Building the Open Metaverse Patrick Cozzi and Marc Petit

Julie Lottering from Epic Games and Liz Dailey from CreateAccess delve into the expanding universe of 3D creation and its implications for various industries and education. Julie Lottering starts the conversation by discussing the remarkable growth of careers in 3D and real-time applications. She attributes this growth to the availability of free tools, the ability to publish content easily, and the increasing demand for digital experiences. Julie highlights that the job market for real-time skills is growing exponentially, with reports indicating a 601% faster growth rate than the overall job market. She also notes that real-time jobs offer significantly higher salaries, especially in Canada, where they can be about 70% higher than other markets.
Julie further elaborates on how industries such as architecture, fashion, and automotive are adopting real-time skills. She emphasizes the need for proper education and training to fill the skill gaps in these sectors. Real-time technology allows for faster creative decision-making and higher visual fidelity, making it indispensable for modern industries. Julie also touches on the historical evolution of video games and their recognition as an art form, encouraging more contributions to this still-pioneering field.
Liz Dailey shifts the focus to the mission of CreateAccess, a non-profit dedicated to engaging beginners in 3D creation. She explains how CreateAccess provides freely available educational materials and in-person programs to help learners overcome the intimidation of technology. Liz highlights the importance of building confidence in beginners and creating a supportive community for learning. She shares examples of how CreateAccess uses tools like the Unreal Editor for Fortnite and the Polycam app to make 3D creation accessible and engaging for all skill levels.
Both Julie and Liz discuss the role of democratizing 3D creation. Julie mentions that Epic Games aims to make their tools as accessible as possible by offering free resources and fostering a community of creators who share their knowledge. Liz adds that CreateAccess's approach involves developing beginner-friendly projects that provide immediate visual feedback, helping learners quickly see the results of their efforts and stay motivated.
The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on 3D creation and education. Julie expresses optimism about AI's potential to accelerate creative processes and make beautiful things faster. She acknowledges the need for ongoing dialogue about the responsible use of AI and its implications for digital citizenship. Liz adds that AI-empowered technologies can democratize creative processes, enabling more people to participate in making art, music, and other creative endeavors.
Overall, the episode underscores the transformative potential of 3D creation across various industries and the importance of making these tools accessible to a diverse range of creators. Julie and Liz's insights highlight the need for continuous education, community support, and responsible use of emerging technologies to foster innovation and creativity in the digital age.

In this episode of "Building the Open Metaverse," hosts Marc Petit and Patrick Cozzi welcome Will Eastcott, the co-founder and CEO of PlayCanvas, a pioneering open-source game engine. Eastcott's journey in the gaming industry began in the 1980s when he was captivated by the 3D space trading game "Elite," which fueled his passion for computers and video games. He pursued computing at Imperial College London and gained early industry experience at a VR company, working with advanced silicon graphics workstations. His career took off at Criterion Software, where he contributed to developing RenderWare and worked on notable games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty.
Eastcott's transition to web-based game development was sparked by the release of the WebGL specification in 2010, which he saw as a significant opportunity for interactive graphics. He founded PlayCanvas in 2011, focusing on creating a web-native game engine that leveraged WebGL. Despite initial challenges, such as limited WebGL support on iOS, PlayCanvas flourished, becoming open-source in 2014. This move fostered a global community of developers and solidified PlayCanvas's role in democratizing game development.
The conversation delves into the strategic acquisition of PlayCanvas by Snap Inc. in 2017, which allowed Eastcott and his team to work on Snap Games, a platform serving millions of users. Eastcott shares insights into the unique aspects of PlayCanvas, including its lightweight runtime, collaborative browser-based platform, and commitment to open standards like glTF and WebXR. He emphasizes the importance of WebGPU in achieving significant performance improvements and explores the potential of AI and machine learning in revolutionizing content creation.
Eastcott highlights the development of Super Splat, a tool for optimizing 3D Gaussian splat scenes, demonstrating how AI can streamline the creation of photorealistic content without extensive coding. He also discusses the future of web gaming, pointing out the need for improved payment systems, discovery mechanisms, and better support from browser vendors to enhance the web gaming experience.
The episode concludes with Eastcott offering advice to aspiring game developers, encouraging them to leverage the vast audience and creative freedom provided by the web. He also gives a shout-out to Ken Russell and the National Center for Computing History in Cambridge, UK, acknowledging their contributions to the industry. Eastcott's journey and insights provide a compelling narrative on the evolution of web-based game development and the transformative potential of emerging technologies.

Joseph Kim, the CEO of Lila Games, takes listeners on a journey through his remarkable career in the gaming industry, spanning over two decades of experience at major companies and entrepreneurial ventures.

Kim begins by sharing his background in electrical engineering and computer science, followed by his early forays into startups and management consulting. He then delves into his transition to the gaming world, including his involvement in the early days of social and mobile gaming, as well as his role in the successful launch of King of Avalon at FunPlus.

As the conversation progresses, Kim provides a candid account of the challenges he faced in establishing Lila Games, his latest venture focused on developing shooter games in India. He emphasizes the importance of a relentless work ethic, brutal honesty, and a strong company culture, sharing his company's values and the significance of aligning employees with the organization's operating principles.

Kim also offers valuable insights into the current state of the gaming industry, addressing the impact of Apple's deprecation of IDFA on user acquisition strategies and the potential implications for various game genres. He shares his perspectives on the rise of Web3 gaming and the viability of emerging platforms like UEFN and Unreal Engine for game development.

Furthermore, Kim delves into the competitive landscape and strategic considerations for companies in the ever-evolving gaming market, drawing parallels to industry giants like Ubisoft and Embracer Group. He explores the question of synergies and the ideal size for companies, as well as the challenges of operational efficiency in an increasingly competitive global market.

