build-vroid-character

Build a VRoid Character

Mission

Own the applicable part of the chain from a distinct character concept to a verified .vroid, .vrm, native-resolution captures, optional motions, and an optional public preview. Support characters for games, streaming, social avatars, videos, virtual events, Web experiences, prototypes, and original creative projects. Do not assume a genre, role, or story setting.

Treat every visible application state as provisional until the resulting file or rendered surface is checked.

Route the supporting skills

Read and use the minimum relevant supporting skill before acting:

• New concept art, character sheets, or UV texture generation: skills/.system/imagegen/SKILL.md under the active Codex home
• Existing character references and VRoid capture quality: skills/character-design-images/SKILL.md under the active Codex home
• VRoid Studio UI control on macOS: the available computer-use skill
• Preview implementation and visual QA: the available frontend-design and playwright-interactive skills

Do not request Developer Tools Access merely to operate VRoid Studio. Ordinary editing, import, save, capture, and export use the app UI through Computer Use.

Start from live truth

1. Inspect the running app, active model name, unsaved *, selected material, open dialogs, and current camera state.
2. Resolve the intended source .vroid, output .vroid, output .vrm, reference images, and repository paths before editing.
3. Preserve reference repositories and source models as read-only. Create a versioned model variant before destructive shape, eye, hair, or outfit edits.
4. Record a compact artifact ledger: purpose, absolute path, version, expected output, and verification state.

Never infer completion from a selected filename, an export panel, an absent asterisk, a success-looking dialog, or an old screenshot.

Execute the production chain

1. Lock the concept

Define the intended use, audience, personality, silhouette, color hierarchy, recognizable detail, and expression or motion range. Generate a concept sheet when the character is new. Keep the visual DNA distinct from previous characters; changing only colors is not a new concept.

Read references/vroid-production.md for the full design and VRoid editing sequence.

2. Match geometry before textures

Choose the closest garment, hair, and accessory silhouette first. Compare collar, opening, sleeve volume, hem, layering, and footwear shape. A flat texture may change color blocking, piping, seams, hardware, and finish; it cannot create a materially different 3D silhouette.

For Image Gen texture work, read references/imagegen-textures.md. Always start from the exact UV exported from the active material, edit a duplicate, preserve UV placement and alpha, import into the intended layer, and verify the live 3D result.

3. Save and prove the model

Save a versioned .vroid variant, then export .vrm. After each operation, verify the actual file path, nonzero size, modification time, and reopen/reload result. Run:

uv run scripts/audit_avatar_artifacts.py \
  --vroid "/absolute/model.vroid" \
  --vrm "/absolute/model.vrm"

Add --repo-vrm /absolute/repository/public/models/model.vrm after copying the export into a preview repository. A hash mismatch means the repository is not serving the verified export.

Read references/capture-export.md before claiming save, capture, or export completion.

4. Capture native evidence

Capture fresh native-resolution images from VRoid Studio, not enlarged screen captures. Prefer 4K on the long edge. Produce the user-requested framing plus:

• readable front or portrait
• full body
• requested oblique/side angle
• back when outfit/hair construction matters
• a different pose when motion or personality is part of the result

Inspect every raster at 100% for clipped anatomy, tiny eyes, overlays, aliasing, texture blur, unintended animation frames, and excessive empty space.

5. Integrate and audit motion when requested

Use only verified, corrected VRMA sources. Never substitute raw-* comparison motions for corrected production files. Test the actual target VRM at 25%, 50%, and 75%, plus front and oblique views of the highest-risk hand pose. Require natural joints, no body/clothing penetration, a motion-specific silhouette, and a clean reset pose.

Read references/motion-and-preview.md for motion provenance, repository boundaries, browser QA, performance, and Pages deployment gates.

6. Publish a character-specific preview when requested

When an existing repository is named as a reference for a new character:

1. keep the reference checkout clean and read-only;
2. create a sibling directory with independent Git history and remote;
3. copy only authorized model, render, motion, or implementation artifacts;
4. redesign the surface around the new character concept;
5. verify local build, desktop, mobile, controls, motion, performance, deploy job, and the fresh public URL.

Completion gates

Report each applicable gate as pass, partial, or blocked. Mark omitted stages as not_applicable; do not force motion or Web publishing into a task that only asks for model or texture work.

1. concept — distinct role, silhouette, palette, and visual reference
2. live model — intended geometry and textures visible in VRoid
3. save — versioned .vroid exists and reopens as intended
4. export — .vrm exists, parses as GLB, and matches the repository copy
5. capture — native-resolution requested views inspected at 100%
6. motion — target-VRM functional and visual QA passes
7. preview — desktop/mobile/function/performance QA passes
8. delivery — commit, deployment success, and fresh public surface verified

Do not compress partial work into “completed.” Name the missing proof and the exact next action.

Proven examples

Read references/verified-cases.md only when a task explicitly references 夜凪ノア, 旭野テラ, their repositories, or their known artifact paths. Treat both as case studies, never as genre defaults.