Virtually Exposed An Exposé on Digital Worlds
By Nazasu
Virtually Exposed An Exposé on Digital Worlds
By Nazasu
Virtually Exposed An Exposé on Digital Worlds
Virtual Reality is wonderful and gives people a place to talk, play games, and make long lasting relationships. In this I will go over everything I have accumulated over the 4 years of being a user in the virtual space known as VRChat and aspects of virtual reality I find to be most relevant in that time.
What is VRCHat?
Users of VRChat
Self Expression
Worlds of VRchat
User made Content
Social Rules
Collection of Images
By Nazasu
photos taken by Nazasu
This publication is a reflection of my 4000 hours in the virtual social platform known as VRChat. Everything I speak about comes from my experience and my thoughts on each aspect to this platform.
What is VRChat?
Founding to 2017
The origins of VRChat have been traced back to 2014 when its founders, Garham Gaylor and Jesse Joudrey began developing for the virtual reality headset known as the Oculus development kit 1 in January 2014. Since then the creators kept the project alive as the a passion project until its early access launch on the Steam game distribution platform. Since then the legacy of VRChat has less to do with its founders and more with the community of its inhabitants and the virality of moments that happen inside of VRChat. As well, the large influx of content creators on the platform keep bringing publicity to VR.
The Oculus DK1 was a headset that was released to Kickstarter backers in March 2013.
Only true bruddas knoe de wey and can find their queens. If you search hard enough there are directions to finding de wey.
2017 Culture
In 2017 when the platform became more socially available, people would flock to VRChat to escape reality, make new friends, and make memories. One thing that no one could have anticipated is the rise of content creators who would start careers with their experiences inside of VRChat. Eventually this would lead to the rise of the meme troll culture that most people are familiar with including the notorious Ugandan Knuckles.
Current Culture
While the culture of trolling and finding de wey are still staples found in public lobbies, the majority of the userbase spends time away from the constant barrage of drama, trolls, and memes. While some look fondly back on the meme culture of early VRChat, it isn’t the core aspect to the culture now. The culture now reflects a more chilled vibe and allows people to express themselves more openly than before with public instances still being chaotic.
In the Moment
On first login to VRChat, the user is greeted by a fantastic tutorial space. This space gets users familiar with the mechanics of moving around a virtual space and showing what comfort options they have available to them.
Logging In Home Sweet Home
After completing the tutorial, users enter their first home world! The VRChat Home World is a hub for users to mess around with advanced systems, try on free avatars, and go through portals to explore more of VRChat! This space is the default home world for every user and will be the location they spawn into every time they come back to VRChat. If the user elects to change their home world, this space will be an optional place they can go to just like every other space publicly available.
Portals are how users interact with other worlds! These can be placed by users and can be featured in some worlds. Try spawning some!
Instances
Users can join or create their own instances of worlds to meet new people and provide a place for friends to meet. Knowing what types of instances there are is instrumental to understanding how other users interact with one another. Below is a list and explanation of each instance type:
Public worlds are just that, public! Anyone and everyone can join them at any time as long as the instance isn’t closed. Empty instances become closed. Publics are an easy place to make new friends and enjoy the breadth of the user base.
Public Groups
Just like Friends instances, Group instances are only open to group members. Group Publics are instances that allow the general user base to join. Most Group Publics are moderated by the group owners.
These instances are only available to be joined by people that are on each others friends list. The Friends+ option allows Friends of Friends to join in case users want to have a semi-open instance to others they may not know.
Friends Invite
Invite and Invite+ instances can only be joined if a user has received an invitation from a user within it. These types of instances generally are used for smaller group gatherings or other intimate settings.
Worlds
What’s your Vibe?
Game worlds
Want to play some games? Visit the popular game worlds to find groups of players or host a lobby for your friends. Game worlds range from card games to fully interactive experiences to pass the time! Some recommendations for you to try out are UNO, Murder 4, and Prison Escape!
Chill Worlds
If you’re looking to hang out and relax, a chill space might be just the place you’re looking for. These worlds vary in how cozy or calm they can be depending on what sort of environment you’re looking for. Ranging from cozy movie worlds to Japanese shrines in the winter.
Users can make their own worlds to cultivate an experience that they want to make for themselves.
Experiences
If you’re looking for a visual spectacle, there are various effects heavy worlds that range from dynamic music visualizers to pre-animated particle worlds. New to VRChat? Try out Kuiwa’s Particle Hell or the Psyche Boat!
Quirky Worlds
Any world that doesn’t fit the other categories can fall under this category. Whether it be a place to feed some virtual ducks, have virtual Goat Yoga, or to play around with scale and perspective, these worlds offer a whacky sense of creativity and really push the boundaries of what virtual reality is and can be.
Party worlds
Maybe its 5’oclock somewhere, feel free to jump around to the various party worlds that often feature live DJ’s and a safe space to dance the night away! Party worlds offer mini games, dance floors, and usually a chique design to spend countless hours with your friends in.
Activities
Explore Worlds
Play Games
DJ Events Make Friends
Watch Movies
Partying
Create Art
Relax
Some users use VRChat to relax and wind down with dedicated worlds for sleeping. These users spend quite a lot of time in VR!
