avatars
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TikTok may have generative AI avatars soon
TikTok may soon let you create AI stylized avatars not unlike what you can with deep learning apps like Midjourney or Lensa.
Zoom’s avatars now let you appear as a cartoon version of yourself
Zoom is adding cartoonish human avatars to video meetings, for times when you don't want to appear on camera.
Roblox will offer layered clothing and facial gestures for more realistic avatars
Roblox wants to make its avatars look less blocky and more realistic.
Neon’s ‘artificial human’ avatars could not live up to the CES hype
Neon and its "artificial human" avatars were the first viral hit of CES. They had everything to get the internet excited: a corporate giant (the company is from Samsung's STAR Labs), buzzwords (Avatars! Realistic AI assistants!) and confusion. Redditors combed the internet for details, and YouTube channel Good Content pulled together a surprisingly comprehensive dossier on a company that's barely half a year old. Neon then officially announced itself to CES in a press release rich in hyperbole, complicated machine learning jargon and a pretty opaque mission statement. There was also the promise of Neons "reacting and responding in real-time." I had to see it for myself.
Facebook's Avatars are a belated answer to Bitmoji
Facebook is hoping to shake up its emoji with something that will seem remarkably familiar. The company has introduced its long-expected Avatars, or personalized cartoon stickers that you can use in places like Messenger and the News Feed. They bear more than a passing resemblance to Snapchat's Bitmoji, and offer a similar amount of personalization. You can adjust basics like body types, skin color and hair, and throw in apparel that reflects your style. There's no image-based automatic creation, alas -- Facebook told TechCrunch that it wants to avoid the bias problems that can come with facial recognition.
Virtually hang out with up to 7 friends in Oculus' 'VR Rooms'
Oculus announced a host of new social features for platform during its OC/3 press event on Thursday. In addition to Avatars, which allow users to customize outlines of their faces with various accessories and skins, the company also rolled out Parties and Room. Parties are just what they sound like -- groups of up to eight users can band together and chat. And if you want a dedicated area to do that in, Oculus also announced Rooms. This collaborative space differs from the Facebook-centric chat app that we saw back at F8 earlier this year. Rooms is designed to behave more like a virtual living room where groups can congregate to play games or watch a movie, rather than a simple gathering of avatars.
Xbox avatars to get a wheelchair option
Accessibility doesn't just apply to the real world -- Microsoft's Phil Spencer has revealed that Microsoft will soon launch wheelchair avatars for Xbox Live. Following a user tweet suggesting that "wheelchairs might be relatively simple" to do, and another suggesting a petition, Xbox head Phil Spencer jumped in. "No petition needed, we hear you. This is something that we've already looked at, [and it's] not far off." Soon after that, Xbox Director of Program Management Mike Ybarra tweeted a "sneak peek" of two possible avatars.
'Ready Player One' filmmakers want your 3D avatars
A bulk of Ready Player One takes place in a digital universe known as the OASIS, a utopian society filled with 3D models of people plugged into the MMO world. Steven Spielberg is directing the film adaptation of Ernest Cline's novel and he's looking to bulk out OASIS with 3D avatars from digital artists around the globe. Anyone with the right skills and determination can submit a 3D avatar via Talenthouse, and Spielberg and co. will choose at least five winners to place in the movie.
The Daily Grind: Does your MMO character reflect you or the other way around?
Last summer, we reported on research that suggested people's behavior changes because of the proportions of the characters they were assigned to play. This week, we saw related results from a Stanford/OSU team that posed a similar question in relation to sexualized avatars in online settings like MMOs. The researchers tested the "Proteus effect," finding that subjects who were assigned hyper-sexualized avatars in a virtual setting "internalized" their avatars' appearance, focusing more on body image and expressing more "rape myth acceptance" than the control group. Setting aside the obvious implication that playing a sexed-up toon in an MMO might temporarily darken our mental health, I have to wonder what other bad habits we might be learning from our characters. How much control do we really have when we roll up a new avatar in an MMO? Did I choose to roleplay a snarky pirate in that last game because it would be fun or because I have a problem with authority and a rude attitude I needed a way to express? Worse, did her negative traits and wardrobe rub off on or change me? Do you think your MMO character reflects you, or do you think you subconsciously reflect your MMO character? Have you ever found yourself picking up or dwelling on the attributes of your characters? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Smaller virtual bodies affect how people see the world
How much does the size of our virtual bodies influence our behaviors? It doesn't seem like it'd have much of an effect, but according to a recent study it can cause a greater impact than you might speculate. Researchers placed several subjects in special motion-capture suits, then presented the subjects with a body that had adult proportions or childish proportions, even though both bodies were the same size. The result was that participants in the childlike bodies were more likely to identify as children rather than as adults, exploring more child-like environments and behaving less like adults. It's worth keeping in mind that these behaviors happened within motion-capture suits designed to simulate actual movement in virtual bodies, so how much of this would transfer to MMOs is questionable. But it's an interesting set of variables to consider, especially in terms of how much we identify with our avatars in the game. [Thanks to David for the tip!]
Star Trek Online's character creator revamped for Legacy of Romulus
The seventh installment of Star Trek Online's Legacy of Romulus dev blog is live. This time, the subject is character creation, and Cryptic has apparently revamped the system from the ground up to coincide with the introduction of the game's third faction. The dev blog talks everything from design flow to thematic presentation to the UI to selection presets, and it's clear that the company put a lot of thought into STO's character creator 2.0. Read all about it on the game's official website.
