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8:03 AM, Tuesday, February 28th, 2023:   I want to upload this with excitement and ambition bounding through my veins...   ...but I can't deny the fact that I'm a little defeated. The past month has been frustration from Meta and Deo VR... so much so that I was going to actually do an entire entry about it... but was too annoyed at putting out a video that negative, so I decided this will be how I attempt to break through the wall of indifference and fundamental misunderstanding. So here's the video pancaked into a Journey entry... nearly worthless without being in a headset (because there's tons of flat videos like this), but for documentation purposes...     ...and now for the FEEEEEEEEEEELING side of everything I kinda hope no one in the industry reads, but I have to fucking document this.   Only porn understands the value of VR180 and I don't want to make porn. All of these VRlog tests are leading up to actually creating films and stories in this format and it's quite clear, no one really gets it. Meta especially, but even Deo VR is making me a little nuts. First off, Meta:   Impossible UI, broken metrics for the creators, no way to link people to subscribe, no way for people to SEE their subscriptions once they find out how, and the content is lost in a sea of FLAT or 360 videos. They do not value VR180, they do not see it as part of the metaverse, they don't grasp the day-to-day lives of people that will indeed wear these glasses and dip in and out of VR and content on a whim. Meta still thinks it's a world people will go in ala Ready Player One, and while yes, that will absolutely be a part of it, they're not supporting the rest of it. It's maddening. Oh and in February my view counts stopped uploading, and then 3 weeks ago all stats disappeared completely with zero communication, nor any way to contact anyone - AND I KNOW PEOPLE THAT WORK AT META. They don't even know what to fucking do. So I just make all this content, upload it to the wind and move on.   ...and let's be clear, this is what I've always done with The Journey, nothing is monetized and I hardly care about views... but that's for personal content, or telling MY story, etc. These VRlogs are clearly trying to attract a different group of people and get people excited about this format and I still can't speak to the people that even USE it.   Deo VR is a little better... well, it fixes some things and breaks other things. First off - their media player is excellent, head and shoulders better than META's and I wish everyone could use it. They pay creators! Meta doesn't (unless you're selected, I've heard rumors of people making something, but you have to work FOR Meta) so that's about 1000x better. Problem? People have to pay a monthly premium to access the videos (unless you make them free) and then they have access to ALL the premium content. DeoVR gives you a cut depending on how much people watch your videos. I mean, I think. There are not watch-hour metrics. Not really even views. They give you Raw page views, Unique page views and number of favorites daily. Then a dollar amount that doesn't line up with any of those stats at all. You can have 25 unique views, 5 favorites and make $0.02... then the next day have worse stats and make $2.13. I presume it's time spent watching? But I have no idea what they value, what to focus on... nothing. I have a contact that does indeed respond, but she doesn't seem to know either and it's clear they just don't have a big operation. I get it, and empathize, and dude - even the fact that I've made over $40 on like 8 videos (I'm uploading all of them, but 2 days apart. Gonna take awhile to catch up) is awesome considering the competition is sexy girls in bikinis. Or cosplay, etc. They do not allow adult content, however it just means everyone goes UP to the line and dances around it in their underwear. That's fine (though if you want to watch porn, just go watch porn... ya know?), but they said they NEED creative content and they seem to just push what is popular... but therein lies the rub. They need to pick exceptional content, promote it, and then make a section for the other stuff or this industry won't GROW. And goddamn I don't want to badger motherfuckers but holy christ some of the content is so bad. Like, almost completely unviewable in VR. It's because the good cameras and setups are so expensive, I understand, but my goodness it's tough. And I can't ask any of my friends to sign up for the premium content when there's really only 2 or 3 creators that are any good. They can just watch my stuff on Meta or YouTube... but of course, then I make no money. So you're stuck.   Also, I'll get into the 180 vs 360 debate in the next video but suffice to say, until that's settled and that shit is moved off these platforms, we're killing the whole thing. People watch one or two bad videos and they just get defeated. Like, slam my content for being subjectively boring, etc... but objectively - it's shot well. Give me oodles of content I DON'T like as long as it's done well. Now you've got yourself a medium. And there are peeps out there teaching how to shoot well and saying the same things I am... but you need the content DISTRIBUTORS to apply SOME barrier to entry. Otherwise, we're spinning our wheels. Anyway - I'm hoping Jay Bratt really does want to do a video about this and that he can link to this video as an example of what VR180 can be. OH YEAH THE VIDEO...   Slightly limited as I still don't have a great way to walk and show both hands moving, or even do a good car shot yet... but man that feeling of going from the 2D basketball game to immersive? Gets me every time. The video is basically just a journey randoms video where I grab pieces and make an entry, this time through a lens of "memories" 10 years from now. Ya know, maybe the year when I actually appreciate that I did this much work? Good fuck. I'm spitting out VR180 content at a crazy pace and it's taking nearly all of my time... and, as usual, it's in a vacuum. Another goddamned vacuum.   Alright, I clearly need to go work out and get some endorphins going. Come on Jay! I need you to take this ball and RUN!   Adam