Simple Machines Community Forum

Customizing SMF => SMF Coding Discussion => Topic started by: subduck on July 23, 2007, 04:55:32 PM

Title: Living Avatars
Post by: subduck on July 23, 2007, 04:55:32 PM
Introducing Living Avatars!

Alrighty, this took over a year to create, here we go!

Living Avatars is a cool mod for SMF that will allow your users to have customizable avatars. Your users will be able to collect items such as characters & clothing by spending points, and then move the items around on a canvas until they press 'Save Avatar' which will update their SMF avatars.

Here is how it works in detail:

1) Download and install Living Avatars to SMF (install instructions below).
2) Once installed, go to the Living Avatars admin panel and under settings click 'Add Forum Link'.
3) The user profiles of your members will now have an extra link:

(http://www.livingavatars.com/images/smf/edit_avatar_link.gif)

4) Now, the more a user posts on your forum, the more points he or she will earn. If a user has posted 500 times then that user will start with 500 points.

5) Once users have a few points, they can then start spending their points to collect items:

(http://www.livingavatars.com/images/smf/purchase_items.gif)

6) Now that they have collected a few items, they can customize their avatar:

(http://www.livingavatars.com/images/smf/create_avatar.gif)

I highlighted the canvas in red, in that box (the canvas) you can use your mouse to drag items around. It seriously works beautifully.

7) Now, press the 'Save Avatar' button and your avatar on SMF will be updated:

(http://www.livingavatars.com/images/smf/forum_avatar_preview.gif)

You can of course also edit the cost of items from the Living Avatars admin panel:

(http://www.livingavatars.com/images/smf/edit_items.gif)

And that's it! Cool yeah?!

Ok, so on with the install instructions:

Installation Instructions:
Installation is very simple, just follow these steps and you shouldn't have any problems (if so, then I'm sorry and I'll try and help you out asap!).

1) Download & Extract living_avatars.zip
2) FTP the living_avatars folder to your forum
Example: http://www.yoursite.com/forums/living_avatars/ (http://www.yoursite.com/forums/living_avatars/)
3) Run the install example: forum/living_avatars/install/install.php)
4) CHMOD the Living Avatars 'avatars' folder to 777 (this folder: /living_avatars/avatars/)
5) Delete the install folder (/living_avatars/install/)

Now that Living Avatars is installed, go to the admin panel of Living Avatars and click Settings -> Add Forum Link.

Upgrade Instructions:
1) Download & Extract living_avatars.zip
2) FTP the living_avatars folder to your forum (overwriting previous Living Avatar files)
Example: http://www.yoursite.com/forums/living_avatars/ (http://www.yoursite.com/forums/living_avatars/)
3) Run the upgrade (living_avatars/install/upgrade.php)
4) Delete the install folder (/living_avatars/install/)

Uninstall Instructions:
1) If you enabled the forum integration link from the LA Admin Panel, then login to the LA Admin Panel and disable it.
2) Drop these tables:
la_admins
la_avatars
la_groups
la_items
la_itemspurchased
la_packs
la_pointsspent
la_positions
la_settings
3) Delete the living_avatars/ folder.

Why should I use Living Avatars?
"Grow your forum with Living Avatars" - Simply that! Not only is Living Avatars a lot of fun to use but it's also addicting. Users will want to post on your site in order to gain enough 'points' to purchase a certain item (ex: Sword of Doom!). Imagine having certain items that are rare & expensive, such as "Dracula's Cape" which can only be purchased 3 times and costs 50 points (aka posts)...get it?

How can I create Avatar Packs?
Please read this tutorial if you are interested in creating avatar packs:
http://www.livingavatars.com/help/p2_articleid/2 (http://"http://www.livingavatars.com/help/p2_articleid/2")

How can I get new Avatar Packs?
Tons of avatar packs located here:
http://www.livingavatars.com/avatar_packs

Download Living Avatars:
Click here to download Living Avatars 1.1.3 (http://www.livingavatars.com/plugins/p13_download_manager/getfile.php?categoryid=2&p13_sectionid=1&p13_fileid=1&p13_versionid=11)
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: subduck on July 24, 2007, 05:03:30 PM
err bump?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: karlbenson on July 24, 2007, 05:20:12 PM
Nice.  Havent tried it myself (busy working on my own mods ;) )  But as feedback goes, it looks nice.
I'm sure their will be some interest in your mod

Have you submitted it to the smf mod site?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: puma07 on August 09, 2007, 07:29:37 AM
yeah.
i think it for VBB and IPB.
yeah.
i love it
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: ArkServer on August 10, 2007, 12:53:44 AM
does this work on 1.12?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: tambay_lang on August 14, 2007, 05:56:42 AM
can I just upload it using the mod install in smf and not ftp it?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: puma07 on August 14, 2007, 06:45:26 AM
yes.
i have just intalled it.
demo: www.lopa7.net.tf
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: howeler on August 29, 2007, 04:41:09 AM
I like the concept but when I try to upload I get

"The package you are trying to download or install is either corrupt or not compatible with this version of SMF. "

And when I try to Follow your directions above I get...

