In Virtual Reality News
March 23, 2023 – HTC VIVE, a leading provider of virtual reality (VR) products and platforms, has this week announced the upcoming launch of VIVERSE SDK, a collection of tools for developers, including Avatar, Scene, Market, Account, Social, and more, that can be used to build unique, interactive and interoperable experiences across mobile, PC, XR or Web Apps.
In addition to providing developers with these tools, the launch of the SDK will also enable a flexible integration to port into VIVERSE, HTC’s version and vision of the metaverse, built around the principles of openness and interoperability. HTC states that its VIVERSE platform empowers people to create, learn, socialize, work, and play with others across a universe of shared immersive experiences.
HTC VIVE stated that its VIVERSE SDK with support for Unity projects / Web App development will be available from Q2 2023. The first release will include the following features:
- Avatar API: A customized avatar system that can be used across mobile, PC, XR devices, and Web Apps. It supports rendering avatars into the development of Unity projects and Web Apps with minimal effort. The Avatar API will provide users with a range of full-body avatar styles to create their own personal identity, including cartoon-style avatars, realistic avatars (by uploading user photos to the VIVE Avatar smartphone app), and VRM format avatars. In addition, it includes an outfit library, and the ability to use outfit design tools to develop customized outfits.
- Scene API: Users will be able to create and import customized scenes from Unity projects into spatial experiences in VIVERSE with the Scene API. The feature also enables more seamless interconnection and interoperability between VIVERSE and multiple metaverse platforms for content creators and developers, according to HTC VIVE.
At an event during GDC 2023, the company showcased features from the upcoming VIVERSE SDK in partnership with MetaCities, Solar Games, and VR JUMP. MetaCities showed the capability of porting worlds from other platforms such as AltspaceVR (now defunct) into VIVERSE; Solar Games showed ‘World of Aritelia,’ a Web Game that uses the Avatar API to allow interoperability with different avatar formats; and VR JUMP showed ‘Hide and Seek,’ a haunted house experience made with Unity using the Avatar API for customized avatars.
For more information on HTC VIVE and its VR solutions and VIVERSE metaverse platform, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: HTC VIVE
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Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.