MarineVerse Blog
MarineVerse 2023 Review
Time flies!
Next month marks an incredible 8-year journey for MarineVerse. We are immensely thankful for your continuous support, which has been pivotal in making this project possible.
Together, we are building the largest virtual sailing club in the world. As this year draws to a close, we’d like to pause and reflect on the exciting journey of 2023.
Join us as we share some of the standout moments and achievements.
Check out this video for a quick overview:
As you can see, 2023 was a big year for MarineVerse.
Major MarineVerse Cup updates:
Learning
Throughout the year, we’ve worked with the NauticEd team to expand our ‘learn how to sail’ offerings.
A lot of effort went into launching our Docking course, and we also created lessons on basic Navigation Rules. You can find this content in the NauticEd Training Room within the MarineVerse Cup.
Relaxing
We know many of you enjoy using VR to explore and relax. That’s why we’re excited that we finally brought our Akalana Islands to the Meta Quest platform. It’s a beautiful place to sail around virtually.
Have a look here:
Try Before You Buy
Our mission at MarineVerse is to make sailing accessible and enjoyable for everyone, everywhere. We’re happy to say we’ve come closer to that goal this year. Now, you can try MarineVerse Cup for free for 15 minutes on the Meta Quest store. And if you like it, you can get the full basic version for just $19.99 USD.
Relaxing, Learning, Racing
As more and more people join MarineVerse Sailing, we want to make sure you get the most out of it. That’s why we’ve made it possible for you to choose why you’re playing each time you start the app. This way, MarineVerse can keep getting better and more fun for you:
To see all the updates we’ve made to MarineVerse Cup this year, check out our history page: https://www.marineverse.com/marineverse-cup/history
Quest 3 & Mixed Reality
In late September, the Meta Quest 3 was released, and we’re thrilled to say that MarineVerse Cup looks fantastic on it!
The text appears sharper and is easier to read, and the overall app experience is much smoother. If you’re considering an upgrade, we definitely recommend going for the Quest 3.
A standout feature of this new headset is the “Color Passthrough.” This feature lets you see your actual surroundings while wearing the headset, creating an experience similar to Augmented Reality (AR glasses). This is why it’s referred to as “Mixed Reality,” as it blends both VR and AR in a single device.
We’ve leveraged this innovative capability to develop an experimental app called Rigging Drill. This app is a fun way to learn basic sailing knots and practice rigging a boat right in your living room. You can check it out here:
Rigging Drill: https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/6128861297199686
During the development of the Rigging Drill, we’ve experimented not just with Passthrough, but also with hand tracking and voice recognition technologies. We’re excited to apply the knowledge we’ve gained from this project to further improve MarineVerse in the coming year.
For those interested in learning sailing knots, don’t miss out on trying the Rigging Drill app, available for free on App Lab: https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/6128861297199686
MarineVerse Cup Racing
The “Daily Race Practice” is a unique daily ghost racing event we host in the MarineVerse Cup.
Each day brings new wind conditions and a fresh race course. Sailors worldwide can submit their race entries within a 24-hour window. As the day ends, we tally the results and declare the day’s winner. These daily results contribute to our Weekly, Monthly, and Seasonal rankings to determine the best sailors in the MarineVerse Cup.
Today marks the end of the Autumn Race Series 2023, and we’re excited to announce the winners:
- 🏆JD 🇦🇺
- 🥈 A.Z.J 🇵🇱
- 🥉Yeah boy 🇳🇿
- 🏆JD 🇦🇺
- 🥈 A.Z.J 🇵🇱
- 🥉DRan 🇨🇦
- 🏆JD 🇦🇺
- 🥈DRan 🇨🇦
- 🥉Sail n Surg n 🇺🇸
- 🏆JD 🇦🇺
- 🥈 A.Z.J 🇵🇱
- 🥉DRan 🇨🇦
- 🏆JD 🇦🇺
- 🥈DRan 🇨🇦
- 🥉Yeah boy 🇳🇿
It’s been an incredible year for JD 🇦🇺, consistently clinching victories across various boat types. A.Z.J 🇵🇱 also had a remarkable year, winning two seasons in Yacht Pro and consistently ranking in the top 3. Kudos to Yeah boy 🇳🇿 and DRan 🇨🇦 for their regular top 3 placements in the Pro Seasons rankings.
Congratulations to all participants!
Let’s look back at the results from the Winter, Spring, and Summer Series of 2023:
Winter Race Series 2023:
- Yacht Pro: A.Z.J 🇵🇱
- Dinghy Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Waszp Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Catamaran Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Opti Pro: JD 🇦🇺
Spring Race Series 2023:
- Yacht Pro: A.Z.J 🇵🇱
- Dinghy Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Waszp Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Catamaran Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Opti Pro: JD 🇦🇺
Summer Race Series 2023:
- Yacht Pro: JD 🇦🇺
- Dinghy Pro: JD🇦🇺
- Waszp Pro: JD🇦🇺
- Catamaran Pro: JD🇦🇺
- Opti Pro: JD🇦🇺
( You can click the Series name to see the leaderboard for that series )
In addition to Pro series, we are also competing in region & country specific leagues ( Zone 3, 6 and 8 ).
