m3-org/charter

M3 Charter

Metaverse Makers Mastermind (M3) Charter

Who we are

We are a group of makers working to reify a practical "Metaverse". We are doing this through open products, content production, education, and fundraising.

Let's break that down.

What is a Metaverse?

A metaverse is a three-dimensional world, existing in computers, created by many different people with many conflicting goals, who nonetheless loosely agree on interoperable evolving standards.

So it's the Matrix?

Maybe "The Matrix" is an inspiration, but we're not trying to recreate reality.

So it's the web?

The web has a lot of the right properties, but it isn't a "three-dimensional world". Technology like WebXR might help. We embrace any technology that can help, as long as it is based on interoperable evolving standards.

So it's VR? AR? 2D?

A three-dimensional world can be viewed through many lenses. It can be on a flat screen, attached to real locations, or completely virtual. Interoperability means these should all talk to each other.

So it's Facebook Horizon/Steam/Oculus/Magic Leap?

These projects are run by a single business that sets the goal and dictates the standards. We can't work in a vacuum, so we try to fit our ideas with theirs.

So it's VRChat/Minecraft/Decentraland/CryptoVoxels?

These projects are amazing, but not sufficiently interoperable, and also generally led by a single organization.

What is a "maker"

A maker is someone who contributes towards fulfilling the goal. Making takes many shapes, such as ideation, organization, data research, design, execution, funding and other endeavors that advance our mission.

A maker is not in the group for entertainment, appreciation, or keeping "up to date".

If you are not a maker you may still enjoy the things we produce, and you can still support our mission in other ways.

What is "practical"

Practical means we are forward-thinking pragmatists. Our work cannot exist in a vacuum.

Here are some things we do not believe:

• We are right and everyone else is wrong
• Everything should be "open source"
• If we make great things, people will come help
• Results emerge organically, by something other than our work
• We appreciate volunteers who work for free
• People and organizations are benevolent
• If we wait, it will happen

Here are some things we do believe:

• Bias towards action and tentative answers rather than perpetual questions and talk
• Clarity of thought is important
• Our ideas compete with giants who want different things
• Money is needed for us to survive
• Everyone wants something different, but we can take aim together
• Promotion of our ideas is important work
• Time is of the essence, because others aren't waiting

Our activities

• Regular meetings to discuss and present our ideas, and be held to accountable progress on them.
• Research events that serve as both learning and promotion of our ideas.
• Producing clear communications of our ideas, in the form of videos, blog posts, social media activity, and so on.
• Fundraising work, including Github Sponsors/Patreon/Venture Capital, where having capital available helps the group's goals.
• Organization and coordination of presentations with other leaders who do not necessarily share our views.
• Managing minutae, such as the Github organization, Discord channels, video transcriptions, etc.

How you can help

• Participate in our meetings by presenting your idea and what you've learned.
• Work on a project that is missing, or missing in the right shape, in the open metaverse community.
• Promote the group to an audience who might be interested in helping out the mission.
• Sponsor us as a subscriber.
• Sponsor us as an advertiser.