works?

init.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+-- luacheck: globals live
+local MODNAME = core.get_current_modname()
+--local MODPATH = core.get_modpath(MODNAME)
+
+local mod = {
+    MODNAME = MODNAME,
+}
+_G[MODNAME] = mod
+
+live.load_module(MODNAME, "module")

mod.conf

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+depends = live

module.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+---/eval live.load_module("player_dummy", "module")
+
+local mod = ... or {}
+local MODNAME = mod.MODNAME or "NONE"
+local live = _G.live
+
+if not live then
+    live = {
+        register_entity = core.register_entity,
+        register_on_leaveplayer = function(_, func)
+            core.register_on_leaveplayer(func)
+        end,
+        register_on_joinplayer = function(_, func)
+            core.register_on_joinplayer(func)
+        end,
+    }
+end
+
+local function tell(...)
+    core.chat_send_all(string.format(...))
+end
+
+local known_dummies = mod.known_dummies
+if not mod.known_dummies then
+    known_dummies = {}
+    mod.known_dummies = known_dummies
+end
+
+live.register_entity(
+    ":" .. MODNAME .. ":dummy",
+    {
+        initial_properties = {
+            visual = "mesh",
+            mesh = "mobs_mime_plantlike.obj",
+            textures = { "meh.png" },
+            use_texture_alpha = true,
+            hp_max = 1,
+            physical = true,
+            static_save = true,
+        },
+        on_activate = function(self, staticdata, dtime)
+            local data = minetest.deserialize(staticdata)
+            --tell("activate %s", dump(data))
+            if data then
+                if data.props then
+                    self.object:set_properties(data.props)
+                end
+                -- self.nametag = data.nametag or ""
+                -- self.object:set_nametag_attributes({
+                --         text = self.nametag,
+                --         color = "#FFFFFF",
+                --         bgcolor = false,
+                -- })
+            end
+        end,
+        get_staticdata = function(self)
+            local props = self.object:get_properties()
+            local data = {
+                props = props,
+            }
+            return minetest.serialize(data)
+        end,
+        on_step = function(self, dtime)
+            --self.object:set_yaw(self.object:get_yaw() + 0.1)
+            -- local rot = self.object:get_rotation()
+            -- rot.y = rot.y + 0.01
+            -- self.object:set_rotation(rot)
+            self.time = (self.time or 0) + dtime
+
+            local override = self.object:get_bone_override('Head')
+            if not override.rotation then
+                override.rotation = {}
+            end
+            override.rotation.interpolation = dtime*2
+            override.rotation.vec = vector.new(0,0,(math.pi/5)*math.sin(math.pi*self.time*(123/60)))
+            self.object:set_bone_override('Head', override)
+            --error('aaa')
+        end,
+        on_death = function(self, killer)
+            tell("killed")
+        end,
+    }
+)
+
+function mod.make_clone(player)
+    local pos = player:get_pos()
+    if pos then
+        local o = core.add_entity(pos, MODNAME .. ":dummy")
+        local props = table.copy(player:get_properties())
+        if (not props.nametag) or props.nametag == "" then
+            props.nametag = player:get_player_name()
+        end
+        o:set_properties(props)
+
+        -- nametag
+        local attrs = table.copy(player:get_nametag_attributes())
+        if (not attrs.text) or attrs.text == "" then
+            attrs.text = player:get_player_name()
+        end
+        o:set_nametag_attributes(attrs)
+
+        -- animation
+        local range, speed, blend, loop = player:get_animation()
+        o:set_animation(range, speed, blend, loop)
+
+        -- yaw
+        o:set_yaw(player:get_look_horizontal())
+        return o
+    end
+end
+
+
+live.register_on_leaveplayer(
+    MODNAME .. ":leave",
+    function(player, _timed_out)
+        local o = mod.make_clone(player)
+        local player_name = player:get_player_name()
+        known_dummies[player_name] = o
+    end
+)
+
+
+live.register_on_joinplayer(
+    MODNAME .. ":join",
+    function(player, last_login)
+        local player_name = player:get_player_name()
+        local dummy = known_dummies[player_name]
+        if dummy and dummy:is_valid() then
+            local pos = dummy:get_pos()
+            if pos then
+                player:set_pos(pos)
+            end
+            dummy:remove()
+        end
+    end
+)