How to create a metaverse avatar
When American science fiction writer Neal Stephens coined the term “metaverse” in Snow Crash magazine in the 90s, who would have thought the concept would become what it is today? But as technology advances, metaverses like Decentraland and The Sandbox bridge the gap between the real and digital worlds, making way for many new use cases.
In the year By 2023, the metaverse industry will reach an astounding $507.8 billion, with a CAGR of 37.73% between 2024 and 2023, compared to the current value of $74.4 billion. In a virtual world, users must create an avatar that represents them in the metaverse, allowing them to play games, shop or interact socially with others.
This article discusses the Metaverse, the role of avatars, avatar types, cross-platform avatars, and how to create a Metaverse avatar using Decentraland.
The Metaverse and the Avatar's Role, Explained.
The Metaverse is a digital space that connects the internet, augmented reality, virtual worlds and blockchain to create immersive experiences and interactions between avatars representing people. Like people, avatars can interact with digital objects and each other. The metaverse is slowly evolving into a dynamic networked digital cosmos that blurs the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds.
However, the idea of digital avatars is not new. Their popularity dates back to the 1980s with video games such as Ultima IV: Quest for the Avatar. Thanks to the avatars, the players can completely immerse themselves in the virtual world and feel the excitement of playing the game in the real world. You can access Metavas through virtual reality (VR) headsets, PCs, laptops and smartphones.
Types of metaverse avatars
Depending on their preference, users can choose from different Metaverse avatars. To optimize the experience in Avatars, the player must understand the types of avatars they create:
Full body VR models
Users can create a full-body VR avatar, a complete digital representation of a person, providing a greater sense of immersion in the metaverse. Sensors are used to capture the user's entire body movements and replicate them in virtual spaces.
VR models
On older systems, these icons do not provide a visual representation to users; Instead, they are used for virtual reality, which allows users to experience the virtual world in a “first-person” sense.
2D and 3D models
2D models are simple, cartoon-like images limited to 2D environments. 3D models, on the other hand, facilitate customization of elements such as skin tone, body shape, and hair, giving a realistic multi-angle view of the character.
Humanoid models
The human avatar reflects the physical appearance of the wearer, creating a sense of familiarity and closeness. It is designed to mimic real people and can even mimic the user's actual appearance. Human avatars facilitate seamless integration between virtual and physical worlds.
How to create a metaverse avatar
Metaverse technology is still young, and few people know how to develop avatars. Here is the process users can follow to create a metaverse avatar:
Jump on the Metaverse or avatar creation app
All metaverses allow their users to create avatars to enter the digital realm. You can also choose an external avatar creation app that can be downloaded from Google Play or the Apple Store to create personalized digital avatars that can be used across multiple platforms.
Create an avatar
The system, whether in the Metaverse or the Avatar app, often prompts the user about their gender in order to choose an appropriate style for the model. Anyone who wants the software to create an avatar that looks like their face can add a picture. Most apps offer pre-made avatars for users to choose from.
Customize avatar
Users can customize features such as hair color, eye size, nose shape, lip shape, and more, allowing them to create avatars that reflect their preferences. A well-created avatar can add a visual participatory element to interactions in the metaverse.
To better understand the process, the following is an example of how users can create a custom avatar on the Decentraland metaverse.
How to create a custom avatar on Decentraland
Decentraland allows users to explore a 3D dynamic universe and create their own avatar in the virtual world. You can travel, participate in various activities and make new friends. Creating an avatar is the first step for users to enjoy Decentraland Rewards.
Here's the process for creating an avatar on Decentraland:
Step 1:
Users must log in to Decentraland and enter the details in the window.
Depending on availability, the platform may accept or reject the username when feeding details. If the platform accepts the username, the user will have to enter their email id to create an avatar, otherwise they will have to fill in the username field again.
Step 2:
Decentraland takes the user to the next page when the process is complete.
To create an avatar, the user must generate a name ID. When they clicked on “Request Your Name”, they were given a name for their model.
Step 3:
The user must purchase Decentraliand (MANA) token at this stage. Click “BUY MANA” on the upper right side of the screen to trigger a mint executed by a smart contract. Users can buy anything with fiat currency or other digital currency.
Step 4:
One can choose from many avatars and customize the look based on body, face, hair, top, bottom, shoes and accessories. The user can choose the skin color and shape of their avatar.
The avatar is now ready for use in the Decentraland metaverse. It can be used for gaming and other activities.
Cross platform models
Anyone operating across multiple metaverses will find creating an avatar on every platform they visit cumbersome and unnecessarily expensive. Thankfully, some apps allow users to create an avatar and use it on any platform they visit. Users can update their clothing, hairstyle or accessories to suit different environments.
Users of these services must create an account using connected services such as Google, Microsoft or Slack. Users can create an account using their email address. The system prompts them to create an avatar. In addition to using the avatars provided by these apps, users can use their webcam or upload their own photos. You can then use the app's photo editing features to create a custom avatar that closely resembles them. Some advanced avatar-creation solutions also use artificial intelligence to produce photorealistic 3D avatars from selfies.
The future of Avatar
According to a survey published by Exploding Topics, 68% of experts believe that the popularity of Metavas will increase significantly in the next three to five years. According to a Pew Research Center report, 54% of tech professionals expect the Metaverse to provide immersive experiences by 2040. This experience cannot be achieved if it is not well-optimized and without avatars that represent the users themselves.
Thanks to improved technologies, new opportunities have emerged in avatar creation, and the days of ugly and legless avatars have passed. Users can now create highly personalized avatars with just a few clicks or taps. As the applications become more advanced and more innovative, the avatars make the virtual world more realistic and engaging.
