An example of what avatar could look like, using an -like style In, an avatar is the of the or the user's. An icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game, Internet forum, etc. It may take either a form, as in or, or a two-dimensional form as an in and other online communities. Avatar images have also been referred to as 'picons' (personal icons) in the past, though the usage of this term is uncommon now. It can also refer to a text construct found on early systems such as.

Female Minimum Coverage Skintone JPG: Male Minimum Coverage Skintone PSD Male Minimum Coverage Skintone JPG: IMVU also supplies creators with its original Photoshop layers templates for avatar skin. Included in each of these is a layers folder entitled 'leaves'. This folder displays leaves over the nipples for. Nintendo Wii U Skins Protect and personalize yours with a removable full-color skin!

The term 'avatar' can also refer to the personality connected with the, or handle, of an Internet user. Common avatars may be.

See also: The word originates in, where it stands for the 'descent' of a deity in a terrestrial form (deities in India are popularly thought to be formless and capable of manifesting themselves in any form). The earliest use of the word avatar in a was the 1979. The use of the term avatar for the on-screen representation of the user was coined in 1985 by Richard Garriott for the computer game. In this game, Garriott desired the player's character to be his earth self manifested into the virtual world. Garriott did this because he wanted the real player to be responsible for the character's in game actions due to the ethical parables he designed into the story. Only if you were playing 'yourself' Garriott felt, could you be judged based on your character's actions.

Because of its ethically-nuanced, story-driven approach, he took the Hindu word associated with a deity's manifestation on earth in physical form, and applied it to a player manifesting in the game world. The term avatar was also used in 1986 by in 's game. Another early use of the term was in the role-playing game (1989). [ ] Popular fiction [ ] Norman Spinrad [ ] In 's novel Songs from the Stars (1980), the term avatar is used in a description of a computer generated virtual experience. In the story, humans receive messages from an alien galactic network that wishes to share knowledge and experience with other advanced civilizations through 'songs'. The humans build a 'galactic receiver' that describes itself: The galactic receiver is programmed to derive species specific full sensory input data from standard galactic meaning code equations. By controlling your sensorium input along species specific parameters galactic songs astral back-project you into approximation of total involvement in artistically recreated broadcast realities.

From the last page of the chapter titled 'The Galactic Way' in a description of an experience that is being relayed via the galactic receiver to the main characters: You stand in a throng of multifleshed being, mind avatared in all its matter, on a broad avenue winding through a city of blue trees with bright red foliage and living buildings growing from the soil in a multitude of forms. Neal Stephenson [ ] The use of avatar to mean online virtual bodies was popularised by in his novel (1992).

In Snow Crash, the term avatar was used to describe the virtual simulation of the human form in the, a fictional virtual-reality application on the. Within the Metaverse was often based on the quality of a user's avatar, as a highly detailed avatar showed that the user was a skilled and while the less talented would buy off-the-shelf models in the same manner a beginner would today. Stephenson wrote in the 'Acknowledgments' to Snow Crash: The idea of a 'virtual reality' such as the Metaverse is by now widespread in the computer-graphics community and is being used in a number of different ways. An avatar used by an providing on a web page Avatars can be used as virtual embodiments of, which are driven more or less by rather than real people. Are examples of avatars used in this way. Such avatars are used by organizations as a part of in order to interact with consumers and users of services. This can avail for enterprises to reduce their operating and training cost.

A major underlying technology to such systems is. Some of these avatars are commonly known as 'bots'. Famous examples include 's Anna, an avatar designed to guide users around the IKEA website. Such avatars can also be powered by a which provides a little more structure than those using NLP, offering the user options and clearly defined paths to an outcome.

This kind of avatar is known as a Structured Language Processing or SLP Avatar. Both types of avatar provide a cost effective and efficient way of engaging with consumers. Video games [ ]. Main article: Avatars in are the player's representation in the game world. The first video games to include a representation of the player were (1974) which represented players as humans, and (1974) which represented players as eyeballs. In some games, the player's representation is fixed, however many games offer a basic character model, or template, and then allow customization of the physical features as the player sees fit.

