Technical Details
Avatars are a collection of data, less than 1 kB, describing character details such as clothing and facial features, propagated to Xbox.com. These avatars can be as personalized as the player wants them to be, detailing all the way down to the size. However, players can also create an avatar that does not represent them at all. Like a roaming user profile the Avatar will follow the player wherever he or she logs on. This makes the avatar the actual player in the virtual world.
The Xbox 360 System Software includes a renderer and animation system that creates Avatars as they are seen in Microsoft's own titles. It is also be possible for developers to use the data and process it with their own software, allowing Avatars to be easily integrated with a game's engine.
Developers are able to use the data to create random Avatars to populate their game, or to create specific Avatars for specific roles.
By pressing the RS button in the creation screen, your avatar will burp. Also by pressing RB button your avatar will smile, while pressing the LB button your avatar will show random emotions. If you are viewing clothing that has zoomed into the Avatar's head, you can simulate a "Gaben" by pushing up on RS and then pulling it down quickly.
Avatar bodies are animated using skeletal animation, whereas Avatar faces are animated by changing the eye and mouth textures.
Microsoft has posted a comprehensive look at the technical details behind the Xbox Live Avatar system on their engineering blog.
Avatar images are available for use on Internet forums, social network services, as an email signature, or on a blog. They can be accessed by using the following user-specific URLs (replacing GAMERTAG with the Xbox Live Gamertag):
- Full Avatar:
http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/GAMERTAG/avatar-body.png - Large icon/gamer picture:
http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/GAMERTAG/avatarpic-l.png - Small icon/gamer picture:
http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/GAMERTAG/avatarpic-s.png
Read more about this topic: Avatar (Xbox Live)
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