VAST is a pioneering virtual entertainment social platform created in the past year, harnessing the latest real-time technologies of Unreal Engine alongside proprietary tools. It offers a boundless playground for creators, allowing them to build personalized miniverses and explore an endless variety of virtual events and experiences. Whether it's attending virtual festivals, performances, or exhibitions, users can choose their avatars and embark on shared adventures with friends, journeying through different worlds in the metaverse.
Empowering Developers to Build and Publish Unique Virtual Worlds
VAST is not only a virtual entertainment social platform where users can explore immersive experiences, but it’s also a powerful hub for developers. VAST provides a seamless way for creators to upload and manage their own content, enabling them to bring their unique visions to life within the metaverse.
Developer Registration and Access
To get started on the platform, simply visit VAST (vast.world) and register as a user. You can sign up with your email, phone number, or link a social media account like WeChat. During the current beta testing phase, developers must contact VAST’s official team to gain access to developer permissions.
Unreal Engine SDK Integration
VAST supports content creation through the Unreal Engine 5.1 SDK. Developers can easily download the SDK from VAST's website, and the installation process is simple:
Download the latest version of the Unreal SDK from the VAST platform.
Extract the plugin into your Unreal project’s Plugins folder.
Reopen the project, ensuring the SDK loads successfully. The plugin will appear under the Installed Plugins tab in Unreal Engine, ready to be used.
The Creator Toolkit: Gateway to Innovation
Once the SDK is installed, the Creator Toolkit becomes available through Unreal Engine’s toolbar. This toolkit offers developers a comprehensive suite of features to manage and develop their worlds. Through the toolkit, you can access world-building features, login with your VAST account, and manage your projects with ease. However, be sure to have developer permissions enabled before accessing full functionality.
Custom World Creation and Asset Management
VAST allows you to create and manage multiple virtual worlds. By navigating to the World Information section, you can view and edit your project’s details, create new worlds, and control their visibility (public or private). Asset management is streamlined through VAST’s World Content system, which organizes all assets under a dedicated project folder.
For world creation:
Worlds can be built with a single level, though future updates will support multi-level setups.
All referenced assets should be migrated to the World Content directory for efficient management.
Asset Building and Uploading
When your world is ready for publication, VAST simplifies the process with its Build and Upload tools. Using the Creator Toolkit, developers can package their assets and upload them directly to VAST’s servers. The platform checks for missing files, ensuring every asset is prepared for a smooth upload and publication process.
Local Testing with Sandbox Environment
To facilitate rapid development, VAST provides a local testing environment. By downloading the VAST client from the website, developers can quickly launch their worlds in a sandbox setting to test content before making it public. This ensures a smoother debugging process and allows for full inspection of your project’s performance and gameplay.