For example,, the avatar from, can be dressed in a wide range of clothing, can be given and, and can even or become depending upon player actions. One video game in which the avatar and player are two separate entities is the game, where the player controls both themself in a 3-dimensional world and the avatar in a 2-dimensional world. Aside from an avatar's physical appearance, its dialogue, particularly in, may also reveal something of its character. A good example is the crude,,. Other avatars, such as from, who, reveal very little of themselves (the original game never showed the player what he looked like without the use of a console command for third-person view).

(MMOGs) are the source of the most varied and sophisticated avatars. [ ] Customization levels differ between games; For example, in, players construct a wholly customized portrait, using a software that allows for several changes to facial structure as well as preset hairstyles, skin tones, etc. However, these portraits appear only in in-game chats and static information view of other players.

Usually, all players appear in gigantic spacecraft that give no view of their pilot, unlike in most other RPGs. Alternatively, offers one of the most detailed and comprehensive in-game avatar creation processes, allowing players to construct anything from traditional to aliens, medieval knights, monsters, robots, and many more. 's 2007 book 'Alter Ego, Avatars and their creators' pairs photographs of players of a variety of MMO's with images of their in-game avatars and profiles; recording the player's motivations and intentions in designing and using their avatars. The survey reveals wide variation in the ways in which players of MMO's use avatars., creator and star of, created a song called ' which satirizes avatars and.

Game consoles such as the,, and (shown here) feature universal animated avatars. 's console allows for the creation of avatars called ' that take the form of stylized, cartoonish people and can be used in some games as avatars for players, as in. In some games, the ability to use a Mii as an avatar must be unlocked, such as in. On November 19, 2008, released an Dashboard update which featured the introduction of as part of the console's. With the update installed users can personalize the look of their Avatars by choosing from a range of clothing and facial features. On August 11, 2009, the Avatar program was updated with the inclusion of an Avatar Marketplace feature that allows users to purchase additional product and game branded clothing, jewelry, full body suits, and animated props.

On initial release of the update, game branded content included items from,,,,, and special edition. The Xbox LIVE Avatar Marketplace is updated weekly with new items. For 's console also features the use of avatars, but with a more realistic style than Nintendo's Miis or Microsoft's Avatars.

Non-gaming online worlds [ ] Avatars in non-gaming are used as two- or three- human or of a person's inworld self. Such representations are a tool which facilitates the exploration of the virtual universe, or acts as a focal point in conversations with other users, and can be customized by the user.

Usually, the purpose and appeal of such universes is to provide a large enhancement to common online conversation capabilities, and to allow the user to peacefully develop a portion of a non-gaming universe without being forced to strive towards a pre-defined goal. In non-gaming universes, the criteria avatars have to fulfill in order to become useful can depend to a great extent on the age of potential users.

Research [ ] suggests that younger users of put great emphasis on fun and entertainment aspects of avatars. They are also interested in the simple ease of use of avatars, and their ability to retain the user’s. [ ] Meanwhile, older users pay great importance to an avatar’s ability to reflect their own appearance,, and personality.

[ ] Most older users also want to be able to use an avatar’s expressive functionalities (such as showing emotions), and are prepared to learn new ways of navigation to do it. [ ] Surprisingly, some evidence suggests that avatars that are more anthropomorphic are perceived to be less credible and likeable than images that are less anthropomorphic. Social scientists at 's Virtual Human Interaction Lab examine the implications, possibilities, and that occur when people interact via avatars. Avatar-based non-gaming universes are usually populated by age groups whose requirements concerning avatars are fulfilled.

[ ] For example, most users of, and are aged 10 to 15 years, while users of and are 13 to 18. [ ] The reason may well be the properties and functionalities of the avatars of these virtual communities, as well as what the games are able to give to their players. In contrast, and target users aged 22 to 49 and their avatars allow for a wide range of social interactions, including the expression of emotions: laughing, waving, blowing kisses, and rude gestures. [ ], most of whose users seem to be older, [ ] allows users to use their own images as avatars. This turns the avatar into a direct reflection of users' real-life appearance, as desired by older users. Lisa Nakamura has suggested that customizable avatars in non-gaming worlds tend to be biased towards lighter skin colors and against darker skin colors, especially in those of the male gender.

In avatars are created by residents and take any form, and range from lifelike humans to robots, animals, plants and mythical creatures. Is one of the most important entertainment aspects in non gaming virtual worlds, such as,, and. Many virtual worlds are providing users with tools to customize their representations, allowing them to change shapes, hair, skins and also genre. Moreover, there is a growing secondary industry devoted to the creations of products and items for the avatars. Some companies have also launched social networks and other websites for avatars such as, Myrl, and.