Adventure Time items gallivant off to Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace has checked its watch and observed the little hand is squarely on "Adventure." A lineup of Adventure Time avatar items is live on XBLM, including shirts with Jake, Finn, Lady Raincorn, Ice King and Marceline, along with extra items such as Marceline's Axe Bass, Finn's Toy Golden Sword of Battle, Ice King's crown and Princess Bubblegum's tiara and hair.The Princess Bubblegum item is on the second page, where we can only assume she's hiding from Ice King. Unfortunately, she's right next to an Ice King t-shirt, and they're all alone. Finn, Jake, help![Thanks, neoz.]
Manage an 80s arcade in Arcadecraft, coming to PC and Xbox Live
Orbitron Revolution developer Firebase Industries today unveiled Arcadecraft, an upcoming arcade management sim for PC and Xbox Live (though the developer hasn't clarified if it's coming to Arcade or Indie Games). As the above trailer shows, finally we'll all be able to realize our universal life goal: owning a dingy backstreet arcade.Arcadecraft, Firebase tells us, chronicles the rollercoaster that was the 1980s arcade industry; the golden age of the early 80s, the mid-decade crash, and the return to glory towards the 90s. While Firebase hopes to include around 100 fictional machines in Arcadecraft, it's the real ups and downs of the 80s that impact how arcades evolve. As time goes on, black and white games progress into color, Laserdisc arrives along with two-player machines, and then there's the sacred invention of the 'continue.'Similar to the 'Theme' games of the 90s, subtleties like the pricing and difficulty of machines can affect customer loyalty. There are peripheral influences too, like a home version reducing a machine's popularity, or a classic game riding a nostalgic second wave. Meanwhile, as the above trailer shows, arcades can be customized with pillars, graphics, and neon - lots of neon - while Xbox Live players get to see Avatars gracing their establishments.While there's no word on a release date, Firebase reckons Arcadecraft should be completed around October. In the meantime, you can find some screenshots after the break.
Customer service avatars coming to JFK, La Guardia, Newark airports (video)
When you're running late, you're weighed-down with DIY in-flight entertainment and your gate number gets switched at the last minute, the last thing you need is a real-life human trying to be helpful. The Port Authority knows that, which is why it's promising to install "computerized, hologram-like avatars" in La Guardia, Newark and JFK terminal buildings by early July. The virtual assistants aren't actually holographic -- judging from the video after the break (courtesy of Transportation Nation), they appear to consist of either projected or LCD video displayed on a vaguely human-shaped static board, although given their reported $250,000 price tag we might (hopefully) be missing something. Oh, and they aren't even interactive, unless you try to push them over. [Photo Credit: Jim O'Grady/WNYC]
Beavis and Butt-Head accessories for your music video-loving Avatar
Your Avatar is dumb. There's no brain in there; no independent thought. Kinda like Beavis and Butt-Head, quite possibly the world's most idiotic duo.If you want your Avatar to reflect the lack of sentience hiding inside its digital skin, you may want to check out the recent Beavis and Butt-Head themed items to debut on the Avatar Marketplace. You'll find apparel, wigs and even the iconic TV set the two use as a platform to trash network programming.
CCP still planning to expand EVE's station gameplay
Just when you internet-spaceship-only types thought it was safe to resume your relationship with CCP, the EVE Online studio has dropped a dev blog detailing its plans for further Incarna-style avatar development. The recent CCP reorganization put bidpedal gameplay on the back burner due to a player outcry in favor of the game's flying-in-space elements, but as it turns out, CCP "still believes in the vision to bring your characters fully into the world of EVE." CCP t0rfifrans says it will simply take a bit longer for the firm to realize its ambitious sandbox goals. He also says those goals are currently up for debate, and while gambling minigames, corporation-owned hubs, and contraband trading haven't been ruled out entirely, Team Avatar has gone "back to the drawing board" in the interests of identifying rewarding gameplay and developing a prototype. In other New Eden news, CCP's Power of 2 promotion is making a return engagement, and you can create a second account at a discount price through April 1st. [Thanks to Kane Hart for the tip!]
Reminder: Last chance to buy Xbox Avatar 'firearm' props
On January 1, 2012, Microsoft will remove firearm props it deems unsuitable for Xbox Avatars. What does that entail? Your guess as good as ours, since our request for a comprehensive list is still working its way through the machine. What we do know is that Gears of War weapon props are out. "Xbox Live Marketplace has updated its policies to provide further clarity for third-party publishers submitting content for approval. This includes details about weapons such as firearms. Xbox Live has always reserved the right to reject or expire from the marketplace any type of weapon prop content that is deemed unsuitable for its general audience," Microsoft informed us in a statement. "Because the Xbox Live Marketplace is accessible to members of all ages, it is important our policies clearly address what content is available to all. This policy provides additional clarity to publishers in advance of the content review process." Since items purchased in these final moments of 2011 will still be accessible to your Avatar after the content is yanked, take this as the final reminder to grab any Avatar prop "weapons," "firearms" and "gun-like" content before it's pulled.
PSA: 'Gun-like' Avatar items disappearing from XBLM on Jan. 1
An official post on the Epic Games forums states that the Lancer and Hammerbust items for Xbox Avatars will not be available starting January 1, 2012. Those who have purchased the items prior to the new year are in the clear and can keep them. The post notes that the removal of the Lancer and Hammerburst are part of a new policy going into effect for "gun-like avatar items" on the Marketplace. It would appear that this is just the latest addition to the list of things Avatars can't have or do. We've contacted Microsoft to receive a comprehensive list of "gun-like" items being removed. [Thanks, Steven]
Joe Danger: Special Edition Avatar Awards revealed via amazing video
The fact that Joe Danger: Special Edition includes a full Joe Danger outfit as Avatar Awards is entirely secondary to this post. What is primary is that you watch the amazing video Hello Games put together to promote it.
