New World Notes

Top Posts Last Week Including: The Sandbox's Shades of Second Life Hype & My 2021 Report on Meta's Muddled Metaverse Strategy Confirmed

• Business Insider Confirms My July 2021 Report Of Meta's Muddled Metaverse Strategy
• Watch: Rising Indie Pop Star Aufwie Kickstarted His Career In Second Life During The Pandemic -- Now Here's His First Music Video Shot In SL
• The Sandbox Reports 300,000 Monthly Active Users Despite Partnerships With Top Brands -- Shades Of Second Life's Hype Days?
• VRChat's New Avatar-To-Avatar Interactions Are Amazing -- Here's Some Tutorials To Get Started Booping & Grabbing
• Bring New Excitement To Ancient SL Locations With A Discovery & Exploration Game (Comment Of The Week)

Business Insider Confirms My July 2021 Report of Meta's Muddled Metaverse Strategy

Here's what I wrote in July 2021 about Facebook/Meta's flagship metaverse platform project:

"I think Facebook has the money and people to throw at the problem," as they put it to me, "but making products as a large entity hasn't been one of Facebook's strong suits... it's been to acquire other products and integrate them into the Facebook ecosystem. With the average employee tenure being 2 years or so, and the need to expand teams at rapid rates, it's very difficult to make decisions and stick to a single vision because things are always changing."

Consequently, they go on, the Horizon team has been jumping haphazardly to the latest hot feature or platform:

"This [turnover] leads to teams at Facebook fast following on trends. You can see it when you look at Horizon and Rec Room, or when you listen to Instagram's new focus on video, referencing Tik Tok. So will they achieve the vision [Zuckerberg] paints? Maybe."

And here's what Business Insider just reported today:

Watch: New SeraCast Featuring a Lelutka Mesh Head Giveaway & My SL Revenue Share Survey!

Fresh from YouTube, here's the latest SeraCast featuring a new Lelutka Head giveaway (watch for details on how to win), and a discussion on my survey for SL content creators, on their revenue split with Linden Lab -- click here to take it.

More highlights:

Fashion Friday Blog: Incredibly Kawaii Looks from Sparkly Fly

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Sparkly Fly or “A Dream in a Dream” is the cutest blog I cannot read. It’s a blog created by Andie {Andyylee] in Tumbler and is so very kawaii. Sadly for me, however, pale pink on white text is just not readable, but I do love the pictures. Anyway, with Playing with Fire, her avatar captured my attention so completely it was only on the third pass that I noticed the fire. I think it was the way she looks straight at me. Now if she only mentioned who makes that great hair. 

• Skin: ~Little Foxy B.~ TrIck Skin Blogger (LeL EvoX) @Hongdae
• Clothes: REKT_Fresh Outfit Fp @Hongdae
• Shoes: Deadly Pixels: Yuta Net Platforms [FATPACK] @Hongdae 
• Accessories: QUIXE - JKook Earring @Hongdae

For more clearly kawaii clothing, click here:

Watch: Rising Indie Pop Star Aufwie Kickstarted His Career in Second Life During the Pandemic -- Now Here's His First Music Video Shot in SL

After performing in Second Life during (and because!) of the pandemic lockdown since last year, rising indie pop star Aufwie recently released his first music video shot in Second Life -- watch above! Very nicely shot and edited by VRutega, Aufwie's "throw me to the sea" because quite literal in the virtual world.

"[The machinima] uses the sea as a metaphor for oblivion and how someone can actually throw u into oblivion by forgetting about you, taking u out of their lives," he tells me now. "Sinking as a metaphor of how depression pulls u down."

His virtual performances in SL through 2021 helped him take his career to the next stage -- both in the virtual world and across social media:

I'm Giving a Webinar on the Metaverse Next Week Friday -- Register to Attend Live for Free!

Click here to register for free to attend a Zoom webinar on That M Thing in a conference hosted by Canadian non-profit org CPAC (Chinese Professionals Association of Canada), which kicks off April 29 at 6:30pm PT. I'm preparing a slide deck now covering a range of topics, including how to define the Metaverse, Second Life's role in shaping it, mass market and niche use cases, and common misconceptions around the technology.

Is there any particular topic around virtual worlds and the Metaverse that I should also cover? If so, please suggest in Comments below!*

Today's SL Flickr Pick: Stunning & Sensual Images by Shiloh Lyric

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

The title of this brilliant picture is clever, but sad. “I was your favorite toy before you broke me.” But who quits playing with their favorite toy just because it lost a wheel, or an arm? Nonetheless, this image is striking and stopped my browsing while I thought about it. That is a common effect with Shiloh Lyric’s pictures.There is so much to love in this picture, but my absolute favorite is easily missed. I just love the way the ribbon trails back so far it fades into the shadows. 

