Noob of Noobs - Can i create an avatar that looks exactly like me?

[riverjoy]

Hey guys,

Noob player here with a 2 part question;

 

1. Can i create an avatar to look like me? As in, Can i hire a 3D Graphic designer online to create one that will look like me or are we limited to what SL provides us with?

2. Can we have multiple avatars that we can switch back and forth from?

Sorry if it may come across as a noob question but literally just started playing 3 minutes ago.

 

Thanks again

[Lillith Hapmouche]

Take your time to learn, no need to rush anything Read around, check some YouTube videos introducing inworld procedures (there's currently a discussion about beginner videos going on...)

There are apps that can take a full body photo scan of yourself and transform it into a 3D mesh, which can be used as an avatar. There is a thread about this in these forums. It may look like you. However - it will most likely be a stiff look which you cannot change at all. Imagine a plastic doll of yourself, it'll always look the same. You'll probably be better off to create a "cartoon you" with general components (as it seems, you heard of mesh bodies and mesh heads) from the market. It isn't unlikely that you'll end up with a close match.

Having mulitple different looks on your account is easily done. You can work with different outfits, make copies and switch to and fro. You can also have multiple accounts, but that would mean that you have to buy items for every single account.

Tagline: demos, copies and patience are your friends.

[riverjoy]

Thanks so much for your reply. Loving this community already. 
 

do you know any apps or programs I can use where I can send in face and body pics to get it done? I’ve had some quotes that range up to $500 yikes 

[Lillith Hapmouche]

This is the thread about the app:

Personally, I don't like the look at all and find it extremely limiting. But well.

And yeah, anything related to custom 3D modelling will get pricey.

[Marianne Little]

45 minutes ago, riverjoy said:

Hey guys,

Noob player here with a 2 part question;

 

1. Can i create an avatar to look like me? As in, Can i hire a 3D Graphic designer online to create one that will look like me or are we limited to what SL provides us with?

2. Can we have multiple avatars that we can switch back and forth from?

Sorry if it may come across as a noob question but literally just started playing 3 minutes ago.

 

Thanks again

1: It is possible as in everything is possible when you pay enough. It will cost you a lot of money. As Lilith already said, the cheapest version will be a doll that can't blink or change.

2: Lots!! You can have lots of looks with this avatar. Go from all kinds of colors and genders. Plus an animal like a cat or horse, or fantasy like elf, dragon etc.

Some people have more than one account. They are individual accounts with different names and passwords. They are called alts - Additional accounts.

Most people in SL have one or more. It can be for practical use like testing how a security system works, you install it in your house, turn it on and log in your alt and let him/her try to enter. Or it can be personal, like you have had a bitter argument and will be another persona a while. It is as many reasons as it is users, I think.

[Rowan Amore]

Just now, Lillith Hapmouche said:

This is the thread about the app:

Personally, I don't like the look at all and find it extremely limiting. But well.

And yeah, anything related to custom 3D modelling will get pricey.

Not sure you'd even be able to find clothes, hair, shoes or anything that would work with it.

[Rowan Amore]

1 hour ago, riverjoy said:

Hey guys,

Noob player here with a 2 part question;

 

1. Can i create an avatar to look like me? As in, Can i hire a 3D Graphic designer online to create one that will look like me or are we limited to what SL provides us with?

2. Can we have multiple avatars that we can switch back and forth from?

Sorry if it may come across as a noob question but literally just started playing 3 minutes ago.

 

Thanks again

You'll also reach your limit of posts in the forum as a new poster but do come back and check to see if others have posted answers to your questions.

I think it's 6 posts per day?

[riverjoy]

19 minutes ago, Lillith Hapmouche said:

This is the thread about the app:

Personally, I don't like the look at all and find it extremely limiting. But well.

And yeah, anything related to custom 3D modelling will get pricey.

Thank you.

 

Are there ones that u can send photos to rather than filming yourself like that?

[Marianne Little]

6 minutes ago, RowanMinx said:

You'll also reach your limit of posts in the forum as a new poster but do come back and check to see if others have posted answers to your questions.

I think it's 6 posts per day?

Yes, something like that. Linden Lab had to enforce rules because of the bots that registered new accounts and spammed.

