Where avatars used?

There are several technologies that utilize the use of an avatar. Usually avatars could be found in the gaming world. When people play multiplayer games over the Internet they are connecting with several other people who are playing the same game online. In a paper by Bessiere, Seay, and Kiesler (2007), they describe that people create avatars in the game as “an embodied representation of themselves” (530). Most other games played online have the option to customize the characters players will use online. The uniqueness of a player’s avatar depends on the number of options the game offers for customization. Often things like “appearance, profession, and personality of the character” can be chosen by the creator (Bessiere et al, 2007, 531). Certain games have two forms of avatars, the three-dimensional character you play as, and the two-dimensional pictures that represent your profile. The profile can be used across several different games, but the three-dimensional character can only be used in the game it was created for.
Gaming profiles are not the only place where you will find two-dimensional avatars representing users. Some instant messenger programs support the use of avatars. These avatars could either be pictures or simple animations that are shown on the window of the person who is receiving the communication. Even though screen names are typically used to identify instant messenger users, avatars could be used as a way to further personalize their profiles.
So far I have described avatars that are used to represent individuals engaging in a number of activities. However, some avatars are used by corporations to represent their products or even their company. These avatars are usually some sort of animation that can be found on websites. McGoldrick, Keeling, and Beatty (2008) described these types of avatars as “online assistants on transactional websites” (433). The avatar acts as a guide that answers visitor’s questions and can even provide links to certain products that the visitor maybe looking for. These avatars are a form of artificial intelligence that are called bots. If the website is the selling floor for a company, then the avatar would be the salesman that would show the costumer around.


Reference:
Bessiere, K., Seay, A., F., & Kiesler, S. (2007). The ideal elf: Identity exploration in the world of war craft. CyberPsychology and Behavio, 10, 530-535

McGoldrick, P.J., Keeling, K.A., & Beatty, S.F. (2008). A typology of roles for avatars in online retailing. Journal of Marketing Management, 24, 433