"Living Avatars can only integrate with SMF's using Database Sessions"

What do I do to install?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: ArkServer on August 29, 2007, 04:45:29 AM
can anyone make a 1.12 version from it? thanks.. :D
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Vinspire on August 29, 2007, 05:14:18 AM
Woah ..... this mod look uber cool !!!! Anyway, why aren't it in the "Mods & Packages" sub-board?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: dakotaroar on August 29, 2007, 06:38:37 PM
This looks very cool.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Tidea on September 20, 2007, 04:08:26 AM
Bump, how come this cannot be isntalled through the installed package? :(
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: scrawl on September 20, 2007, 04:37:00 AM
that's impressive top work
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: howeler on September 20, 2007, 08:03:31 PM
BTW I did get this to install on my SMF 2.0 site... I had to change some of their code... I posted it on ther fourm. Hopefully they will make the changes official and release as a 2.0 mod.

It is very cool... Quite a few of my members have started posting instead of reading because of the point system...
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Bulakbol on September 20, 2007, 09:29:00 PM
It really looks good. Teenagers will enjoy it.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: capabmx on September 20, 2007, 09:32:59 PM
Hey, congrats on that mod, it is awesome. Listen if you get this, can you give me some info on how to delete the points system, and incorporate the SMF Shop for it? If not I can figure it out myself after a little bit of copy and pasting and what not. Thanks though, and cheers, again this is wonderful!
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: subduck on September 20, 2007, 11:07:33 PM
Quote from: capabmx on September 20, 2007, 09:32:59 PM
Hey, congrats on that mod, it is awesome. Listen if you get this, can you give me some info on how to delete the points system, and incorporate the SMF Shop for it? If not I can figure it out myself after a little bit of copy and pasting and what not. Thanks though, and cheers, again this is wonderful!

Sorry, but I don't have enough time to do that.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: capabmx on September 21, 2007, 12:08:09 PM
Hey man, it's cool :), is it ok if I modify it on my forum though so that it works with the Shop? I won't redistribute it or anything I'll just change it for my site. Again nice!
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: subduck on September 21, 2007, 05:48:41 PM
Sure, that is fine.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Dumpling on October 26, 2007, 07:41:01 PM
I'm not sure if this thread is considered "old". If it is, I didn't mean to necropost/grave-dig and sorry for doing so.

I am wondering if anyone know if this mod is compatible with SMF 1.1.4.

I went to the Living Avatars site and it says this mod works in SMF 1.1 to 1.3. I tried asking in their forum, but it's dead (I was the only one on there).

:) I'm very into cutesy stuff. I really want to use this mod in my forum. :P
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: subduck on October 26, 2007, 11:10:13 PM
Quote from: Dumpling on October 26, 2007, 07:41:01 PM
I'm not sure if this thread is considered "old". If it is, I didn't mean to necropost/grave-dig and sorry for doing so.

I am wondering if anyone know if this mod is compatible with SMF 1.1.4.

I went to the Living Avatars site and it says this mod works in SMF 1.1 to 1.3. I tried asking in their forum, but it's dead (I was the only one on there).

:) I'm very into cutesy stuff. I really want to use this mod in my forum. :P

Forum's not dead, just no users have tried it yet. You can always try it and uninstall it if it doesn't work, if it does work please let us know :)
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Dumpling on October 27, 2007, 01:05:14 AM
*eye twitchie twitchie*

Hehe. I'll leave that to some more code-competent fellow.


