Inspiration: MetaWok was inspired by my love for Asian fusion, Meeting new people and FOOD! Created with bold, red, and gold aesthetics, and the social warmth of real life restaurants where people gather, talk, laugh and connect. I wanted to build a space in Horizon worlds that felt energetic, stylish, and inviting. It’s a world where players could enjoy the visualization of realistic food, but also feel like they stepped into a social hub that blends culture, comfort, and playfulness.
What it does: Imagine a space that feels premium yet fun, a spot for the community to hang out, role-play, and enjoy the atmosphere as much as the food aesthetic.
How I built it: I built MetaWok using horizon, tools, AI assisted assets, and hand placed details to bring together the full restaurant aesthetic. The design focuses on both lighting, clean textures, oriental and Asian hand fans, and strong realistic signatures of my own. I blended trimesh items with horizon native tools to create a polished layout and placed decor that supports an Asian fused theme and detailed the interior as a functional social setting not just a Standard mock setup. Every detail was intentional from the lighting to the storefronts I wanted to make everyone feel welcome.
Challenges I ran into: I think my biggest challenge or should I say challenges were managing performance while designing a highly detailed environment, and trying to create a premium space without overwhelming the player visually. Also trying to balance decor and functionality, making sure it felt like a restaurant and a social place was the most challenging for me. I wanted to ensure the vibe matched the energy and I also wanted playful, warm and upscale simulation ability in case players wanted to go that direction instead of just hanging out. Each challenge forced me to simplify, refine, and think more intentionally about what truly served the experience.
Accomplishments that I’m proud of: I am especially proud of how MetaWok evolved from just a “restaurant idea “into a fully realized social experience. Some accomplishments that I’m proud of is that I’ve created a world that feels so realistic with a virtual headset on, it was not easy, but it was so fun! successfully combining food, decor, and a social space so it doesn’t feel just like another showcase but a place where people actually want to hang out in. Also, I am proud of myself for pushing my creativity and technicality in horizon to finish and refine a complete world not just a concept.
What we learned: Ahhh … The lesson. While building my creation, I learned how to balance visual detail with performance so the world would stay smooth and accessible. I also learned that I’m strengthening my signature brand of realism inside of MetaWok for myself, using repeated visuals like the fans in the red tones within the world so my creation feels memorable and distinct as well.
What's next for MetaWok: Going forward, I’d like to expand MetaWok by adding more interactive elements like light, role-playing tasks, small missions, or staff like mechanics for the kitchen area. Also introducing more ambient sound and music to deepen the immersion for the player. My long-term goal for this creation is to grow into a signature popular social hub, for new and present players I’d like to provide a place thatpeople recognize, return to, and associate with good vibes, great visuals, and a welcoming experience.
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