Get Started
The first steps to building you Space.
⬇️ Here is an video overview of the entire build process ⬇️
How to get started building with Mona.
With Mona, you can design your metaverse using familiar 3d tools like Blender, Rhino or Gravity Sketch, then import it into our easy-to-use Unity template SDK, then test directly in the browser before publishing.
Here is an overview of the build process:
- Setup your Metaverse project
- Download & Install Unity 2022.2.3f1
- Open the Mona template SDK in Unity
- Create your Space
- Add in custom assets loaded from 3d tools.
- Customize inside Unity using our easy-to-follow documentation.
- Test your Space
- Experience your world directly in the browser before minting on the blockchain.
- Optimize for best results.
- Submit and Mint your space
- Submit your Space to Mona for QA
- Once passed, you can Mint your space!
- Unity is free to download and required to set up your Space.
- Download Unity for Windows, MacOS, or Linux. Most people install the Unity Hub, and then use the archive to download the correct version of Unity.
- Other versions of Unity are not guaranteed to work. It is highly recommended to use the suggested version.
- Make sure to install the Build support for WebGL add on when installing Unity. Mona will not work without this added.
- We currently require all builders to use Unity version 2022.2.3f1.
- When installing Unity, when prompted for Unity component selection, make sure to add Build support for WebGL. If this is not installed, there will be a WebGL related error when trying to build to the Mona platform.
- Mona Recently upgraded to Unity 2022.2.3. If you created a space in Unity 2020.3.18, you will need to update your space by following these instructions.
- We have a ready-to-use Unity template SDK to make getting started easier.
- To download, clone the repository, or press Code > Download Zip.
- Unzip the Template SDK into the preferred location on your computer. This folder is the project.
- Add the unzipped template SDK folder to your Unity Projects using the Add Button.
Select Add -> Find SpaceStarter-main -> Open -> Double click to launch Unity project
- Click on the added project to open it in Unity. Note that this may take up to 5 minutes to import.
Remember to backup often. To do this you can simply make a copy of your project folder (Ctrl + C then Ctrl + V works), and then open the duplicate folder in unity to continue.
- After opening the Mona Template SDK project, load the Mona template SDK scenes using Mona -> Load Space Scenes. This will open three scenes: Space , Artifacts, & Portals.
Load Space Scenes from the Mona Menu
- Mona projects should have 3 Scenes loaded in your Hierarchy - Space, Portals, and Artifacts. If you see an Untitled scene remove it by right clicking on the Untitled Scene and selecting 'Remove Scene'.
- Do NOT rename or delete any of these scenes
- Each scene will have an object in it's root. Do not delete or rename these objects either. If you collapse your hierarchy, it should always look like the following:
- Each of these root objects have a specific 'tag' on them, 'Space', 'PortalLayer', and 'ArtifactLayer'. These are the only objects that use these tags.
Now it's time to create your space. Note that because Mona is based on WebGL in a browser, you will need to consider the limitations of the Space because of that. You will need to take note of polygon count and how many materials are allowed in the space among other things. If you are coming from any non-game background such as architecture or NFT art, you will need to look at optimising your assets considerably before using them in a Mona space.
We are always updating out docs and video tutorials to help you on this, but if you want your space to run on as many devices as possible, and even more so on Mobile and VR, make sure to check out the many ways to improve your assets and create game ready assets that are optimized.
A quick summary is as follows however :
- Import your 3D assets made from your preferred 3D creation tool (ie. Blender, Rhino, or Maya) into Unity. To import you can use any of the following :
- Drag and drop your assets and textures from your Desktop into Unity directly
- Right mouse click in the Project file and use 'Import New Asset' and select your assets to import
- Use the Assets / Import New Asset menu item to import your assets.
We recommend using the _AddYourArtHere Folder located inside the Assets folder in the Project window to store your assets, but this is not compulsory.
Supported 3D file formats: .fbx (recommended), .obj
Supported 2D file formats: .png (recommended), .jpg
Supported Audio file formats: .mp3
Once your assets are imported in the Project folder, you can add it to your Space by dragging them into the Hierarchy window, or into the Scene directly.
There are 3 Scenes in which you can import your objects into :
Space Scene (Environment assets)
Add all assets you'd like to permanently stay in your minted project in the Space scene. This includes all assets that will not change in your Space, such as environment assets.
