Playing around in the ‘metaverse’ –

The expo portion of this years Taiwan Creative Content Fest offers a glimpse into the future of entertainment and cultural applications

By Han Cheung / Staff reporter

Im not too sure what to expect when I enter the wormhole to the Metaverse Playground.

Ive done my homework on the event, and Ive tried my hand in VR games and Ive attended one virtual art opening (due to the pandemic), but Im still unsure of the loaded word metaverse especially in light of Facebooks recent, much-maligned embracement of the term, which was first coined in a 1992 dystopian novel.

The Metaverse Playground is the Expo portion of this years Taiwan Creative Content Fest, featuring a diverse array of immersive events and other showcases and live activities. The festival, which runs until Sunday, also features livestreamed forums, a Next Academy side-exhibition on the future of content creation and Garden Mingle, an interactive, futuristic outdoor performance and a concert that begins tonight.

Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times

Expo curator Samuel Wang () says that the metaverse is more than just cold digital technology and applications. Theres no need to be nervous, as people were averse to smartphones when they first came out, too, he argues.

I see the metaverse as a way for people to examine the universe within themselves. Since VR content moves between reality and virtuality, I think this exhibition shows how ones avatar can journey between the two realms and find a balance.

Just like how our dreams can be used to deal with our real lives, the metaverse can also be a chance to look within and redefine the way we live. It doesnt need to be like the nihilism of cyberpunk. Its something that can be faced positively, he says.

Photo courtesy of Taiwan Creative Content Agency

ENJOYING THE PLAYGROUND

The shows first half mostly features VR and other types of cutting-edge visual entertainment, from 360 movies to interactive, immersive experiences as well as more art-oriented projects, which are becoming increasingly dynamic.

For example, Huang Hsin-chiens () latest project Samara Ep 1 (), which won Best VR Story at the Cannes XR showcase, is a step up from his previous work; the scenes are more vivid, the movement is smoother and more exciting and the viewer can use their voice to trigger certain images as well. Still, storytelling is key, and Huangs tale of humans evolving over hundreds of millenia as they leave a devastated earth to find a new home is a relevant and compelling one.

Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times

Not all projects rely purely on 3D animation, and its encouraging to see the combination of physical crafts and VR. As a history buff, I enjoyed the four-minute video on the changes in Taipeis railroad system over a century, bringing to life actual miniature models belonging to the Kaohsiung Museum of History. The VR content is interspersed with old photos, which is a wonderful way to make education fun.

The VR film The Sick Rose () by HTC Vive Originals is also such a combination. Set during a pandemic in a fantastic Taiwan-esque landscape, it employs old-school stop-motion animation with traditional dough figurines. This is a highly effective way to combine tradition and the latest technology, and could be important in keeping dying arts alive in the future.

On the other side of the exhibition, which focuses on interactive entertainment applications, a woman using a motion sensitive smart glove to control a Taiwanese hand puppet catches my eye. This is part of a larger venture between the Seden Society Puppet Theater Foundation () and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University that attempts to combine AI and other tech to promote and preserve the art of puppetry.

Photo courtesy of Taiwan Creative Content Agency

In addition to getting more young people interested in puppetry, the glove can capture the old puppet masters hand motions, recording their skills as the art form becomes rarer by day.

Another intriguing experience is singing karaoke in a virtual booth, which can feature up to 40 users from anywhere in Taiwan. I still prefer in-person interaction, but I can see the appeal its clean, convenient and perfect for a pandemic or long distance friendships. In four months, organizers say, they have amassed over 2,000 users.

IS THIS THE FUTURE?

Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times

However, it still feels that there are limitations to these magical tools as far as popularization goes, at least for now. After all, the main goal of expos is to display the possibilities for potential users, or creative and business partners.

For example, due to the limited number of headsets, virtually all the immersion events were booked before the event started. Plus, one cant really experience that many products in one go as the devices are still slightly uncomfortable (especially for someone wearing glasses) and some of the content can make people dizzy.

A lot of these productions can only be displayed at exhibitions or film festivals, either due to logistics, physical space or system requirements. For instance, people cannot sing real-time duets in virtual karaoke unless they both have 5G. A neat-looking interactive AR film that only requires a tablet cannot be played at home yet due to massive file size.

Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times

But there is progress. For example, Kaohsiungs VR Film Lab can seat up to 30 people per screening since 360 degree movies require less space than interactive ones. During the annual Kaohsiung Film Festival, they also allow people to rent headsets so they can get used to watching movies with the device in their home. One day, the staff tells me, they hope that it will be common for every household to own one.

Wang says he thought it would still take some time for the public to really embrace metaverse technology, but he was surprised at how quickly the time slots for each experience was booked long before the event began especially compared to last years expo. Accessibility has also been boosted with headsets getting cheaper in recent years.

He remains optimistic about the future, noting that with more tech giants such as gaming company Roblox and Facebook joining the fray, both the software and hardware will improve quickly, not unlike when Apple introduced the iPhone and App Store more than a decade ago.

Photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times

For those who missed out in signing up for the VR events, Wang says theres still much to see as VR content only consists of about 60 percent of the expo. There are data-driven art projects, for instance, such as the Winds of Taipei digital painting created from a years worth of local wind information, and Signal, an interactive, immersive art piece drawing from real-time COVID-19 diagnosis data from various countries.

We want to show that the metaverse is more than just VR content, he says.

Photo courtesy of Taiwan Creative Content Agency

WHAT: Taiwan Creative Content Fest

WHEN: Through Sunday

WHERE: Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (), 133, Guangfu S Rd, Taipei City (133)

ADMISSION: Free

ON THE NET: tccf.taicca.tw/en

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Playing around in the 'metaverse' -