METAVERSE — A FRESH LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

George Kalinin
8 min readDec 18, 2022

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Build not need

Many projects of the metaverse that are being implemented have faced a crisis of further development. Their creators simply transferred the objects of the physical world to the 3D world without filling the metaspaces with new value and content. There are digitally recreated buildings and roads, infrastructure facilities, houses with apartments, restaurants, conference halls, art galleries… Simple copying of the form has led to the fact that potential users do not understand what they should do in these virtual spaces, why they need them. After all, no one is going to “live” in the earthly sense in the metaverse: there is no need for avatars to spend the night in furnished apartments, eat at restaurants, or go to work every day, bringing children to school on the way. These are the functions of our terrestrial physical world which do not make sense and need to be duplicated in the metaverse.

Not a lot of activity now in the metaverse: Atlas Space
Not a lot of activity now in the metaverse: Atlas Space

Proceeding from this understanding let us try once again to formulate the reasons for which billions of inhabitants of the earth would want to regularly visit the metaverse, finding it useful and attractive for themselves.

Reason of visiting the metaverse

In the modern sense the metaverse is a permanent 3D virtual decentralized space in which people can interact with each other and with various digital objects in the WEB3 format, including using virtual and augmented reality. Filling this space with relevant thematic content forms the reason why people will go there. It can be assumed that these reasons may be the same for which we currently consume WEB2 text, graphic or video content.

From the consumer (user) point of view let’s highlight three mains:

1. Educational — what is connected with the future or present professional activity

2. Cognitive — helps to understand everyday, cultural, psychological, family and other vital issues, find new business opportunities

3. Entertaining — helps to distract from business, have fun

Cognitive information already available in the metaverse: Decentaland - Ford car showroom
Cognitive information already available in the metaverse: Decentaland - Ford car showroom

We must say that these reasons are pursued by both children and adults — some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent. Interest in content often combines several reasons. Based on the content and reasons of the visit, two types of metaverses can be clearly distinguished. They are different in their meaning and content which will be built and developed in parallel in the future.

Metaverse types

Type 1. Worlds that reflect the physical reality in our dimension, as well as macro- and microworlds.

This type includes geographical, biological, historical, astronomical, anatomical and other metaverses. In each of these areas of natural knowledge huge 3D metaspace-models will be created, displaying the physical world with maximum detail and accuracy which will be constantly adjusted as science and technology develop. Such metaspaces will be visited mainly for educational and cognitive reasons in order to feel like a direct participant in some physical phenomena, spaces, processes or events, to form their deep inner understanding.

Much has already been done in this direction. Need it to recall the geographic service Google Maps in which you can see not only a flat map but also you can walk through streets with the help of a yellow man, seeing three-dimensional buildings and objects in many places. Another Google Earth service makes it possible to get closer to the planets and stars. A large number of atlases and encyclopedias (and even Wikipedia) is an almost ready-made script for creating three-dimensional worlds of the first type.

The creation of metaspaces of this type is only possible for large scientific, commercial and government organizations due to the high level of initial costs, long implementation periods and payback. Some of them will be created and supervised at the international level.

Associated with this type of metaspace is the use of augmented reality (AR).

Type 2. Invented worlds, fantasy.

Metaspaces of this type include everything else that is not connected with the physical world and is the figment of creative fantasy or spiritual practice. This includes various games, entertainment events, attractions, amusement parks, meditation spaces as well as personal accounts of users who migrate to the metaverse from social networks.

It is obvious that such metaspaces will be visited mainly for entertainment purposes or to escape from the hustle and bustle. Almost the entire population of the Earth will eventually participate in their creation and development. The fruit of human imagination is limitless and the active use of AI will further expand the possibilities for creativity.

Gaming is moving into the metaverse. Monaverse: Faraz Mobin — JPEG LAND
Gaming is moving into the metaverse. Monaverse: Faraz Mobin — JPEG LAND

Already now a large number of games with high quality 3D graphics and detailing, interactive development of the plot can be safely called the forerunner of this type of metaspace. Their migration completely online is constrained by the computing power of servers and the bandwidth of communication channels. Among such games are Minecraft, Fortnite, Cyberpunk, Arcanum, Diablo, The Elder Scrolls, VRChat.