Customization [ ] Early examples of customizable avatars include multi-user systems, including. Most forums use a small, (PNG) or (GIF) file to display a small image next to posts from a user.

Has a customizable avatar where users can dress it up as desired. Users may earn credits for completing sponsored surveys or certain tasks to purchase items and upgrades to customize their avatar. 's Second Life creates a in which avatars, homes, decorations, buildings and land are for sale. Less-common items may be designed to appear better than common items, and an experienced player may be identified from a group of new characters before in-game statistics are seen. Described a middle-aged man who played an aggressive, confrontational female character in his online communities, displaying personality traits he was embarrassed to display in the offline world. Research by Nick Yee of the Daedelus Project demonstrates that an avatar may differ considerably from a player's offline identity, based on gender.

However, most players will make an avatar that is (proportionately) equal to their height (or slightly taller). Sherry Turkle has observed that some players seek an emotional connection they cannot establish in the real world. She described a case in which a man with a serious heart condition preventing him from ordinary socializing found acceptance and friendship through his online identity. Others have pointed out similar findings in those with making difficult, such as those with or similar disabilities. Academics [ ] Avatars have become an area of study in the world of academics. The emergence of online avatars have profound implications [ ] for domains of scholarly research such as studies, which is concerned with all aspects of human identity in a technological society and also the and its effects upon the psyche. Paul Hemp has written an article for the Harvard Business Review, where he analyses the effects of avatars on real-world business.

He focuses on the game 'Second Life', and shows that the creators of virtual avatars are willing to spend real money to purchase goods marketed solely to their virtual selves. The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication published a study of the reactions to certain types of avatars by a sample group of human users. The results showed that users commonly chose avatars which were humanoid and matched their gender. The conclusion was that in order to make users feel more 'at home' in their avatars, designers should maximise the customizability of visual criteria common to humans, such as skin and hair color, gender, hair styles and height. Researchers at York University studied whether avatars reflected a user's real-life personality. Student test groups were able to infer upon extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, but could not infer upon openness and conscientiousness.

Social media [ ] Another use of the avatar has emerged with the widespread use of platforms. There is a practice in social media sites: uploading avatars in place of real profile image. Profile picture is a distinct graphics that represent the identity of profile holder. It is usually the portrait of an individual, logo of an organization, organizational building or distinctive character of book, cover page etc. Using avatars as profile pictures can increase users' perceived level of which in turn fosters reciprocity and sharing behavior in online environments. According to MIT professor Sherry Turkle: '. We think we will be presenting ourselves, but our profile ends up as somebody else - often the fantasy of who we want to be'.

In popular culture [ ] Cartoons and stories sometimes have a character based on their creator, either a fictionalised version (e.g. The character in some episodes of ) or an entirely fictional character (e.g. Visual Basic For Win7 64bit.

In the has been said by to be based upon herself). Such characters are sometimes [ ] known as 'author avatars'. Generators [ ] To meet the demand for millions of unique, customised avatars, generator tools and services have been created. Portals [ ] As avatars grow in use, services to centralize design, management and transportation of digital avatars start to appear. [ ] They can offer to deployed in virtual worlds, online games, social networks, video clips, greeting cards and mobile apps, as well as professional animation and pre-visualization projects. For example, seems to be the first solution to bring together complex 3D modeling, consumer ease of use and fully interoperable avatars.

See also [ ] • • • - 1977 novel • • • • References [ ]. Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace. Basic Books, 2000. • Fink, Jeri. Cyberseduction: Reality in the Age of Psychotechnology. Prometheus Books, 1999.

• Blackwood, Kevin. Casino Gambling For Dummies. For Dummies, 2006. • Kinzler, Steve.. Picons Archive.

Retrieved 24 May 2014. • In Mulligan, Jessica; Patrovsky, Bridgette (2003).

Developing online games: an insider's guide. Download Excel Free. New Riders., Randy Farmer is quoted (p.454): 'It is important to realize that the term 'avatar' was used in another game later [??] in that period (Ultima IV) and that the concept of an 'avatar' was in several works of fiction prior to the development of Habitat including 's and 's.' • Jordan, Tim. Cyberpower: The Culture and Politics of Cyberspace and the Internet. Routledge, 1999. Insights from the greatest minds in video games.

