SocialVR Has Taken a Huge Loss
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhhhhhhh
This day shall be a great black mark in the history of progress…
AltSpaceVR is by far the most comprehensive and inclusive VR experience, Ever.
Its like the reddit to the metaverse. But better because its far more welcoming.
I didnt even really get to use AltSpace… but it was one of the main things that informed and got me excited for where VR is at and where its going.
I remember meeting Bruce Wooden at my first VR meetup almost two years ago. That was the first time I got to check out AltSpace, chatting with people all around the world and teleporting around the space like an ArchWizard.
That one instance had me SO inspired that I soon after began working on Building the Future of the Internet:
I knew that this was going to be where the internet would be in a few years. Even if it took over a decade, I know it will get there.
Now this…???
I dont care…. I still know that SocialVR will be THE thing. Not just because facebook is investing in it (to the detriment of the competition), but also because thats just how humans interact; thats what people really want.
Our current way of interacting with others over the internet is powerful, but far from preferable… many people prefer the ‘presence’ of ‘face-to-face’ interaction… the feeling you get when you’re in a room with other people, not just typing, nigh anonymously, via text.
There’s just far more nuance and immersion and awesomeness to be had in such an experience!
VR is the only way for us to do so while at the same time benefiting from the epic reach of the internet.
Unlike IRL meetups, VR spaces also help introverts like me still feel comfortable to let loose a little while at the same time allowing extroverts to be their outgoing selves.
VR allows you to not just immerse yourself in a whole new and open environment… but also to *create* a whole new environment!
VR is like real life, but augmented with awesomeness.
VR takes the immersion of reality, and beautifully melds it with the distribution of the internet. Allowing you to see, learn, and communicate anything. The limits of your circumstances or transportation need not bar you from talking to new groups of people.
I never got to really try AltSpaceVR … I could not afford VR rigs, nor did I even have a smartphone capable of (reliably) running VR for the Cardboard variants.
Furthermore, VR is a huge leap, you need whole new hardware to partake of the culture. But people always need more gradual steps before accepting such change.
So, with all that in mind, inspired by AltSpaceVR, I set out to create Holodecks; 3D web sites where people can experience the internet with far more immersion, without having to get a whole new device.
Now that AltSpace is gone, I feel far more motivated.. driven… mandated to get this out!! The world needs a better, more human way to experience social online other than ‘social media’ which is just a funnel for Ad Tyranny.
It sucks that AltSpace was not funded, but I do question whether it was a fault of theirs for not asking the community to support them.
I dont think subscription services make sense for VR, with such a high barrier to entry already, but I do think some sort of patreon or crowdfunding model could have helped a lot.
Furthermore, because VR is a very personal experience, a marketplace system sporting full aesthetic customization options would seriously be a hit!!!
If you fuse the cosmetic cash shops of the (free to play) gaming industry with the marketplace power of the ecommerce industry, you have a recipe for healthy revenue growth. No dealings with ad tyranny or dependence on investment funding needed.
Imagine if AltSpace had let you create your own room, being able to customize everything from architecture to art on the walls. Imagine being able to make your own VR assets to pimp your space, avatar(s), or anything else… and then sell your creations to others!
Im no one but a passionate fan of technology, the future, and cool stuff. But I think a socialVR platform (or any type of virtual platform) that facilitates its own marketplace is a prime revenue-making titan!
RIP SocialVR… Long live SocialVR.
You will live on forever in our virtual hearts, and futuristic minds AltSpaceVR.
