In an age of remote and hybrid working, where companies are desperately searching to keep distributed teams aligned, VR is a lifeline. Virtual reality environments go beyond the benefits of video conferencing, by allowing employees to share a sense of presence once again in a digital environment. Within the right VR landscape, teams can discuss, create, share knowledge, and build amazing concepts, while still being miles apart.
For companies interested in exploring the benefits of VR for themselves, there are plenty of potential options available. AltSpaceVR and VRChat are two of the better-known, and more popular VR ecosystems. Both provide a collaborative space where teams and users can get together for virtual conversations, with customisable environments.
The question is, which VR landscape is right for your team? Let’s take a closer look at the features of both, to help you decide.
AltspaceVR: Features
AltspaceVR is among the most popular virtual meeting landscapes for events, business collaboration, and even education. Since launch, the virtual reality environment has attracted countless users, who love the flexibility of the platform. You can experience interesting events on a daily basis, build your own meeting experiences, and even connect with people in the 2D world too.
The AltSpaceVR ecosystem works with all the top VR headsets, including Oculus and Windows Mixed Reality tools. You can also easily host and start your own meetup within the flexible, straightforward platform, without the need for extensive coding knowledge. Features include:
- Leading VR headset compatibility
- 2D cross-platform support
- Easy-to-access with Steam downloads
- Customisable meeting and event environments
- Comprehensive directory access
- Security and privacy controls
- Extensive development features
- Video camera streaming
- Custom avatar creation tools
- Mute or amplify your voice
- Public or private meeting spaces
- Unlimited stage management and capacity
- Hosting for event panels
- Screen-sharing and content sharing
- Audience interaction tools for events
- Microsoft Mesh support
AltSpaceVR is ideal for companies keen to unlock the benefits of VR for their teams, without spending a fortune on custom development strategies. The system is easy to use and comes with SDKs for building shareable apps. You can also customize pre-existing templates if you don’t want to start building something from scratch.
VRChat Features:
VRChat is probably one of the first VR platforms most people heard of when collaboration in the virtual world began to gain more interest. The landscape features more than 25,000 community-created worlds. You can join existing environments or build something of your own. The solution is also available to use with a range of tools, including Oculus Quest and Rift headsets.
Suitable for 2D PC users and headset users alike, VRChat promises users a convenient and flexible environment where they can build worlds and bring their imagination to life. Like AltSpaceVR, you’ll also get to change up your look with custom avatars. Features include:
- Global community of creators
- Public or private collaboration spaces
- Custom avatars with endless options
- Unity SDK for quick development
- Full-body eye and lip-sync tracking
- Hand gestures, emojis, and emotes
- 3D spatialized audio for more immersion
- Games like capture the flag and battle discs
- Chat, sculpt and draw with colleagues or friends
- Explore weekly events and community experiences
The VRChat landscape is all about bringing people together and championing the connective power of virtual reality. There are a host of ways to interact and engage with the other people in your VR space, through things like games, and custom avatars you can genuinely build from scratch. You might even decide to do some team building events with the weekly events hosted by the VRChat experts.
AltSpaceVR vs VRChat: Which is Best?
Both VRChat and AltSpaceVR are excellent introductions into the world of collaborative virtual reality. If you want to help develop bonds between the members of your team, and create unique learning experiences, both of these tools are excellent choices. AltSpaceVR and VRChat will both allow you to create custom environments and avatars for your specific needs.
Both of these tools also come with public events you and your teams can attend, as well as worlds you can check out if you don’t want to build your own. You can also access both tools through a range of virtual reality headsets, or on a 2D environment like a PC.
With AltSpaceVR, you get a more professional, but still friendly virtual environment for sharing ideas and working together on a variety of tasks. You can access all kinds of content to improve your teamwork, and there’s video and screensharing for additional context. You can even build modern events with integration to the Microsoft Mesh environment.
While AltSpaceVR seems to have been built for more professional and educational environments, VRChat is more informal, designed for making friends and bonding online. You can play games with the people you meet, explore public worlds, and even sculpt ideas with other users. There’s also a lot more freedom when it comes to avatar creation and customization, with full body avatars featuring eye-tracking and lip syncing.
VRChat immerses teams in a fun and playful experience where they can build their own worlds, attend events, and express themselves with hand gestures and emojis.
Which VR Collaboration Solution Should You Choose?
Both VRChat and AltSpaceVR have the benefit of being fun, easy-to-use VR environments for business users. However, there are some slight differences. The AltSpaceVR environment is more likely to be your choice if you’re looking for a structured teamwork experience. You can’t load up your own content or share screens on VRChat, after all.
AltSpaceVR may also be a little more appealing for professional events, thanks to the integration with Microsoft Mesh. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a fun way to promote team bonding in a world defined by remote and hybrid work, VRChat could be an excellent choice. You still get a lot of freedom or building here, and your team members can express themselves more effectively too.