Retrieved 2017-12-15. • Morabito, Margaret. 'Enter the Online World of LucasFilm.' 1986: 24-28 • Spinrad, Norman.

Songs from the Stars. New York: Pocket Books, 1981. • • Stephenson, Neal. New York: Bantam, 2003 (reissue). • ^ • October 24, 2006, at the.

• ^ Authors: Alisa Kongthon, Chatchawal Sangkeettrakarn, Sarawoot Kongyoung and Choochart Haruechaiyasak. Published by ACM 2009 Article, Bibliometrics Data Bibliometrics. Published in: Proceeding, MEDES '09 Proceedings of the International Conference on Management of Emergent Digital EcoSystems, ACM New York, NY, USA.,: •, The Golden Age Arcade Historian (November 22, 2013) • (1974), Arcade Flyer Museum • Damer, B. Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet. Berkeley: Peach Pit Press, 1997. • • •, Brain Pickings, December 14, 2011, • Damer, Bruce.

Avatars: Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet. Peachpit Press, 1997. • Nowak, Kristine L. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. • • Nakamura, Lisa. Cybertypes: Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on the Internet.

Routledge, 2002. • I, Avatar, Mark Stephen Meadows, New Riders, Berkeley, 2008 • Sterling, Bruce (September 28, 2007)... • ^ Bear, Amy (27 April 2010)..

Online Conference on Networks and Communities. Retrieved 15 December 2012.

• Au, Wagner James (22 April 2007).. Retrieved 15 December 2012. • Morgan, KC (10 March 2010).. Website Marketing. Retrieved 15 December 2012. • Hopkins, Curt (28 April 2010).. SAY Media, Inc.

Retrieved 15 December 2012. • ^ McCorduck, Pamela..

Retrieved 15 December 2012. • ^ Yee, Nick (17 February 2008).. The Daedalus Project. Retrieved 15 December 2012. • Harris, Stephen (23 April 2010).. Online Conference on Networks and Communities. Retrieved 15 December 2012.

• Brunskill, David (December 2013). 'Social media, social avatars and the psyche: is Facebook good for us?' Australasian Psychiatry. 21 (6): 527–532..

• Hemp, Paul. 'Avatar-based marketing.' Harvard business review 84.6 (2006): 48-57.

(2005), The Influence of the Avatar on Online Perceptions of Anthropomorphism, Androgyny, Credibility, Homophily, and Attraction. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11: 153–178.: • ^ Gregoire, Carolyn (14 January 2015).. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 January 2015.

• Teubner, T.; Adam, M.; Camacho S; Hassanein K. Retrieved 23 March 2015.

• Turkle, Sherry. 'Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other' Basic Books (2011): 153. • • Pariah S. Burke, Macworld.com (September 21, 2009).. •, by Rob Lewis, techvibes, 02 dec 2009. Further reading [ ] • Holzwarth, Martin, Janiszewski, Chris, Neumann, Marcus: 'The Influence of Avatars on Online Consumer Shopping Behavior' in: Journal of Marketing, October 2006, Volume 70, Issue 4 • Meadows, Mark Stephen (2008) 'I, Avatar; The Culture and Consequences Of Having A Second Life,' Peachpit / New Riders, • Cooper, Robbie 'Alter Ego: avatars and their creators'. London:, 2007.

• Sloan, R.J.S., Robinson, B., Cook, M., and Bown, J. Dynamic emotional expression choreography: perception of naturalistic facial expressions. Blastland, editors, SAND Conference Proceedings, Swansea, UK 24–28 November 2008. Swansea Metropolitan University: Swansea • Wood, Natalie T, Michael R. Solomon and Basil G.

Englis (2005) 'Personalization of Online Avatars: Is the Messenger as Important as the Message?' International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2 (1/2), 143-161. External links [ ] Look up in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. At Curlie (based on ).

Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 3038 Location: Netherlands Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:43 am Post subject: Re: i´m looking for texture skin. Kristinazuzu wrote: i´m just start to learn about how to make a skin, can some one gave me some tips? I really will apreciate The best tip I can give is to look up many good references (google bikini models!) and pay good attention to the anatomy.

Some people have great editing skills, but put bones in unnatural places, which is really a shame _________________ Display posts from previous.