I love the next two pics, sort of bathing, click here:

The Sandbox Reports 300,000 Monthly Active Users Despite Partnerships With Top Brands -- Shades of Second Life's Hype Days?

My post yesterday questioning the logic behind The Sandbox's reported $4 billion valuation (by Bloomberg) led to an interesting conversation on LinkedIn. Staff members of The Sandbox took some umbrage in the thread, pointing out that the co-founder recently reported that The Sandbox client now has 300,000 monthly active users, which is pretty solid growth from its reported 30K MAU last November. (I updated my original post to reflect that.)

Then again, 300,000 is still very much on the low end for current metaverse platforms as compared to, say Rec Room (with 3 million MAU on VR headsets alone), not to mention ROBLOX and Fortnite Creative. And yet again, last generation platform Second Life still has some 600,000 monthly active users! 

In reply to that point, one Sandbox staffer told me it's still early days -- since after all, the product is currently designated as being in Alpha. Which is fair enough. But from my view, it only deepens the mystery:

Why aren't all The Sandbox's major brand partnerships leading to major user adoption?

Today's SL Flickr Pick: Every Image on Aeon Jiminy's Feed is Stunning

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Aeon Jiminy’s picture title is a quote, “Tu comprends pas tout, tout est trop flou, comme si t’avais bu la tasse, noyé comme tous ces idiots.” which Google tells me means, “You don't understand everything, everything is too vague, as if you had drunk the cup, drowned like all these idiots.” It seemed so specific, I assumed it must come from somewhere and it does, from this song. [L’Imperatrice-Peur des filles] I had to check it out and it is hilarious. [Click here for the song.]

I fell in love with every picture in his stream and messaged Hamlet that I want to include everything, but that would be silly. So, I noticed he likes to shoot toward the sun which can create long shadows when shot from an angle as in this picture, or if the angle is low, it can blow out the detail into a white halo, or if shot full on create a silhouette. The angle with which you approach the sun can make dramatic changes. 

For more into the sun pictures, click here:

XR Headset Controlling Giant Humanoid Robot to Construct a Railway is Peak Japan Moment of 2022

This is the mixed reality application of the month and is probably the Peak Japan moment of the year: A giant construction robot.. controlled through an XR headset. According to this Japanese news site (and Google's so-so translation), it is very much in production:

[Railway company] JR West announced on the 15th that it is developing a multifunctional railway heavy equipment that combines a humanoid heavy equipment robot and a railway construction vehicle in collaboration with the human-machine integrated and Nippon Signal. The company aims to improve productivity and safety by developing highly versatile heavy railway equipment that can be used for various equipment installed in high places and mechanizing work that previously required human intervention.

According to VR expert Adeon (who tipped me on this ), the HMD we see pictured here is an HP Reverb G2. ("Very good headset, better than Index.") New World Notes' Japanese translator Sanny found this video of the robot in action, watch below:

VRChat's New Avatar-to-Avatar Interactions Are Amazing -- Here's Some Tutorials to Get Started Booping & Grabbing

Update, 4/21: Avatar Dynamics is now live. Check out this post for tutorials and community-created samples of this avatar-to-avatar tech!

As promised last year, VRChat recently updated its avatar dynamics to enable far more interactivity between avatars and the virtual world, and (even more key) avatar-to-avatar.   Now in open beta, the VRChat community is already coming up with some fun and zany application of the technology -- there's even this project to physically hug across the metaverse through haptics -- and at least a couple user-made tutorials:

Can Anyone Explain Why The Sandbox Would Be Valued at $4 Billion With So Few Users or Buyers?

Headscratcher of the day:

The Sandbox, a platform that allows users to trade and monetize virtual assets in the Ethereum blockchain, is considering raising fresh funds at a valuation of more than $4 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The company is looking to raise about $400 million from both new and existing investors, the people said, who asked not to be identified as the information is confidential. Sandbox, which is majority-owned by blockchain gaming developer Animoca Brands Corp., is in talks with potential investors for the funding round, the people said.

Which is a wildly high valuation! To put that number in context, Sony recently acquired Bungie Studios, creator of the massive Halo and Destiny franchises, with a customer/player base in the tens of millions, for $3.6 billion. 

By contrast, consider The Sandbox:

Today's Flickr Pick: Stunning Shots of Second Life Homes

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Kiki Jonston loves to shoot pictures, particularly of buildings. I love how “A Tiny Voyage” features this little boat wandering down the stream. In the picture, if you imagine a line along the bridge and the building, they form a triangle and then there's the little boat which is a triangle as well. There’s a lot of interesting geometry. I imagine in real life that little cabin would be incredibly hot in the sun, but I sure do love it. 

