What exactly is the meta-universe?

Original title: "A Passage to understand the Meta-universe"

Chainlink

The recent explosion of NFT (non-homogeneous token) in the blockchain ecosystem; Facebook's decision to swerve and rename the company "Meta" has brought the concept of the meta-universe into the mainstream public consciousness.

While the concept may seem cutting-edge, the concept of a meta-universe has been around in popular culture for decades. The term was first coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 science fiction novel Avalanche. The metaverse refers to an all-encompassing 3D virtual world that simulates, connects and enhances the real world. Since then, the concept of the metadverse has been mentioned frequently in mainstream culture, such as in films like Ready Player One, Tron: Legacy, and The Matrix. So what exactly is the meta-universe?

Meta-universe details

Simply put, the meta-universe is a digital universe parallel to the real world. Since the concept is still in its early stages, there is still a lot of debate about exactly what the metadverse will look like, and even whether the world today has created one.  

In the most idealized version, the metasomes are virtual worlds parallel to the real world, in which certain abilities may be enhanced, much like the worlds created by the robots in The Matrix. A more realistic version of the metasurverse would allow players to interact "realistically" in a virtual world using sophisticated motion-tracking devices and virtual reality headsets. In this meta-universe, players have avatars, can play games, and can lead pseudo-anonymous lives. In some cases, digital assets owned by users can be as scarce and valuable as traditional assets in the real world. And if we look back in time, we'll see that our world already had a meta-universe. Some argue that the meta-universe is made up of the human interactions, emotions and experiences we generate in social media platforms, games and various virtual Spaces.  

But while the definition of the metadverse varies, the core logic behind it is pretty clear. Telepresence is a key element in the realization of the metadverse. Whether through immersive AR and VR technology, using block chain safeguard user digital asset ownership, or development fun massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), we have created a virtual space, in which make people feel their presence, even tangible, and this is yuan universe.

Into the meta-universe

The meta-universe is truly all around us. Early experimental innovations in MMORPGs like Second Life and World of Warcraft gave us gamified social platforms. It's an immersive experience, and the weapons, costumes, and even houses are worth a lot of money in the real world. On social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, users can create pseudo-anonymous online avatars and interact, share news, discuss information and chat with friends in virtual Spaces wherever they are.

Whether it's interacting on Twitter, having a work meeting on Zoom, or playing multiplayer online games, people are no strangers to fully immersive virtual Spaces accessed through screens. Now, however, there are innovations in technology that have the potential to bring greater value, presence and performance to the virtual world.

To improve telepresence and advance the metasurverse, much depends on whether we can replicate the real experience of people in the real world in the metasurverse. VR headsets and motion tracking devices can play a key role here. Now these devices are more realistic and can create 100% immersion. Some early innovations included SuperHot, a Matrix-style game in which time kept pace with the player's speed. There's also VRChat, a social platform that allows players to create 3D avatars and interact in public virtual Spaces.  

VR aims to create an immersive virtual world parallel to the physical world, while AR superimposes a virtual world on top of the physical world. The most typical example is Microsoft's Hololens, an AR headset that tracks the user's eye and body movements, superposes virtual images and ICONS on the screen, and helps users navigate, identify objects, and interact with the real world in a virtual way.  

Imagine putting on your AR glasses and being able to see which shoes you want to wear today, or playing a game on a virtual screen on your desk. AR glasses can be updated in real time based on sensors, providing users with information and highlighting everyday experiences. The purpose of AR is to seamlessly integrate the virtual world with the real world to provide more stimulation and functionality to everyday life while maintaining a sense of reality.

Both AR and VR are exciting technologies that will play an important role in the future development of the metasverse. However, interactive and immersive experiences are only one element of realizing the metasexes, along with a decentralized infrastructure like blockchain that allows users to participate in the metasexes as well as platform developers. In the end, the user will shape the form of the meta-universe, provide more rich content to the virtual space through verifiable virtual items, and gain a greater sense of presence in this virtual space.

