The Missing Infrastructure: Why VR Needs an Open-Source Multiplayer Framework

This month, we are co-hosting a fantastic talk with our friends from
VR & AR of Southwest Florida, where we will be discussing what it takes to build a VR environment.

Virtual reality has reached a tipping point, hardware is powerful and affordable, but the software infrastructure is fragmented, closed, and costly to build from scratch.

This talk introduces the idea of an open-source multiplayer framework as the missing layer that enables scalable, cross-platform VR applications for enterprise, education, and culture. I’ll share the journey of developing Vertex Form 3D, a framework that reduces development time by 95% by providing out-of-the-box multiplayer networking, geospatial data integration, avatars, cloud delivery, and extensibility through a marketplace.

The session will explore how open frameworks accelerate innovation, empower communities, and unlock new business models for immersive technology.

Technologies Covered
- Unity with XR Interaction Toolkit (core engine)
- Photon Fusion for scalable multiplayer networking
- Ready Player Me for cross-platform avatars
- Cesium for Unity for geospatial experiences
- Cloud delivery & asset bundles for content management and deployment
- Open-source collaboration tools for building a sustainable developer ecosystem
- Custom API integration

👩🏻‍💻 SPEAKER: Evgeniya Simmons
Evgeniya is a VR developer, 3D artist, and founder of Vertex Form 3D, an open-source framework that makes building standalone VR apps faster and easier. With over a decade of experience in the travel industry and a self-taught journey into immersive technology, she blends creativity and engineering to push the boundaries of virtual environments. Her work spans enterprise, education, and cultural projects, empowering communities to create and explore in VR.

🗓 AGENDA:
6:30 PM: Arrival /Networking
6:40 PM: Announcements by organizers
6:50 PM: The Missing Infrastructure in VR
8:15 PM: End of meeting
8:30 PM: Exit to after party celebration at Patio de Leon (courtyard behind Downtown House of Pizza)|

👾 ABOUT US:
SWFL Coders is a founding member of the Tech Alliance of SWFL and shares a Discord server with our other local sister groups.
Click here to join the server and look for #💻┃swfl-coders, the channel dedicated to our group's communication.