Welcome back to our weekly spotlight on the people building for Horizon Worlds and their amazing creations.
Last week, we laughed at dad jokes and explored how to get over stage fright at The Soapstone Comedy Club.
This week, in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we spoke with Amayah, whose Worlds of Asia is a terrific place to learn about the people, lifestyles, and languages of Earth’s largest continent.
Tell us a little about yourself. What got you interested in VR?
Growing up, I rarely played computer games, and later, as a business executive, I thought VR was only for gamers. But getting my Meta Quest 2 was a game changer for me.
After I got my headset, I became really intrigued by the concept of the metaverse. There are so many different pieces in the VR ecosystem, and they’re moving so quickly that I can barely catch my breath trying to devour anything and everything I can get hold of about it.
What do you draw upon for inspiration when building in Horizon Worlds?
I try to listen to the needs of the Horizon Worlds community and build worlds that support those needs. I’ve been most inspired by the many learners, creators, and leaders that introduce events, worlds, or games every day. There are so many people with curious minds, as well as motivated builders who push me beyond my comfort zone to keep getting better at building in Horizon Worlds.
What do you want people to take away from their experience with your worlds?
I want people to see that VR can break down barriers that may exist in real life. With my worlds, I want people to experience meaningful connections and be inspired to learn something new in fun ways. And I don’t want them to worry about how they look or what limitations they may have.
With Worlds Of Asia, my goal is to offer relevant and useful information, connections, and resources that might be hard to find in the physical world. I really want to help people get to know more about Asia’s beauty, people, and places.
Are you a programmer/creator as your day job, or do you see this as a hobby?
I would totally fail a programming class. My day job entails a lot of coordination and communication in project and program managing. For me, building virtual worlds and communities is a hobby, but I see Horizon Worlds as a place where I can grow my passion, and if the stars align, I hope the next chapter of my professional life will be in Horizon Worlds.
Do you collaborate with others, and if so, what’s that experience like for you?
I do. I am very grateful to have gotten so much help during my world building journey so far. Everyone has been really kind and generous, sharing their time, knowledge, and ideas. People have shown me that a friendly, kind, respectful, and loving community does exist in VR.
So if you’re new to Horizon Worlds, or you want to learn more about it, please reach out to the community. There are so many people willing to lend a hand here.
What’s your best advice for getting started on building worlds for Horizon Worlds?
Dive in and get hands-on by giving yourself an assignment, and then just do it! Or take part in Horizon World Tours—you’ll probably have an inspiring conversation and get encouraged to build a world that means something important to you.
Then, take time to study the tutorials. They’ll give you some basics for getting started. You can also find information about how to build for Horizon Worlds on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.
You should also just visit a lot of worlds and see for yourself what others are doing. And make sure you connect with others, and both accept help and offer it when you’re ready. Before you know it, you’ll have a new family in Horizon Worlds.
What do you think the ultimate potential is for Horizon Worlds?
I think Horizon Worlds will be the most popular VR platform. It’s easy to join and participate in, and you can do so many things. And it’s really creator-friendly, even for those without experience.
How do you think VR fits into the future vision of the metaverse?
VR is definitely a launching pad for the metaverse. It provides a sense of an alternative reality, and the meaningful social connections I’ve made in Horizon Worlds have given me a glimpse of what is truly possible when the fully-realized metaverse exists.
What are your favorite VR experiences?
Designing and building worlds, visiting other creators’ worlds, and connecting with my Horizon Worlds community.
Horizon Worlds is really the only VR platform I spend time in, because I’ve been able to create the same kind of meaningful social connections and memories as I do in the real world.
