Imported Avatar Requirements

The following are the requirements for an imported avatar:

• File format: OBJ, FBX, or VSA.

• Mesh type: polygon, quads, or triangles.

• Polygon count: no limit. A higher polygon count is likely to affect the performance of the application.

  With suitable high specification hardware, avatars with polygon counts ranging from 20,000-100,000 have been used successfully.

• Scan quality: no holes in the geometry.

• If you prepare a bind pose, VStitcher uses that to create a prepare mode pose. If you do not prepare a bind pose, VStitcher creates a prepare mode pose based on the assignment of the anchor points.

• If you want poses, these must be set up before importing the avatar. For information about poses, refer to Poses and Imported Avatars.

• For abstract avatars, the minimum thickness is around 2 cm. For example, you may want to use an abstract avatar for testing fabrics.

• For accurate recognition of the locators, you must ensure that the lowest point of the avatar is positioned on the 0 value of the up axis. Further, if you are using a rigged avatar (with poses) you must ensure the lowest point of the avatar in the bind pose is positioned on the 0 value of the up axis.

• Multiple skin clusters are not supported.

The following are the recommendations for an imported avatar:

• Body posture: aim for a symmetrical figure in front view and a straight body in side view.

• If required, for areas where your garments may become entangled with complex body parts - such as a hood becoming entangled with ears, or long sleeves becoming entangled with fingers - you should prepare an additional transparent layer to cover these areas.

• Avatars should be created using continuous topology. However, you can create separate 3D objects such as shoes, which can be imported with the avatar.

  If you do create such an avatar with separate objects, it is essential to assign the anchor points to the body, and not the separate objects, such as the shoes.

• Set up the anchor points. For more information, refer to Anchor Points and Imported Avatars .

For information about creating your own deformable avatars, refer to Creating Deformable Avatars.

Applying an Alvanon Permission File

If you have bought an avatar from Alvanon, you need an APF permission file to use the avatar in Browzwear.

When you have the permission file:

1. Download the file to your computer, and note the location.

2. In VStitcher or Lotta, on the Main menu:

   • Click Edit, then Preferences (Windows)

   • Click VStitcher/Lotta then Preferences (Mac).

   The Preferences dialog box is displayed.

3. Click Resources.

4. In Permissions Folder, click Browse and navigate to the folder with the permission file.

5. Click Select Folder.

   Alternatively, in Add Permission File, click Browse, navigate to the file, select the file, and click Open.

   When you update your preferences by clicking OK, the path to the permissions folder is automatically updated.