Style3D Atelier – Import Custom Avatar/Character

Style3D Atelier is an alternative to Marvelous Designer for making clothes using physics simulation. Although it installs with a number of adjustable avatars and assets they are generic in nature so may not be suitable for creating content for specific games or real-time environments. To offset this Atelier can import custom avatar models that can then be set up as reusable ‘Avatar’ assets.

Download: KatsBits – Atelier IMVU Avatar Refs (c. 700 KB | *.savt).

Custom Avatar/Character Import

Importing a custom avatar or character model into Atelier is relatively straightforward. With app open, from the File menu select Import and than a format option of choice, e.g. FBX – File » Import » [option] [1]. In the file browser that opens find and select the file, then click Open. Depending on the format an import dialogue may appear with various options; for FBX ensure the following are set [2];

• Load Type – Open.
• Object Type – Load as Avatar.

Optionally enable (checkbox) [3];

• Inherit Arrange Info.
• Inherit Measure Line.

Design note: Atelier will import models ‘as is’ unless otherwise needed. In other words, if modelled ‘at size’ in Blender et al, Scale, Axis Conversion, strong>Translation or other format specific options and settings can be left untouched as the program will default to using size or scale data embedded in the incoming file.

Click OK to complete the import process, and for the avatar model to then be placed in the scene at grid centre [4] ready for use.

Design note: avatar placement defaults to where the model is positioned in the source scene, which may differ from the physical origin of the import models.

Importing a custom avatar model into Atelier from the File menu, using FBX as the import format [1]…

… which might then open an import dialogue [2] with various options [3] based on the format selected and how the incoming file is set up…

… that once complete, deposits the avatar in the 3D scene [4] ready for use.

Material Setup

Depending on the format used to import the avatar it may appear untextured or rendered using solid colours. This generally means basic material information has been brought in to Atelier but not the image. To fix this so materials appear correctly, in the 3D view (click) select the avatar or mesh part [5], then in the Property Editor, scroll down to the Materials section. Here, in the Texture subsection click the + button [6] to the right to open the file browser. Browse to and select the image [7] to be brought in then click Open. The image will be imported [8] and immediately displayed [9], linked to any materials referencing it.

Design note: if the avatar appears as solid colours after import it means Atelier has used the Base Color properties found in the file. If materials are then set up correctly for Atelier, this underlying colour will tint what’s rendered. To fix this, in Texture options, click the colour swatch to the right of Color [i] and set this to ‘white’ [ii]. Click OK to reset any meshes – this can be done for individual selections or the entire avatar by clicking the Avatar reference [iii] in the Current tab.

Imported avatar meshes may include ‘base colour’ information that typically need to be reset; click the colour sawtch under Color [i] and reset to ‘white’ [ii] in the pop-up. This can be done to individual mesh or a group [iii] selecting the entire avatar.

Import missing images by selecting the mesh in the 3D view [5], then clicking the + button [6] under Texture to open the file browser. Select the image [7] and Open.

Imported images will the appear on the avatar and using the preview feature [8], can be per-material reviewed [9] (avatar base colour has been reset ‘white’ per the design note above).

Saving Avatar

Once the avatar is set up as required it can be saved as a template for reference and use without needing to be imported again. To do this, select the Avatar instance in the Current panel [10], this reveals the global properties for the selection in the Properties Editor. At the top of this panel are two buttons, click Save [11] to open a file browser where the avatar can then be saved as a *.savt file. Alternatively, avatars can be saved from the File menu selecting Save as, then Avatar – File » Save as » Avatar.

Design note: the avatar instance will be renamed to whatever the file is saved as, e.g. “Female” instead of the default “Avatar[n]“

Once the avatar is set up it can be saved as a reference by selecting the instance [10] and clicking the Save button [11] in the Properties Editor. Files are saved as proprietary *.savt files.

(Re)Load Saved Avatar

Once an avatar has been saved it can be (re)loaded into a project and the 3D view from the Action (‘hamburger’) menu [12] in the Current panel by clicking Open File [13]. This opens the file browser where the appropriate *.savt file can be selected and opened into the current project. Alternatively, saved avatars can be loaded from the File menu selecting Avatar then an appropriate *.savt file in the browser – File » Avatar » [*.savt].

Design note: if more than one avatar is loaded into a scene, they can each be hidden from view in the Scene manager panel [iv] by clicking the corresponding ‘eye’ icon [v] to turn on/off the display of that item.

Multiple avatars can be loaded into a project and then shown/hidden from the Scene manager [iv] panel clicking the corresponding ‘eye’ icon [v].

Once saved an avatar can be (re)loaded into a project from the Action (‘hamburger’) menu [12] using Open File [13]. This opens the file browser where the respective *.savt file can be selected and opened (bac) in to Atelier.