I haven’t been super happy about the idea of living in a metaverse world, I’ll be totally honest. I mean, I like designing the spaces I live in and sometimes wish that my computer felt more like an environment that I create (I would give a lot to have a Material You style UI for my laptop), but I really don’t like the sort of video game uncanny valley environments.
What I can get behind, however, is stuff like this:
This video (from 2018) is a Q & A from Niemann’s YouTube channel that extends his New Yorker AR cover’s philosophy that there needs to be abstract and hand-drawn content for AR and VR in a direction that I absolutely love.
His torso is comped into a black and white virtual world (note that even his legs are not real) with some minor animation. I think it’s utterly gorgeous. And brilliant. If I had a way to experiment with VR I would want to make one for myself. I love the idea that my virtual workspace or meeting room could have the aesthetic of my doodles if I wanted it to – a very literal welcome into my notebook and thought process.
I wonder if I could figure out how to automate stitching scans or pages from my ReMarkable into worlds… that would be interesting. I could have a template with a few rectangles for floor, wall, ceiling, etc. and could add things in each rectangle so that when I jumped into the VR world I could look over at the wall for a bunch of Post-Its with tasks or at my desk where I’ve taken notes on a reading or something…
I really still am unhappy about the prospect of living in the kind of metaverse I’ve seen demonstrated, but since it looks like virtual meetings aren’t going away and VR will enter my life at some point whether I like it or not, it’s nice to play with ideas that make it more palatable and interesting.
Here are the other two episodes, which each have their own beautiful environments – the first takes place in the middle of the Champs-Élysées, and the second one takes place inside of his half-open notebook. Also both have book recommendations. I’m sad he didn’t do more. Anyway, here they are: