3D Avatars in the Metaverse: Everything You Need to Know —

Published in

AR/VR Journey: Augmented & Virtual Reality Magazine

7 min readNov 19, 2021

11 min read

With the recent rebranding of Facebook into Meta, the Metaverse is taking the tech world by storm. As you probably already know, a metaverse is the digital reality that combines aspects of social media, online gaming, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and cryptocurrencies to allow users to interact virtually. One of the cool things about the Metaverse is that there will be realistic avatars that will look like their owner or will be able to go through an upgrade (change hairstyle, clothes, make a virtual tattoo), or, for example, will be made in the form of a robot or other creature. In this article, we will take a closer look at what an avatar is and why it is so important to the concept of the Metaverse.

What is an Avatar?

If you are a social media user or create a personal account on some platform, you most likely upload a picture of yourself or otherwise individualize your account. Now imagine a 3D avatar that not only looks like you but can be customized in any way you choose. This can be anything from the clothing the character wears, the haircut to more personal things like tattoos and anything else.

Think of it this way. Your avatar is a representation of you in the virtual world, so they’re a very important part of the Metaverse experience. They allow you to feel like you can express your identity in the digital realm. However, the key aspect in regards to avatars is interoperability. Avatars are one of the most logical interoperable elements of the Metaverse because they represent who you are. You buy stuff for your avatar and can wear and attach them to yourself. These assets travel with you, and that creates a more unified experience when traveling between different virtual worlds. Your avatar can become your wallet.

If you are using 3d model development services to create your Metaverse, they will also be able to create the avatars you are looking for to make them as realistic and personal as possible.

What Kinds of Avatars are Possible in the Metaverse

You have a couple of choices when it comes to how you can create your avatars, and these could be 3D or 2D as well.

Recently, avatars have become increasingly popular in the world of VR and in hardware and software systems that can replicate real-world movements using sensors. Usually, all of this falls into one of these categories:

VR avatars — A VR avatar is typically a first-person rendition where the user sees the world from the avatar’s point of view. Other world participants can see the upper torso part of the avatar, along with arms, but without the lower limbs. You’ll find this type in most rudimentary VR apps, which do not require complex leg movements or in-world mobility.
Full body avatars — In a full-body avatar, sensors replicate and recreate the entire body’s movements through a kinematics system. As a result, the user has greater freedom of mobility inside the virtual world and can use all limbs to interact with digital assets. Sophisticated VR games typically use this type, and Facebook’s Metaverse will likely choose this route as well.

This is why it is a good idea to hire an experienced metaverse development company to create your avatars as well since they will be able to make them as realistic as possible.

What Are Some Business Applications of 3D Avatars?

We have talked quite a bit about what an avatar is and the various types that can be created, but we need to understand how we will be able to use them. Well, one interesting way is virtual meetings. Imagine being able to replace Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or whatever video conferencing platform you are using and be able to meet with your coworkers in a metaverse where everybody is represented as a 3D avatar. These avatars will also be able to animate the movement of a mouth when a microphone picks up the user speaking, to bring additional expressivity. Both Microsoft and Meta are already pushing this idea as a key part of their initial pitch for adopting the Metaverse.

It is worth pointing out that you can transport your entire working environment to the Metaverse in addition to simply hosting meetings. Basically, the same way you would interact with your coworkers in the office will be possible in the Metaverse. This is especially relevant nowadays when many companies transfer to a partial or even fully remote work model.

For those who do own a suitable VR or AR headset, Microsoft plans to allow people to move around the virtual environments using the technology, but it is not required.

It said the system had been tested out with thousands of new hires at consultancy firm Accenture, which has been using the system to “onboard” employees during the pandemic.

Microsoft has its own AR technology wing, which makes a headset known as the Hololens. But, unlike Facebook’s Oculus or Valve’s Index VR gaming headsets, it is marketed towards business customers.

What Can You Do With Your Avatar Outside of Work?

You can choose to enter any metaverse you would like using your avatar, which allows you to do everything you would normally do in everyday life, but in the Metaverse. For example, instead of simply playing the game Fortnite, your avatar can be in the game, along with your friends, and fight to be the last player standing. In fact, in April 2021, Epic Games raised $1 billion in investment to “support the long-term vision of the metaverse.” The company is positioning its Fortnite game not as interactive entertainment but as a “metaverse” emphasizing social functions.

Ready to go out on the town? A 3D avatar creator will be able to give your avatar a perfect look for any occasion. For example, the Ready Player Me avatar platform is getting a unique collection of virtual sneakers and a jacket from RTFKT. The assets are free for all Ready Player Me users and can be accessed in most of the 600+ apps and games supported by the avatar platform. Many other fashion companies are creating branded clothing for avatars, including brands like Gucci, which created virtual sneakers and sold them to users for $9–12 dollars. Their Dionysus bag was recently sold on the Roblox gaming site for $4,115, which is more than the price of a physical version.

Have you ever thought of becoming a fashion designer? A 3D avatar maker can help you create runway shows and dress your avatars. This can be your own avatar or those of famous supermodels such as Imaan Hammam and Natalia Vodianova. His outfits are judged by other gamers, with successful looks earning currency to purchase more looks. Gamers can buy looks from the likes of Gucci, Moschino, Off-White, Loewe, and Chloe.

Start Creating Avatars for Yourself With the Help of Skywell Software

As you can see from all of the examples mentioned above, the possibilities for using your avatar are only limited by your imagination. The Metaverse is truly a revolutionary new technology that offers incredible new capabilities where we can live out anything we want in virtual reality thanks to avatar 3D. However, to take full advantage of the Metaverse and create the avatars you are looking for, you will need to partner with a trusted company that specializes in this type of technology.

Skywell Software has extensive experience in developing AR and VR technology and can help you create Metaverse and avatars customized to your exact needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

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