What even is the metaverse?

When we were starting our metaverse Lab Report, we realized that there were so many voices saying conflicting things that made it hard for our clients to wrap their heads around what the potential of continual metaverse investment could result in.

Concept

Let's Show The Metaverse vs Tell

Instead of being just another voice saying what the metaverse is and isn't, we decided to show rather than tell, using Roblox as the platform to prototype with and use as a basis for our concept video. Working alongside a team of 4 creative technologist, I was the unofficial Creative lead, making sure the interactions and environment fit within common metaverse attributes and mentoring our creative tech interns.

Execution

The metaverse made tangible

In this experience, we brought to life the seamless connection between different metaverse worlds and how digital actions carry over into our physical, real world reality. There will be hundreds of thousands of worlds in the upcoming metaverse, but the worlds featured within this experience include:

Admin - a central hub of personal information storage, where users can store items, view virtual currencies, and see an overview of friend stats and messaging

Social - an ethereal, thought bubble environment where users can view, share, and connect with others in real-time

Shopping - a dynamic environment where users can shop countless categories all in one place. Includes NFT exclusives, UberEats ordering, and Snapchat Try On

Listen to our behind-the-scenes discussion of this prototype on our Scrap The Manual podcast episode.

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Concept

Use AR to animate instructions right off the page for improved context

AR provides two key features that help users further understand their environment. 1) It puts in augmented content wherever the user holds their phone camera and 2) Provides context in the X, Y, and Z axises instead of just two like traditional mobile applications.

Why this works

Use AR to animate instructions right off the page for improved context

IKEA Assembly is a mobile application that uses augmented reality to place animated instructions into the user's environment. The little details and context that get lost in a picture can be clarified by the user walking around, moving closer and away from the model, and iconography representing key tools and actions needed.

Why this works

Clarifies what the metaverse could be

Using a "day-in-the-life" storytelling approach

Uses the Roblox Prototype as a base

To show what is technically possible while also showing a vision for the future

Demonstrates knowledge of Roblox

To future and current clients when being considered for metaverse-like projects

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Another needless source of question marks over people’s heads is links and buttons that aren’t obviously clickable. As a user, I should never have to devote a millisecond of thought to whether things are clickable — or not.

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Your objective should always be to eliminate instructions entirely by making everything self-explanatory, or as close to it as possible. When instructions are absolutely necessary, cut them back to a bare minimum.

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