Divenet project

[alanir]

Our goal is to create client-server based virtual worlds that anyone can share like web-sites. Apache and web-browser but for 3D with native OR support.

Imagine server-side
You just taking a shell script and running it on Debian like system. After that, you writing a little config file where describing all projects on your server. What is this world about, I'll tell a little bit later.

Imagine developer-side
You taking Unity3D engine. And create a world that consists from a bunch of scenes, connected with each other. Write scripts, create a simple objects. This is a new game for example. You taking asset from sdk, pushing one button "build world" - and now you have your game packed in project. Upload it to your server.

Imagine client-side
Other people downloads client-side, like other browser. Plugs-in Oculus rift, running client, choosing the world to connect and immerse. Native support of OR, native support of game contollers, voice chats and everything else are included.

Imagine the result
So, what we have? We have a compiled on Unity3D Pro client and server part that guarantees work of dynamic shadows, work with Oculus rift and other PRO stuff. We exporting our worlds in bundles, which clients will download from server-side and will work with created worlds. We can create games, we can create service, we even can create alternative reallity where cinema have no ticket-limitations and where films will be decorated with environment effects and interact with all audience for example.

Imagine the future
We grab the client-side to the Steam. We taking workshop. And now we have a powerful tool to customize client-side. Want to create a dozens of clothes? Or you want to create a wristwatch with countdown to new year? Maybe you want to sell all this stuff? Sure, why not.
Steam, Oculus Rift, Unity3D. What else? Of course. Steam machine and steam controller and integration of all this stuff from the box.

Second Life?
* Overloaded 2D interface. Hello 2000-th?
* Graphics is really nothing about.
* Not friendly and not opened for developers.
* No progress.
* No VR.
* Horrible mechanics of moving and interaction.
* World around you is static constantly.

What’s next? Genres of games. You create a set of models and scripts which represents certain game mechanics. You publish it. Everyone can create a world based on your genre and every user will have a profiles for this genre which he/she can use in different worlds and servers. Yes, you can travel with your character from one game to another. Combine different genre, inherit from them.

We are in prototype phase and you can touch client/server/sdk here - http://divenet.talennsy.org
Planed features list you can find here - https://trello.com/b/j6fHIwRt/divenet

[Mystify]

Seems like a good structure. Very flexible and extensible, lots of potential.

[alanir]

Are you developer ?

[Mystify]

I am.

[alanir]

Maybe you have an ideas and thoughts about what you will need in such platform to work with it? As a developer with some sort of experience.

[Mystify]

Depends on how unified you want to make this. If you are running an arbitrary scene, then just using unity should be sufficient. If you are trying to create a consistent world, then I'd want easy access to predefined things, like ensuring a consistent character model, unifying the control schemes, especially in terms of VR parameters. it would probably be a very negative experience if each place you went had their own settings for the rift calibration, and maybe even things like player model height. The more unified you make this, the more robust your own framework needs to be, while the looser you are the more freedom the developers will have to operate.

[alanir]

Depends on how unified you want to make this. If you are running an arbitrary scene, then just using unity should be sufficient. If you are trying to create a consistent world, then I'd want easy access to predefined things, like ensuring a consistent character model, unifying the control schemes, especially in terms of VR parameters.

We are moving certanly in direction of unify. All players input and work with all VR devices will be realized in client part.
Asset for unity will have a template of user (with fixed physical parameters) to orient on it.
It will be possible to customize avatars without breaking physical restrictions (in sizes) for clients with help of Steam workshop. But if developer of world (genre) want's to somehow replace or customize avatars it will be possible in scope of certain server.