diff --git a/direct/src/showbase/DevWalker.py b/direct/src/showbase/DevWalker.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..958fec7d5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/direct/src/showbase/DevWalker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+"""
+DevWalker.py is for avatars.
+
+A walker control such as this one provides:
+    - creation of the collision nodes
+    - handling the keyboard and mouse input for avatar movement
+    - moving the avatar
+
+it does not:
+    - play sounds
+    - play animations
+
+although it does send messeges that allow a listener to play sounds or
+animations based on walker events.
+"""
+
+from ShowBaseGlobal import *
+
+import DirectNotifyGlobal
+import DirectObject
+
+class DevWalker(DirectObject.DirectObject):
+
+    notify = DirectNotifyGlobal.directNotify.newCategory("DevWalker")
+
+    # Ghost mode overrides this:
+    slideName = "slide-is-disabled"
+
+    # special methods
+    def __init__(self):
+        DirectObject.DirectObject.__init__(self)
+        self.speed=0.0
+        self.rotationSpeed=0.0
+        self.vel=Vec3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+
+        self.task = None
+
+    def setWalkSpeed(self, forward, jump, reverse, rotate):
+        assert(self.debugPrint("setWalkSpeed()"))
+        self.avatarControlForwardSpeed=forward
+        #self.avatarControlJumpForce=jump
+        self.avatarControlReverseSpeed=reverse
+        self.avatarControlRotateSpeed=rotate
+
+    def getSpeeds(self):
+        #assert(self.debugPrint("getSpeeds()"))
+        return (self.speed, self.rotationSpeed)
+
+    def initializeCollisions(self, collisionTraverser, avatarNodePath, 
+            wallCollideMask, floorCollideMask,
+            avatarRadius = 1.4, floorOffset = 1.0):
+        assert not avatarNodePath.isEmpty()
+
+        self.cTrav = collisionTraverser
+        self.avatarNodePath = avatarNodePath
+
+    def setAirborneHeightFunc(self, getAirborneHeight):
+        pass
+
+    def deleteCollisions(self):
+        pass
+
+    def setCollisionsActive(self, active = 1):
+        pass
+
+    def oneTimeCollide(self):
+        pass
+
+    def handleAvatarControls(self, task):
+        """
+        Check on the arrow keys and update the avatar.
+        """
+        # get the button states:
+        forward = inputState.isSet("forward")
+        reverse = inputState.isSet("reverse")
+        turnLeft = inputState.isSet("turnLeft")
+        turnRight = inputState.isSet("turnRight")
+        shift = inputState.isSet("shift")
+        # Determine what the speeds are based on the buttons:
+        self.speed=shift and (
+                (forward and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed or 
+                reverse and -self.avatarControlReverseSpeed))
+        self.liftSpeed=not shift and (
+                (forward and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed or 
+                reverse and -self.avatarControlReverseSpeed))
+        self.slideSpeed=not shift and (
+                (turnLeft and -self.avatarControlForwardSpeed) or 
+                (turnRight and self.avatarControlForwardSpeed))
+        self.rotationSpeed=shift and (
+                (turnLeft and self.avatarControlRotateSpeed) or
+                (turnRight and -self.avatarControlRotateSpeed))
+            
+        # Check to see if we're moving at all:
+        if self.speed or self.liftSpeed or self.slideSpeed or self.rotationSpeed:
+            # How far did we move based on the amount of time elapsed?
+            dt=min(ClockObject.getGlobalClock().getDt(), 0.1)
+            distance = dt * self.speed
+            lift = dt * self.liftSpeed
+            slideDistance = dt * self.slideSpeed
+            rotation = dt * self.rotationSpeed
+
+            # Take a step in the direction of our previous heading.
+            self.vel=Vec3(Vec3.forward() * distance + 
+                          Vec3.up() * lift + 
+                          Vec3.right() * slideDistance)
+            if self.vel != Vec3.zero():
+                # rotMat is the rotation matrix corresponding to
+                # our previous heading.
+                rotMat=Mat3.rotateMatNormaxis(self.avatarNodePath.getH(), Vec3.up())
+                step=rotMat.xform(self.vel)
+                self.avatarNodePath.setFluidPos(Point3(self.avatarNodePath.getPos()+step))
+            self.avatarNodePath.setH(self.avatarNodePath.getH()+rotation)
+            messenger.send("avatarMoving")
+        else:
+            self.vel.set(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+        return Task.cont
+
+    def enableAvatarControls(self):
+        """
+        Activate the arrow keys, etc.
+        """
+        assert(self.debugPrint("enableAvatarControls"))
+        print id(self), "DW.enableAvatarControls()"
+
+        if self.task:
+            # remove any old
+            self.task.remove(self.task)
+        # spawn the new task
+        self.task = taskMgr.add(
+            self.handleAvatarControls, "AvatarControls-dev-%s"%(id(self),))
+
+    def disableAvatarControls(self):
+        """
+        Ignore the arrow keys, etc.
+        """
+        assert(self.debugPrint("disableAvatarControls"))
+        print id(self), "DW.disableAvatarControls()"
+        self.task.remove()
+        self.task = None
+    
+    if __debug__:
+        def debugPrint(self, message):
+            """for debugging"""
+            return self.notify.debug(
+                    str(id(self))+' '+message)