For example, if you built a traditional gallery space, you'd add the assets for the walls, ceiling, and floor into the Space scene.
- Do not delete or rename the Space Scene or your Space will not load properly.
- All Space objects need to be under, or a child of, the 'Space' GameObject that is tagged 'Space'. Do not rename or delete the 'Space' gameobject.
Portal Scene (Portal Assets)
A Mona Space can use portals to navigate to other minted Spaces. Portals are optional however. Portals are like a door, or gateway, to another Space in the Mona network. Portals cannot be modified or turned on/off in the future. Details for how to set these up can be found Portals
- Do not delete or rename the Portals Scene or your Space will not load properly.
- All Portal prefab objects need to be under, or a child of, the 'Portals' GameObject that is tagged 'PortalLayer'. Do not rename or delete this object.
- Portals have a specific Hierarchy/Tags to function correctly, check out the Portals documentation for more information
Artifacts Scene (Removable assets)
Artifacts are assets that can be removed or edited, such as a sculpture or piece of furniture. You should add these to the Artifacts Scene. These can also link to external websites or NFT Marketplaces when clicked on.
Canvases allow a builder to create an asset that can display an image or livestream from a public URL. These are also placed in the Artifacts scene.
Artifacts and Canvases have a specific hierarchy in order to work correctly.
Artifacts and Canvases are completely optional. But make sure to keep the 'Artifacts' gameobject even if it is empty.
Examples for Artifacts/Canvases include :
- If you want to include a sofa, but you or the owner of the space would want to change it after the space has been minted, you'd place the sofa under the 'Artifacts' GameObject in the Artifacts Scene.
- Another example is placing art that you would like to sell as an NFT that links to the NFT Marketplace. You'd place the art under the Artifacts GameObject in the Artifacts Scene as a Canvas, and link to the external media files after you upload the Space to your Wallet.
- Do not delete or rename the Artifacts Scene or your Space will not load properly.
- All Artifact or Canvas prefab objects need to be under, or a child of, the 'Artifacts' GameObject that is tagged 'ArtifactLayer'.
- Even if you delete all the Artifacts and canvases, you will need to keep the parent Artifacts Gameobject.
- Once your space is ready, click on the 'Playground' button at the top of Unity! It's that easy! This will open your project exports folder and open the Mona Playground URL for you to drag your playground files into.
- You can also use the 'Mona / Build Playground Files' menu option.
- If you need to find the Playground Folder on your own, they can be found in the Exports folder in your Unity project folder.
- You will need a digital wallet, such as Metamask or WalletConnect, in order to upload the Space onto your wallet drafts.
- Connect your wallet to Mona, and then select 'Sign in' on the Mona Website.
- Once signed in, go to the 'Drafts' section and select '+ Create' to start a new space draft.
- The first page that comes up will cover basic information like : - Artist Name (required) - Space Title (required) - Space Short Summary (required) - Space Long Summary (optional) - Properties
- Once you have uploaded the playground Files on the following page, you can use the 'Preview' button to share the URL to the space or create a Hang out (on the UI navigation bar) in the space to share the multiplayer experience.
- You can submit your space for QA in order to mint it. You will need to upload your Space and add some nice touches such as a loading Image and preview video. You will need : - Playable Files (the files you have been using for testing, needs to be less than 250Mb) - Preview Image (a 1920x1080 minimum render of your Space that doesn't have the Avatar or any desktop or Mona UI) - Preview Render (A 1920x1080 minimum video of your space that doesn't have the Avatar or any desktop or Mona UI) - Mintable File (The file made using the 'Build Mintable File' in the Unity Mona menu, needs to be less than 2Gb)
- Once all the files are uploaded you need to submit the following form to inform us that you would like to go through the QA process : https://airtable.com/shry50SFuk6D4unwU. If you do not submit this form, Mona will not know that you would like to mint the Space.
- Once done, your Space is submitted for Quality Assurance by the Mona team. If cleared, you can then mint your space!
- For more information on the files you need to submit and the process involved, check out the Submit Your Space Documentation.
Note that after you mint a space you will not be able to update it (unless assets are artifacts/canvases). Make sure your space is as good as it can be before you submit it for QA.
- After your space has been passed for QA you can use the Mint button to upload your space to the Mona marketplace to sell!
- There are some fees involved, and more information on these can be found on the Mint Your Space documentation
Last modified 18d ago