IMVU
For my first avatar, I decided to use Instant Messaging Virtual Universe, or better known as IMVU, a free 3D avatar program that’s been around since the early 2000s. Over the summer, my friends Allen and Anna of Spirit Twin teamed up with Feltzine to host Spirit World, an online music festival using IMVU as their platform, and my roommate Octonomy played a set on one of the stages. That brought a whole new purpose for 3D chat worlds into my conscious as I saw festival goers blow off some steam and let loose on the dance floor.
As with many avatar creation tools, you’re asked to pick between male or female which then filters out which modifications are “appropriate” for you. Here’s the error message that shows up when you try to put on anything that isn’t designed for your specified gender.
It’s slim pickins when you try to create your avatar with the default options the software offers, but you’re allotted with the 4000 credit bonus when you sign up. The available inventory in their shop is impressive - you can pick different tops, bottoms, accessories, furniture, skin, facial features, pets, special moves, and body scalers. Highly sexualized, the female body comes default with very large breasts and butt. I didn’t find the right body scaler that would reduce the size of these assets, but I’m sure there are options available. Another difficulty I had was finding the right face with Asian features. I found one that I liked, but the skin tone was paler in complexion than the rest of my avatar body.
I think if I spent more time and money in the IMVU shop, I would find a slightly thicker, more muscular body build, and a flattened chest which are the characteristics that I think are missing from my current avatar.
After using IMVU, I wanted to use a more cartoonish caricature maker that had more bubbly features and thought Animal Crossing New Horizons would fit the bill.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
As a lot of people did over peak quarantine, I played Animal Crossing religiously and earned a lot of “bells” by selling fish, bugs, fossils, and especially turnips. The more bells you have, the more you can purchase at the Able Sister’s, the clothing store on the island. Throughout the game, you can unlock different hair styles / colors and a custom design tool where you can draw out designs for clothes and even your face. However, you can’t unlock other body modifications or facial features - you’re pretty much stuck with what’s offered in the beginning. All the characters are the same size and have the same body type no matter what gender. There are no restrictions with what clothing and accessories you can put on.