Metaverse Explained: Avatars

The Metaverse Supernova update added a new Digital Identity layer. This article will provide a brief introduction and give you some hands on knowledge on how to create your own Avatar.

What is a Avatar?

On the Digital Identity layer every address can get attached to an Avatar. Every Avatar has a symbol that is a sequence of up to 64 alphanumeric characters plus the characters - _ and @.

Avatar as Transaction Recipient

If you want to send ETP or Smart tokens to a Metaverse user the regular way is to send the funds to a Metaverse address. As Metaverse mainnet addresses look like MEWdqvhETJex22kBbYDSD999Vs4xFwQ4fo it is not very convenient if you have to type the address. Avatars make it much easier as they enable the sender to just type a human readable name.

Avatar as Token Issuer

For the registration of a MST (Metaverse Smart Token) or MIT (Metaverse Identifiable Token) a user must have a registered Avatar. The registration of new Assets as well as the secondary issuance of assets are coupled with the identity layer.

Fraud Prevention

That makes it very easy for the users to track the history and identify potential fraud attempts if someone would try to copy an existing asset and publish it under a slightly different name. Of course it is still possible to also create a similar looking Avatar symbol but the risk is much lower as it is much easier for users to compare human readable names as it is to compare addresses of Smart Contracts.

Verification

As the Avatar is bound to a Metaverse address and every address corresponds to a key pair it is possible to use it to sign messages. During the creation of an Avatar the resistor must pay the transaction fee from the address of the Avatar. This input publishes the public key of the address. This enables everyone to verify signatures of the Avatar as well as sending encrypted messages that only the Avatar holder can decrypt.

Authentication

Same as for verification signed messages of an avatar can be used for authentication. An access request could just be signed with the Avatar private key so third parties can check the signature and grant access if valid.

How to create your own Avatar?

To create an Avatar you first need to have at least 1 ETP on the address you want to attach the Avatar to as you will have to pay the mining fee of 1 ETP from that address.

Now from the lightwallet you can select the Menu entry “Avatars” and click “Create Avatar”.

Now just select your avatar name. It will automatically check for availability as this name is unique. Then choose the address and enter your passphrase.

Congratulations. You have successfully registered a unique Avatar on the Metaverse Blockchain. You can now use it to let others send you transaction to this name or use many other Metaverse functions that require a digital identity like the MST or MIT registration.