Current problems in the metasverse

There are some problems with the metasverse at the moment, so it is not possible to achieve a fully immersive experience. Players and users often find themselves unable to participate in the development and construction of the meta-universe, and only the meta-universe development team can do so. For example, players can't sell their swords in World of Warcraft and use the money they earn to buy a house in Second Life. These activities are limited by the centralized platform. Twitter and Instagram are isolated from each other, and while there are channels to connect the two platforms, there is no formal messaging or value transfer mechanism because the two platforms are developed by two different companies. This phenomenon of platforms isolated from each other is more like a meta-room than a true meta-universe.  

The rooms are cut off and connected by blockchains and prognosticators.

Ideally, the metasverse of the future will connect all the individual ecologies together to form a complete virtual environment. The key is to achieve interoperability between each ecosystem and ultimately greater synergy. The result would be an open world where everyone could live together in shared virtual networks, rather than the isolated ecologies that exist today, riven by software and hardware incompatibilities, national boundaries and competing companies.  

Only then can we create virtual worlds that are truly parallel to the real world. In it, you can own assets, your own unique avatar, and have the freedom to explore the virtual world just as you experience it in the real world. Blockchain technology and decentralized prognoses have been used to implement this interconnected metasurtical system of applications, experiences, and digital assets.

Create a meta-universe and a meta-universe economy for users

Because shared networks are not controlled by any single entity, blockchains have advantages over traditional networks in terms of composability and transparency. On blockchain, game projects, DeFi protocols, and NFT art collections are all connected by the underlying infrastructure, so value can be transferred seamlessly and iterated rapidly based on a mature economic model. True ownership and interoperability are essential elements of the meta-universe.  

Real ownership of digital assets

Today, large companies around the world are using rent-seeking business models to transfer digital assets. Users don't own the music they listen to or the movies and TV they watch, and they don't even have an account that represents their virtual identity. These assets are leased to users in some way, for example for subscription fees or other hidden costs, usually advertising or data mining.

While blockchains, cryptocurrencies and NFT can verify ownership of digital assets, users can trade their digital assets at will. This is the biggest catalyst to build the metasurverse and the metasurverse economy that truly belongs to users. Digital assets are not controlled by the project team, and they survive even if the project fails, which is similar to a shoe company going out of business, but you can still own the shoes they made before.  

On blockchain, users can finally truly own digital assets, just as they own DVDS, clothes, or other physical goods. There is a significant distinction between transferable and leased ownership of digital assets in a blockchain network. Because once a token or NFT is sent to a user's digital wallet, you can be absolutely sure and verify that the user now owns these assets. This further enhances the immersion of the metasomes, as NFT broadens the concept of digital performance and identity in virtual Spaces, mimics the invisible social framework of our real world, creates virtual worlds that are parallel to the real world, and enhances the realism of this virtual world.  

interoperability

Another notable feature of blockchain networks such as Ethereum is their strong interoperability. All projects on the blockchain can interact, thus creating a connected ecosystem and unifying the user experience.  

Users can borrow from the DeFi protocol on the same blockchain platform, make money in the game (also known as "earn while you play"), and also buy NFT. In each of these scenarios, the user is plugged into an interconnected ecosystem, where NFT can be used as collateral to borrow money, or bought with in-game revenue. Because everything is done in a blockchain network, the on-chain experience is guaranteed to be consistent and harmonious, which is a key part of the metasexes.

1. Decentraland

Decentraland is a typical example of a blockchain metauniverse. It's a virtual reality platform based on Ethereum that users can access on their mobile devices and computers. Decentraland users can purchase customised land in a virtual world, interact with other players via avatars and participate in a range of user-created social events. This is the first metasurverse experiment on a blockchain that guarantees true asset ownership for users, provides gamified social features, and is combined with blockchain interoperability.  

Players can customise Decentraland virtual land, which is completely owned by the user.

Currently, owners of virtual land can host various virtual events, such as concerts and raffles, that combine elements of the early metasurverse game Second Life with the recent VR hit VRChat. Unlike these games however, Decentraland users can sell their land to people on Ethereum in a process similar to real life land transactions, except that it is distributed digitally. MANA on Decentraland's native token can also be used as collateral on the MakerDAO platform, the decentralized organization that issues DAI stabecoins. Decentraland's vr platform has become part of the metauniverse since launching on the Ethereum blockchain and has direct access to all ethereum applications including MakerDAO's Stablecoin, Axie Infinity's Earn while play and Aave's lending platform.  

