30 dimensions and more types of media to work with ,” Boyd says .
Dell ’ s Sawtell agrees that frictionless access is critical . “ If I ’ m in the metaverse on one device , how do I meet a friend who ’ s on another device ? Common standards are extremely important .”
That ’ s why Sawtell is excited about NVIDIA ’ s Omniverse , an open-source platform or ecosystem for 3D design that also connects to other popular 3D applications like Epic Games ’ Unreal Engine and SideFX ’ s Houdini .
“ NVIDIA Omniverse is tackling the friction problem head on with its open platform ,” he says .
CONTENT IS STILL KING The internet wouldn ’ t be where it is today without meaningful content . Same goes for the metaverse .
Currently , the bulk of the metaverse experiences target gamers . In fact , some people see Epic Games ’ “ Fortnite ” as being as close to the metaverse as we are at the moment . For example , many go there simply to socialize , while virtual concerts and other events have become a staple . And Epic Games solved the friction problem — so common in gaming today — by enabling full cross-play on mobile platforms , PCs and gaming devices .
To entice more people to the metaverse — after all , this new digital space is all about social interaction — we ’ ll need more content . That ’ s where tools like Omniverse come in .
The tools democratize the ability to create content in the metaverse , according to Boyd . And Boyd knows content , as well as open standards , firsthand . He co-authored a book on Virtual Reality Modeling Language ( VRML ), an open-source software developed in the ’ 90s for interactive 3D design such as simulation . He also helped architect the U . S . Department of Defense open-source Virtual World Framework and launched several gaming companies .
“ The metaverse should be like the internet , where anybody who can master standards like HTML or JavaScript can contribute ,” Boyd says . “ With some basic 3D models and light integration , you ought to be able to build interesting things in these new worlds .”
Tools are one step . Content also requires effort , and creators typically expect some form of return on investment .
Howard uses a virtual , interactive travel world as an example . “ Think about what that requires , including a film crew to go and film numerous shots from different angles . Then you need to digitize all that and transpose it to 3D ,” he says .
As demand grows with adoption and increased consumerism , so will content availability , Howard believes .
GOING BEYOND THEORY Like other new technology ideas , the metaverse has attracted a contingent of skeptics . That ’ s understandable , considering that the concept has floated around for three decades with limited development . Even now , much of the conversation remains theoretical , while the technologies that underpin the metaverse continue to evolve .
Sawtell , for example , notes , “ There are so many unanswered questions about moving to this space .” The sentiment is widely held in the industry .
Despite the unknowns , the metaverse is likely to gain momentum as more technology companies become involved . As Boyd points out , academics and technologists bought into the early concept of the metaverse , but the technology companies weren ’ t at the table . Now tech companies are driving it forward .
It will take years , perhaps decades , to find out where these efforts will lead . But if the metaverse is anything like the internet — if not much better — it ’ s hard to see this genie going back into the bottle . ■