가상공간에서 아이덴티티(Identity) 표현 도구로서의 사이버캐릭터에 관한 연구 : 2D 아바타와 3D 아바타의 비교분석을 중심으로

Abstract

Users often think the avatar used in a virtual space as their own other self to express themselves. Now, netizens fascinated by the anonymity of a virtual space like to express themselves through an avatar as a visual identity substituting their own self, and are satisfied by experiencing the craving demands limited in the real life. In other word, an avatar active in the cyberspace is a good tool to express user's self identify, and even can become an image that can achieve the so-called ‘integrated identity’. An avatar as a virtual individual is also recognized as the symbol of ego since it has the consciousness of user within. The virtual ego may not only clear the inferior complex which the real ego might have in and even can create variety of self, but also give a chance to feel the freedom and joy of creation by its anonymity. Indeed, an avatar is a good tool to express such a self identity. In other word, an avatar as a visual identity is a good medium to reveal the identity of netizen visually and even become one form of culture as well. An avatar does an active and primary role to visualize an individual identity through the development of computer and internet, and it is caused by the craving demands to experience something that is impossible in the real life and to reveal and express one self through another self created in a virtual space. This thesis is about an avatar as a tool to express users' identity in a virtual space, and also shows a current trend and limit of it by the analysis of 2D avatar which implies the identity of a user. Also, compare to 2D avatar, 3D avatar as a solution shows much better efficiency, variety, satisfaction as a result.