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How to upload a VRChat Avatar - Complete Guide! [PC, Quest & VRoid]

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Introduction

This comprehensive, clear, and easy-to-understand guide will walk you through uploading a VRChat avatar. Whether it's your first time using the Unity game engine or you're just looking to refresh your knowledge, this guide has you covered. Everything is timestamped with straightforward explanations of each topic. However, I highly recommend you watch all the way through without skipping around, even if you are familiar with some topics, to grasp the full picture of how each part works together.

Essential Vocabulary

Before we dive in, let's cover some essential vocabulary:

  • FBX and VRM: Avatars usually come in these formats. FBX is preferred as VRChat supports it directly, while VRM models need conversion.
  • Meshes: The components that make up your avatar, constructed by polygons and triangles. Optimized models use as few meshes and polys as possible.
  • Bones and Armature: Bones define moving parts, and their structure (Armature) involves parenting. For example, a hand bone is the parent of a finger bone.
  • Blend Shapes: Also called shape keys, these are used for animations like facial expressions or body sliders.
  • Visemes: Specific blend shapes for talking, typically mapping each mouth sound.
  • Textures and UV Maps: Textures are flat images, and UV maps are instructions on how to wrap those textures around your avatar.
  • Shaders and Materials: Shaders control lighting and visual effects, and you'll create material spheres for each texture. The shader effects control the in-game appearance.
  • Unity Packages and Prefabs: Unity packages contain assets for your project. Prefabs are pre-setup entity components.
  • Dependencies: Avatars might rely on extra packages like shaders. Always check and install them first.

Setting Up the VRChat Creator Companion (VCC)

Ensure your VRChat account isn't too new, or you won’t be able to upload content. You need to achieve the 'New User Rank' by playing a while on an official VRChat account. The VCC is VRChat's easy way to organize your projects and keep them updated.

VRChat uses Unity as its game engine. VCC will prompt you to download the correct Unity version. The current migration is from a 2019 version to 2022. Make sure to include Android support for Quest compatibility.

Basic Controls in Unity

Get familiar with Unity's basic controls:

  • Middle-click and drag: Move around.
  • Right-click and drag: Look around.
  • Scroll wheel: Zoom in/out.
  • Hierarchy: All objects, including your avatar, appear here.
  • Inspector: Displays options and features for selected assets.
  • Play Mode: Run a simulation by hitting the play button.

Importing and Setting Up Your Avatar

Import a blank FBX model to gain valuable customizable knowledge:

  1. Drag the model FBX into your assets and hierarchy.
  2. Configure the FBX as a humanoid under the 'Model' tab in the Inspector and apply.
  3. Configure the Armature and fix issues like missing bones.

Adding Textures and Shaders

Create folders for organization, import your textures, and create materials with shaders. Poyomi shaders are recommended and can be downloaded from GitHub. Assign each texture to its material, enabling Alpha for transparent parts and assigning shaders accordingly.

Adding PhysBones

Add PhysBones for movable or interactable parts:

  1. Select the bone and add the PhysBone component.
  2. Adjust settings in play mode.
  3. Add colliders for areas like the head to prevent clipping.

Facial Animations and Gestures

Create animations using blend shapes:

  1. Open the Animation window and select the body mesh.
  2. Record and adjust blend shapes to create animations.
  3. Use the FX layer for playable layers and add your expressions.

Avatar Descriptor

Add an Avatar Descriptor to your overall object in the hierarchy and set:

  • Viewpoint: Adjust between the avatar's eyes.
  • Visemes: Auto-detect for talking animations.
  • Eye Look: Enable and configure eye movement.
  • Blinking: Add blend shapes for blinking.

Uploading Your Avatar

Open the SDK tab to fix errors and test your avatar. For Quest compatibility, create an optimized second version. Switch the build target to Android.

Converting VRM Models

For VRM models including Vroids:

  1. Use the VRM for VRChat converter.
  2. Import and convert the VRM model.
  3. Follow the same steps for shaders, PhysBones, and other setups as mentioned earlier.

Speedrun for Gumroad Avatars

For prefabs:

  1. Import the correct shaders and dependencies.
  2. Bring in the prefab model.
  3. Ensure Avatar Descriptor is error-free.
  4. Upload via the SDK.

If this guide was helpful, please like and subscribe to catch part two with Unity life hacks and time savers. Join my Discord for questions or to show off your work, and consider supporting my Patreon for more videos!

Keywords

  • VRChat, Avatar, Unity, FBX, VRM, Shaders, PhysBones, Facial Animations, Avatar Descriptor, Conversion, VCC, Uploads, Dependencies, Quest Compatibility

FAQ

Q: What formats do VRChat avatars come in? A: Avatars typically come in FBX or VRM formats. FBX is directly supported by VRChat, while VRM models need conversion.

Q: How do I set up the VRChat Creator Companion? A: Download the required Unity version prompted by VRChat, ensure Android support for Quest compatibility, and follow the setup instructions in the VCC.

Q: What are PhysBones, and how do I use them? A: PhysBones add movable or interactable properties to bones. Add the PhysBone component to a bone and adjust settings in play mode.

Q: What is involved in setting up facial animations? A: Use the Animation window to create animations from blend shapes and configure the FX layer for playable layers.

Q: How do I ensure my avatar is Quest compatible? A: Create an optimized second version of your avatar, adhering to VRChat's optimization requirements, and use only built-in mobile shaders.

Q: How do I convert VRM models to use in VRChat? A: Use the VRM for VRChat converter to import and convert VRM models. Follow setup steps for shaders, PhysBones, and more.

Q: How can I quickly upload a prefab model? A: Import the necessary shaders and dependencies, drag in the prefab, check the Avatar Descriptor, and upload via the SDK.