Craft Your Digital Self: A Comprehensive Guide to Making a VRChat Avatar

VRChat is a vibrant social platform where you can embody anyone or anything your imagination conjures. At the heart of this experience lies the avatar, your digital representation within this metaverse. Creating your own custom avatar allows for unparalleled self-expression and deeper engagement with the community. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of making your own VRChat avatar, from the foundational concepts to the final upload.

Understanding the Basics

Before diving into the technical aspects, let’s establish some fundamental concepts. Creating a VRChat avatar involves a blend of 3D modeling, rigging, texturing, and optimization. While it might sound daunting, breaking it down into smaller steps makes the process manageable. You can choose to create an avatar from scratch, modify existing models, or commission someone to create one for you. This guide will primarily focus on creating an avatar using existing models, as it’s a more accessible starting point for beginners.

Key Terms You Should Know:

• 3D Modeling: The process of creating a three-dimensional object using software.
• Rigging: The process of creating a skeletal structure within a 3D model that allows it to move and deform realistically.
• Texturing: The process of adding color, detail, and surface properties to a 3D model.
• UV Mapping: The process of unwrapping the 3D model’s surface onto a 2D plane to apply textures.
• Polygon Count: The number of faces that make up a 3D model. Lower polygon counts improve performance, especially in VRChat.
• Materials: Properties that define how light interacts with a model’s surface (e.g., color, shininess, transparency).
• Avatars 3.0: VRChat’s current avatar system, offering greater control over customization and animation.
• Blendshapes (Shape Keys): Facial expressions or other deformations stored in a 3D model.
• Bones: Components of the skeletal structure used for animation.
• Unity: A game development engine used to prepare avatars for VRChat.
• SDK (Software Development Kit): A toolset provided by VRChat that allows developers to interact with the platform and upload avatars.

Step 1: Gathering Your Resources

Before you start modeling, you need to gather the necessary resources. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. A Base Model: You can find free or paid models online on platforms like Booth.pm, Gumroad, Sketchfab or even DeviantArt. Start with something that you find appealing and that you can envision yourself as. Make sure it allows for editing or modifications. Ensure the model you choose is compatible with Unity and VRChat. Check if it’s already rigged and if it contains any specific licensing terms.
2. 3D Modeling Software: Blender is an excellent free and open-source option. Others include Maya, 3ds Max, and Cinema 4D, though these are usually paid options. This tutorial will focus on Blender.
3. Unity Hub and Unity Editor: Download Unity Hub from the official Unity website and use it to install a compatible version of Unity. VRChat usually requires a specific version, so make sure to check their documentation for compatibility. Older Unity versions might not be supported anymore.
4. VRChat SDK: Download the latest VRChat SDK from their website. You’ll need this to upload your avatar to the platform. Pay close attention to which version of the SDK is compatible with your Unity editor version.
5. Texturing Software (Optional): While you can paint directly within Blender, dedicated software like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP (free), or Substance Painter can provide more robust and efficient texturing capabilities.
6. Patience: Creating an avatar requires time and dedication. Don’t be discouraged if things don’t go perfectly on your first attempt.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Environment

Once you’ve gathered your resources, it’s time to set up your development environment.

1. Install Unity Hub and Unity: Follow the installation instructions for Unity Hub and then install the specific version of Unity required by the VRChat SDK through the Hub.
2. Create a New Unity Project: Open Unity Hub and create a new 3D project. Choose a name and location for your project.
3. Import the VRChat SDK: Drag and drop the VRChat SDK package into the Unity project window. This will install all the necessary VRChat components. It is often located in Assets -> Import Package -> Custom Package.
4. Install the VRCSDK: Follow the prompts to install the SDK. You may be asked to restart Unity.
5. Import Your Base Model: Drag and drop your downloaded 3D model into the Unity project window (usually the Assets folder). Unity will automatically import your model, creating folders and assets in the project.

Step 3: Basic Avatar Customization in Blender

Now that your model is in Unity, we can jump to Blender to customize it and then bring it back to Unity. We will focus on basic modifications and not in creating a model from scratch.

1. Export Model from Unity: In your Unity Project, locate your model, usually the .fbx file in your assets folder. Click on it, then Right Click and select Export -> Export to FBX. Save it somewhere easy to find.
2. Open Blender: Launch Blender and delete the default cube object, camera and lamp. This gives us a clean environment to work with.
3. Import Your FBX Model: In Blender, go to File -> Import -> FBX and select the FBX file you just exported from Unity.
4. Basic Mesh Editing: To edit the model you need to enter Edit Mode. Select your 3d model, in the top bar click the dropdown that says “Object Mode”, and switch it to “Edit Mode”. Now you can begin modifying your mesh.
5. Modifying Shape and Proportion: Using the tools such as the move tool, rotate tool, and scale tool, you can adjust vertices, edges, and faces to change the shape and proportion of your avatar. You can select different parts of the model using your mouse. This is where you would adjust things like height, body type, facial features, etc. It is important to respect the base model topology when editing to avoid creating issues later on, try not to delete big portions of the mesh, or create disconnected mesh pieces, as these can cause issues down the line.
6. Adding Accessories: You can import separate 3D models (accessories like glasses, hats, or clothing) using File -> Import, then scale and place them onto your avatar. Make sure to correctly place and align these accessories.
7. Materials: On the right-hand side of Blender, in the Materials Tab, you can see the materials applied to your model. You can change their color, roughness, metallic value and other properties.
8. UV Editing and Texturing (Optional): UV editing involves unwrapping your 3D model’s surface onto a 2D plane, which allows you to paint textures onto it. This is a more advanced process, but it allows for creating intricate details. This can be achieved by going to the “UV Editing” layout in the top menu of blender. You can select individual faces in Edit Mode and assign textures or colors to them.
9. Export from Blender: Once your model modifications are done, go to File -> Export -> FBX and save your changes to a folder.