Some of the leading sailors for each zone are:
Zone 3: Capt Jay 🇺🇸, Sail n Surg n 🇺🇸, Retsirof 🇺🇸, CalJames 🇺🇸, DRan 🇨🇦, Doc66 🇨🇦
Zone 6: A.Z.J 🇵🇱,Paul Gunny 🇬🇧, xplanero 🇪🇸, Mighty Bear 🇫🇷, Omerigo 🇹🇷, Popeye 🇬🇧
Zone 8: JD 🇦🇺, Yeah boy 🇳🇿, Sail n Surg n
Our biggest country league is United States:
Yacht US Autumn Race Series 2023:
- 🏆Capt Jay from Republican City in Nebraska
- 🥈Retsirof from Beaumont in Texas
- 🥉PapaGeorge Chesterfield in Michigan
Dinghy US Autumn Race Series 2023:
- 🏆Retsirof from Beaumont in Texas
- 🥈Doug2112 from Washington
- 🥉PapaGeorge Chesterfield in Michigan
You can explore other results, including weekly regattas and country & state specific rankings here: https://www.marineverse.com/marineverse-cup/leagues
In addition to time based rankings, we also have “all time” best sailor ratings, with JD 🇦🇺, A.Z.J 🇵🇱and Yeah boy 🇳🇿 currently in the lead: https://www.marineverse.com/marineverse-cup/rating
Winter Race Series 2024 is starting today! Who will be the best sailor this season?
If you’re new to VR racing, now is the perfect time to dive in and hone your skills.
Our Daily Race Practice mode is known as “asynchronous multiplayer.” This means you race solo but on the same track as others. The full thrill of racing comes alive when you’re on the course with other players, navigating collisions, abiding by racing rules, and strategizing. That’s why we hope to take racing in MarineVerse Cup to the next level by introducing ranked, live multiplayer races.
MarineVerse Cup Multiplayer
Multiplayer event: Every Sunday at 6 PM Central Time.
Since this October, we’ve been hosting regular Fun Races in the MarineVerse Cup multiplayer.
These events offer a unique opportunity for all of us to meet virtually, chat about sailing, and enjoy racing just for fun.
Regular attendees include Grant from NauticEd, SailingMurphy, Capt Jay, Easterly30 Brennan, Saltflatsam, CalJames Donjarrl, Retsirof, Bob R USA, Popeye, Comox Pete, Danny Panadero, Greg from MarineVerse, AZJ, Yeah Bouy & JD.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to Grant and De from the NauticEd team for their dedication in organizing the events calendar and hosting many of our regular sessions. A special shoutout goes to community leaders JD, Yeah Bouy, and Capt Jay, who have been instrumental in facilitating numerous sessions, ensuring there’s always a welcoming presence in multiplayer mode. Their commitment to the community is truly commendable.
If you’re interested in contributing as a community volunteer, we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to Greg on Discord to express your interest.
When you join our multiplayer sailing, you’ll have the chance to meet some of the most enthusiastic VR sailors from around the world. Everyone is incredibly friendly and eager to share their knowledge, making it a welcoming experience for newcomers. You are always welcome to join us for the next race.
We also offer “Introduction to Sailing” multiplayer sessions, where you can sail with experienced sailors and learn from them. Many of these sessions are led by Grant, the Director of Education at NauticEd. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn sailing in VR from such seasoned experts.
Make sure to subscribe to our events calendar, and join us next time:
Also visit #looking-for-player on Discord to discuss events and organise impromptu sailing sessions.
As we outlined in the MarineVerse Cup racing summary, our goal for 2024 is to enhance the competitive aspect of MarineVerse multiplayer. We aim to introduce official races, multiplayer regattas with rankings, and a better simulation that includes racing rules and protest handling. Stay tuned for more exciting developments in competitive VR sailing!
MarineVerse Welcomes Kayaking
At MarineVerse, our passion for sailing is matched by our love for the water. Sometimes, when we’re not sailing, we enjoy a peaceful kayak paddle.
This year, we’re thrilled to broaden our MarineVerse offerings by including kayaking, building on the hard work that went into developing the MarineVerse platform.
MarineVerse Kayaking on App Lab:
https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/6511868632241917/
MarineVerse Kayaking, currently available in early access on App Lab, offers a VR experience of this serene yet physical activity.
We’re eager for you to try this initial version and share your thoughts with us. We’re curious to know how you’d like us to develop this project further. Would you prefer it as a relaxing exploration activity, or should we focus more on fitness aspects? Share your ideas in the MarineVerse Discord, under the #kayaking channel.
And one more thing, till the end of 2023, you can get a massive 50% discount on MarineVerse Kayaking, by using the “K2023-81FE89” promo code at checkout. Enjoy!
Looking ahead to 2024
Let’s recap the significant progress MarineVerse made in 2023:
Relaxing: The stunning Akalana Islands, now explorable on Meta Quest 2 & 3.
Learning: Introduction of Docking & Rules training modules, alongside multiplayer lessons led by real sailing instructors.
Racing: We host regular and exciting weekly “Fun Race” in live multiplayer.
While we’re proud of our achievements in 2023, we believe there’s much more to explore in the realm of virtual reality sailing. Your feedback and participation are invaluable to us, and we’re keen to know what aspects of MarineVerse you enjoy most and what improvements you’d like to see in 2024. Please take a moment to fill out our quick survey:
MarineVerse Cup Feedback Survey: https://forms.gle/gUuGrjnTLfTXToHZ6
Thank you for being an integral part of the MarineVerse community. We eagerly anticipate further growth in virtual reality sailing—and kayaking!—together in the coming year. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and happy sailing!
Happy sailing!
Greg on behalf of MarineVerse team.
PS. MarineVerse Cup is available both on Quest and Steam store. Steam version offers additional PC mode, great for watching racing replays.
PS2. For updates throughout the year, you can follow us on:
PS3. MarineVerse Cup Feedback Survey: https://forms.gle/gUuGrjnTLfTXToHZ6