Build 0.5 Approaches | State of Matterless #23
We’re getting real close to Build 0.5. Intersubjective digital pets are becoming a reality! Can you feel the power? It’s over 9000!
Build 0.5 Approaches
The next BIG update is the closed beta 0.5 build, and it’s arriving early next week! Our Patreon supporters can expect improved graphics, lighting and sound, natural Shiba movements and gaze detection, automatic spawning, and much more. The dream of shared AR and digital intersubjectivity is about to get more real, and we are wiggling our tails in excitement. Support our Patreon to get access to the Closed Beta!
A New Hero Arrives
“I’ve always had a big passion for creating games. To directly see the results and reactions of people feels rewarding and super fun. I’m really excited to join Matterless as a CTO as we shape the future of AR. Let’s make magic!”
Remember Robin Lindh, our senior Unity developer who joined us a couple of months ago? We’re excited to announce that he is now the Chief Technology Officer at Matterless!
Robin found his love for game development at a young age and has an impressive array of games under his belt. His previous works include Source of Madness, a dark fantasy roguelike featuring procedurally-generated enemies with neural network AI, Everything Must Fall, a VR physics puzzle game, and Zen Garden, a calming VR puzzle game. With his expertise in quick prototyping and talent for game jams, his agility with game development is already influencing the rest of the team.
Being a man of many talents, Robin has been playing piano and composing his own music since he was 10 years old. Check out his original Chiptunes!
Getting Social
One of the things I like to do is study the kinds of people who take an interest in our work and follow our Twitter and LinkedIn pages each week. On Twitter, many of our followers are enthusiasts of the metaverse, crypto, and wildlife causes. On LinkedIn, we have many software developers and 3D designers. We must understand which aspects of the Matterless mission engage our followers the most and instantly calibrate (sorry) our content in response.
Over at Discord, we’ve been ramping things up with more activities for everyone to participate in. These include a photo hunt event in which you have to identify all the matterless Shibas in the picture (there are 25 in the picture, can you find them all?), a live quiz to test our community on their Matterless knowledge, and more casual events to get everyone’s opinions on different topics such as where they love hanging out with their pet the most. If you haven’t already, head over to our Discord; we’ve got a lot more events lined up!
Matterless Meetup Matters
Being a remote company, we must find opportunities for physical meetups that foster camaraderie and a sense of togetherness. In April, the team had a meetup in Croatia, and not too long after that, had another one just a few weeks ago in Vancouver! This time, it was Nils (CEO), Charlie (creative director), Kevin (art director), and Gary (lead concept artist) coming together.
Our Vancouver meetup was not without its challenges, however, as we were served a reminder of how so many things can go wrong in an event involving multiple people traveling across different countries. First off, Nils experienced airline troubles and wound up having to book different last-minute flights through Seattle followed by early-morning public transportation up to Vancouver. Second, Gary’s car decided to break down while he was en route to the great white north, delaying his arrival. Third, Kevin was struck down by a terrible case of food poisoning! Last but not least, Charlie tested positive for coronavirus upon arrival and had to be quarantined in a hotel room for most of the trip.
Nevertheless, the team managed to overcome these obstacles and spend quality time together (albeit briefly).
With team members scattered across the world working together remotely, we were all reminded of the need to cherish the time we get to spend in each other’s presence despite all the roadblocks that stand in our way. Nils will be returning to Croatia this month to work closely with Damir and Dusko, so let’s hope this meetup goes off without a hitch!
That's our update this week! See y'all next time. Remember, you can get access to our closed beta by becoming a Patreon. See y’all next time.
Kerwin, social media manager
