GatherSpace

A metaverse-inspired collaborative platform that combines virtual spaces with proximity-based communication, creating natural team interactions in a digital environment.

Overview

GatherSpace is a virtual workspace platform that reimagines remote collaboration by simulating physical office environments. Currently in its initial development phase, this project serves as an open-source alternative to Gather.Town, focusing on enterprise use cases with enhanced security and customization options.

Technical Implementation

• Backend: Spring Boot with WebSocket support for real-time interactions
• Frontend: React with WebGL for rendering interactive spaces
• Real-time Communication: WebRTC for voice and video capabilities
• State Management: Redux for application state and user movement tracking
• Persistence: MongoDB for user data and space configurations

Architecture

┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐
│               Client Layer                │
│  ┌─────────┐  ┌────────┐  ┌───────────┐   │
│  │  React  │  │ WebGL  │  │  WebRTC   │   │
│  │   UI    │  │ Render │  │ Handlers  │   │
│  └─────────┘  └────────┘  └───────────┘   │
└─────────────────────┬─────────────────────┘
                      │
┌─────────────────────▼─────────────────────┐
│           Communication Layer             │
│  ┌─────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐  │
│  │  WebSocket  │     │  REST API       │  │
│  │ Connection  │     │  Endpoints      │  │
│  └─────────────┘     └─────────────────┘  │
└─────────────────────┬─────────────────────┘
                      │
┌─────────────────────▼─────────────────────┐
│             Backend Services              │
│  ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────────┐  │
│  │  Space  │ │  User   │ │ Interaction │  │
│  │ Service │ │ Service │ │  Service    │  │
│  └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────────┘  │
└─────────────────────┬─────────────────────┘
                      │
┌─────────────────────▼─────────────────────┐
│                Database                   │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │              MongoDB                │  │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────┘  │
└───────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Features

• Virtual Workspace Rooms: Custom-designed spaces for different collaboration needs
• Proximity-Based Communication: Audio and video streams that activate based on virtual distance
• Avatar Interaction: Real-time movement and interaction between users
• Customizable Environments: Tools for creating and modifying virtual spaces
• Organization-Level Management: Administrative controls for enterprise environments

Implementation Challenges

• Real-time Movement Synchronization: Ensuring smooth, low-latency user movement across clients
• WebRTC Optimization: Handling multiple simultaneous audio/video streams efficiently
• Spatial Audio Implementation: Creating realistic audio attenuation based on virtual distance
• Collision Detection: Implementing accurate collision systems for avatars and environment objects

Current Development Focus

As this project is in its initial phase, development is currently centered on:

• Core movement and interaction mechanics
• Basic room creation and management
• Foundational WebRTC integration for proximity communication
• User authentication and basic administrative controls

GatherSpace demonstrates my ability to architect complex real-time applications with multiple technical components while focusing on creating intuitive, engaging user experiences that solve real business collaboration challenges.