Meta’s avatars finally grow some legs

It has been practically a yr since Meta announced at Connect 2022 that it might give its bizarre Caspar the Pleasant Ghost-esque metaverse avatars some legs to make them seem barely extra human. The day of reckoning is sort of upon us as Quest House avatars now sport additional limbs within the newest beta model of the Quest software program.

You will not see legs in your avatar once you look down, as UploadVR factors out. They’re going to solely be seen in third-person or once you’re taking a look at a digital mirror (very like in lots of first-person shooter video games). This is smart, as there is not any leg monitoring choice on any present shopper digital actuality system. It means Meta does not have to fret an excessive amount of about having correct leg animations as a substitute of, I do not know, wacky QWOP-style physics?

As well as, it appears your avatar’s legs will not crouch in third-person view once you bend your knees or sit down. That would make issues a bit awkward once you’re attempting to keep up eye contact (as a lot as that is attainable in VR areas) with one other person.

The legs will not be within the VR model of Horizon Worlds as but, although it is best to see them in the mobile and web versions when you’re one of many people testing those. Curiously, Meta stated final yr that “legs will roll out to Worlds first” earlier than making their solution to different avatar-friendly experiences. UploadVR additionally notes that Meta hasn’t publicly up to date its software program improvement equipment for avatars, so exterior builders utilizing that toolset cannot mess around with legs within the firm’s digital areas but both.

This might all come to a head subsequent month when this yr’s Meta Join takes place. Maybe the corporate could have extra to say about its digital legs then. One factor we all know for certain concerning the occasion is that Meta will reveal much more about the Quest 3.