VRChat plans to offer age verification to its adult users starting with certain early access groups.
VRChat explained the plan to partner with an organization called Persona to externally verify age with a government ID as well as a phone or computer with a camera. The feature will be used to "gate access to instances that were created with the 'Age Verification' option enabled" and won't be required to use VRChat overall.
"Age-verified users can also opt to have a Verified 18+ badge added to their profile," VRChat explains on a form for groups to apply for early access.
"We're going to be partnering with a few event organizers to run a trial for age verified events," VRChat Senior Community Manager Strasz explained in a video. "During this trial period only members of those select groups will be able to apply for age verification and only those groups in particular will be able to restrict instance access to those who have been age verified. We're keeping it small to start so that we can work out the kinks."
Group Instance creators who have access to the feature "will have the option to restrict access to age-verified users. For example, a bar may want to restrict access to 18+ users. This will require all attendees to go through the Age Verification process. Once the process is complete, that user (assuming they are 18 or older) can enter any Age Verification Instances in the future."
An optional badge indicating "Verified 18+" can also be added to their VRChat profile.
"In this trial phase, Age Verification will not impact content filters, but we will consider how to do so as we scale and Age Verification becomes generally available," VRChat explains. "We believe that adding age verification as an option will enable our communities and users to better tailor their experience and build a stronger and safer platform."
The Bigscreen app now has a Cloud Browser feature.
It was already possible to share your PC screen to others in a Bigscreen room, or to cowatch YouTube, local videos, or "channels" without a PC.
As the name suggests, the new Cloud Browser runs in the cloud and streams synchronized to each user in the session, meaning it gives you web screensharing standalone on Quest, without a PC.
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Bigscreen says Cloud Browser can be used with almost any website, including video services like PLEX or web-based games, with the exception of platforms that use DRM, such as Netflix and Disney+. Those aren't supported.
Bigscreen’s Cloud Browser is available for free for the first two hours you ever use it, as a trial. After, it's priced at $1.99 for a day pass or $9.99 for a 30-day pass.
The feature brings a capability otherwise unavailable on Meta's Horizon OS platform. Apple's visionOS offers screen-sharing at any time during FaceTime sessions, including with its realistic Spatial Personas. But Apple's offering requires $3500 headsets, for now, while Bigscreen Cloud Browser works on the new $300 Quest 3S, as well as the approximately 20 million Quest 2 headsets already in consumer hands.
The new Meta Avatars with overhauled graphics and animations launched last week, after being officially confirmed at Meta Connect. But what Meta didn't announce, neither at Connect nor when launching the new avatars, was that you can generate a new one using your smartphone's front camera.
To do so, just open the Meta Horizon phone app, navigate to your avatar, and create a new one. You can have multiple avatars now, so generating a new one doesn't mean overwriting your existing new-style avatar.
It's an interesting feature that should help those who aren't interested in or good with video game character creator interfaces get set up for social VR. Eventually it's possible the same scan could be used to generate a Codec Avatar too, offering you two virtual versions of your self, cartoonish and realistic.
The Meta Avatars graphics overhaul is now live in Horizon Worlds, Home, and Workrooms, and the SDK for third-party apps has been updated too.
The overhaul was first announced with a pre-rendered mockup by Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect 2022 two years ago.
All Meta users are now offered to upgrade their avatar when navigating to edit it in the Meta Horizon phone app, or in Horizon OS on a Quest headset. After doing so, you'll see your new avatar appearance in the Horizon Home space, Horizon Worlds, and Horizon Workrooms.
An updated version of Meta Avatars SDK for third-party Unity apps with the upgraded avatars is also available for developers. Major apps that currently use Meta Avatars SDK include GOLF+, Eleven Table Tennis, and Drop Dead: The Cabin.
Apps like these will have until March 30 to update to the new SDK version, after which the old Meta Avatars will no longer load, leaving a blank grey placeholder avatar instead.
The Meta Avatars SDK still isn't available for other engines such as Unreal or Godot, though, and nor is a native SDK for custom engines.
Fantastical Avatars
Some time next year, Meta says it will allow users to generate a new outfit for their avatar by typing, leveraging generative AI. In at least Horizon Worlds, Meta says it will also support "fantastical avatars", non-human forms which users can unlock in specific worlds.
Candidates for elected office in the United States met in Horizon Worlds recently to encourage voter registration and the casting of real ballots.
