Creating a customized avatar has been a part of RPGs since the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released in 2006. I think FLOSS engines and games should have that feature as well. Would anyone else be interested in collaborating to make this possible?
Creating Characters
Base Mesh
MakeHuman
I think the easiest way to start would be to use MakeHuman as a base. However, it is licensed under the APLv3, so this might not be a good option for an MIT licensed ecosystem. However, they provide a CC0 exemption for anything exported from an official, unmodified version of the software.
ManuelBastioniLab
The advantage of ManuelBastioniLab is that it is just a Blender plugin. However, it is newer and (last time I checked) is not as feature-filled as MakeHuman. Plus it uses multiple base meshes, which could mean duplication of effort.
Potential Process To Create
I will confess: I am not an artist. My talents lie more in code. Any input from actual artists would be most welcome!
- Export the default mesh from MakeHuman
- Import default mesh into Blender
- Cut mesh up into pieces (hands, torso, legs, head, etc.) to make it easier to create clothes for characters and to create other humanoid creatures, such as mermaids and centaurs.
- Skin broken-up mesh with Rigify rig.
- Start adding blendshapes to change appearance (male/female, facial features, etc.).
- Start adding basic animations (walk cycle, run, etc.).
- Start adding assets (different eye colors, hair meshes, clothes, etc). We might be able to reuse some of the assets created by the MakeHuman community.
Creating Character Editor
Coming Soon!
