What is a meta-universe

The meta-universe is like a fairy tale world beyond our universe. Think of it as a place where completely different rules and realities can exist.

Sometimes scientists and sci-fi writers imagine that there is not one, but many such worlds, each with its own amazing laws and properties. This raises questions about the nature of the universe that make us dream and ponder.

How meta-universes work now

The idea of a meta-universe first appeared on the internet in the book Snow Crash in 1992 and became popular after the book First Player Ready in 2011. In these stories, people could enter this world through special glasses and other devices.

This idea is also found in the movie "Protagonist", where the characters found themselves in a world that looks like a meta-universe. However, the modern meta-universes that exist today allow us to actually interact with these worlds through virtual reality glasses and other devices. This is getting closer and closer to what sci-fi writers envisioned 30 years ago. Now you can actually put on virtual reality goggles and be transported to another world as if you were on another planet.

What do they do in the meta-universe?

Many people still think that creating virtual worlds through modern technology is something incredible and even unnecessary. For many, even basic virtual realities seem far removed from everyday life. Therefore, many do not understand why they need these meta universes and what opportunities they can provide.

But even now, let alone in the future, there are many interesting things that can be done in the meta-universe.

For example, Steven Spielberg's movie "First Player Ready" from the world of science fiction shows that in the future, people can spend time in virtual worlds instead of the real one.

This movie is about a virtual world called Oasis, where people find refuge from real life problems and enjoy adventures. But in Oasis, they also find new friends with similar interests.

Spielberg in this movie has created a simple and straightforward world that he himself understands well. The movie draws attention to the positive aspects and talks about friendships that help people succeed.

Let's imagine that some video games can also be like meta universes. For example, in the game World of Warcraft or Fortnite, people create their own worlds and play in them.

Fortnite: Battle Royale has gained extreme popularity, becoming a cultural phenomenon; in October 2018, the mode reached 78.3 million monthly players and 350 million registered users as of May 2020

These worlds have been around for years and change depending on what happens in the real world.

When you play these games or talk to friends in online chat, it feels like you are transported to a completely different world. It has its own rules and even its own economic systems, like a game where you can earn and spend virtual money.

Who is involved in the creation of meta-universes

Progress is always about money and economics. New technologies bring profit and change our world. Creating virtual worlds where people spend time also brings money. It is profitable both for the creators of these worlds and for ordinary users who want to immerse themselves in digital reality.

Developers and artists have been making money from virtual worlds for a long time. For example, in the game Second Life, people created virtual animals and sold them for real money. 

In the game Roblox, you can buy virtual items with real money. For many players, it is almost like real life. They feel the satisfaction of shopping and create a bond with virtual items.

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Blockchain technologies like NFT add new possibilities to trading within virtual worlds. You now have ownership of unique items in games that previously only existed in real life.

Cryptocurrencies also allow you to earn and trade inside video games. For example, the game Axie Infinity allows you to turn your gaming experience into real money.

Axie Infinity is an online token-based video game developed by Vietnamese studio Sky Mavis. known for its in-game economy that utilizes Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies. Axie Infinity players collect and mint NFTs, which represent Axies' digital pets that look like axolotls.

So, you can start working in the virtual world, whether you're a merchant, an artist, or even a breeder of virtual creatures. This is no longer a joke - meta-universes have become a source of big money.

Will the meta-universe be able to replace reality?

It's hard to say what will happen with the development of such technologies in the future. Our experience in virtual worlds is still far from the idea of a "Protagonist". Our physical senses are still connected to the real world, and we exist in reality, not just as virtual beings.

Nevertheless, it is clear that people will spend more and more time in virtual worlds. We already associate ourselves very closely with our virtual images in games, so it's easy for us to get used to living in artificially created worlds.

For example, in the popular game Roblox from September they are holding interviews for new employees of the company. In the virtual space, candidates will be able to communicate with specialists and even prepare for the interview.

Roblox job interviews will start to be conducted inside the platform.

This means that people looking for jobs will be able to meet employers and even prepare for interviews without leaving the game.

The idea is that young candidates for entry-level positions will be sought out first, because they've often been playing Roblox since they were kids. Inside the game, there will be a special "Career Center" where candidates will be able to study, talk to experts, listen to job lectures and take tests.

Interviews haven't started yet, but Roblox users can already explore the "Career Center". This is part of Roblox's strategy to attract even more active players to the platform.

How do I enter a meta-universe?

It all depends on which version of the meta universe you are interested in. Currently, there are no exact analogs to the worlds in the book "First Player Prepare" but there are ways to experience alternative virtual worlds.

1. Roblox is a gaming platform where you can almost literally do anything you want: participate in sports competitions, fight monsters in dungeons, participate in race races or communicate with other players, even breed virtual animals. And it's great that you don't need special virtual reality glasses for this.

2. Minecraft allows you to create your own virtual worlds, as well as connect to the servers of other players, invite friends and compete in mini-games with thousands of users.

In this game, you can recreate a variety of objects and terrains, from your own homes to puzzles like Tetris, as well as create libraries with banned books and rest areas.

It's important to note that, unlike most other meta-universes, Minecraft doesn't require special hardware like virtual helmets or augmented or virtual reality glasses, and this game is available on inexpensive and older computers, making it especially appealing to a wide audience.

3. Rec Room is one of the most popular meta universes for kids. This social virtual reality game is similar to Minecraft and Sims.

In it, you put on virtual reality goggles, create your own room, and move freely through other players' rooms. Rec Room features a variety of locations including restaurants, nightclubs, apartment buildings, quests, gyms and more.

4. Meta (Facebook) has launched the Horizon Worlds app, a social VR platform that allows you to chat with friends in a virtual space. This was reported by the CNBC television channel.

It was first announced in 2019, but was only available in beta for a select group of Oculus VR users who received invitations.

The technology behind meta-universes

A variety of technologies are used to create meta-universes. 

For example, the NFT system secures property rights, blockchain facilitates financial transactions, and 3D technology allows for the visualization of a virtual world and virtual reality (VR) immerses the user in that space.

If you wish to become a meta-universe developer, you should:

• Decide what you want to do (e.g., create new models and objects, develop algorithms, implement new currency exchange systems).

• Start learning the technologies used in meta-universes, such as blockchain contracts (Solidity, Java), 3D modeling (Unity, Unreal Engine and related languages such as C#), programming languages (Swift), and so on.

• Select an existing meta-universe and start developing new content for it.
  

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The meta-universe represents a step towards the creation of new worlds and has the potential to bring humanity closer to the transition from physical reality to a new digital space. Despite current fears, it is now no longer possible to prevent this process. The only thing left is to keep the hope that metauniverses will do more good than harm to the world and enjoy all their possibilities.