Democratic candidates Shelly Fraley and Michelle Meriwether, both running for offices in Michigan, hosted a “Get Out The Vote” style event in Horizon Worlds on Saturday, September 21st. I stayed for the duration to observe how things went.
A VR Voting Rally In Meta Horizon Worlds
Political activity in virtual worlds is not new. Joe Biden extended his 2020 presidential campaign to both Fortnite and Animal Crossing, for example. If the president can use games to advertise his candidacy, why can’t everyone else? More specifically, how exactly does the public interact with its own candidates for office using VR headsets? And should such an event exist at all?
Rallygoers tune in for a musical break.
Meta Connect was immediately after the rally and featured a number of promised updates coming to Horizon Worlds, including a complete overhaul of how people represent themselves in the space as avatars. So while future events might not resemble this one, it is still worth breaking down what this particular one looked like as a point of future comparison.
The lobby.
Screenshots show red and blue woven together across the entire design of the space. There’s a voting booth for practice to get people used to the idea of casting a ballot. The ballots don't actually cast votes, of course, but they accompany information about absentee ballots, how to register to vote, and how to find polling locations. There are no banners visible for specific politicians or parties.
A practice voting booth.
Outside the mock voting area is a red-and-blue stage for special events. Visitors looked over the red and blue chairs for seating and seemed reticent to select either one. Would picking a spot for comfort mean choosing a color chair that isn’t your voting preference? As the rally went on, I paid less attention to where each color chair was and stood where I could record footage the easiest.
Meriwether (left) answers a few light questions from the hosts.
There were musicians dispersed throughout the space over the event's duration providing entertainment. Two hosts navigated the event with occasional reminders to the audience of how to vote. It was also reiterated, more than once, that the goal of the rally was to encourage voting and not any one political party.
Other players' cameras are visible when activated.
Recording footage was difficult because of Horizon's camera system. When a Horizon user activates their camera, other people see a giant tablet that blocks their view. VRChat’s camera system, in contrast, shows a small round disc that can appear semi-transparent and zip around where its owner pilots it. Horizon could benefit from a more discreet drone-friendly camera system with a zoom function.
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MI Representative candidate Shelly Fraley speaks to a crowd in Horizon Worlds.
Candidate Interaction
Fraley and Meriwether's appearances were light on direct social interaction with the audience. Fraley opted to engage through Horizon's mobile app and, after introducing herself, Meriwether stayed on for a talk and question and answer session.
I observed no disruptions, though I did see conversations between candidates and those who seemed to have opposing views. At one point Meriwether had a conversation about family law with someone challenging their views, but there weren't raised voices and it seemed like a civil discussion.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the rally seemed put together with good intentions and went off with about as many hitches as can be expected with an experimental idea on a still-changing platform like Horizon Worlds. As a regular visitor to events in VR headsets, it's rare to observe any of them without some sort of human disruption. I didn't see that here, though, so it seemed successful enough to imagine how future events might build on this sort of interaction.
How precisely might a debate go in VR between opposing candidates using a platform like Horizon Worlds? Probably not as smoothly as this one, but it's still an interesting idea that's likely to see exploration in the future.
The new Meta Avatars system will launch on Tuesday.
Meta Avatars are used in Meta's own Horizon Home, Horizon Worlds, and Horizon Workrooms, as well as in third-party VR and mixed reality apps that use the Meta Avatars SDK such as GOLF+ and Eleven Table Tennis.
A graphics overhaul was first announced with a pre-rendered mockup by Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect 2022 two years ago. At the time he said the overhaul was coming in 2023, but that obviously didn't pan out.
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Meta says the new avatars will offer "new ways for people to adjust everything from physical proportions to fine tune details like eye size, nose shape, body shapes, and so much more, including the movement and expression".
For developers, Meta says the new SDK offers "a more detailed avatar skeleton for a richer way to control how avatars move and express".
And some time next year, Meta will allow users to generate a new outfit by typing, leveraging generative AI.
In Horizon Worlds, Meta says it will also support "fantastical avatars", non-human forms which users can unlock in specific worlds.
Fantastical Avatars
On Quest 3 and Quest 3S the new version of Meta Avatars will leverage the inside-out upper body tracking capability of these headsets, and on previous headsets they'll use inverse kinematics (IK) estimation. On all supported Meta headsets, the avatars will feature AI "generative legs" for the lower body.
