{"id":17775,"date":"2024-11-21T22:42:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T22:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nft.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/21\/macromedia-metaverse-generative-worldbuilding-interview-with-rob-dixon-makersplace-editorial\/"},"modified":"2024-11-21T22:42:08","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T22:42:08","slug":"macromedia-metaverse-generative-worldbuilding-interview-with-rob-dixon-makersplace-editorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nft.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/21\/macromedia-metaverse-generative-worldbuilding-interview-with-rob-dixon-makersplace-editorial\/","title":{"rendered":"Macromedia, Metaverse, & Generative Worldbuilding \u2014 Interview with Rob Dixon | MakersPlace Editorial"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Rob Dixon, known as Radix, is a code-based generative artist merging technology and creativity to explore human experiences in digital spaces. Starting with Adobe Flash in the late 1990s and later joining Adobe\u2019s Flash Player team, he crafted visuals that laid the foundation for his distinctive style. Entering the NFT space in 2020 through Art Blocks, Rob gained recognition for works like Inspirals<\/em> and Eccentrics<\/em>. Influenced by sci-fi, Art Deco, and mission-style design, he continues to push his creative and technical limits through generative art.<\/p>\n

In this interview, Rob discusses his artistic journey, from Flash to NFTs, sharing the inspiration behind Exposures<\/em>, his upcoming MakersPlace exhibition, which will debut at the inaugural Miami Digital Art Fair. He reflects on the evolving metaverse, the social power of digital spaces, and how influences like game design, sci-fi, and architecture shape his work. Join us for an insightful look at art and innovation at the intersection of the digital and physical worlds.<\/p>\n

Visit Rob\u2019s MakersPlace Gallery<\/a><\/p>\n

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Text output for Exposures<\/em> by Rob Dixon<\/p>\n

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BW: Rob, for anyone unfamiliar with you and your work, can you tell us a bit about your journey as an artist?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: Sure. I\u2019m Rob Dixon, also known as Radix. I\u2019m a code-based generative artist, which means I create art using software I write myself.<\/p>\n

I started in the late \u201990s with Adobe Flash, making fun web-based graphics. Eventually, I joined the Flash Player team at Adobe, where I worked on artwork, game samples, and music visualizers. That\u2019s where my generative art career began.<\/p>\n

Years later, I explored game development and blockchain technology, which led me to NFTs around 2015\u20132017. In 2020, I discovered Art Blocks, and everything clicked. Generative art as NFTs had an audience, and I finally had a way to share my work.<\/p>\n

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BW: I\u2019m curious about your Adobe job\u2014it sounds like a dream gig. Was it as experimental as it seems?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: It was. I got to experiment and develop ideas. The engineering team would create features, like a pseudo-3D system, and I\u2019d make something to demo it. Then I\u2019d document the feature, becoming the go-to expert on it. It was exciting and creative work.<\/p>\n

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BW: From week to week, were you just creating new things in Flash and documenting them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: Pretty much. I even co-wrote a couple of books about the ActionScript language, including reference documents and stable builds. Not that anyone uses them now, but it was cool at the time.<\/p>\n

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BW: One of my favorite artist duos worked entirely in Flash. When Flash was deprecated, they had to find another tool.<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: That\u2019s a common story. Many artists, like Casey Reas, Joshua Davis, and Mario Klingemann, started with Flash. It was a gateway for a lot of creatives.<\/p>\n

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Eccentrics 2 #274 <\/em>by Rob Dixon<\/p>\n

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BW: You discovered NFTs while researching for a novel. Are you still writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: A little. I have a mostly finished sci-fi novel about a metaverse-like world on blockchain. While researching in 2017, I discovered Decentraland, got involved early, and became an active contributor in their 3D world.<\/p>\n

It was my first exposure to NFTs. Decentraland, along with Dapper (the creators of CryptoKitties), collaborated on the original NFT spec. Their land parcels were among the first NFTs, which was fascinating and pulled me deeper into the space.<\/p>\n

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BW: What\u2019s your current relationship with the metaverse and Decentraland?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: I created about half a dozen games in Decentraland, including Wonder Mine, which was the most popular game on the platform for a couple of years and is still active.<\/p>\n

Decentraland has had ups and downs. At its peak, WonderMine had 10,000 daily users. Now it\u2019s a few hundred, as people have more entertainment options post-pandemic.<\/p>\n

That said, I think the metaverse will have a resurgence. It\u2019s influenced my art, especially my latest project, which explores how people inhabit digital worlds.<\/p>\n

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BW: Where do you see the metaverse going in the next one to three years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: I think it\u2019s here to stay, though it will evolve. What I\u2019ve learned as a game developer is that the metaverse\u2019s real strength lies in its social aspect.<\/p>\n

In my previous games\u2014mostly mobile games and social casino games\u2014gameplay was usually a solo experience. But in the metaverse, it\u2019s different. The games we created would intentionally build in downtime, where players had to wait a minute or two. That led to people chatting with each other while they waited.<\/p>\n

It created this incredible social hub. People formed communities and kept coming back every day at the same time to hang out, see what new wearables others had, and show off their own. \u201cLook, I can fly today\u2014I bought wings!\u201d It became a genuine social phenomenon.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the sweet spot for the metaverse. It\u2019s not about solo adventures; if you want that, you can play a standalone video game with better graphics and deeper gameplay. The metaverse is about goofing around for a couple of hours, hanging out with friends, and chatting\u2014while maybe flying on the back of a dragon.<\/p>\n

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BW: I think about the promise of the metaverse, VR, and AR. As someone who works from home, some days I don\u2019t even leave the house. A lot of skeptics see the tech\u2019s current shortcomings as failure, but I think the potential is huge\u2014especially as more people work remotely and crave social connections.<\/strong><\/p>\n

RD: Definitely. For most 3D worlds, you don\u2019t even need a headset\u2014just a website. VR and AR will take off when it\u2019s as simple as wearing glasses you can use while going about your day. Right now, the bulky headsets are just too inconvenient.<\/p>\n

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