VTuber Model Making Tech – UnicMinds

Who is a VTuber?

A VTuber is someone who creates content using an anime-style model or avatar to represent themselves virtually rather than showing their real selves. VTubers interact with their audience and create content using the models as their virtual self on social media platforms and video-sharing sites such as YouTube and Twitch. The avatar’s style, appearance, voice, mannerisms, quirks, and idiosyncrasies are all designed into the overall personality of the avatar to reflect the avatar as one’s own self. It is a creative process of modelling a character based on real life development. 

VTubers usually have their own personalities and storylines and are usually voiced by the real person representing the avatar behind but the avatars can also have voice changers. 

The concept of VTubers first emerged in Japan in 2016, when the VTuber Kizuna Ai became the first virtual YouTuber to gain attention. Since then, the popularity of VTubers has exploded, and they are now a major part of the entertainment industry in South East Asia and slowly gaining popularity in parts of Sri Lanka, India and the United States.

The Tech of VTuber Model Making

The VTuber model is usually made with 2D or 3D software enabled by motion tracking technology. The models can be designed with a detailed level of sophistication to have multiple layers of complexity of expressions, kinetic motions, and material behavior. A character will need the design of multiple expressions to cover a full range of movements.

VTube Studio, Vroid Studio, Daz 3D, and Animaze are popular model making softwares that creators can use to make their 2D and 3D models. Once the model is designed, another vital aspect of the model is what we call ‘Rigging’. Rigging is mapping the model’s skeletal bone structure to your bone structure so that the model moves according to your movements. Depending on which software is used for model design, the process of rigging can be very different.

The Importance of Polygon Count

In 3D modeling, we’re essentially creating a mathematical representation of an object. This model can then be used in various applications, including video games, film and animation, virtual reality, augmented reality, and 3D printing. 

Just like a curve on the screen is nothing but a series of small straight lines close to each other, similarly, a 3D model is nothing but a series of small polygons. These polygons are typically triangles, quads, and N-gons. The polygon count is a critical factor in determining the complexity, detail, and performance of the model. A higher polygon count usually means more detail and smoother surfaces but can also lead to longer rendering times and higher demands on computing resources.

Image by Oliver Beaugrand

Rendering is the process of generating the final image from the 3D model, and this process becomes more time-consuming as the polygon count increases. High polygon counts require more computational power, which can slow down rendering, especially in real-time applications like video games and virtual reality.

For 3D Vtuber models, many creators use around 20000 to 50000 polygons for optimal performance and detail.

About Companies like Hololive Productions and VShojo

Hololive Productions is a VTuber management group that manages VTube talent. It consists of over 80 active affiliated talents in Japan, Indonesia, and English-speaking countries, and has over 80 million YouTuber subscribers all across the channels.

Popularity of VTubers and the Future of VTubing

The popularity of VTubers is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The industry is likely to become more competitive as more VTubers enter the space. The most popular VTubers in the industry include Kizuna Ai, Mirai Akari, Kaguya Luna, Nekomata Okayu, and IA. Each VTuber has their own unique style and character, and they have all gained a large following due to their entertaining and engaging content.

One of the challenges for VTubers is if the model is not well-designed and thought-through, then the VTuber might find it difficult to establish a connection with the viewers. Therefore, it is very important to create an engaging model with an immersive experience.

Hope this helps, thank you for reading.

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