Inworld there is helpful places like Caledon Oxbridge: http://www.caledonoxbridge.org/

And NCI: http://www.nci-sl.info/blog/

If you have reached your limit.

[Velk Kerang]

Creating avatars to look like your RL self used to be a trend and a booming business back in the day where you could hire people to custom create your avatar to look like you. That's not a thing on here anymore?

[Madelaine McMasters]

33 minutes ago, riverjoy said:

Are there ones that u can send photos to rather than filming yourself like that?

I don't think sending photos would work well, and would require significant time and effort on the part of the avatar creator. The person Lilith linked to used an iOS 3D scanning program that uses the iPhone's LIDAR to get an actual 3D map of the body surface. Even so, as Rowan suggests, the surface contours of the resulting 3D body are unlikely to work with ANY available SL clothing.

I understand the allure of bringing "yourself" into SL, but I think you'll find the endeavor ultimately unsatisfying.

[FairreLilette]

3 hours ago, riverjoy said:

Hey guys,

Noob player here with a 2 part question;

 

1. Can i create an avatar to look like me? As in, Can i hire a 3D Graphic designer online to create one that will look like me or are we limited to what SL provides us with?

2. Can we have multiple avatars that we can switch back and forth from?

Sorry if it may come across as a noob question but literally just started playing 3 minutes ago.

 

Thanks again

Exactly like you, not with the SL skins, not exactly.  However, I wanted to tell you that many of the SL skins are made from a real face photograph.  I watched a video on YouTube on a person melding the real life photograph on the SL skin UV map for a face.  It was fascinating.  Many lipsticks used in SL are also made from a photograph of real human lips and not drawn as you think.  However, even with a real photo when it's shrunk down into this smaller format it does not resemble a human photograph all that much, imo, and I'm sure most people in SL think their skin was "drawn" when it very well might NOT have been drawn but made from a real photograph.   I'd see if you could hire a skin maker who would make a BOM skin of you from your photograph.  The photo would need to be done a special way though, I'd think.  I do work with some real life photographs and make them fit the AO or UV map of SL and it does give more realism as opposed to drawn.  

And, yes, you can have multiple avatars in SL and switch back and forth.  

Edited October 25, 2020 by FairreLilette

[Nalates Urriah]

There is the set of starter avatars. That is a beginner start out thing... But, you have choices.

Once familiar with SL you can do anything you can imagine or hire someone to do for you.

The duplicating RL persons was once a big business. But, it is just way cheaper to find a mesh head in the marketplace that is close to your look and tweak to be more like you. The biggest step is having a skin made from images of you. A skin designer and a number of Internet apps can turn some pictures into a skin texture that can be used in SL. I think this rout is what put the duplicators out of business.

 

[Janet Voxel]

4 hours ago, riverjoy said:

1. Can i create an avatar to look like me? As in, Can i hire a 3D Graphic designer online to create one that will look like me or are we limited to what SL provides us with?

In theory, you could. It would involve someone modeling a body and head from your photos. It would be very expensive if you could find someone that does it and if they’re that good, they’d probably be making their own to sell. I’m talking hundreds of dollars. 
 

Then you’d have a problem with clothing. None of the clothes for sale would fit your body as designers use kits for a limited number of bodies to make clothing.

So your alternative is to look for a head and body that closely resemble you and work with your shape until you get it as close to real life you as possible. 
 

If you can find someone that does custom skins, you might be able to get a custom skin. Again, very expensive and Probably won’t be an 100% match.

Some people pride themselves on looking like their real life selves. IMO a cartoon version is about as close as you can get.
 

 

[Fauve Aeon]

Are we talking about a SL style likeness or something with deep-fake level of detail or somewhere in between?

you can achieve about this level of likeness without getting something custom. 

If I wanted a striking likeness, I would choose the mesh head that looks the most similar to mine and then hire someone to make a custom skin based on some of my photos If I had moles freckles or other distinguishing marks on my face. I’d expect to spend $L 5-6K on the head, several hours tweaking the shape of it, then shop around for a skin maker that does custom work, their prices vary a lot. 
 