Edit: I think I found a guinea pig...:D
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: capabmx on October 27, 2007, 03:11:13 AM
I'm gonna give this a try, I'll test it out, I'm not sure what it will do for my users yet because most are guys, maybe it will entice some more girls to join so I don't have a straight up dude site.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Dumpling on October 28, 2007, 01:52:14 AM
capabmx,

Are you using SMF 1.1.4? :) If it works, will you please let me/us know?  O:)
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: rockinaway on October 28, 2007, 06:39:13 AM
This is nice.. maybe you could have a bigger array of items and also maybe this could be made to work with the SMFShop modification too, with some code adjustments..
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: capabmx on November 04, 2007, 05:38:52 PM
Sorry for not getting back in so long, haven't had a chance to install it yet, for the past week I had to pretty much go through every folder in my computer, and edit my registry keys because I got some bad virus's and my Norton wasn't up to date, so I paid for the next subscription and eventually restored my computer. I'll install this though and let you know how it works on Tuesday, I've gotta get smartftp, and then I'll get it working sorry :'(, I would've had it up sooner, but I've virtually been computerless for a week...
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: falguni1 on November 05, 2007, 04:08:50 AM
I like it
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: capabmx on November 06, 2007, 09:40:40 PM
Just wanted to update like I said I would, and say that is works, and works great! I'm going to mod it though so that they must buy the clothes with smf shop credits earned, but still from the same page, or from the shop page. I like this very much and it has a lot of potential. It works on my forum which is a heavily modded, 1.1.4, smf community, with only about 48 members at the moment :), but is expanding, so I must give this mod 2 thumbs up!
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Dumpling on November 08, 2007, 09:02:41 PM
Thank you capabmx :) Really appreciate it.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: capabmx on November 08, 2007, 09:06:17 PM
Thanks are to you :), this mod is great! And your installation instructions are right to the T! Definitely a keeper!
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: subduck on February 09, 2008, 03:17:31 AM
version 114 has been released:
http://www.livingavatars.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7368#post7368
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: AlkseeyaKC on May 10, 2008, 01:40:15 PM
I have been using this on my forum and its well loved. But is there a way to change to so it runs off of Karma points then how many posts you have?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Marcus Forsberg on September 21, 2008, 12:59:19 PM
Is this still being worked on?

If so, is it possible to change the number of points users get per post?
And has any body succeded in editing this for SMF Shop mod?
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Arwym on February 13, 2009, 04:23:22 PM
Sorry if this is necroposting, but I don't think it's necessary to start a new thread.

Anyway, I read that the Livingavatars.com forums will be up again very soon.  I want to try this mod, but currently there seems to be no place to get proper support for it.  So until the forums are back, I won't do anything.

I'm interested in using this in the latest versions of SMF, with SMFShop integration.  If by any chance anyone has managed to do that, I'd appreciate any help you can provide.  My goal is to create an avatar community, and I would feel so happy if I could stay with SMF.  Because, otherwise, it's either IPB or vBulletin (which aren't free), or PHPBB, which I always try to avoid, since I don't trust it.  SMF is my favorite.  :3

EDIT:  The forums are back now!  Also, the new version of LA (1.1.5) does not support any software other than vBulletin, but you can use 1.1.4.  However, compatibility needs to be checked for the latest versions of the other forum software.  Among them, SMF.  Someone told me he'd try getting LA 1.1.4 to work with SMF 2.x, so let's cross our fingers.  If it happens, then that's one problem less we have to worry about.  We'd then have to figure our how to integrate it with SMFShop.  But after looking at the system myself, I find this very hard to do, for the way it's developed.  :(  I think it'd probably be easier to just modify the code ourselves, to make it do what we need it to do.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: smooch1502 on May 12, 2009, 07:10:55 AM
i am interested for downloading living avatars for 1.1.8 however the download link above does not work i have tried the latest version and still does not work

please help me
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Miss Oppai on May 17, 2009, 06:22:08 PM
Hey all,

I've notice LA works up to SMF 1.1.7, and people have gotten it to work for 2.0.  I haven't gotten it to work for 1.1.8 Everything else is fine, but the avatar doesn't show. I haven't looking too deep into this yet.

Anyone get it to work? I'm still toying with it.

Also, for those that've been asking for it...

Maybe someone else can find a solution. Please share it!

Edit: I spoke too soon; there was a small problem on my end. This version is plug and play for SMF 1.1.8, too.
Title: Re: Living Avatars
Post by: Arwym on October 16, 2009, 05:04:25 PM
I forgot to inform that I got it working for 2.x a while ago, and integrated it with SMFShop with the help of a friend.  There's a thread about this in the official forums.

Also, note that the newest Pro (paid; only about $30) version of LA supports SMF again.
There is even a download to the old version that is compatible with SMF, if you want it, although it has also been posted here.
I personally recommend getting the paid version with the latest features.  It's really worth the price.  The only thing I don't like about LA is how it's not really integrated with the forum system, but that can be convenient at times.  :)

Let me know (by PM) if you need assistance with the older version, but please have patience, for I won't necessarily reply immediately.