ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Curiosity Stream How Is Roblox Shaping The Future Of The Metaverse? | Engineering The Future
Roblox is a major player in creating the metaverse, a vast virtual universe filled with user-created worlds. It’s a place where you can hang out with friends or meet new ones. David Baszucki, one of Roblox’s co-founders, talks about their vision for a new way people can experience things together. They wanted to create a 3D space where people can learn, play, and work together, connecting everyone around the globe.
The Roblox team faces the challenge of making tools that are easy for anyone to use to create experiences, while also being advanced enough to support millions of users in real-time. They are solving big problems, often being the first to try new things. Just because something hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done, and challenges shouldn’t stop innovation.
What makes Roblox special is that all the virtual worlds and experiences are made by its users. The community is working to turn Roblox from just a bunch of video games into a proto-metaverse. Two British Roblox fans, Simon Burgess and Max Entwistle, met online while playing games on the platform. They enjoyed doing real-world activities in a virtual setting, which helped them become friends.
Max and Simon moved from playing games to creating new experiences on Roblox. They worked together on projects, with Max adding features to Simon’s models, bringing their ideas to life. Now, they work full-time making virtual worlds for others to explore. Before entering these worlds, users create avatars, which are their digital selves in the metaverse. Users can customize their avatars with accessories for a small fee.
Once users have their avatars ready, they can choose from 27 million virtual worlds to play games or explore. Max is currently building a new world from scratch, using tools that make it easy to create landscapes and add objects made by others. Roblox Studio supports programming, allowing users to create interactive elements like doors with simple coding.
In 2017, Max and Simon created a game called SharkBite, which has been played over a billion times. They earn money when players upgrade their boats or buy themed items for their avatars. Recently, they’ve been part of a trend to create virtual experiences that mimic real-life scenarios, like managing a pizza place or role-playing as a delivery person.
They also made a camping simulation that lets users experience backpacking without leaving home. This game allows players to explore a large island and set up campsites with friends, offering a relaxing break from real-life stress. The community sees them as developers, and they enjoy interacting with players.
Simulated experiences like these are very popular on Roblox, attracting billions of visits each year. The vision for the metaverse includes socializing and making friends in realistic virtual environments. Roblox plans to improve their avatars and virtual worlds, aiming for lifelike realism, a trend seen throughout the industry. The ultimate goal for some is to create experiences that feel just like real life, capturing the details that make the real world special.
However, making realistic virtual objects from scratch is tough and takes a lot of time. Creating entire digital worlds that look like reality would need a lot of effort and resources.
Imagine you are a game developer on Roblox. Use Roblox Studio to design a simple virtual world. Focus on creating a landscape and adding interactive elements like doors or bridges. Share your world with classmates and explore each other’s creations. This will help you understand the basics of world-building in the metaverse.
Create a unique avatar that represents you in the metaverse. Use the customization tools available on Roblox to add accessories and personalize your digital self. Discuss with your classmates how your avatar reflects your personality and what it means to have a digital identity.
With a partner, choose a real-life scenario to simulate in Roblox, such as running a pizza place or going on a camping trip. Develop a simple game or experience that allows others to role-play in your scenario. This activity will help you understand how virtual experiences can mimic real-life situations.
Create a vision board that illustrates your ideas for the future of the metaverse. Include images, drawings, and text that represent what you think the metaverse should look like and how people will interact within it. Present your vision board to the class and discuss the possibilities of the metaverse.
Join a group to brainstorm solutions to challenges faced by developers in creating realistic virtual worlds. Discuss topics like resource management, realism in design, and user engagement. Present your solutions and consider how they could be implemented in platforms like Roblox.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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A leading contender in building the infrastructure of the metaverse is Roblox, a sprawling virtual universe of user-created worlds where you can log in simultaneously with friends or make new friends. David Baszucki, one of the co-founders, shares the vision of a new category of human co-experience. When they identified a need for technology that allows people to engage together, they envisioned a 3D immersive space where individuals can learn, play, and work together. Platforms like Roblox enable deep connections and foster learning among users, aiming to connect everyone around the world.
The team at Roblox faces the unique challenge of developing tools that are simple enough for almost anyone to create experiences for their friends, yet sophisticated enough to simulate compelling 3D worlds for millions of users in real-time. They are solving problems at a massive scale, often being the first to tackle these challenges. Just because something hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be achieved, and the difficulty of a task shouldn’t deter innovation.
What makes Roblox unique is that every virtual world and experience is created by its users. This community is on a mission to transform Roblox from a collection of video games into a proto-metaverse. Two British Roblox enthusiasts, Simon Burgess and Max Entwistle, first met online while logged into the platform. They enjoyed playing games together, replicating real-world activities in a virtual setting, which helped grow their friendship.
Max and Simon transitioned from playing games on Roblox to creating new experiences. They collaborated on projects, with Max adding functionality to Simon’s models, bringing their ideas to life. They now work full-time creating virtual worlds for others to explore. Before entering these worlds, users must create their avatars, which serve as their digital selves in the metaverse. Users can customize their avatars in various ways, such as adding accessories for a small cost.
As users finalize their avatars, they can choose from 27 million virtual worlds to enter, whether to play games or explore. Max is currently building a new world from scratch, using tools that allow for easy terrain generation and the addition of objects created by others. Roblox Studio supports programming, enabling users to create interactive elements like doors with simple code.
In 2017, Max and Simon developed a game called SharkBite, which has been played over a billion times. They earn revenue when players upgrade their boats or purchase themed items for their avatars. Recently, they have been part of a movement to create virtual experiences that simulate real-world scenarios, such as managing a pizza place or role-playing as a delivery person.
They have also created a camping simulation that allows users to experience backpacking without leaving home. This immersive game lets players explore a large island and set up campsites with friends, providing a relaxing escape from real-life stress. The community recognizes them as developers, and they enjoy interacting with players.
Simulated experiences like these dominate popular genres on Roblox, attracting billions of hits each year. The vision for the metaverse includes socializing and making friends in realistic virtual environments. Roblox plans to enhance their avatars and virtual worlds, aiming for lifelike realism, a trend seen throughout the industry. The ultimate goal for some is to create experiences that are indistinguishable from real life, capturing the nuances of the real world that make it special.
However, building realistic virtual objects from scratch is challenging and time-consuming. Creating entire digital worlds that convincingly mimic reality would require significant effort and resources.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language, laughter, and unnecessary details.
Roblox – An online platform where users can create and play games made by other users. – Many students enjoy playing and creating games on Roblox during their free time.
Metaverse – A collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space. – In the future, people might attend virtual concerts in the metaverse using their avatars.
Users – Individuals who interact with computers, software, or online platforms. – The platform has millions of users who log in daily to play games and socialize.
Avatars – Digital representations of users in a virtual environment. – In the game, each player can customize their avatar to look unique.
Virtual – Existing or occurring on computers or on the internet rather than in the physical world. – The virtual classroom allowed students to attend lessons from home.
Experiences – Interactive activities or events that users can participate in, often in a digital or virtual setting. – The game offers various experiences, from racing to puzzle-solving adventures.
Programming – The process of writing instructions for a computer to perform specific tasks. – Learning programming can help you create your own video games or apps.
Games – Interactive digital activities designed for entertainment, often involving challenges or objectives. – Many students enjoy playing games that test their strategic thinking and reflexes.
Worlds – Digital environments or settings within a game or virtual platform. – Players can explore different worlds, each with its own unique landscapes and challenges.
Realism – The quality of resembling real life, often used in graphics or simulations to make them look more lifelike. – The game’s graphics are praised for their realism, making players feel like they are in a real city.
