My experience with Hivefest5
Yesterday we started the Hivefest number 5, the first really in Hive and the first in a virtual world. The first time I go to a VR festival and the first time for Hive as well.
Due to the cataclysm of Covid-19, Hivefest had to move to the virual space. But as opposed as other Crypto or Tech festival, they were the first that instead of using a video platform and do everything on stream and screensharing, it went to a full blown Virtual Reality realm.
So @rolandp our great HiveFest coordinator, is now an avatar that sings and dances all over the stage to keep the audience engage. All while he features many of the days presenters go through their own insightful talks.
How is the Altspace?
The virtualworld is provided by the Altspace platform, one of many 3D environments which provide costumizable worlds and cute lego-ish avatars. The altspace setting by default looks similar to the one from descentraland. With the exception that this one is fully centralized.
The thing is that the audio and monitoring everyting around might be tough on a pure 3D setting, when you think about it, projecting your slides from your powerpoint to the virtual space, might not be as smooth or intuitive.
The next feature is that is fully compatible with most VR headsets including occulus rift and Samsung VR Gear and Vive.
The emojis is also a good idea to show your interactivity with the surroundings, specially at the time you want to clap or send love or even share beers.
We share beers
The Hivefest different rooms share different specs such as the lobby, the mainstage and the showrooms.
The Mainstage
The Hivefest lobby is the place to party and having private discussion with other members or even in a group. Join in on the different settings.
The showroom
Hive have and use unique tokens on the hive blockchain, these are called NFTs. The website NFT Showroom have tons of these unique art and other valuables that are shared on a web space. But thanks to Hivefest we take these to the virtual space. A whole art room where people can see the art and the unique tokesn.
Other rooms like the lobby and the photoboot are also available so people can have lots of fun. I believe the virtual world proved a lot of activities and the level of attention that happened on the physical spaces.
My personal experience
So the biggest drawback is that all this wonderful world was not going to happen for me since I wasnt able to get my hands on a VR headest that could work with Linux. But on the other side, it was something that I was able to experience with the different groups and communities that were happening around the space.
From telegram to OpenChat to Youtube, I was able to follow the streams and talks about the hive ecosystem as well as be able to discuss the topics around the conversations that were happening.
This was not my first time on virtual conferences specially after 2020 many of the these conference have gone fully online. However I was able to appreciate the great nature of having a virtual environment and live through the community sense that I have always felt wtih Hive and previously with Steem.
Sure I would love to see the physical events come back eventually but so far I think this track of events is highly entertaining. Specially when you go into the private chats and build relationships.
My conclusion
So far I am blogging this from the 2nd day but for the first day, it has been great. Lots of great information and also experiences and how we could be able to create and share and also interact with a vibrant community that has been very open and embrassing. Even after leaving the community for several months, you are still embrased back. I am glad Hive community will live on for many years.
Hope that today turn out even better.