0.3 Build is here! Rejoice! | State of Matterless #11

After a busy week, we are able to share the next build with our closed beta supporters! Check out the growing list of features of the Matterless app.

0.3 Build is here!

After almost a month of work, the new 0.3 build has been released on Monday! Here’s a recap of what’s new in 0.3., which you can get access to through our Patreon. Some improvements include the Inventory System which will allow us to tie in the backend and experiment with new features directly. Sounds integration, animation for the plant growth, and local support in Thai. AR glasses for your virtual pet too (read the fine print first). But first, a BIG tech breakthrough.

3D Hand Reconstruction

Dr. Zhongpai Gao and Ahmet Haydar Örnek of Auki Labs, our mother company, have delivered a new demo build of real-time hand reconstruction using only an RGB camera, running at 60 FPS from inside a mobile Unity app. This technology allows for deeper interaction with virtual objects, allowing them to be touched. We think this is a very big deal — things can and will turn matterless in the future.

Inventory System

The inventory is here. It has two sections: Consumables, such as fruit, are items that get used up after you use them. There are also permanent items that you only have one of but those last forever. One nice bonus is that now you can feed your companion during an AR session!

The Feeding slider is tied to specific types of food. There is the Goodberry, which is something you always have in your inventory, and the Goldglow, which grows periodically from your metaflora plant and gives your pet a full belly instantly.

Thai Localization

The localization system is up and running, and you can switch between English and Thai in the Settings menu in the top right! Big shout out to our Thai translation team for helping to translate the app so far!

Sounds

Our app now contains a full complement of sounds. You can adjust the volume in the Settings in the top right. This is only the beginning, our sound designer Dusko has a LOT of really cool stuff in store for evolving the soundscape of the app. The sound design is CRUCIAL to the Matterless experience, and a part of the ML team is in Croatia experimenting with concepts of mapping a sound to animal behavior and hand interaction.

Camera Improvements

Now, when you open your camera from the inventory, you enter “Camera Mode”. You can tap for a photo, and hold to record a video.

As always, you can post bugs or feedback to our Discord in our 🐞│suggestions-bugs-feedback channel. The team has been working really hard and we're proud of what we’ve made so far.

And finally… Virtual Real Reality!!!

After a very long time, we are able to share with you the feature you’ve all been waiting for! The number one request we got from our users is for the virtual pet to interact with your real pet! And we HAVE DONE it! Presenting the Matterless Virtual Real Reality Headset! Now your virtual pet can interact with the real pet by using a virtual augmented reality headset to see the real pet in real reality!

Hopefully, this reads like an April Fool’s joke because for now, we have no way to show your virtual companion to your cuddly pupper in meatspace. However, it is something we have been thinking about and will continue to research

That's all for this week, if you want to know more, and get updates first, come join our Discord!

-Jason, product owner, Matterless