How to Design Your Own Virtual Reality Character

One of the the most common things you will see on the web these days are 3D virtual characters being used for advertising and promotions. There are several companies that specialize in software for creating and using these characters, such as Reallusion, Smith Micro, and Daz3d. We will look at the last of these, Daz3d, and its remarkable character animation product, Daz Studio. Using the program is basically very simple.

Things You'll Need

• Daz Studio

Instructions

1. Open Daz Studio. If it opens with a preset figure or scene, go to File, New, and open a new document.

2. Make sure you are in the Load section by clicking on the Load tab. Go to the file folders on the left, scroll through the folder, and select a figure. Drag it from the preview window onto the scene. Then go to some of the clothing folders, and drag clothing items onto the character until it is dressed. Also drag a hair prop onto the character if it needs one.

3. Go to the top, and click on the Pose/Animate Tab. Go to the right and make sure the Powerpose tab is selected. Now use the controls to pose the figure. For each change you make on the Powerpose controls, you will see the same body part move to the same extent on the figure.

4. Click on the Parameters tab. Here you can adjust things like facial expressions and morphs. Make whatever changes you like.

5. Click on the Render Tab at the top, and then click Render. And there you have it, your own virtual reality character.