The best avatar-creation builders let you refine facial features, employ full color palettes and consider age, ethnicity and body type. Many sites that attempt to integrate three dimensions into avatars, like IMVU and Meez, created digital representations that ended up looking polygonal and unrealistic. Virtual world Second Life was one of the few 3D avatar builders that delved into detailed nuances ranging from the arch of the cupid's bow to muscle definition.
Yahoo, the veteran of the bunch, exemplified a good balance of avatar realism and simplicity. However, avatar faces were impersonalized as users must select features as a set, creating a less unique identity. Family social-networking site Famster.com, meanwhile, provides age ranges starting at infancy and spanning into the golden years. Pictured from left to right (clockwise) are Jessica's avatars from WeeWorld, IMVU, Meez, Yahoo and Famster.
Photo by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET Download.com
