Avatars
An Avatar is a user-selected or user-created representation of them self in an online environment. The term Avatar is largely regarded to be popularized by author Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash.
Avatars are a core component of the Active Worlds universe as all humans connecting to it are assigned one (which they can then later change from the Avatar pull-down menu) or have one assigned to them by a bot. Bots are also given Avatars which makes it possible for programmers to create bots to take tickets for rides, act as shop-keeps or other tasks typically associated with humans.
If correctly modeled, an avatar will have the ability to use gestures.
Choosing an Avatar
Preset Avatar Menu
The Preset Avatar Menu (accessible as a drop-down list from the menu) contains a list of all the avatars available to you in a certain world. Avatars have different heights, so you might notice your view adjusting slightly up and down as you switch between them.
When you visit a world for the first time, you will always be given the default avatar, which is the first avatar on the menu. If you pick a different avatar your choice will be remembered, and used again the next time you visit that world.
Special Avatars
If you are a Public Speaker (PS) in a particular world, the avatar menu will always list five additional special avatars that are unavailable to people without PS.
- Main Article: Special Avatars.
Personal Avatars
There is an option to purchase a Personal Avatar (PAV) for your exclusive use, which gives you a truly unique identity.
- Main Article: PAV.
Custom Avatars
Introduced in AW 4.2, a Custom Avatar (CAV) is a custom editor to create a truly unique Avatar.
- Main Article: CAV.