VRChat Tutorial --- How to Create your own Custom Avatar for VRChat

Hey everybody! My name's Non-Scalar, and today I'll be showing you how to create your custom-made avatar for VRChat.

Before we dive in, let's discuss avatars and how you can access your custom-made avatars. There's a section called "Personal" where all your uploaded avatars go for your personal use. Once you upload an avatar, it will be available in this section.

How to Get 3D Models for Your Avatar

To get started, you need a 3D model. Here are several resources for finding models:

Model Resource: This is a great site for video game models.
DeviantArt: Another good source for 3D models.
Sketchfab: Offers a variety of 3D models.
Turbosquid: Has a large library of 3D models.

After downloading the model, you may need to extract the file to see what's inside.

Setting Up Your SDK

Next, visit the VRChat website to set up your SDK:

Unity Version: VRChat uses Unity 2017. Download this version for compatibility.
VRChat Account: Create and sign in to your VRChat account.
Download VRC SDK: Download and import the VRC SDK into Unity.

Import and Setup

After importing the SDK, sign in to your VRChat account within Unity. This will sync it to the game, allowing you to upload avatars.

Model Setup: Import your 3D model and set it up as a "humanoid" in Unity.
Adjusting Bones: Sometimes, you may need to adjust bone structures (e.g., replacing spine 1 with spine 2 as chest).

Adding an Avatar Descriptor

To properly setup your avatar:

Add Component: Click on your avatar object and add the "VRC_Avatar Descriptor" component.
Adjust POV: Set the point of view between the eyes or in front of the nose.

Uploading Your Avatar

To upload, follow these steps:

Look at all your settings and make sure everything is in order.
Click the upload button.
Customize your profile picture using the VRC camera, then upload.

Advanced Customizations

Skin Meshes: Optimize performance by fusing or removing skin meshes.
Shaders: Use one material for all shaders if possible. Some popular options include fur shaders, simple cube shaders, and mesh effects.
Dynamic Bones: These add wiggle effects but require plugins from the Unity Store.
Custom Animations: Create on/off switches for animations and apply them to your avatar.
Placing Objects: Example includes adding a rigidbody and fixed joint to objects like weapons.

Conclusion

That's pretty much it for creating your custom avatar. If you have any questions or suggestions, leave a comment below. Let me know what kind of videos you'd like to see next. Take care!

Keywords

VRChat
custom avatar
3D model
Unity
VRC SDK
dynamic bones
shaders
custom animations

FAQ

Q: Where can I find 3D models for my avatar?

A: You can find 3D models on websites like Model Resource, DeviantArt, Sketchfab, and Turbosquid.

Q: Which version of Unity should I use for VRChat?

A: Use Unity 2017 for compatibility with VRChat.

Q: How do I add an avatar descriptor in Unity?

A: Click on your avatar object, go to "Add Component," and select "VRC_Avatar Descriptor."

Q: What should I do if my avatar's point of view is incorrect?

A: Adjust the view point between the eyes or in front of the nose in the VRC_Avatar Descriptor settings.

Q: How can I optimize performance related to skin meshes?

A: Try to fuse skin meshes into one or remove unnecessary skin meshes.

Q: What are dynamic bones and where can I find them?

A: Dynamic bones add wiggle effects to your avatar. You can find them on the Unity Store.

Feel free to reach out if you have more questions!