Boston VR Newsletter - June 2024 Edition
Monthly Socials, Blender 3D Mini-Dev-Jam, New England Visionaries, and More...
Monthly Socials
The organizers and volunteers of Boston VR are continuing our monthly socials at TimeOut Market. Next up is July 1st at 7 pm.
Click here to RSVP for the next social!
Blender 3D Mini-Dev-Jam
Next Session: Saturday, June 22nd, 2024 3-5pm!
Hosted by the awesome John Gagan, a long-time member and volunteer with Boston VR, this dev jam is your chance to learn about Blender or sharpen your skills!
For more info, click here
We are seeking a snack sponsor for our Monthly Blender Group.
This is a fantastic opportunity for your brand to be featured prominently in our newsletter and support our VR community! If interested, email Casey
New England Visionaries
They meet at 6-9pm on the third Monday of each month
Are you the proud owner of an Apple Vision Pro, a VisionOS app developer, or someone who is just curious about this new platform? New England Visionaries is a community of Vision Pro aficionados, developers, and anyone interested in the future of spatial computing. Our monthly meetings provide a platform for networking, sharing knowledge, and exploring the latest developments in the field. We meet 6-9pm on the third Monday of each month:
Microsoft NERD Conference Center
1 Memorial Drive, M Floor, Cambridge, MA
Pizza and networking start at 6:00pm the third Monday of every month. Lightning talks begin at 6:30pm. For more information click here (Note: The event for June has not been posted yet)
Book of the Month:
From the Publisher’s website:
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER — United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and China (Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Nielsen Bookscan, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, BookNet Canada, Bookseller.com, Bookdao/Nielsen, JD, DangDang)
Tim Sweeney (CEO of Fortnite-maker Epic Games): “Matthew Ball’s essays have defined, analyzed, and inspired the Metaverse for years. His book is an approachable and essential guide to the strategic, technical, and philosophical foundations of this new medium.”
Derek Thompson (Atlantic staff writer and national best-selling author of Hit Makers): “This book feels like a rare achievement: a definitive statement about an emerging phenomenon that could shape the digital world, the global economy, and the very experience of human consciousness.”
From the leading theorist of the Metaverse comes the definitive account of the next internet: what the Metaverse is, what it will take to build it, and what it means for all of us.
The term “Metaverse” is suddenly everywhere, from the front pages of national newspapers and the latest fashion trends to the plans of the most powerful companies in history. It is already shaping the policy platforms of the US government, the European Union, and the Chinese Communist Party.
But what, exactly, is the Metaverse? As pioneering theorist and venture capitalist Matthew Ball explains, it is a persistent and interconnected network of 3D virtual worlds that will eventually serve as the gateway to most online experiences, and also underpin much of the physical world. For decades, these ideas have been limited to science fiction and video games, but they are now poised to revolutionize every industry and function, from finance and healthcare to education, consumer products, city planning, dating, and well beyond.
Taking us on an expansive tour of the “next internet,” Ball demonstrates that many proto-Metaverses are already here, such as Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox. Yet these offer only a glimpse of what is to come. Ball presents a comprehensive definition of the Metaverse before explaining the technologies that will power it—and the breakthroughs that will be necessary to fully realize it. He addresses the governance challenges the Metaverse entails; investigates the role of Web3, blockchains, and NFTs; and predicts Metaverse winners and losers. Most importantly, he examines many of the Metaverse’s almost unlimited applications.
The internet will no longer be at arm’s length; instead, it will surround us, with much of our lives, labor, and leisure taking place inside the Metaverse. Bringing clarity and authority to a frequently misunderstood concept, Ball foresees trillions of dollars in new value—and the radical reshaping of society.
Stay tuned for our next newsletter for more updates, highlights, and community stories. Let's keep exploring the infinite possibilities of extended reality together!
Boston VR is committed to fostering a welcoming and innovative community for XR enthusiasts and professionals.
Whether you're a developer, creator, researcher, or just plain curious, we're excited to explore the future of XR with you.
For more detailed discussions and to share your thoughts or experiences, don't hesitate to join us at our next meetup or reach out through our community channels.
See you in the virtual world!
Do you know of a venue for hosting a Boston VR Game Nights?
I am looking for a venue to host the monthly Boston VR Game Nights! If you consider yourself a VR gamer or want to explore the meta ecosystem of games together in person while we play in the virtual world, AND you know of a venue, please message Chris.
Join the Boston VR Slack
To join, click here
Interested in Volunteering with Boston VR?
Email Casey We need help with marketing, event planning, dev jams, sponsorship, and more!
Thank you to our Premium Sponsor, AMXRA!
AMXRA is the premier medical society advancing the science and practice of medical extended reality, https://amxra.org/.
AMXRA has generously committed to being a premium sponsor for Boston VR over the coming years. We are immensely grateful for their support and partnership in exploring the forefront of XR technology.
