iByte Productions
// MODULAR_HUMANOID_AVATARS

Humanoid Avatar Framework

A provider-neutral framework for customizable, networked humanoid avatars in multiplayer XR—currently proven through an UMA 3 integration.

First-person view of the multiplayer XR environment where the avatar framework is being developed

Project snapshot

This work separates avatar identity, construction, and XR embodiment from any one character system. The framework is developed inside a VertexForm3D-based Unity project, but its architecture is intentionally broader than that host project.

UMA 3 is the first avatar provider. It supplies races, wardrobe, body and face DNA, shared colors, and compact recipe data while the framework handles lifecycle, network identity, fallbacks, and the player-facing embodiment layer.

Framework layers

01 / FRAMEWORK_CORE

Provider selection, construction lifecycle, readiness, persistence, network identity, and fallback behavior.

02 / UMA_3_PROVIDER

Race, wardrobe, DNA, shared colors, recipe encoding, and runtime customization.

03 / XR_EMBODIMENT

Grounding, head and controller targets, first-person visibility, arm IK, and networked posture.

Technical highlights

  • Provider-neutral avatar boundary with deliberately small host-project hooks.
  • Stock and UMA avatars can coexist in the same multiplayer session.
  • Compact, versioned recipe synchronization for persistent avatar identity.
  • Race, wardrobe, body and face shape, and color customization at runtime.
  • Full-body VR alignment with head and controller targets, arm IK, and first-person head hiding.
  • Networked standing and seated posture architecture with explicit seat identity.

Current direction

Current work focuses on articulated hands and finger poses, multiplayer seated posture, Quest performance, WebXR/WebGPU behavior, voice and lip-sync direction, and hardening startup and fallback edge cases.

Development status

WORKING / INTEGRATED
  • Framework and provider separation.
  • Stock and UMA avatar coexistence.
  • Recipe synchronization and persistence.
  • Runtime customizer foundation.
  • Local VR embodiment.
VALIDATION / HARDENING
  • Articulated hands and finger poses.
  • Multiplayer seated posture.
  • Quest performance.
  • WebXR/WebGPU behavior.
  • Voice, lip-sync, startup, and fallback hardening.

Media

Current development captures. Dedicated hands/fingers and seated-multiplayer media will be added after those features are implemented and validated.

Third-person view of customizable avatar
THIRD_PERSON_AVATAR
Close-up of UMA avatar and runtime customizer
AVATAR_CUSTOMIZER
UMA body shape slider controls
BODY_SLIDER_CUSTOMIZATION
UMA face slider controls
FACE_SLIDER_CUSTOMIZATION
UMA clothing selection panel
CLOTHING_SELECTION
UMA hair selection panel
HAIR_SELECTION
UMA legwear selection panel
LEGWEAR_SELECTION
Classic stock avatar selection view
STOCK_AVATAR_COMPATIBILITY
ATTRIBUTION

UMA 3, VertexForm3D, Photon Fusion, Photon Voice, and Cesium for Unity are third-party technologies. My work is the provider-neutral avatar architecture, UMA integration, network synchronization, and XR embodiment layer built around them.