# Avatars & Character

## **Avatars & Equipment**

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="files"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><ul><li><p><a data-mention href="https://app.gitbook.com/s/61fllYo416R30LRxku4v/accounts/manage/avatar">Manage Your Avatars</a></p><ul><li>Game Client - change your avatar from your Inventory</li><li>Website - Change or buy an avatar</li></ul></li><li><p><a href="https://app.gitbook.com/s/61fllYo416R30LRxku4v/players/player-guide/inventory-equipment-and-stats#own-your-look-change-your-strengths">Own your look an change your strengths</a> with Equipment NFTs</p><ul><li>Modify your avatar's appearance</li><li>Modify your avatar's stats (e.g., power) or gain Abilities (e.g., flight)</li></ul></li></ul><p>The Experience creator may provide a custom avatar or equipment that you must use, but most Experiences will allow you to use any Avatar or Equipment NFTs purchased on the <a data-mention href="https://app.gitbook.com/s/61fllYo416R30LRxku4v/general/marketplace">Marketplace</a>.</p></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Avatars represent a player's <mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>identity</strong></mark>.<br><br>Some equipment can modify the gameplay and the identity of the player.</td><td><a href="https://content.gitbook.com/content/83PS3g9zpWmq73xzlwFn/blobs/mxzvqs7pcTwaJTGDChIp/10%20avatar%20resize.png">10 avatar resize.png</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## Character

**Character** is defined by the narrative, or story, and sometimes by a custom avatar in [**Spawn Point**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/game-maker/docs/behaviours/basic-logic/spawn-point-and-avatars-feature) behavior to support it.

Providing custom equipment in an Experience can be part of the storytelling, such as an astronaut suit for a space game. It's possible to set starter equipment in the Spawn Point, and there is a toggle to override player equipment so they must wear what is assigned to control avatar appearance and equipment benefits throughout the game.

## Identity

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="About" %}

### What is an Avatar in The Sandbox?

A player's Avatar represents them during gameplay and can be changed between Experiences via The Sandbox dashboard.

### How is an Avatar Made?&#x20;

The voxel models, or VXM files, that are assembled to make Avatars are built in VoxEdit. Avatar collections in The Sandbox have traits like PFP (profile picture) NFTs that are combined in many variations.

Some collections are Sandbox Originals, and some are interoperable voxel avatars you automatically own if you purchase an NFT from a participating external PFP collection.

{% hint style="info" %}
It is not currently possible to activate a custom playable avatar you've created in VoxEdit for use in any Experience.
{% endhint %}

### How to Get a Playable Avatar in The Sandbox

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://app.gitbook.com/s/61fllYo416R30LRxku4v/owners/play-and-create-tokens#avatars"><strong>NFT Avatars Players Own</strong></a><br><br>Purchased from <a href="https://www.sandbox.game/en/avatars/"><strong>collections</strong></a> on the Marketplace that are offered by <a href="https://www.sandbox.game/en/agencies/"><strong>Partners</strong></a> and <a href="../creators-program/builders-challenge"><strong>Game Maker Fund</strong></a> projects</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Free Avatars</strong><br><br>Built with pre-made parts (some colour customisable) on The Sandbox website's <a href="https://www.sandbox.game/en/me/avatar/?section=2"><strong>Avatar page</strong></a></td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Become an Easter Egg in The Sandbox" %}

### Non-Player Characters (NPCs)

You can create a non-player charactor (NPC) of yourself and use it in Experiences as an [easter egg](#user-content-fn-1)[^1]. This is a very entertaining way to engage with your community.

**Example:**

The [**GMAE Game Jam**](https://sandboxgame.medium.com/good-morning-afternoon-evening-game-jam-1bf2bf634688) encouraged creators to use 11 NPCs of well known members of The Sandbox staff and community. Experience submissions were filled with easter eggs, making them a blast to play and talk about.

<figure><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/83PS3g9zpWmq73xzlwFn/blobs/D02ZEt1TfY2ROY2SldgC/community%20avatars.png" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Sandbox Staff NPCs made for public use</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
VoxEdit's time saving [**templates**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/voxedit/docs/templates) include many animations made by The Sandbox Game's artists and make it easy to quickly create custom content.
{% endhint %}

**Example:**

Download and modify [**Sebastien Borget's avatar**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/voxedit/open-source-assets#redraw-reskin-sebs-avatar) and use it as an NPC in The Sandbox.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Represent Yourself Externally" %}

### Using Your NPC "avatar" Externally

Though individuals can't create and activate what is technically an Avatar for use in any Experience in The Sandbox, you can create an animated 3D model to represent yourself and put it to many creative uses externally.

