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Avatar

The Avatar Recipe extends the Basic Profile with properties specific to virtual characters and avatars. This profile combines properties from multiple standards to describe customizable, interactive characters.

Core Structure​

{
  "@context": {
    "@vocab": "https://schema.org/",
    "gltf": "https://www.khronos.org/gltf/"
  },
  "@type": "VirtualCharacter",
  
  "name": "Default Avatar",
  "description": "Customizable humanoid character with standard animations",
  
  "identifier": {
    "@type": "PropertyValue",
    "propertyID": "MVMD-ID",
    "value": "avatar-2024-001"
  },
  
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Virtual Characters Inc."
  }
}

Required Properties​

Basic Information (from Basic Profile)​

  • @context
  • @type: Must be "VirtualCharacter"
  • name
  • description
  • identifier
  • creator
  • contentUrl
  • encodingFormat

Avatar Properties​

  • Character type
  • Base measurements
  • Animation support
  • Customization options
  • Interaction capabilities

Avatar Specifications​

Character Properties​

{
  "avatarProperties": {
    "type": "humanoid",
    "gender": "neutral",
    "age": "adult",
    "style": "realistic",
    "measurements": {
      "height": 1.75,
      "proportions": "standard",
      "unit": "meters"
    }
  }
}

Animation Support​

{
  "gltf:animations": [
    {
      "name": "idle",
      "type": "loop",
      "duration": 3.0
    },
    {
      "name": "walk",
      "type": "loop",
      "duration": 1.2
    },
    {
      "name": "run",
      "type": "loop",
      "duration": 0.8
    }
  ]
}

Complete Example​

{
  "@context": {
    "@vocab": "https://schema.org/",
    "gltf": "https://www.khronos.org/gltf/"
  },
  "@type": "VirtualCharacter",
  
  "name": "Customizable Avatar",
  "description": "Highly customizable humanoid character with extensive animation support",
  
  "identifier": {
    "@type": "PropertyValue",
    "propertyID": "MVMD-ID",
    "value": "avatar-2024-001"
  },
  
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Virtual Characters Inc.",
    "url": "https://example.com/virtual-characters"
  },
  
  "dateCreated": "2024-03-15",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  
  "contentUrl": "https://example.com/avatars/customizable.glb",
  "encodingFormat": "model/gltf-binary",
  "thumbnail": "https://example.com/thumbnails/avatar.jpg",
  
  "avatarProperties": {
    "type": "humanoid",
    "gender": "neutral",
    "age": "adult",
    "style": "realistic",
    "measurements": {
      "height": 1.75,
      "proportions": "standard",
      "unit": "meters"
    }
  },
  
  "customization": {
    "features": [
      {
        "category": "face",
        "options": [
          "eyes",
          "nose",
          "mouth",
          "ears",
          "jawline"
        ],
        "blendshapes": true
      },
      {
        "category": "hair",
        "options": [
          "style",
          "color",
          "length"
        ]
      },
      {
        "category": "body",
        "options": [
          "build",
          "height",
          "proportions"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "textures": [
      {
        "category": "skin",
        "resolution": "2048x2048",
        "customizable": true
      },
      {
        "category": "clothing",
        "resolution": "2048x2048",
        "customizable": true
      }
    ]
  },
  
  "gltf:animations": [
    {
      "name": "idle",
      "type": "loop",
      "duration": 3.0
    },
    {
      "name": "walk",
      "type": "loop",
      "duration": 1.2
    },
    {
      "name": "run",
      "type": "loop",
      "duration": 0.8
    },
    {
      "name": "jump",
      "type": "oneshot",
      "duration": 1.0
    },
    {
      "name": "emote_wave",
      "type": "oneshot",
      "duration": 2.0
    }
  ],
  
  "gltf:rig": {
    "type": "humanoid",
    "joints": 65,
    "skeleton": "mixamo-compatible"
  },
  
  "interaction": {
    "expressions": [
      {
        "name": "smile",
        "blendshapes": ["smile_left", "smile_right"],
        "intensity": "variable"
      },
      {
        "name": "frown",
        "blendshapes": ["frown_left", "frown_right"],
        "intensity": "variable"
      }
    ],
    "gestures": [
      {
        "name": "wave",
        "animation": "emote_wave",
        "duration": 2.0
      }
    ],
    "physics": {
      "collider": "capsule",
      "mass": 70,
      "height": 1.75
    }
  },
  
  "performance": {
    "polycount": {
      "high": 50000,
      "medium": 25000,
      "low": 10000
    },
    "textureResolution": {
      "high": "2048x2048",
      "medium": "1024x1024",
      "low": "512x512"
    },
    "boneCount": 65,
    "blendshapeCount": 52
  }
}

Validation Rules​

Character Properties​

  • Valid character type
  • Proper measurements
  • Standard proportions
  • Supported styles
  • Age categories

Animation Properties​

  • Required animations
  • Proper durations
  • Valid types
  • Clear names
  • Proper format

Customization Properties​

  • Valid feature sets
  • Proper textures
  • Clear categories
  • Supported options
  • Format specifications

Best Practices​

  1. Character Design

    • Universal proportions
    • Standard measurements
    • Clear customization
    • Consistent style
    • Proper scaling

  2. Animation Management

    • Essential movements
    • Smooth transitions
    • Proper timing
    • Clear naming
    • Efficient organization

  3. Customization System

    • Logical categories
    • Clear options
    • Efficient textures
    • Proper blendshapes
    • Resource management

  4. Performance Optimization

    • LOD support
    • Efficient textures
    • Optimized meshes
    • Proper compression
    • Resource loading

Integration Examples​

With Virtual Environments​

{
  "@context": {
    "@vocab": "https://schema.org/",
    "gltf": "https://www.khronos.org/gltf/",
    "usd": "https://openusd.org/ns/"
  },
  "@type": "VirtualCharacter",
  "name": "Environment Avatar",
  
  "avatarProperties": {
    "type": "humanoid",
    "style": "realistic"
  },
  
  "usd:stage": {
    "upAxis": "Y",
    "metersPerUnit": 1.0
  }
}

With Interactive Systems​

{
  "@context": {
    "@vocab": "https://schema.org/",
    "gltf": "https://www.khronos.org/gltf/",
    "x3d": "https://www.web3d.org/specifications/x3d-4.0/"
  },
  "@type": "VirtualCharacter",
  "name": "Interactive Avatar",
  
  "gltf:animations": [
    {
      "name": "wave",
      "type": "oneshot"
    }
  ],
  
  "x3d:interaction": {
    "sensors": [
      {
        "type": "TouchSensor",
        "name": "avatar_interact"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Common Issues​

  1. Animation Compatibility

    • Format compatibility
    • Transition handling
    • Timing issues
    • Blend conflicts
    • Performance impact

  2. Customization Limits

    • Resource constraints
    • Texture memory
    • Blend shape limits
    • Option combinations
    • Update handling

Next Steps​