or Flat) chest built right in.
For Your Convenience: Official Maitreya Links
- Inworld Location
- Group
- Official Site
- LaraX vs Lara5.3 (Official Documentation)
- Lara Mesh Body Help (Official Documentation)
- Discord
- Flickr
Credits
Head/Makeup/Shape – Rebirth: Arwen
Body – Maitreya: LaraX
Face Skin – Rebirth: Arwen 2kBOM in Rosekiss
Body Skin – Velour: LaraX Rosekiss (comes with body)
Hair – Magika: Esme
Eyes – Avi-Glam: Malibu Eyes 04
Swimsuit – Venus’s Closet: Zoe Bikini (Slightly modded shine and color)
Pose – Focus: Santorini Pool Pose 2
Location – Baja Coast
Windlight (EEP) – PolyPlace: Puffy Clouds (Part of Poly Skies 4)
I found that the French polish fingernails that were perfect on my Maitreya Lara body, did not fit on the Lara X body at all. They appeared way beyond the nails on my new Lara X body, disapointing.
Is that because they are beyond the wrist, as stated in a part of the above article? if so, then why do my rings appear ok on my hand, as they are beyond the wrist too? I read that the rings etc would probably be ok.Just interested to know.
I actually love the new Maitreya Lara X, but the thought of maybe, once again, be having to buy new clothes to fit it….is a bit annoying to be honest, when I have so many that fit the original Lara perfectly. Its like a repeat of having to buy all new clothes when the original all in one bodies, were outmoded by mesh bodies……..sigh……look how long we had to wait for Legacy bodies to overcome that problem. So many people got rid of their old clothes. Now we have to cope with high Complexity situations too now. Older clothes ,hair etc, have higher complexities too.
Oh that sounds frustrating! It may be worth a redelivery of the nails and giving them another shot. If they still don’t work properly I’d suggest contacting the creator of the nails for assistance. Though I’m really curious to test this out myself, do you mind sharing the brand and name of the nails so I can play with them and see if I can get them to work?
Maitreya has stated the hands didn’t change, so nails and rings should work okay still. If they go above the wrist, like up the arm, that’s where we know issues are likely. I’ll update my wording about the wrist to make that more clear, sorry for any confusion!
Thankfully Maitreya is still supporting Lara Original so you can definitely still use those outfits! Some brands are updating their products to LaraX so you don’t need to repurchase, but as LaraX is an entirely new body with new rigging many will also be making new products for it instead of (or in addition to) doing free updates for older ones. I do understand the frustration of not having things that fit the way you want though, I run into that with my bodies as well sometimes. The release is still early, we’ll see how things turn out!
Asia,
I repurchased the LaraX Petite. The LaraX is by far the most beautiful body I have ever seen. I made no adjustments. All the curves are so smooth and perfect. The physics are amazing. I love them. My skin and shape with no blended with no problems with my Lelutka Ceylon EvoX.
I felt compelled to go out with her so I slipped on my favorite heels, the included Addams lace lingerie and went for a shopping stroll at the the Maitreya Store. When I noticed so many others observing my new curves I chatted that I had the new LaraX Petite and invited everyone to camm me. All eyes seemed to be only on me and the curvy Lara X. That was fun.
Yes, it will take some time for clothing to be specifically fitted or adjusted for LaraX, however, seeking and finding those unique fashion items provides a wonderful shopping experience.
I simply adore the look, feel and vibe of my LaraX Petite. Modeling her at Maitreya was a very special moment. Feeling so gorgeous!
I’m so glad you’re loving how you look and feel in LaraX!
Asia,
This is an update. Once I changed to LaraX Petite from Lara, I never looked back. At first it was a challenge finding clothes specifically for LaraX. Some of the Lara clothes looked ok and sort of fit, but never seemed just right. This is no longer true. Clothing is being either updated to LaraX and LaraX Petite, or newly designed just for LaraX. The advantage has been that the updates and new designs are state-of-the-art creations. The look, the fit and the texture are extraordinary. The change may have come with some loss of usable inventory, but the benefit has been immense. You will never have any better look and feel then with LaraX wearing the best of the designer’s outfits. It has been a wonderful transition. Thank you Asia, you have been my guiding light since I entered this world of wonder. You are the best! Trisha
Aww thank you so much Trisha! I’m so happy that you’re loving your body! Time moves on in SL just like RL, and with it comes wardrobe changes. I’m sure we’ll end up with more as things grow and improve, too. As long as you enjoy the now that’s the important part!