Blockchain is a public ecology that enables metasurverse, metasurverse economy and metasurverse experience. It will address key issues of interoperability and ownership of digital assets. However, there is also the problem of fragmentation between each blockchain ecosystem, and chains cannot directly interact with each other. To create a smooth metasexes experience, you need to develop the infrastructure that connects blockchains, centralized social media platforms, gaming companies, and more.

The role of decentralized networks of prognosticators in the metasverse

While blockchain can achieve more connectivity than the current "meta-room", it does not solve the problem of its own ecosystem being unable to connect to the outside world. Blockchain itself is a secure but isolated environment, so robust prognosticators are needed to fill the gap.

Decentralized networks of prognostics like Chainlink allow blockchains and smart contracts on them to securely interact with data and services in the real world. With Chainlink, blockchains can communicate with each other and interact with traditional systems, bringing transparency, security and efficiency to the meta-universe.  

Chainlink is compatible with all blockchains, providing a common framework for industry-leading blockchains to access off-chain data and deploy decentralized off-chain computing. These services are essential for interoperability between blockchain and metasurverse, and include:

· Decentralized data -- In a meta-cosmic economy, users will exchange their own values with each other and have access to various financial instruments such as loans and insurance. Chainlink Price Feeds  Block chain projects can access safe and robust feed price data, so that the entire metacosmic economy to achieve a virtuous cycle. Chainlink Data Feeds can transmit key results for confirmation on the underlying blockchain, such as sending users' in-game metacosmic items and rewards to another blockchain.

· Off-chain computing -- Chainlink VRF provides metasverse applications with a verifiable fair and trust minimization random number generator for play-and-play games, sweepstakes, and rewards distribution. Chainlink Keepers  Enabling blockchain projects to automate the deployment of critical services and establish truly automated processes across all centralized and decentralized systems.  

· Cross-chain Communication -- The Cross-chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) is a global standard that makes it easy to connect projects on any blockchain. With secure cross-chain communication, the metasurses can span multiple blockchains, be optimized for different application scenarios, and achieve an efficient multi-chain ecosystem that users can freely explore.  

If the metasurverse looks a lot like the world we live in today, then corporate and centralized metasurverse environments are cities, blockchains are countries, and Chainlink is the infrastructure that connects them safely, reliably, and decentralized.

Chainlink securely and reliably connects blockchain to a centralized metaverse platform.

For example, imagine a future meta-universe where most players will need a Meta VR headset and A Microsoft HoloLens to enter the meta-universe. Blockchain, on the other hand, provides the underlying decentralized architecture for players to secure ownership of their assets and unify the gaming experience of virtual worlds. Chainlink securely connects all three technologies, ensuring that value and data can be transferred with minimal trust between iot devices, blockchain, and centralized metaverse applications. Chainlink connects the real and virtual worlds with minimal credit to create an immersive metaverse experience for users, whether it's real-world data such as sports results or events in the metaverse.

As the Metasverse continues to move forward, Chainlink will provide trust minimization connectivity to various sub-chain entities and blockchains, and will further promote metasverse interoperability and integration, seamlessly interacting with all metasverse related platforms and the real world.

The age of the meta-universe is upon us

It's still in the early stages of development, but over the past few years, the metasomes have really moved from a fantasy science fiction concept to reality. The next phase will be a series of immersive metaverse applications, and the core technology behind them is firmly in development.

There's no way to know for sure if there will be a world like avalanche, the Matrix, or Ready Player One. Maybe the metaverse will develop into something completely beyond our imagination. No one can predict exactly how the metasomes will evolve in the future. Developers, creators, users, and visionaries can unleash their talents and creativity to create a truly user, connected, decentralized, immersive digital universe.

This article is submitted and does not represent the opinion of BlockBeats.

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