Recently, 8th Wall, a provider of web-based augmented reality (WebAR) development platforms, and Ready Player Me, a cross-app veteran avatar platform, announced that they will jointly launch a suite of tools that allow users to build custom interactive avatars and use them in a variety of web-based metaverse experiences.
With these new tools, developers can start building a WebAR experience featuring the Ready Player Me avatar using the Ready Player Me sample project in the 8th Wall project library, which is now available through 8th Wall's project library, which is constantly expanding. This sample project can be used to create face effects that use the front cameras on smartphones and computers to turn a user's face into their custom avatar, paired with facial expressions. It can also be used to create World Effects, allowing users to use the rear cameras on iOS and Android smartphones to place and navigate their avatars in front of them in the real world.
Under the hood, 8th Wall's engine has a feature called "Metaversal Deployment," which allows World Effects to be delivered as an AR experience on smartphones and smart glasses, a 3D experience on a computer, and a VR experience using a VR headset. Metaversal Deployment also allows developers to build a WebAR project once and deploy their creation on various types of devices, which will greatly reduce development time while increasing user adoption.
Users can create their 3D avatars with selfies or various pre-made options, and then they can customize their avatars with virtual clothing and accessories, including NFT-based assets. These avatars can be used in multiple compatible apps and games and now include the experience provided by 8th Wall.
Timmu T ke, co-founder and CEO of Ready Player Me, said: "We are excited to continue working with 8th Wall, whose tools make it easy for WebAR developers to bring their ideas to life and share them with the world, and we can't wait to see how 8th Wall's developer community can use the Ready Player Me avatar in their experiences."
The developers of 8th Wall have applied the incarnation of Ready Player Me to the WebAR experience, and existing examples include projects from WebAR agency Aircards in collaboration with Yahoo Creative Studios and Ringtail Studios. Aircards developed a cross-platform avatar experience to promote the sci-fi blockbuster Dune, enabling users to create their own 3D dune avatars. Once created, users can view their custom avatar in WebAR, or download it for cross-platform use in compatible games and environments.
Erik Murphy-Chutorian, CEO and founder of 8th Wall, said: "We are very excited to partner with Ready Player Me to make it easier for our developers to use their avatar system in the 8th Wall project, which plays a vital role in our digital identity, allowing users to create, customize and participate in their avatars in 8th Wall-enabled projects. This will make these experiences more personal and meaningful. ”