What we’re about
Our group welcomes VR/AR creators and enthusiasts of Southwest Florida and beyond! We welcome everyone, including innovators, developers, inventors, storytellers, content producers, entrepreneurs, hackers, programmers, pioneers, and adventurers. Join us to be in touch with ARVR news, events, hands on practice and learn something new to get your development to the next level.
Our goals:
· To built a vibrant XR community in SWFL to work towards the future of immersive possibilities;
· To help local companies to adopt XR technology;
· To help XR community to keep in touch with news happening around the world;
· Inspire and challenge our members with talks and workshops as well as productivity-focused networking sessions.
Upcoming events
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The Missing Infrastructure: Why VR Needs an Open-Source Multiplayer Framework
Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson St, Fort Myers, FL, USThis month, we are co-hosting a fantastic talk with our friends from,
SWFL Coders, 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 integrationSPEAKER: 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.Can't make it in person? VIRTUAL OPTION: TEAMS
🗓 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)|5 attendees
Past events
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