More images of the upcoming Meta Avatars graphics overhaul have leaked.
VR enthusiast Luna spotted that when attempting to edit their avatar in the Meta Horizon mobile app, some people saw a popup promoting the overhaul as "coming soon".
Back in July, Luna also spotted that the overhaul was being tested by some Meta employees, noticing that their Horizon profiles show a completely different avatar style to the current Meta Avatars.
The overhaul was first announced with a pre-rendered mockup by Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect 2022 two years ago. At the time he said the overhaul was coming in 2023, but that obviously didn't pan out.
Current Meta Avatars, for comparison.
What Meta Avatars did get last year was legs, in Horizon Home and Horizon Worlds at least, a significant update given they had previously been widely ridiculed for only including the upper body.
The SDK for third-party apps got legs too in December, but they currently aren't animated so developers would have to implement this manually, an arduous task none have yet undertaken.
Over the past couple of months, we've explored some of the most compelling, imaginative, and breathtaking worlds VRChat has to offer, and today we're highlighting the worlds that stood out and left a lasting impression on us.
These picks are our top choices as of the publish date, but we're always eager to hear about more extraordinary worlds and will plan to update this list in the future. If you're a world creator with major updates to an existing world, or you know of any amazing destinations that we should check out next, drop us a line at tips@uploadvr.com.
Of the worlds we've visited from our existing community recommendations, here's our list of the best worlds to explore, not ranked in any particular order.
The TC Falcon II And Planet Funkatron
Creator: TC_Pool
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There is so much happening in here that it is hard to really convey, and creator TC_Pool isn't gonna help much by describing it on the world‘s VRChat landing page as “A HUGE world․ Very immersive․ Far too buck wild to explain here․ Explore the ship‚ Explore the planet‚ fly brooms‚ drink potions‚ learn the lore‚ quest‚ zest‚ and much more․”
All I can say is that this world is a spectacle for the senses with lots to do so the next time you’re in VRChat be sure to book a trip on the TC Falcon II and visit Planet Funkatron because you definitely don’t want to miss out on this “Buck Wild” experience!
The Organism Trilogy of worlds from DrMorro delivers unexpected sights around every corner. A moment captured in our footage shows twisting skyscrapers that are breathtaking to behold, with surprising moments to discover throughout each of these spaces and no definitive answer.
Namuanki is an ancient aquatic oasis from the distant future inspired by the creator's profound love for the sky, clouds, ocean, and rocks. This world invites you to explore towering rock formations and a vast ocean under the mesmerizing skybox dotted by volumetric clouds that look fantastic. These intricate environments are handcrafted by visionary artist Kevin Mack, who has incorporated his passion for scenic art into every pixel, ensuring that each visitor is enveloped in an atmosphere of tranquility and awe.
As you traverse Namuanki, you'll encounter mystical beings that offer interactive experiences in the form of trippy visions that heighten the sense of connection to this extraordinary digital landscape. Each element of Namuanki, from the ocean’s calming textures to the ice caves, reflects the creator’s background in visual effects and his fascination with both natural and otherworldly settings. Namuanki provides an emotionally rich and visually stunning experience that curious explorers won’t want to miss so if you haven't already, make sure to bookmark this world, because I have a feeling you're going to want to come back.
Let's step back in time to visit a city block circa 1994. In 77077 Arcade & Bar we find a world that is steeped in the nostalgia of a time when hanging out at the local arcade or renting games and movies at your favorite Blockbuster Video store was always a great time. Designed with meticulous attention to the smallest details, this world features both a recreation of a Blockbuster Video store and an arcade that seemingly serves as a museum of video gaming history, offering several cabinets and consoles to view and learn more about. Visiting this arcade and the Blockbuster store perfectly captures the magic of the 1990s, making this world an unmissable destination for those looking to relive the glory days.
Venture into the realm of Complex 7 by Fins, an extraordinarily detailed city seemingly frozen in time. In this world, the boundaries between mechanical and organic blur, with robots and animals coexisting in harmony. Walking through this world’s bustling streets, it’s easy to be immediately consumed by a sense of awe and wonder. The cityscape is meticulously detailed featuring graphics that rival many high-end PCVR games we see released lately.Each new corner of the city offers a discovery, and every interaction with the inhabitants reveals fragments of their backstories.
