A sit-down conversation with one of our most prolific and zealous members

Since kickstarting the SynergyXR Creators Club only a few months ago, we’ve had the opportunity to meet so many interesting XR creators and enthusiasts from around the globe. Each and every one of them brings something special to the community, but occasionally there’s someone who’s exceptional. For us, that’s Lilian. So, we sat down with her recently to pull back the curtain on her past and shed light on what drives her and where she sees this new technology headed. This is an excerpt from our conversation that’s been edited for brevity.

What inspires you as a creative?

One of the great things about being in the creative industry is how open the whole field is to crossovers. By embracing a process-based approach, you work across many different disciplines in design – some of which you have years of experience in, and others you’re only starting to scratch the surface of. 

As an art director, that’s what pushes me to learn and develop new ways of designing. The way I see it, having a basic knowledge of new design tools is key to inspiring creativity. 

What sparked your interest in the Metaverse?

When the Metaverse first popped on my radar, it naturally piqued my curiosity. Because of my inclination, learning more about this new creative medium wasn’t just optional, it became vital!

Many creatives have their careers anchored in creating designs and presentations for traditional, flat-screen devices. However, I think we’re moving rapidly from digitalization to virtualization.

We’re now able to create and consume dynamic media in a dimension that we can physically inhabit. Instead of interacting with digital content through finger-swiping or mouse clicks, your whole body is your output. And we’re able to feel present with one another, even when we’re far apart. I find that to be absolutely incredible.

As someone captivated by these possibilities, I expect that the Metaverse will become a way to maintain a high level of connectivity across great distances, allowing us to express our creativity like never before.

What was the challenge you faced?

The gaming industry is particularly advanced in the Metaverse. Game engine platforms such as Unity and Unreal Engine are leaders in this area. If you want to create your own virtual environment, you can just download them and get started for free. So, I thought “Oh great, Lilian, you can now design your own space. Let’s do it.” But it was not as easy as you’d think. You need to learn how to master the software, how to create 3D environments and do everything from scratch. For someone who isn’t a 3D specialist, it can be a tall order, so I went looking for a different solution. That’s when I discovered SynergyXR.

How did SynergyXR help?

SynergyXR provides everything you need to start creating your own virtual spaces, all without 3D or coding skills. You just drag and drop your images, and videos and import 3D models from stock websites straight into your Metaverse. Just like that, you can see in real-time how your space will look! These easy-to-use environment tools mean that creative people can quickly design and iterate on their ideas. As a result, the time it takes to go from an idea to a visual concept has been vastly reduced. Now, it’s so much easier to focus on the creative part and less on the technical stuff. 

What struck me is how SynergyXR built the platform. They focus very much on user needs. I mean, the platform is not only built for users, but with users. As a creative, I was especially thrilled about that aspect because I had the opportunity to join the SynergyXR Creators Club community.

I view it as a think tank in which creators can learn from each other and share ideas that help us navigate through challenges in this new technology. The mutual support and exchange of knowledge contribute to a great collaborative environment for everyone involved.

How do you see the Metaverse changing how creative people like you work?

XR is exciting because, in theory, the only limitation to our experience is our imagination. While its imaginative possibilities are endless, the value of an XR experience depends on how well it’s designed.  

There are many components that separate good XR experiences from bad ones. I’ve seen spaces that don’t establish where the user is or what they can do, empty art galleries with not even a fly to interact with. When you are in the Metaverse, you expect to interact with the environment in the same way that you do in real life. It’s about immersive experiences.  

Creatives should start designing so that a solid sense of presence exists, and a multimodal experience looks, feels, and sounds believable. 

I think the Metaverse is a good stage on which to explore our creative potential. The best way to do this, in my opinion, is by sharing our knowledge and ideas. I believe that as a creative, you need to be very generous. Particularly with the ideas that you are going to share, with your time, and your observations. We have both the opportunity to express ourselves and make people’s lives more enjoyable.