Throughout the conversation, Kim's passion for the gaming industry and his commitment to creating meaningful experiences shine through. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, curiosity, and staying on top of industry trends, which he achieves through his prolific content creation, including his popular GameMakers podcast and newsletter.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Virginie Maillard, Head of Global Research in Simulation and Digital Twin at Siemens Digital Industry, shares her insights on the industrial metaverse. She defines the industrial metaverse as a virtual space where users can interact with digital twins, enabling real-time collaboration and decision-making for solving real-world problems. Virginie emphasizes the crucial role of digital twins as the foundation for the industrial metaverse, enabling realistic simulations, optimizations, and immersive experiences. She highlights the advantages of the industrial metaverse, including time and cost savings, accelerated innovation, improved sustainability, and enhanced operational performance. Virginie underscores Siemens' commitment to open standards and interoperability, actively contributing to initiatives like the Metaverse Standards Forum and the Alliance for OpenUSD. She also discusses the challenges of implementing open standards and the importance of diverse perspectives in addressing complex problems.

In this insightful conversation, Ashley Crowder, the co-founder and CEO of VNTANA, takes us on her entrepreneurial journey from quitting her engineering job to pioneering a company that is revolutionizing how enterprises leverage 3D and augmented reality. Ashley shares her passion for spatial computing and immersive technologies, which led her to co-found VNTANA, initially focused on creating location-based mixed reality experiences for events.

As the demand for 3D content grew, Ashley and her team developed a software platform to automate the optimization, conversion, and management of 3D assets, which eventually became VNTANA's core offering. Ashley highlights the challenges of managing complex 3D assets, particularly in ensuring consistent visual representation across different platforms and devices. She emphasizes the importance of open standards like GLTF and USD in enabling seamless integration of 3D content across design, sales, and marketing workflows.

Ashley discusses VNTANA's innovative platform, which features a proprietary cloud infrastructure called ModelOps, capable of creating custom data pipelines and automated optimization processes. This allows clients like Kohler, Puma, and Astec Industries to upload thousands of assets simultaneously and convert them to meet specific requirements while maintaining fidelity.

Throughout the conversation, Ashley underscores the significance of open standards in driving scalability and democratizing 3D experiences. She touches on the potential impact of AI and emerging technologies on 3D content creation and asset management, while acknowledging the need for ongoing advancements in standards to meet evolving industry demands.

Ashley shares insights into VNTANA's work with global brands across various sectors, including fashion, manufacturing, and retail. She highlights the diverse use cases, from reducing physical samples and carbon footprint to enhancing e-commerce experiences with 3D product visualization and augmented reality training.

Looking towards the future, Ashley expresses excitement about the adoption of 3D and AR by industry giants like Amazon and Google, driving widespread adoption across categories. She envisions a future where 3D standards become as ubiquitous as 2D content standards, enabling seamless integration of immersive experiences into everyday consumer and enterprise workflows.

Overall, this conversation with Ashley Crowder offers a compelling perspective on the present and future impact of 3D and AR technologies across industries, driven by the democratization of content creation, open standards, and innovative platforms like VNTANA.

In this captivating conversation, Alex Mahon, the trailblazing CEO who led the digital transformation of Channel 4 and previously of The Foundry, unveils her bold vision for the future of television. With a unique background spanning medical physics and television production, Mahon's journey has been marked by a passion for change and innovation.

Mahon delves into the challenges of transitioning traditional broadcasting to the digital realm, navigating the shifting consumer habits and the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. She emphasizes the need for broadcasters to adapt their business models, marketing strategies, and content creation to align with how consumers want to consume media – on-demand, often for free, and increasingly on personal devices.

Exploring the potential of immersive and interactive technologies, Mahon highlights the importance of gamification, co-experience, and progression systems to engage audiences. She envisions a future where scripted storylines and physical game shows are integrated into gaming environments, allowing viewers to participate actively and climb leaderboards based on their skills.

Mahon's commitment to diversity and sustainability is a driving force, as she shares her approach to increasing representation both on-screen and behind the scenes at Channel 4. From ensuring equal representation in the top leadership to creating thought-provoking content that tackles societal issues head-on, Mahon's principled leadership shines through.

She also emphasizes the industry's role in addressing climate change, advocating for brave, thought-provoking content that simplifies the messaging around sustainable practices. From pushing for greener production methods to launching campaigns that challenge politicians and businesses to take systemic action, Mahon's initiatives demonstrate her commitment to using media as a catalyst for positive change.

Throughout the conversation, Mahon's candor and ability to ask hard questions, find innovative solutions, and convince others to embrace change are evident. As a trailblazer, she inspires with her vision for a media landscape that seamlessly blends tradition with cutting-edge technologies, while championing diversity, sustainability, and social responsibility.

Mahon's journey is a testament to the power of boldness, creativity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Her passion for storytelling and her belief in the transformative potential of media are evident in every aspect of her work, from driving digital transformations at major companies to advocating for underrepresented voices and environmental causes.

Mahon delves into the challenges of transitioning traditional broadcasting to the digital realm, navigating the shifting consumer habits and the rise of streaming platforms. She explores the potential of immersive and interactive technologies, highlighting the importance of gamification, co-experience, and progression systems to engage audiences.

Mahon's commitment to diversity and sustainability is a driving force, as she shares her approach to increasing representation both on-screen and behind the scenes. She emphasizes the industry's role in addressing climate change and advocates for brave, thought-provoking content that tackles societal issues head-on.

Throughout the conversation, Mahon's candor and principled leadership shine, showcasing her ability to ask hard questions, find innovative solutions, and convince others to embrace change. As a trailblazer, she inspires with her vision for a media landscape that seamlessly blends tradition with cutting-edge technologies, while championing diversity, sustainability, and social responsibility.