by 0xd11a019a70986bd607cbc1c1f9ae221c78581f49 (Yemel)
Introduction
This proposal aims to introduce and experiment with a powerful feature called “Portable Experiences” (PE) within the virtual world. PE offers a global scene overlay visible only to players who have it enabled, similar to Augmented Reality in the virtual world.
This feature unlocks new mechanics, such as guiding players through quests, having pets follow them, providing contextual information through a UI layer, and enabling other delightful experiences created by our community of creators. Portable Experiences can be deployed to a world content server and activated in-world through the SDK, for example, by interacting with non-player characters (NPCs).
Portable Experiences can be compared to another well-known feature called “Smart Wearables” (SW), which are essentially portable experiences tied to specific Wearables. When players equip these Smart Wearables, they gain access to unique abilities or visuals that are not available to other players without them.
Both Portable Experiences and Smart Wearables have been developed and tested by the Decentraland Foundation. For example, during the recent MVFW event, all players interacted with a PE that was activated by default. This PE showcased a new UI button, offered enhanced information, and even provided teleportation to interesting places. Additionally, during the past Christmas event, Smart Wearables in the form of a jetpack allowed Santa and Grinch to fly and drop presents.
Portable Experience
Smart Wearable
The proposal
The proposal is to prioritize the implementation and availability of Portable Experiences (PE) for creators in the community. This feature can be easily implemented using the SDK and can be accessed by guest accounts as well. The only missing element is the documentation that outlines the implementation details, which can be accomplished with minimal effort. By providing this documentation, the Foundation can significantly benefit the Decentraland Ecosystem.
In contrast, the process of making the Smart Wearables feature accessible to all creators requires establishing a submission, curation, and publishing system in the Marketplace. This more complex undertaking involves significant coordination and development efforts from the Foundation, which are planned for implementation later this year.
Considerations
To ensure a secure and fair experience for users, several considerations need to be taken into account when implementing Portable Experiences. These considerations include:
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Consent and User Control: Portable Experience should only be loaded with the user’s consent. They should also have the option to disable or turn off a PE if they no longer wish to participate in it.
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Safeguards for LAND Owners: LAND owners should have the ability to disable portable experiences within their scenes. This ensures that the gameplay and integrity of their created environments are not compromised.
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Performance Optimization: To ensure a smooth and optimal user experience, it is recommended that portable experiences are developed using the latest SDK version, such as SDK7. This newer version offer improved performance and better support for UI elements. Additionally, it may be necessary to impose certain limitations, such as restricting the number of entities created by the portable experience, to maintain overall performance in the explorer.
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Iterative Improvement: Portable Experiences represent a powerful feature that unlocks a multitude of possibilities. To maximize their potential, it is advisable to release an initial version and gather feedback from creators who utilize the feature.
Furthermore, this proposal serves as a stepping stone toward the launch of Smart Wearables. Enabling the monetization of such experiences through Smart Wearables can enhance accessibility and offer new opportunities for creators to showcase their work while enriching the overall Decentraland experience.
Next steps
If the response to this proposal is positive, the Foundation will publish the documentation for Portable Experiences, enabling creators to start making and publishing their own PE. After two months of the release, the Foundation will evaluate the impact of this experiment based on the number of PEs created, overall performance impact, and the number of issues reported in the Support channels. If Portable Experiences are widely used and there are no significant issues, the feature will continue to be available in the long run. The Foundation will also continue to iterate and add more capabilities to enhance the PE experience.
- Yes
- No
- Invalid question/options