Step 4: Setting Up Your Avatar in Unity

Now that we have a customized model, let’s import it back to Unity.

1. Import Your Modified Model: Drag and drop the exported FBX file from Blender into your Unity project’s Assets window.
2. Configure the Avatar: Select your avatar in the Assets window. In the Inspector panel on the right, find the Model tab. Change the following settings:
• Scale Factor: If the model is too big or small, adjust this value.
• Materials: If materials aren’t showing up correctly, you might need to adjust the import settings for them in your materials tab.
• Generate Colliders: It is not recommended to automatically generate colliders. This can often result in performance issues. Instead you can manually add them later.
3. Create a new Avatar Descriptor: Drag and drop your 3d Model from the Assets folder into the Unity Scene. Select the root of the newly created model in the scene window. In the Inspector, click “Add Component” and search for “VRC Avatar Descriptor”. Click it to add the component.
4. Configure the Avatar Descriptor: The VRC Avatar Descriptor component is used to tell VRChat where your head, hands, and other key body parts are located.
• Viewpoint: Drag the head bone from your model’s rig into the Viewpoint field. This is essential for first-person perspective.
• Body Type: Select the appropriate body type (e.g., Male, Female, Unknown).
• Eye Look Direction: Drag the eye bones to their respective slots in the eye look direction. This will tell the eyes which way to look.
• Lip Sync: Drag the jaw bone to the Lip Sync field, and select which blendshape/shape key will drive the mouth. This will allow the avatar to sync its mouth with your voice.
• Animation Layers: You can leave these as default at first. These layers are used for custom animations and locomotion.
5. (Optional) Add Dynamic Bones or Physics Bones: You can add Dynamic Bones (paid) or the free Physics Bones to your hair or clothes for more realistic movement. Search for and Add Component on each bone you want to add physics to.
6. Configure the Animator: VRChat Avatars use Animator Controllers to handle animations. Usually, the controller that comes with the VRChat SDK is enough for a basic avatar. You can add/modify/create new custom animations and controllers, but that requires advanced knowledge.

Step 5: Performance Optimization

VRChat has specific performance guidelines to ensure smooth performance for all users. Before uploading, pay attention to these points:

• Polygon Count: Try to keep your polygon count as low as possible. The VRChat SDK provides tools to check your polygon count in the editor.
• Materials and Textures: Reduce the number of materials and textures used by combining them when possible. Use textures of reasonable resolution to minimize performance impact.
• Bones: Avoid unnecessary bones. Physics bones and Dynamic Bones should be used sparingly.
• Occlusion Culling: Use Unity’s Occlusion Culling to hide objects that are behind others, which improves rendering performance.
• Level of Detail (LOD): Use LOD Groups to have lower-detail models when the user is farther away. This reduces rendering cost.

Step 6: Uploading Your Avatar to VRChat

With everything set up and optimized, you’re finally ready to upload your avatar.

1. Open the VRChat SDK Control Panel: Go to the VRChat SDK menu in Unity and click “Show Control Panel”. You might need to log into your VRChat account here.
2. Build and Test: You can build the avatar to test in your Unity Editor first. Select the Build Tab of the VRChat SDK Control Panel, and choose “Build & Test”. This will create a testing build in the scene that you can control using Unity editor tools.
3. Auto Fix issues: In the SDK Panel, in the Content Manager tab, you can see warnings and errors regarding your avatar. Fix them all before trying to upload your avatar. Click on the “Auto Fix” button in the SDK to make the SDK try to fix all errors automatically. Be sure to check if the solutions given by the SDK are valid, as sometimes it might break or change your avatar properties in an undesirable way.
4. Upload: Once your avatar is ready, select the Builder tab of the SDK panel. In the Avatar field, select your 3d model you want to upload. If the upload button is available, click on it, name your avatar, and add a description and picture. Click “Upload” to upload your avatar to VRChat.
5. Test in VRChat: After uploading, launch VRChat and go to your avatars menu to find your freshly created avatar.

Tips and Tricks for Success

• Start Small: Don’t try to create the perfect avatar on your first try. Focus on learning the basics and gradually add more complex features.
• Join the Community: Connect with other avatar creators in VRChat communities. They can provide valuable tips and feedback.
• Watch Tutorials: There are countless tutorials on YouTube and other platforms that cover specific aspects of avatar creation.
• Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different tools and techniques.
• Be Patient: Creating a quality avatar takes time and practice. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks.
• Read VRChat Documentation: VRChat provides excellent documentation and guides that are worth checking out.
• Take breaks: Avatar creation is a time consuming process. Take a break every once in a while, so you don’t burn yourself out.

Conclusion

Creating a VRChat avatar can be a rewarding and creative endeavor. It allows you to express yourself in a unique way and connect with others in the virtual world. By following this guide and taking the time to learn the necessary skills, you’ll be well on your way to creating your very own digital self. Have fun and enjoy the process!