What is an avatar? According to Acad.org, an avatar is a graphical image of a user, such as used in graphical real-time chat applications, or, a graphical personification of a computer or a computer process, intended to make the computing or network environment a more friendly place.
Today, lots of different applications are using avatars. However, 95% of applications make the user select an avatar from a list. The point of an avatar is to make the person playing the game create a personal presence within the game, not a faceless impersonal existence within the game. By selecting an avatar from a pre-determined list, how can a user create a personal and original presence?
In the past few years, we’ve had a couple of companies emerge into the custom avatar space. These companies were highlighted in yesterday’s posting. Meez, IMVU, Comverse Technology and Oddcast (as well as many others) are allowing users to custom create their own avatar. In under 10 minutes last night, I created my Meez character that resembled pretty much who I am.
While defining and creating my Meez character, it was a fun and “cute” process. It got addicting and I could see why kids and teens have a good time doing this. Though, when it came time to take my character and export it to my blog/website or a picture, it lost the true feeling of becoming “alive.” It went from a 3D character with behavior to a 2D static image. A bit less impressive.
Now, there is no doubt that Meez and their team of developers/designers are going to innovate and create a file format or transport layer that will allow Meez characters to stay alive. I don’t question that at all. If these avatars are going to take off, this will need to happen as we’re tired of 2D images. Isn’t this Web 2.0? Where are the 3D images?
I was talking with a friend in the venture capital community today at the Tuscan Square Restaurant here in New York
and we were talking about the recent investments into the avatar space. We got into thinking about how avatars can be used in different types of applications and what it would take to make it happen… and one word emerged: standards.
Lets say that game developer THQ was developing a MMO game that utilized personalized avatars. They also had an XBOX 360 game that used avatars as well. Then, a casual game network such as WorldWinner allows for external avatars to be used. Factor in MySpace, AOL, and Typepad and you’ve got lots of integration needed to occur. In order for all of this to happen- the creation, distribution, and aggregation of avatars, there needs to be open standards of the file formats and the sizes. For the avatar industry to really take off, publishers and developers must adopt these standards and give another 1-2 years after the fact so that enough games, virtual worlds, and other applications exist for them to be used.
Nevertheless, it’s still a fascinating industry emerging. I’ve always said that the web isn’t very friendly. If I walked into a store that treated me the same way that Amazon.com or Prada.com treated me, I’d probably walk right out. The retail business is about service; even Walmart has greeters. Service with a smile. When was the last time a website smiled back at you? It’s going to be nice to see expressions online now – something that has been non-existant. I’m looking forward to following this all – and one day, maybe our avatars will meet up in a mass multiplayer game.
Tags: avatar, Meez, virtual worlds, IMVU, and standards
Do you play Dodgeball? If you are laughing because the last time you played was in elementary school, then you're not the only one. Come on out and join a team in the nextNY League! We're looking for entrepreneurs, media, advertising and technology folks to come out and have a fantastic time and network... and of course, throw balls at each other!