The world of Complex 7 is dark, and the industrial aesthetic, combined with nicely done atmospheric soundscapes, creates an immersive experience that captivates both the senses and the imagination. As you delve deeper, the secrets of Complex 7 gradually come to light, rewarding explorers with a rich narrative that leaves a lasting impression.
Cosmoria: VR Museum of Space commemorates the legacy of space exploration. This meticulously crafted virtual museum takes you on an educational voyage through our exploration of space, featuring detailed exhibits on planetary systems, star formations, and cosmic mysteries. As you navigate through the vast expanse of the universe, the level of detail and visual fidelity that you can achieve with a high-powered PC setup becomes immediately apparent. This is both enlightening and immersive, offering a fully featured space museum wherever your PC rig is connected to VRChat. This is a destination for space enthusiasts and curious VR travelers that should definitely get bookmarked for later.
Travelers can take a nostalgic journey into the iconic Hyrule as seen in the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Experience the realm brought to life with incredible detail in this non playable VR rendition that allows you to explore iconic locations like Kokiri Forest, Hyrule Castle, and Death Mountain, all reimagined with stunning accuracy. Whether your goal is to relive cherished memories, or just experiencing this classic game world for the first time, the immersive quality provided here with a powerful PC VR setup amplifies the magic and wonder of this timeless game world. Fans of the original game, and new explorers alike, will find a sense of joy and nostalgia around every corner.
Do you want to traverse the vast depths of space in a world that captures the essence of cosmic resource extraction? Set in a future where space excavation is a lucrative form of employment, Far Citizen: Elite Mining invites explorers to operate advanced spacecraft where they will warp to new destinations, extracting precious ores from floating asteroids. The immersive mechanics and realistic space environments make this not just a visual spectacle, but also an engaging strategic experience similar to what players might find in Elite Dangerous or Star Citizen. For fans of space exploration and industrial simulation, this world is a must-visit destination in VRChat.
Transport to the nostalgic and interactive world of Magnetize. Awarded Best Immersive World at Raindance Immersive 2023, Magnetize combines surreal visuals with a touch of nostalgia. This one is a bit hard to describe, so we'll leave that to the creator here:
'The air is thick with the scent of mothballs and old books․ Sparse trinkets and treasures fill shelves and the old TV emits a familiar tone․ You trace wires down to a game console then notice a comically oversized magnet sitting nearby․ No doubt part of an old science kit․ That TV needs to be replaced anyway‚ why not have some photoelectric fun while you’re here?'
Magnetize thrives on novel interactions and immersive ambience. The creator of this world delved deep into how magnets affect tube TVs, crafting a world where you can have some fun with simulated magnetic fields while reminiscing about the sciences of decades past making Magnetize is a fascinating blend of science and nostalgia that curious virtual travelers will surely want to experience for themselves.
Our final destination sees us plunging into the mesmerizing depths of Aquarius. This captivating world brings the beauty and mystery of underwater ecosystems to life. Artfully designed, Aquarius immerses you in a vibrant, aquatic biome where stunning visuals are just the beginning.
Through the glass of the habitat you can explore detailed underwater scenery teeming with exotic marine life. The world is alive with movement and color, creating a sense of wonder and tranquility. But Aquarius isn't just about visuals, it's also an educational experience. Interactive displays on the walls and tablets laying about provide fascinating insights into various marine species and their habitats, making it both entertaining and informative.
Whether you're chilling in the conversation pit watching your favorite weekly VR gaming podcast on the in-world video player, shooting some pool in the lounge or just petting one of the many virtual cats in this world, it's clear that Aquarius offers a must-visit destination for anyone looking to escape and relax under the sea.
And there you have it—the top 10 VRChat worlds right now, as recommended by our community and curated during our VRChat Worlds Spotlight series. Each of these locations showcases the incredible creativity and diversity within VRChat, and we couldn't be more excited to see what future updates and new worlds await us.
Remember, this is not the end but rather a new beginning! If you're a creator with an update or you know of a world that could be a contender for our next list, please reach out to tips@uploadvr.com. We're also setting our sights on other social VR platforms, so stay tuned as we continue this journey. Until then, keep exploring!
Welcome back once again fellow explorers... This week we take our final dive into VRChat's immersive ocean of worlds as we wrap up our series featuring the best community-recommended destinations. This time, we're visiting the dark and ominous waterpark style world of NUCLEUS, the visually stunning Virtual Museum of Visual Art, and the mind-bending labyrinth that is The Library of Hilbert.