For more extraordinary SL buildings, click here:

Bring New Excitement to Ancient SL Locations With a Discovery & Exploration Game (Comment of the Week)

While Linden Lab has saved Tempura, we discussed how preservation does not guarantee survival. Reader "Nadeja", however, thinks Tempura has better than average prospects:

Tempura is arguably a special case. Visitors know they can meet someone always there, so the traffic has always remained high even without any event (25K today). It is also a romantic place with a nice atmosphere, but it has a good design that seem to encourage meeting and hanging out: it's spacious, there is a large tai-chi area where many people go, someone meet at the mediation circle, the bridge with a spot with sits (and divination) in the middle, and so on. Also a bunch of people at the entrance; but there are quieter spots here and there, for couples or to relax by your own, some even cute/funny such as the giant nest.

Different preserved places were meant for a different usage, they were interesting or fascinating, but left to themselves they died out. Svarga stopped working correctly. The SS Galaxy was also a mall, with rentals and DJs in the ballroom and the pool. After the preservation, the mall and the rentals were gone, obviously, as well as the DJs and dancing and clubbing. The traffic is about zero now.

What's the solution for sites that don't have as much native stability as Tempura? Nadeja has the glimmering of a great idea -- turn preserved SL sims into a grid-like game:

Top 5 Posts Including a Rec Room VR Milestone, Meta's Dubious Claims of Uniqueness & a Survey for SL Content Creators

• Throwback Thursday: Metaverse Developers Not Only Testified Before Congress In 2008, Jon Stewart Featured It On The Daily Show!
• BREAKING: Rec Room Has Over 3 Million Monthly Active VR Users, Most On Meta's Quest 2; That's 10x More Users Than Meta's Horizon Worlds & Venues!
• SL Content Creators: How Much Of Your Income Does Linden Lab Take?
• Did Zuckerberg Just Say Collaborative In-World Creation Is Unique To Horizon? Because... Wow.
• Meta Announces User Content Marketplace For Horizon -- Probably Prematurely & With A Weirdly Non-Competitive Revenue Cut

Watch: SeraCast Announcing a New Easter Egg Hunt & Much More SL Fun

New video from SeraCast to watch over the weekend: "This week's highlights are a massive giveaway for early access to a the huge Legacy Spring Fair and a further contest for winning Legacy bodies coming on Sunday," Del tells me. "We also discuss the new SL University and Del has a conspiracy theory on an expected ramping up of new residents and the onboarding of them." They also discuss my posts about coming regulation to metaverse platforms, and the saving of the Tempura sim.

More highlights:

Virtual Decor & Interior Design Ideas from Pretty Things, Nice Life

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Pretty Things, Nice Life is a striking decor and fashion blog by Victoria K. James. I really like her most recent post Crane & Koi which she admits is a much more saturated color than her usual. I love that tub and the birds! 

• KOPFKINO  – Tranquility Water Garden Tub – Copper
• TLC Animals 
• TLC Gold fish pond with Waterfall Set
• TLC Goldfish
• TLC Red-crowned Crane

For another gorgeous space , click here:

Throwback Thursday: Metaverse Developers Not Only Testified Before Congress In 2008, Jon Stewart Featured It on The Daily Show!

When I was talking to that Government Body That Shall Remain Nameless about regulation of metaverse platforms, and plans to start calling public hearings before Congress and EU Parliaments, they were surprised when I mentioned that this already happened in 2008 with Philip Rosedale and other metaverse developers.

"Yeah," I said. "Jon Stewart even did a segment about it on The Daily Show."

"Really?"

Yes really and you can watch it here. (Note to Comedy Central: Did you forget to enable embed settings?) Jon Stewart even had an embedded reporter in Second Life: Rob Riggle as the bodacious avatar Beowulf Porpoiseburg.

OK, not really Second Life. Here's what happened:

Today's Flickr Pick: Kia Kiyori Hikes Through Second Life, Takes Amazing Snapshots, Shares Her Landmarks

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Kia Kiyori hitchhikes through Second Life, snapping what she see. This untitled picture captures another sign of spring, baby animals. In this case, she snapped some baby pigs who are intently checking out a robin. Pigs are among the smartest animals, smarter than dogs and make fine pets. They sure are cute as piglets. I love how Kia used depth of field, sharpening the focus on the bird they are watching. I also love the way she gives the SLurl if you want to visit yourself: “Hitchhiker's Guide to Nelipot” 

For more hitchhiking encounters, click here:

BREAKING: Rec Room Has Over 3 Million Monthly Active VR Users, Most on Meta's Quest 2; That's 10x More Users Than Meta's Horizon Worlds & Venues!

Just got this pretty amazing breaking news note from Shawn Whiting, Head of Influencers & Partners at Rec Room:

"Shortly after the holidays, Rec Room crested 3 million VR monthly active users... A majority of those VR monthly active users are Quest 2. [Emph mine - WJA]

"We're very happy with the VR growth but at this point VR is a pretty low percentage of our monthly players. Rec Room is seeing much more growth on iOS, Android, PlayStation, and Xbox due to there being billions of those devices out there collectively." 

