What is the metaverse?

Now, it is many different virtual worlds in which you can play, collaborate, and share ideas. Each metaverse has been developed by several companies and include: Microsoft, Meta, Roblox, Spatial, Second Life, Decentraland, The Sandbox, Horizon Worlds, VRChat and Rec Room.

The metaverse is not restricted to only using the Internet in VR. A lot of it is accessible through a regular computer or a smartphone. However, soon some of it will be a hologram in our physical world, some will be displayed through AR glasses or on a mobile screen.

Eventually, with the new internet architecture of Web 3.0, it is hoped that everyone can transition seamlessly among multiple worlds offered by the various providers. This will all be on a decentralised structure with countless interoperable platforms.

Metaverse communities are loving the ability to gather, build and explore. It is a place to extend the existing real world, not to replace it. Concerts have already been organised in the metaverse, along with virtual theme parks. The underlying technology promises to offer a whole new sphere of user interaction and music opportunities.

The Sandbox Platform

The Sandbox is one good example of a decentralized metaverse platform built on blockchain technology. These utilize the ownership structure of digital items in the form of NFTs. The Sandbox is an Ethereum-based metaverse which allows users to create, share and monetize in-world assets as well as gaming experiences. The roadmap of Sandbox is looking good with Warner Music and other big companies investing in the platform.

The Sandbox blockchain gaming platform consists of three integrated products:

  • VoxEdit (simple yet powerful free 3D voxel modeling and NFT creation package)

  • Marketplace (upload, publish, and sell NFT creations made with VoxEdit)

  • Game Maker (build amazing 3D games)

Below are snippets of what we have been working on. These tools provide a comprehensive experience for user-generated content (UGC) production.

Genesis Remixed

This is the story of Rael

Virtual Identities

Instead of the conventional identities we have currently on the internet were you work with a device requesting information to be displayed to you, there will be a move to participating as a virtual person (avatar). This avatar will inhabit a virtual space, often with other people who will see your avatar.

These avatars can be seen as on-screen surrogates of the user and as such they will bring many aspects of their physical-world selves into the metaverse. It is important to note that some people will prefer their avatars resemble their physical-world selves or to be different in some ways. These preferences would include appearance, personality and style.

Ready Player Me is a free service that allows you to create a custom 3D avatar based on your likeness and to use that avatar across multiple VR apps.

  • The Real Player Me avatar is animated using an online app called Mixamo.

  • Both the avatar and oversized Lego instruments are brought together into a scene using a 3D graphics tool called Blender.

  • Finally everything is shared using Sketchfab.