NUCLEUS:
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Our first stop this week is NUCLEUS, a world steeped in a sense of foreboding and mystery with its pools of dark water and stunning use of atmosphere. The scale of this world amplifies its creepy vibe, making you feel as though you're navigating through a vast, abandoned indoor waterpark. Rather than the bright slides and cheerful splashes found at a typical waterpark, NUCLEUS offers shadowy corners and hidden rooms, each with its own secrets to uncover. The combination of dimly lit pathways, the subtle soundscapes, and the sheer scale of the main pool creates an ambiance that's as chilling as it is enthralling. For visitors who love an exploratory adventure combined with an unsettling atmosphere, NUCLEUS will not disappoint.
Next, we take a stroll through the Virtual Museum of Visual Art, or VMoVA. This digital art gallery is a marvel of architecture and virtual artworks, housing an extensive collection of visual masterpieces. One of VMoVA’s standout features are its rotating exhibits. This means there's always something fresh to engage with. The currently featured exhibit is "Thickness of Calligraphy" by the artist Boyan. This tour provides an introspective journey through the art of calligraphy and memories and life of the artist, showcasing traditional techniques and modern digital interpretations. The combination of high-resolution textures and well-planned lighting set against a world steeped in greyscale tones makes each exhibit pop nicely, immersing visitors in an unparalleled artistic experience.
Our final destination this week is The Library of Hilbert, a mesmerizing world that seemingly pays homage to the surreal, mind-bending art of M.C. Escher. Stepping into The Library of Hilbert is like walking into a never-ending maze where architecture continuously challenges your perception of the world around you.
The atmosphere here is one of intellectual curiosity and timeless exploration and this labyrinth features endless corridors lined with towering bookshelves and reading tables, all creating a sense of vastness; each pathway evoking the infinite realms that Escher famously illustrated.
Navigating this world feels like taking a journey through an optical illusion brought to life, so it might be a bit much to handle for those who are new to exploring VR worlds. This is definitely not a world for those who suffer from VR sickness as every turn offers a new perspective. The scale and complexity of this world elevate it from a mere digital space to an experience that can leave you in awe ... if you have the VR legs for it.
As we have now reached the end of our list of community recommended worlds, I wanted to give thanks to our readers and everyone who contributed their suggestions. Remember, VRChat has many more worlds to explore, and even though we are wrapping up our weekly explorations, we want you to keep sharing the best worlds you find with us. If you find any extraordinary VRChat gems or hidden wonders on other social VR platforms, please drop us a line at tips@uploadvr.com.
We'll be back next week with our picks for the top 10 worlds in the series so stay tuned, but until then.. Keep exploring!
If you missed them, here are more articles in this series:
Project: Lost Worlds is an ambitious upcoming VRChat world with considerable promise, and we went hands-on at Venice Immersive.
The next release from Finsworks Interactive (Complex 7), Project: Lost Worlds is one of the numerous VRChat worlds being showcased at Venice Immersive 2024. Taking inspiration from Avatar's Pandora and the dinosaur-filled plains reminiscent of Jurassic Park, Fins describes this project as "a dream of mine" that's been pursued over the last five to six years.
Here's a little teaser of the intro portion for the next major release: Project: Lost Worlds Premiering at Venice Film Festival 2024.
After previously trying Complex 7 at Venice Immersive 2023, I was immediately keen to try out Project: Lost Worlds, and I'd consider this one of this year's highlights. Last year's festival was an eye-opener as to what VRChat creators can do with these worlds, and that feeling only persisted. Aided by two tour guides with a small group of players, I'm impressed at the depth of this experience.
The journey begins on a humbling note as you look to the stars in search of adventure, setting the tone well before heading for the huge interstellar spaceship, Astoria. Gradually seeing it and Earth from afar before coming up close showcased an impressive sense of scale with clear consideration put into this story. Soon enough, our group set off for another planet.
Eventually landing on Erios, I can immediately see where Avatar's influence comes in. There were a few technical hiccups, which is understandable as a project still in development, though there's some pleasing environmental design at work in Project: Lost Worlds that mixes futuristic technology with a prehistoric era. I'm told the full release won't be ready until next year, but I'm looking forward to it.