### Exporting and Rendering

Pose your creation, modify lighting, and take a 2D screenshot with VoxEdit for a quick shot with a transparent background.&#x20;

You can also export your 3D creation in many standard formats and render it with external software such as [**Light Tracer Render**](https://lighttracer.org/).

### Social Media Identity

Use your unique design to represent yourself on social media, your videos, and your livestreams as you build your own brand and market your creative content.

### Interoperability: Use in Other Software

Any software that allows you to import files in VoxEdit's standard export formats can bring your creations to life in other digital environments, such as other game engines, augmented reality software, and other 3D rendering and motion software. You can even make a high quality animated trailer starring your "avatar."
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Avatars and the Game World

{% hint style="info" %}
**AVATAR & ASSET TRAVEL**

Player Avatars can walk on blocks and assets. Currently, assets can only walk on blocks.

When an Avatar moves through liquid blocks (at least two blocks high), they automatically swim. The creator can turn swimming and oxygen on/off in Gameplay [#parameters](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/game-maker/docs/build-menus/top-bar/gameplay#parameters "mention").
{% endhint %}

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Detect Avatars for Logic" %}

### Integrate Player Avatars with Experience Logic

The Avatar tab in Global Parameters allows you to apply Tags to players' Avatars. By default, *Avatar* is added. You can use this tag as a target for any [**Behaviour**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/game-maker/docs/behaviours) or [**Component**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/game-maker/docs/components) in the logic system for many types of interactions.

**Examples:**

* Enemies detecting the Avatar as a target to attack
* Healers following the Avatar to boost health if needed
* Detecting an Avatar at a specific location and sending a Message which can trigger a short or long sequence of logic
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Set a Custom Avatar" %}

### Set a Custom Avatar

<figure><img src="https://content.gitbook.com/content/83PS3g9zpWmq73xzlwFn/blobs/EtYk19UEA6RAR49ppVJS/Car_Tree_Avatar.gif" alt="" width="487"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
Setting an Experience to use a custom avatar overrides the player's choice to represent themselves as they wish, so it should only be done for single player Experiences where the decision supports the narrative.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**USE AS INTENDED IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**

Custom avatar workarounds to simulate gameplay that is not built-in are not advised as they may conflict with and/or be made obsolete by software updates.

**Examples:**

* Drive/mount
* Throwing/projectile weapons
* Aim assist
  {% endhint %}

### Build an Experience with Any Kind of Protagonist

A single player Experience can force a custom avatar for players to support a unique narrative. This can be a human, a creature, a spaceship, or anything else you can imagine.

### Process

1. Create a custom avatar from a [**template**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/voxedit/docs/templates) or build it from scratch in VoxEdit.
2. [**Upload it to your Workspace**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/voxedit/upload-assets-to-workspaces).
3. Open the Experience in Game Maker, open the Global Parameters menu, and select the [**Avatar tab**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/basics/broken-reference).
4. Open the **Select Your Avatar** dropdown and pick **Custom Avatar**.
5. In the popup window, select the entity, or asset, in your library that you want to assign every player of your Experience to use instead of their own.
6. Use the **TAB** key to switch to play mode to test it.

### Custom Settings Unlocked!

Choosing a Custom Avatar allows for more granular control of the Avatar. Open the [**Behaviour tab**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/basics/broken-reference) within the Control tab in Global Parameters to modify previously locked controls. These settings allow you to change the game feel, such as the avatar's speed for various actions, jump force, attack damage, and interaction range.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Avatar Behaviour & Health" %}

### Avatar Spawner

Set where the Avatar will spawn at the start of an Experience by moving the [**Avatar Spawner**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/game-maker/docs/using-assets-and-objects#what-is-the-avatar-spawner-portal).

### Customise the Avatar's Settings

Explore the [**Global Parameters**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/game-maker/docs/build-menus/top-bar/gameplay) documentation on customising logic related to the player under the [**Controller tab**](https://docs.sandbox.game/en/creator/basics/broken-reference).

**Example:**

Setting a respawn tag is part of how to create a checkpoint system in Experiences.

**Example:**

Apply a specific amount of damage to the Avatar when it touches a certain type of block.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

[^1]: a surprise or hidden message, feature, or cultural presence discoverable in video games or other media