What is Animaze and what is the “.avatar” format?

Animaze Avatar by Facerig is an app that can be used for avatar-based communication, available to use on Desktop (can be found here) and on iPhones (can be found here).                              

We believe that this digital “shapeshifting” experience is fun and great for communication, streaming, storytelling, etc, should have an open standard, and should be high quality, accessible and versatile. The Animaze software and the open .avatar format are there to support that mission. 

We, at Holotech Studios, have started working on avatar-based interactions in 2013. At that time, we were building a PC app called FaceRig.

Because we want to empower all character creators out there (3D artists, 2D artists, studios large and small) to bring their creations to life and support themselves while doing that, we are building the Animaze documentation and toolset to support this new form of digital interaction and the open .avatar format, and also building an avatar storefront where anyone will be able to register as avatar creators and sell their avatars.

Our technical animators and engineers will be constantly working to figure out how to offer the best avatar embodiment experience, and will occasionally update the .avatar standard with new revisions.

The .avatar format can be used for many types of avatar content

• Avatars, of multiple types

  • 3D Characters (via common 3D creation packages)

  • 2D Characters (via Live2D Technology)

  • Hybrid Characters (a combination of 3D & 2D)

  • 3D avatar Props – glasses, hats, etc - fun accessories for your characters.

  • .VRM Characters

• Backgrounds/Backdrops

  • 360 Panoramas (“Skybox”)

  • 2D Photo Background

  • Video feed backgrounds (FMV)

  • Fully realized 3D Scenes 

  • Particle systems, and more…