Simply Avastar

This page contains basic routines you may do in Avastar. Working through them will help you become familiar with Avastar.

Tip: When you are still learning...

We recommend that you always begin with creating a fresh new scene with File -> New. That way, if something goes wrong, you can restart blender and run through the routine as a test this time:

Tip: When something unexpected happens...

Restart the routine and note your steps. If you, indeed, get the same unexpected results, you may have found a bug. If you report this to us, and send us your test file, we can tackle the nasty creature and have a new, improved Avastar thanks to you!

Preparations

  • Make sure you have the Blender Render selected, otherwise some routines won’t work.

Dictionary

LMB,RMB

Left Mouse Button, Right Mouse Button

SHIFT-Select

Press the SHIFT key while selecting parts (with the right mouse button)

Create a Basic Avastar

  • Add -> Avastar -> Basic – quad
  • Switch from Solid View Mode to Texture view mode
  • Open N-Panel
  • Set Shading mode to GLSL
  • Open Object Properties
  • Open Avastar Materials panel
  • Select Female
  • Select the Lamp in the scene
  • Change the lamp from Point to Hemi

The 3D ViewPort should now look similar to the image aside.

Create a Bento Avatar

  • Add -> Avastar -> Extended -> Quad
  • Open Tool shelf
  • Open Rig Display Panel
  • Disable Limit
  • Disable Face bone Display
  • Grab green bones and move Avastar into a Pose

  • Open Tool Shelf
  • Open Rig Display Panel
  • Disable Shape
  • Select the first green finger1 bones of a hand
  • On the keyboard: R x x  and then move the 3D cursor to open/close the hand
  • Press LMB to finish the hand pose

Slider test

  • Add -> Avastar -> Extended -> Quad
  • Open Tool shelf
  • Open Appearance Panel
  • Change Body -> Height
  • Change Nose -> Size
  • Change Nose -> Width
  • Change Torso -> Arm Length
  • Change Head -> Size
  • Change Hand -> Size
  • Select the Section Changed
    to see something similar to:

Export a simple SL Clone

  • Add -> Avastar -> Extended – Quad
  • Optional:
    • Open Tool Shelf
    • Open Avastar Tab
    • Open Rig Display Panel
    • Disable Face
    • Disable Shape
  • Select (and SHIFT Select)
    • the HeadMesh
    • the UpperBodyMesh
    • the LowerBodyMesh
  • File -> Export -> Collada (Avastar)(.dae)

Create a single Mesh SL Clone

  • Create a Bento Avatar (you can omit the posing, see above)
  • Open Object Properties
  • Open Avastar Materials panel
  • Select Custom (materials with grid texture)
  • Optional (verify materials):
    • Switch from Solid View Mode to Texture view mode
    • Open N-Panel
    • Set Shading mode to GLSL
  • Select (and SHIFT Select)
    • the HeadMesh
    • the UpperBodyMesh
    • the LowerBodyMesh
  • Open the Avastar tool Box
  • Search the Shape tools Section
  • Set
    • Original: Delete
    • Enable Join Parts
    • Enable Weld Parts
  • Freeze Selected