Edited October 25, 2020 by Fauve Aeon

[riverjoy]

18 hours ago, Fauve Aeon said:

Are we talking about a SL style likeness or something with deep-fake level of detail or somewhere in between?

you can achieve about this level of likeness without getting something custom. 

If I wanted a striking likeness, I would choose the mesh head that looks the most similar to mine and then hire someone to make a custom skin based on some of my photos If I had moles freckles or other distinguishing marks on my face. I’d expect to spend $L 5-6K on the head, several hours tweaking the shape of it, then shop around for a skin maker that does custom work, their prices vary a lot. 
 

omg wow! the 2nd one looks so similar.

 

How can i achieve that similarity

[FairreLilette]

32 minutes ago, riverjoy said:

omg wow! the 2nd one looks so similar.

 

How can i achieve that similarity

In the 2nd photo, she has some very striking features that really stand out - the glasses, the streaked hair, the round face.  So I'd start there, what are the striking features you have?  Write them down.  

We really do need someone who will give avatar making classes in Second Life.  I don't know of any classes at this time.  But, write down your most striking features first or even subtle ones such as green eyes or thin/thick eyebrows, etc.  

[Fauve Aeon]

That one is made via inworld Avatar customization, beginning as @FairreLilettesaid. A lot of it is the lighting and shadow matching in both the First Life human and the Second Life avatar photos too, that really emphasizes it. 😉

But the likeness is made via wearing a ‘skin’ that is similar to her own in tone, dimples and similar lip color on a ‘makeup layer’...then by creating a new ‘shape’ and adjusting the sliders until the facial features are similar...then creating a ‘brow shape’ that mimics the brow arch and height. 

 

Also a far better answer than mine is here compliments of @Scylla Rhiadra

With pertinent questions further down in the thread from @Skell Dagger. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Fauve Aeon

[FairreLilette]

19 hours ago, Fauve Aeon said:

If I wanted a striking likeness, I would choose the mesh head that looks the most similar

As far as mesh heads, I made some costly mistakes jumping into mesh heads not knowing a darn thing.

So, I will tell you my avoids and what little I currently know of mesh heads.

My first avoid is Genesis.  I'd say avoid Genesis heads because there are no skins that work with the heads except the skins made by Genesis and imo the skins are shaded very badly - dark body, super dark neck and a light face.  So Genesis I'd caution an avoid.  I have no current info on Genesis as to whether they are BOM now or not though.  

Next, when I got a mesh head I was thinking they are all fully modify but they are not - the mesh heads are partially modify - especially the lips.  I bought Catwa's Strawberry as my second head and the lip was near impossible to work with.  The best Catwa head of the old ones that offers a wide variety of shaping is Catya.   So, be aware that some features on the mesh heads are not fully modifiable and/or difficult to work with.  Also, there are new heads that offer other things now too so you may want to consider that also but newer doesn't always mean you will be happier because that's what I thought about Catwa's Strawberry that is was "newer" but it was just a different sculpt on the lips.  

Next, do you want a young look or a sophisticated look?  If you want a young look, Genus Baby Face and LAQ heads are the best to go look at for young looks, imo.  And, I want a 20-something because of the types of clothing I want to wear which is a younger type of clothing.  

So, I'd start with what age you want to be also and ask for opinions on that.   As again for a young look, I only know of Genus Baby Face and the LAQ heads.  I am not familiar with the LOGO brand yet which just recently came out with a free head.  

As for me, I find Catya now a bit too sophisticated and want a head that looks about 20 years old.  So I will be looking into LAQ and Lelutka's AIDA for that.  

There are also "strong" looks such as Genus Strong Face and Catwa's new HD one.  

So, think of a type of head you are looking and ask opinions, it may save you money, time and disappointment.  

Lelutka has far more "sophisticated" looks I'd say.  I'm not too familiar with all of Catwa's heads except Strawberry was miserable to work with in the lip.   But, I have owned Catya now for about a year and it offers a wide variety of shaping abilities.  It's a good head.  But, there's lots to choose from and learn about!  Take it slow, demo and ask.  Knowing and defining what you want may help but I'd start with an age range at least.  

Edited October 26, 2020 by FairreLilette