So that's something! Last December I estimated Rec Room had 4-5 million monthly active users across all devices, but based on Shawn's wording, total Rec Room numbers is likely to be well over 10-12 million MAU.

This is quite an impressive milestone for metaverse platform growth -- and more key, for usage of the Quest 2 headset on metaverse platforms. Quest 2 has an install base over 10 million, so at least 15% of that (i.e. 1.5 million) are active on Rec Room.

This is also a sharp wake-up call for Meta:

SL Content Creators: How much of your income does Linden Lab take?

With so much online conversation over hat's a fair revenue split between a metaverse platform and content creators on it -- thanks to Meta and its just-announced 47.5% cut for Horizon -- I'm curious what the share is for Second Life. It can be as little as the L$ cash-out processing fee, or as much as monthly tier to rent a whole private island (or several).

Two survey questions below. (Use a desktop/laptop for best performance.)
 

Cajsa's Flickr Picks: Sunny Spring Second Life Photos from Koe

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Koe’s “Spring” captures the joy of sitting yourself down in a field of flowers in the spring. The air is fresh, the sun is warm but not hot. This is a picture of mimosa flowers, though, and I think they grow on trees, This picture actually makes me think of goldenrod, an infamous allergen that tortures many people in the spring. Luckily, not me. 

For more, click here:

Did Zuckerberg Just Say Collaborative In-World Creation is Unique to Horizon? Because... Wow.

As part of Meta's Horizon monetization announcement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had an in-world chat/demo with several community creators (watch below). And before I get too ranty, let me start by saying that's a smart and good thing! If you want to foster a positive and thriving metaverse platform community, you definitely want to show the community that their creativity is highly valued, even and especially by those at the very top of the company.

So that's a small but solid step in the right direction.

That said, around 6 minutes in, while talking about Horizon's collaborative creation features, Zuckerberg says something so jaw-dropping I had to watch it several times to make sure I heard it right.

One of the things that we're trying to do differently is the whole co-developing experience and the fact that everything you're building is in Horizon itself... it really is just different from all the other experiences out there. [Emph mine - WJA]

Maybe I'm missing some context, but it's difficult to conceive of a context where this statement is accurate. In-world, collaborative creation has existed in virtual world/metaverse platforms for at least 20 years. Actually more like 22 years, because this was a core feature of Second Life when it was still an alpha demo called Linden World. Like some guy wrote:

As Rosedale and Cory Ondrejka spoke to their financial backers, a projector displayed a live video feed of Linden World, projected on the wall. Other Linden staffers were in-world, running a demonstration that the investors could watch. A few of them were using the building tools the staff used to create content. And as it went on, the investor’s eyes drifted away from the meeting, and to the screen... This, everyone realized, was what made their world unique.  

Later on, Minecraft and other platforms launched with similar functionality.

But surely Zuck knows all this. So maybe he's just referring to in-world collaborative creation in social VR. If so, he'd be on slightly safer ground. But there are other metaverse platforms which already have this feature -- including platforms compatible with the Quest in the Quest app store. 

Here's what collaborative creation in VR looked like in Rec Room three years ago:

This Artist Takes Voyeuristic Screenshots of Her Second Life Avatar

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Myra Wildmist has a photographic obsession with observing her avatar from a distance that I find lovely and compelling. “The Passage” is one of my favorites, a glorious picture of her walking out of a tunnel or cave. She is not completely silhouetted, there is just this touch of light on her shoulder. I love how the darkness of the stone creates this frame for her. It’s simply wonderful. She seems to be seeing herself through the eyes of a voyeur. 

For more voyeuristic self-portraits, click here:

Meta Announces User Content Marketplace for Horizon -- Probably Prematurely & With a Weirdly Non-Competitive Revenue Cut

Meta, a latecomer to metaverse platform development, just announced the launch of a marketplace for user creators in Horizon Worlds, and you can see the potential problems right in the immediate details:

[A] “handful” of Horizon creators will be able to sell virtual items and effects in the worlds they create for others to explore. The idea is that creators can sell everything from access to a VIP section of their world to virtual items like jewelry or a special basketball, according to Meaghan Fitzgerald, the product marketing director for Horizon...

Meta will be taking a cut of what creators sell, though exactly what that take can be is a bit complex. For Horizon purchases, Meta is taking a 25 percent cut of the percentage that’s left after a platform fee. For platforms with a 30 percent fee, like Meta’s own Quest Store for VR titles, the creator will be left with a little over half of the sale price (the math there being that Meta is taking 25 percent of 70 percent).

Emphasis mine, as it bears emphasis. It's good that Meta is giving (some) users access to monetization -- by definition, a core feature to a metaverse platform --  but this initial roll-out comes with some obvious challenges: