Living Avatars
 

Introducing Living Avatars!

Today is a great day and I have something really cool that some of you are going to love! It's called Living Avatars, a new vBulletin addon that I've been working on for almost one year.

This program will allow your users to customize their avatars by using the mouse to drag and move items around (items such as clothing pieces, etc). In order to collect items, you need to spend points, the more you post on a forum the more points you get! Thus, Grow your Forum with Living Avatars!

Tour

Click here for the tour movie.

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2007/05/15.gif

Here is how it works in detail:

1) Download and install Living Avatars to vBulletin (install instructions below).
2) Once installed, go to the Living Avatars admin panel and click 'forum integration'.
3) The user profiles of your members will now have an extra link:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2007/05/16.gif

4) Now, the more a user posts on your forum, the more points he or she will earn. If a user has posted 500 times, and then you install Living Avatars, then that user will start with 500 points.

5) Once users have a few points, they can then start spending their points to collect items:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2007/05/17.gif

6) Now that they have collected a few items, they can create their ultra cool avatar! Check it out:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2007/05/18.gif

I highlighted the canvas in red, in that box (the canvas) you can use your mouse to drag items around. It seriously works beautifully.

7) Now, press the 'Save Avatar' button and your avatar on vBulletin will be updated:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2007/05/19.gif

And that's it! Cool yeah?!

Ok, so on with the install instructions:

Installation Instructions
Installation is very simple, just follow these steps and you shouldn't have any problems (if so, then I'm sorry and I'll try and help you out asap!).

1) Download & Extract living_avatars.zip
2) FTP the living_avatars folder to your forum
Example: http://www.yoursite.com/forums/living_avatars/
3) Run Setup: forum/living_avatars/setup/
4) CHMOD the Living Avatars 'avatars' folder to 777 (this folder: /living_avatars/avatars/)
5) Delete the setup folder (/living_avatars/setup/)

Now that Living Avatars is installed, go to the admin panel of Living Avatars and click the 'Forum Integration' link, from there you can press one link which will update the vBulletin modifyavatar template to insert the Living Avatars link.

Upgrade Instructions

1) Download & Extract living_avatars.zip
2) FTP the living_avatars folder to your forum (overwriting previous Living Avatar files)
Example: http://www.yoursite.com/forums/living_avatars/
3) Run Setup: living_avatars/setup/
4) Delete the setup folder (/living_avatars/setup/)

Uninstall Instructions
1) If you enabled the forum integration link from the LA Admin Panel, then login to the LA Admin Panel and disable it.

2) Drop these tables:
la_admins
la_avatars
la_groups
la_items
la_items_purchased
la_packs
la_points_spent
la_positions
la_settings

3) Delete the living_avatars/ folder.

Why should I use Living Avatars?
"Grow your forum with Living Avatars" - Simply that! Not only is Living Avatars a lot of fun to use but it's also addicting. Users will want to post on your site in order to gain enough 'points' to purchase a certain item (ex: Sword of Doom!). Imagine having certain items that are rare & expensive, such as "Dracula's Cape" which can only be purchased 3 times and costs 50 points (aka posts)...get it?

Where can I download more Avatar Packs?
You can download free user created avatar packs here:
Avatar Packs

How can I create Avatar Packs?
Please read this tutorial if you are interested in creating avatar packs:
http://www.livingavatars.com/help/p2_articleid/2

LA 120 Released
+ New Frontend & Backend
+ New theme editor

LA 115 Released
+ Better vBulletin integration

LA 114 Released
+ Online/Offline feature now works correctly.
+ LA admins can be deleted from the admin panel.
+ Fixed a positioning bug in the canvas.
+ Fixed IPB and SMF userid/avatarid conflict.
+ Fixed PHPBB3 download.php file change.

LA 113 Released
+ SMF Support (1.1 -> 1.3)
+ Better Forum Link Integration.
+ Less Warning Messages.
+ 'Bring to Top' is now used.

LA 112 Released
+ Added IPB 2.3 Integration.

LA 111 Released
+ Added phpBB3 Integration.
+ Fixed Crop Tool.
+ Better LA link integration for phpBB2.
+ Fixed a bug that caused avatars not to show up in the forum.

LA 110 Released
Updates & Fixed Bugs
+ Database changes, redid a lot of the LA Grouping logic.
+ You can only reinstall LA if logged in as admin.
+ Fixed 'Items Misplacement Issue'.
+ Fixed mysql error when adding admin with high userid value.
+ Items & groups an be moved around & deleted.
+ Removed admin/forumlinks.php file.
+ Add/Remove Forum link added to settings page.
+ New layout for admin panel.
+ New groups can be added.

LA 102 Released
+ Avatar Packs can be upgraded.
+ Avatar Packs can be uninstalled.
+ Minor changes to the design layout of certain pages.
+ Fixed a points remaining calculation bug.
+ Fixed a mysql_connect() database warning for vB users.
+ Other small misc fixes.

LA 101 Released
+ Better error checking when saving avatars.
+ Update to work with the vBulletin File System.
+ Fixed some vBulletin & phpBB integration issues

Always Backup your Database before Upgrading
Living Avatars might have database changes during the upgrade. Please, take the extra time and backup the living avatars tables (the tables that are prefixed with 'la_' in your forum database) before upgrading to new versions. I always do as much as testing as possible before releasing updates but it's still better to be cautious.

give me a minute.. im bout to install it... i will return with a verdict!!

koooooool

I like this

install :)

Hi

Dont matter...great hack well done...

hahahaha i love this!!! this is very very very nice.... and the install was a breeze.. like.. 2 seconds......

my only question is will you have packs that will be formatted for Black people???

this is an excellent hack!!

when i go to my edit avatar under user cp.... the link does not work... i chmod the folder 777 but dont know what to do from there..

Living Avatars does NOT overwrite any vBulletin files.

In order for the 'Living Avatars' link to appear under your usercp, you must login to the Living Avatars admin panel and click 'Forum Integration'. From there you can click a link which will add the link to your usercp.

Thanks dude!

Tonight I'll post a tutorial on how to create avatar packs. It's so easy, you're going to love it, not even one line of code is required!

i got it working too.... thanks.... i have to go to work tonight... but i am seriously looking forward to your tutorials!!!

YOU ARE MY HERO! i was looking for this for ages!! thank you , thank you thank you! just one question.does this mod come with its own point system or we should install a point system?

It has its own point system that works directly with the amount of posts your users have made or will make. If a users posts 5 times on your forum, then they'll get 5 points to spend on items in Living Avatars, etc.

i am waiting for the tutorial :)

What does it do with existing posts? Add them to the points, or does it start from scratch on install?

Looks great, i`ll be installing this later :up:

It adds them to the points. If you have 500 posts and install Living Avatars, then you will have 500 points.

I forgot to mention that you can edit each item and customize how much an item costs and how many times that item can be purchased. That way you can have an expensive limited edition item!

Check it out:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2007/06/28.gif

I'm all in if you can tell me more about Sword of Doom...lol!
Looks great, but I need to know how to make or get 'packs' more suitable for my membership.
I downloaded the zip, but reserve marking as installed until then:)

This mod is great!, congratulations.

I already have vbPlaza & vbBux in my board, it will possible an integration with that mod? I think that my users will confuse with two points systems.

Sorry for my English.

Nice work man! I love thos, I hope you can get us some more avatar packs :D

Outstanding and very original, nominated for MOTM even if im not in need of this.

Can I set this up so only certain user groups can use this feature? :)

Very nice mod! I'd nominate it for MOTM as well. :)

Thanks for the nominations guys!!

Not right now, but I've already created the technology to allow this in a future update!

I already have a few artists working on new packs, and once I release the tutorial we are sure to get many more packs :)

Installed and nominated.

This is the most exciting (and fun) release for vb in a LONG LONG time. :)

MOTM

Congratulations ;)

This sounds awesome. I think members would have a fun time with this. Can't wait for the tutorials and packs. :)

Awesome! Thanks very much! :D

Yeah i realised that sorry, not often you have to upload the actual folder and when i see the admincp and also the index file i assumed......

Anyway moving on, Swiftly :o
How does the points work....

If i have it set for 5 points per item
Is it each post earns 1 point, i think thats what it is aint it?

Will it be possible to have different cost per item?

there is a small down side it counts your posts from install so if members have like a
few hundred or even thousand posts they is gonna be loaded with points lol...

Can it be started from the time of install?

Also when will new packs be available?

Would be interesting if the instructions included manual template editing. I, personally, see automatic template editing as a major security risk. Will have to pass on installing this.

Yup, that's how it works!

Yes, you can already do that. Check the screenshot I posted a few replies before yours.

I don't think that is a downside, in my opinion loyal members should be rewarded. You can of course upload very expensive items (10,000 points) etc, and they'll be among the very few who can afford those items.

No

Right now, I've hired one artists to get this started. Once tutorials are released, then we'll start having many more artists contribute (I've already been talking to many artists).

I Must Try This!!!

The automatic template edit doesnt have to be done. Its actually optional after you install. Its got its own menu in the admin panel.

You could easily add a link to your User CP for this, http://yoursite.com/forums/living_av...ion=editavatar

One thing I must say for subduck is he made this mod to support more the vbulletin. It supports phpBB and vbulletin and other msg boards in the future.

Not a problem, here are the manual instructions:
http://www.livingavatars.com/help/p2_articleid/8

And like ssslippy said, the automatic template edit is optional and is done in the admin panel of Living Avatars, not during installation.

Awesome ......thanks

wow awesome!!

Nominated and installing :D

Awesome idea, but if only you could create other doll packs. IE: counter strike guys or etc.

omg this is so awesome!!!!

this has to be the best mod on vB without doubt! so well made and thought out!!!

Looking forward to more packs :D

Also a request, could you please also include some items for Muslims like...

For men: Prayer hats, beards
For women: Hijab (head covering), veil (face veil)

I would be really really indebted if you could please :D

looks great, now I need to find an artist to create a pack that suits my forum. Reserving the install button until I get the art done!

well done sir!