In addition to games, performances and entertainment shows will be held in metaspaces of the second type, the forms and scales of which are now even hard to imagine. The stage can be easily located on an asteroid and the dance floors — on moving space platforms. After all, airless space is not a hindrance to an avatar. Distances in metaspace also don’t play the same role as they do on earth.

Separately it is worth dwelling on the personal accounts of users who have grown out of social network accounts. They transform into personal metaspaces where everyone can create their own 3D virtual world using a set of tools and ready-made elements. Here fantasies can be realized that a person for some reason cannot realize in the physical world. Based on the unity of these fantasies and ideas, decentralized communities of interest will be created that will manage collective worlds. As a result of such a transformation some of the existing social networks will cease to exist and some will be integrated into personal 3D worlds.

Associated with this type of metaspace is the use of virtual reality (VR).

Below are the main features of the future metaverse.

Features of the metaverse

1. Spaces

Depending on the type of metaverse, spaces will either model the physical world as accurately as possible or be completely different from what we are used to in earthly life. Accordingly, the purposes of visiting these metaspaces, as well as the interest in them, will differ. In the second type of the metaverse, alien or spiritual worlds unlike earthly ones, inhabited by unearthly creatures and entities, will be created. Due to the absence of physical gravity the worlds will be more “vertical” than “horizontal” which will require the need to easily move through space in any direction through 360 degrees.

Fantasy metaverse spaces will be more “vertical”. Monaverse: Gesture — The Knot
Fantasy metaverse spaces will be more “vertical”. Monaverse: Gesture — The Knot

2. Movement

The problem of easy movement in 360-degree metaspace will make a bipedal avatar not mobile enough and very limited in its capabilities. Moreover, depending on the reason to visit the metaspace, each person will need a variety of avatars. In many cases, just a movable “point of view” in the form of a small 3D object like a flying ball will be enough. It can easily move in any direction and explore the world around. In other cases, depending on the plot, some kind of flying vehicle that can accommodate several avatars or act as a FPV (first-person view) will be useful. Flying avatars will be controlled by the user’s fingers using various manipulators (keyboard, joystick etc.) or VR suit. Movements between spaces — through air portals according to the same principle as the teleportation of pedestrian avatars through ground portals that now takes place.

Personal 3D avatar and metaverse flying vehicle: GraviCraft
Personal 3D avatar and metaverse flying vehicle: GraviCraft

3. Interaction

The classic avatar “in the image and likeness” with arms and legs is needed only in those metaspaces where its physical interaction with other objects or other people-avatars is expected. For example, in the historical metaverse it will be possible to become one of the Greek warriors taking part in the siege of Troy. Or become a participant in the Yalta Conference in 1945. Or, in the guise of another avatar, dance at the Travis Scott meta-concert.

4. Experience, impressions, research opportunities

Experiences and impressions unattainable in earthly conditions, opportunities for deep immersion and research will become available in the metaverse. This will expand the boundaries of our consciousness and enrich the inner world. Learning will become faster and more productive; rest will be rich and full of impressions. We hope that the metaverse will help us to better understand ourselves and the world around us including through the function of the creator.

5. Creation

Creative possibilities for revealing the creative potential of each person will be involved in the creation of personal and collective metaspaces. Each inhabitant of our planet will soon have the opportunity to feel like a creator and create their own, unlike others, 3D world. To do this, he must have at his disposal the appropriate tools, Internet resources and huge libraries of 3D object blanks or unique 3D NFTs, which are digital property and value. Everyone will be able to invite loved ones and everyone to their world. In a few years, vloggers will have to give up their palm branch of popularity to 3D content creators.

In the metaverse the creativity possibilities are endless. Monaverse: Caelestia — The Lost Fields
In the metaverse the creativity possibilities are endless. Monaverse: Caelestia — The Lost Fields

Of course, the presented features of the metauniverse do not claim to be complete and require further discussion and development. As well as economic issues arising from this concept. What are the ways of monetization and the role of digital property (NFT) of creators and users in the metaverse? How can you connect metaspaces-models of the physical world and game spaces in the form of parallel worlds using the same 3D objects? Imagine a Jurassic Metapark where dinosaur habitats can be recreated for educational use and play environments built for entertainment purposes. These questions will be the subject of the next article.

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George Kalinin
George Kalinin

Written by George Kalinin

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Metaverse and web3 enthusiast. Co-founder & CEO A1 NFT Labs - design & development of virtual showcases and showrooms #metaverse #3ddesign #web3 #3dtour

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