Decentraland Linked Wearables Explained

Posted on the 25 September 2022 by Nftnewspro

Wearables are the different clothing items, accessories, and body features that players may use to customize the appearance of a Decentraland avatar. Platforms provide some default wearables available to all their users. Decentraland, in addition, supports the use of custom wearables. Brands as well as users create these custom wearables that are often distributed in competitions and giveaways. The wide growth of Decentraland marketplace on user-generated content further covers support for wearables, which can be bought, sold, or traded as NFT assets.

The growing range of available wearables, including cyberpunk-themed sneakers, fashionable jackets, fun top hats, etc., give users exciting stylistic choices and motivate them to invest in the market, and express their own unique personalities. Since Decentraland offers the opportunity to mint wearables and trades them as NFTs, content creators can monetize their creative work in a fun way.

In the following, we discuss the basics of custom 3D models for Decentraland wearables. We explain the Decentraland avatars, and how to properly model the wearables.

Wearables categories

Wearables are organized into different categories based on the parts they modify in an avatar:

  • Body shape (the shape of the entire avatar)
  • Hat
  • Helmet
  • Hair
  • Facial hair
  • Head
  • Upper body (e.g. jacket or shirt)
  • Lower body (e.g. pants or shorts)
  • Feet
  • Skin

Wearables can also include accessories that are applied to different parts of an avatar:

  • Mask
  • Eye wear
  • Earring
  • Tiara (a crown, or other accessories that sits on top of the head)
  • Top-head (all effects applied to the head)

Collections and Items

Wearables consist of individual items that can be grouped into collections.

Items

Each wearable item can be minted to create multiple NFTs of that same kind and feature. However, it is limited to the item’s rarity (if the item is a rare one, fewer NFTs can be minted). Items can also represent wearables.

Items cannot be bought or sold. However, the NFTs that have been minted from items can be sold in NFT marketplaces. In addition, individual items cannot be published on their own unless they are parts of a collection.

Collections

Collections are formed to allow creators to organize and manage their items before publication. For example, a creator chooses a figure, like an Ape, in different colors. Then, the creator put the NFTs into a new collection called “Urban Apes”, as an example, and publishes the new collection. After publishing the collection, the creator can mint copies of the Ape figures to share, trade, or sell.

Therefore, wearables as non-fungible tokens can be added to a collection and traded in NFT marketplaces.

What are linked wearables?

Linked Wearables are 3D representations of NFTs outside Decentraland. Linked Wearables can be used as wearables in-world, can be equipped on the avatar, and are found in digital wallets.

Although Linked Wearables look the same as regular wearables, they are completely different assets. They are not found in traditional wearable collections, have no rarity, and cannot be sold in primary or secondary markets, like Decentraland’s Marketplace. They are only in-world representations mapped to external NFTs by a Third Party.

Third Parties need to take the following steps to have Linked Wearables:

  • First thing first, creating a DAO proposal in the category “Linked Wearables Registry” to be accepted as an approved Third Party. After the approval, the tool will be available.
  • Waiting for a certain time, usually one week, for DAO’s approval and passing the 4M VP threshold.
  • Submitting wearables in the Builder using the given and available Slots.
  • Developing the API following the specification.
  • Waiting for Curators Committee approval.
  • Let your community know that they can enjoy the brand new Linked Wearables inside Decentraland.

3d models for linked wearables

The 3D model version of NFTs used as in-world wearables also needs to be made through the same steps as regular wearables.

Once a creator is accepted as a Third Party and added to the Linked Wearables Registry, she can upload 3D models in the Builder using the given Slots according to the third party initial application.

Now, let’s have a closer look at the procedure:

DAO proposal

Third parties create a DAO proposal in the category “Linked Wearables Registry”. It must be accepted in the registry. Registration usually takes a week. Then, the DAO Committee certifies the inclusion of the third party into the Registry. Finally, slots will be created for the third party and enable access to the publication flow.

Slots

Each limited number of potential NFT representations used by Third Parties is called a slot. As a Third Party is accepted by the DAO and added to the Linked Wearables Registry, she is provided by the required slots for a whole collection. In the case more slots are required, the creator will need to apply again.

Wearable Submission

The Third Party can use the Builder tool to submit a wearable design for each Slot. The wearable model must follow the same features of regular wearables and, therefore, will be subject to the curation process of the Wearable Curation Committee.

API Development

While the wearables are submitted to review, the third party must create an API that resolves the assignment between NFT owners and Decentraland Wearables.

API is a scalable and cross-chain solution to modify different scenarios. It can assign the same wearable for every NFT holder; or different wearables for different groups of NFT holders; or even, a unique design for each NFT holder.

Curation Process

The Wearable Curation Committee decides to submit wearables as part of their regular flow. The curation fees are covered by the DAO and will be the same amount as regular wearables.

However, the Programmatic Collections with more the 50 items are different in the last step. The Wearable Curation Committee does not review each design one by one and a more general curation process is applied, which curates 1% of the collection.

What is the impact of linked wearables?

Linked Wearables allow NFT Communities to customize their avatar in Decentraland. It helps the NFTs get a new use case, add value to the collection and the community and, also, new users will be exposed to Decentraland’s experience.

The Linked Wearables project also motivates the wearable creation economy to generate more 3d wearable designs and help 3D designers and studios with experience in Decentraland. The NFT communities do not pay the DAO a submission fee, rather it invests resources in those with knowledge in the craft of wearable making.

What are the merits and demerits?

  • Onboard many NFT communities to Decentraland.
  • Become a case study about compatibility between NFT projects.

Or:

  • Communities might not gather enough VP to be listed in the Linked Wearables Registry.
  • Implementation and maintenance of integration might be costly for members of the Linked Wearables Registry.

How Decentraland make advantages out of Linked Wearables?

It is the first time that Decentarland is provided with interoperability support. One advantage is that the owners of Linked Wearables can wear and show them off in the metaverse. Through this project, NFT enthusiasts may learn more about Decentraland and become a part of this metaverse. Linked Wearables can be a good topic for people to talk to each other and hang out with friends. NFT owners of a specific community of NFTs can use the same Linked Wearables which causes more socialization with each other and being known as a community. In the future, Decentraland can also host community events or be a place for headquarters for different communities which motivates people to share the fun together or participate in different activities.

A final word

Decentraland is one of the largest web-based decentralized blockchain-based metaverses with over 500k monthly users. It is the perfect platform for NFT companies to release new NFT connections through Linked Wearables that not only increase awareness but also socialization.

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