Decentraland, one of the leading projects in blockchain-based gaming and the metaverse, has completed the beta testing phase of its new software version in collaboration with its users. This version introduces significant improvements in performance, environmental design, and interactive mechanics, offering new features for both players and developers.
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As the world of virtual gaming and blockchain technology continues to evolve, Decentraland has once again taken a bold step forward. One of the ongoing challenges for software developers is testing and identifying bugs in new software versions. The issue of data leaks before software release can cause companies enormous and irreparable losses. On the other hand, whether users and end consumers will like the software is a crucial factor. This compels developers to select a group of experienced users for early-stage testing, which comes with numerous risks.
One of the goals and missions of the Decentraland project is to create a community of players, developers, designers, and enthusiasts of computer gaming and blockchain within this project. Decentraland’s decentralized metaverse recently completed the alpha testing phase of its new software version with the help of its user community. This testing was conducted in two phases, and participants joined the testing groups by registering on the project’s Discord server and answering a series of questions. As the only Iranian participant and representative of the cryptocurrency publication, we had the honor of taking part in this experience, which we now share with you.
The first wave of testing and review began on August 12, 2024, and lasted until August 26, with the participation of 80 users from around the world. This process resulted in the identification of 75 issues, which were reported to Decentraland’s development team. One of the most exciting aspects of this experience was the involvement of senior project managers, such as Kim Currier, Head of Partnerships and Marketing, who was active on Discord and responded promptly to detected bugs—something I had never experienced before in my own country. After the first wave of testing was completed, access was temporarily restricted to allow developers time to fix the identified issues. During this period, the dedicated tester group maintained direct communication with the project team, providing feedback on progress, suggestions, and criticisms.
Despite the absence of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between users and the project, no information was leaked before the official release, demonstrating the dedication of users to this project and their enthusiasm for contributing to one of the biggest metaverse events of the year.
The second wave of testing took place from September 30 to October 22, involving 125 users and uncovering 95 new issues. Finally, in October 2024, Decentraland’s second software version was released to the public for free.
The noticeable changes I encountered in this version are as follows:
Overall Performance Improvements
Reduced loading times and increased frame rate, even with a large number of users in one location; Introduction of a new launcher to ensure seamless and fast entry into Decentraland; Enhancements to multiplayer gameplay and group interactions.
Environmental Realism: A Dynamic Sky, Stunning Landscapes, and Flawless Buildings
Decentraland’s world is now fully dynamic, featuring a bright and immersive sky, complete with a visible sun and moon
Environments are now entirely interactive, with trees, leaves, and water moving with the wind, and more immersive sound effects
Buildings can now be viewed seamlessly up to 80 plots away, offering a vast and uninterrupted landscape
New Interactive Mechanics
Improved player profiles, making identification easier
The interactive map has seen significant enhancements, highlighting events for players
A new navigation system seamlessly guides players across the world, helping them reach their destinations with ease
Enhanced User Controls
Players can now switch effortlessly between first-person and third-person views
A new quick-access bar provides shortcuts to key sections such as profiles, the map, backpack, and notifications
The backpack system now includes better usability and enhanced visual effects for wearable tokens
The emote system has undergone major improvements
Avatar Enhancements
Avatar visuals have been significantly upgraded, with more detailed movements (walking, running, jumping)
Avatars interact more naturally with their environment, adapting to uneven terrain and making eye contact with the camera
The Bubble Chat communication system now offers seamless interaction between avatars
After the testing phase, I reached out to Kim Currier, Head of Partnerships and Marketing at the Decentraland Foundation, to share his thoughts on the experience. He said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Decentraland community for participating in the Alpha (closed) testing phase to prepare for the Beta release. Their involvement helped us move forward in developing this version of the software, and this phase was extremely beneficial.”
By providing free software, Decentraland allows enthusiasts to design and create their own works and publish them in the largest metaverse project—without needing to write a single line of code.
