Mutts (working title)

※ 'Mutt' is some name that just popped into my head. Dunno if people might dislike it. I've ben thinking about this idea for a while, but I don't think I've ever come up with a good name. 'Mutt' could be an acronym for 'Make yoUr Truest True Self' … … …
※ I may move this page/idea to the gamemakingtools wiki.

An idea for system for creating and sharing avatars for games and virtual worlds, like a version of Nintendo's Miis, but anyone who creates a game would be able to use them.

Key elements:

• The basic idea is to create a piece of software for making a game avatar.
• That data is exported as some kind of standard format like XML or JSON, and people can import that file into compatible games. Any developer is free to include mutt compatibility.
• Each game that supports mutts would interpret that data to suit, so a game with stylised, cute characters like Animal Crossing would render the character differently than something with more realistic proportions like OpenSimulator. Developer might want to import data then build on it with their own character creator.

• Mutt
• Mitt

Would have two or more preview modes, to get an idea of how the creator's mutt might appear in different contexts. Potentially these preview modes could be tied to something like 'basic' and 'advanced' modes too, with one having more fine-grained control, with say more body parts (like parts of arms instead of just arm). Could also be a just-head mode.

Could have a brower-based version.

Would probably be made in Godot, so people could incorporate the 'Mutt Maker' into their games too.

Basically, you have a bunch of predefined pieces, and you specify their position on the body and how they are scaled, and also can specify different material types for different body parts.

RE 'material', I imagine things like skin, but also fur, glass, moss, cloth, metals, etc.

• head
  • shape, material
  • hair
    • colour, shape, material
  • eyes
  • ears
  • nose
  • mouth
  • eyebrows
• neck
  • length
  • material
• torso
• arms (left and right different? separate arms into parts?)
• hands
• legs
• feet