Users User Rankings
Users in VRchat vary in terms of what they bring to the platform. People who use this space not only place themselves into cliques and groups areound the things that they are interested in, but VRChat itself ranks users. The system VRChat uses to rank its userbase is called the “Trust” system, the higher your trust the more you can do on the platform. Here we will discuss the trust ranks and the general vibe of why trust is important to other users.
Visitor
Every user starts as a Visitor, whether it’s your first time or your fifth account, visiting VRChat introduces you to the worlds, people, and new experiences every time. Indicated by their white “Visitor” title.
Nuisance
The Nuisance rank only gets awarded to users for behavior that is unfitting for VRChat. General griefing and causing problems for other users turns into getting blocked or muted, which leads to the VRChat staff giving someone this rank.
Indicated by their grey “Nusicane” title.
New User
New users have put a few hours into VRChat and are allowed to upload content such as avatars and worlds for other users to experience. Indicated by their blue “New User” title.
Run of the mill users of VRChat. These users are a large majority of the userbase and don’t get awarded anything unique or special. Indicated by their green “User” title.
Trusted
Trusted users have spent quite a bit of time on VChat. They either regularly upload content, or spend ungodly time in VR by any means. Indicated by their purple “Trusted” title.
Known
Known users have been on VRChat for a while, have uploaded some content, or paid for VRC+. Indicated by their orange “Known” title.
Making Friends
Social Interaction
Social interactions are the core aspect of VRChat...Hence the name...VR “CHAT”.
Talking and meeting people in a virtual space is what this platform is all about. Understanding how to make friends is key.
World Hop
Join groups
Discord
World Hopping
A sure way to find worlds that are populated is by hopping between instances that are public. Public instances usually have a lot of people in them and allows for users to meet one another and to make friends publically.
Join Groups
Groups are a feature to make it easier to make friends through similar interests. This also provides users with a space that is cultivated around a specific topic or entertainment type. If you can think of a fandom for something, there is most likely a group for it!
Popular worlds often have mirrors. Mirrors allow people to look at everyone in the conversation. Talk to your local mirror dwellers today!
Discord Groups
Discord is also a great place to meet people. There are discord groups for VRChat content creators who do meetups and offer opportunities for people to get involved even further!
Social Rules Being Social
The whole point of VRChat is to talk to people, whether that be by chatbox or speaking out loud, there are some common accepted behaviors to ensure smooth communication.
Participate
Being open to talking to strangers takes courage. Being willing to be an active participant to the conversation helps mitigate the initial awkwardness!
Listen
Sometimes saying nothing is more important than saying something. Listening and comprehending whomever is speaking and responding appropriately is a great way to make friends.
Relax
Nervous? Don’t be! Play it cool and relaxed. Have a good time and remember everyone in VRChat has been in the same position.
In public worlds there may be people trying to rile others users up by rage-baiting or trolling. Remember it’s not that serious and walking away is always an option.
But Remember to Not Serious
Don’t be Rude
Have a good time, but remember that everyone in VRChat are people too. Being off-putting and generally rude is looked down upon and can lead to being blocked or banned.
Self Expression
Express Yourself
Who are you? How do you represent yourself?
Well, that is up to you dear reader! VRChat allows users to upload a wide range of avatars to express themselves. Whether they want to be an animal, a Pokemon, or have a totally unique style, all is acceptable in virtual reality and VRChat.
Find or Buy?
Users can find avatars through worlds or buy packages to upload through creators who make avatars for people to purchase. These platforms such as Booth.pm, Jinxxy and Gumroad are marketplaces for users to search for a new look!
OR
Cant find it?
Use 3d modeling tools such as Blender and Unity to create your own experiences in VRChat! Have an idea and want it to become a reality? With a plethora of tutorials online you too can make your own worlds and avatars for VRChat!
User Content
Path to Stardom
Regularly creating content for VRChat could get you recognized for your hard work. Get paid to create worlds and avatars for other people. Your passion for creation and self expression could give you another source of income through virtual reality and networking through it.
Everything & Everywhere BUILD IT!
Outside of the officially released worlds, everything you interact within VRChat is user created. All the game worlds, the visual experiences, and the avatars you interact with are created by passionate and driven creators.
Useful Resources
VRChat
Vrchat.com X.com/VRChat
Discord.gg/VRChat
Youtube.com/VRChat
Twitch.tv/VRChat
Nazasuart.Wordpress.com X.com/EternallyNazasu
Discord.gg/udstbuE Youtube.com/Nazasu Twitch.tv/Nazasu
Nazasu (Me) Recommended Channels Stay Informed
Youtube.com/TheVirtualRealityShow Youtube.com/ThrillSeeker Youtube.com/Derafog Youtube.com/TwiceVR Youtube.com/VowagenVR
2024-12-01
2024-07-17
2025-01-21
2022-11-07
2022-10-21
2022-12-23
2022-11-13
2022-11-18
2022-12-10
2021-10-02
2022-01-15
My PhotosOldest
Virtual Reality
The Users
User Made Content
The Worlds
Social Rules
Virtual Reality is wonderful and gives people a place to talk, play games, and make long lasting relationships. In this I will go over everything I have accumulated over the 4 years of being a user in the virtual space known as VRChat and aspects of virtual reality I find to be most relevant in that time. Please enjoy this publication and check out VRChat if you are interested in anything that is mentioned here. Thank you!