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SERIES : PROXIMITY ACROSS REALITIES | SXJournal #3 | Part 1

Two explorers in the metaverse are researching avatar identity along with digital intimacy to determine how humans connect, express and feel themselves across different realities. 



They meet in a beautiful virtual space to experiment with device interactivity and touch simulation, to explore avatar proximity and to strengthen their phantom sense. 


Face and lips with vertical code

Following is a separate journal entry with his perspective.


SXJournal | Interactivity #3 Part 1

09/02/2026


Explorer 1


After I met with my partner in my home space, we went to this new virtual environment that I was excited to try from a previous event. I thought this world would be a good candidate for our next experiment and I’m pleased to say that it was indeed. Upon finding a place to lay down both physically and virtually, we took some time to establish our SPS [1] avatar interactions, probably 10 minutes to position our avatars. With XSOverlay [2] and OVRToolkit [3] on top of OGB [4] and customizing Intiface [5], there are so many computer programs to keep track of that, it took quite a conscious effort to be immersed in the moment.


This world has multiple transparent gel-beds. My partner chose to slide under my avatar first before beginning the SPS testing. I was surprised when they touched me, because I couldn’t see them under me. When the sensory engine responded, I couldn’t help but giggle uncontrollably as the touching continued. Underlying those feelings was a sense of relief that the SPS system worked. We tried different positions lying next to each other’s avatars. A funny surprise was discovering that my feet also had SPS compatibility with my partner! 


We got closer to each other and then my partner discovered that my avatar had a heartbeat as they laid their head on my chest. My friend really wanted me to take off more of my clothes, but I had trouble getting to my clothes menu, which built up some negative tension for me. Revealing more of our virtual skin to each other activated multiple phantom senses to me, including phantom pressure and temperature as we became closer to each other later on. 


We found a new bed in the space to lay together, near a window to bioluminescent mushrooms in a woodland. I was finally able to take off my clothes and release the tension I had stored inside me. My partner recommended that I turn on my personal mirror, floating it over the bed to show both of us together. I did not realize how important it would be for my own bond with my avatar as I took one of the last pieces of clothing off, nearly matching my partner with a bikini off to the side. I became more aroused as I felt my movements and embodied my avatar while having a view of the back of my partner’s avatar. I can still sense my physical self matching my avatar’s chest, calmly heaving with each breath. 


My partner then began to squat on top of me as I rested on my back. All along, their avatar’s skin tone had appeared warm in my eyes and now even warmer. I began to sense phantom pressure as their hips were on top of mine and our sensory devices activated as the SPS contacts met. As they laid further across my body, I began to feel more phantom pressure and even phantom breath as they spoke to me and came closer to my face. My partner asked me if I was okay with them licking me between my legs. I positioned myself for easier access by opening my legs and adjusting my hips upward. My arousal increased upon seeing myself doing this and hearing my partner’s arousal through her voice. Once she started licking me, I could feel a phantom sense of tongue contact across my lower body. I moved my left foot to touch between my partner’s legs in a sort of reciprocal stimulation method. I continued to become more aroused as I witnessed my partner becoming so. This proved more interesting as the next position for SPS testing involved a penetrative orientation, which I consented to.


This position in the mirror revealed a mixture of phantom sense and sensory device activation that was ultimately not as satisfying as originally anticipated. This conclusion came to both of us as the alignment of the deforming of the meshes did not occur. On top of this, our sensory device activations did not match the visual contact and interfacing of meshes, with centimeters of spatial difference between initial contact and activation. In my partner’s words, “almost having to go balls deep to feel anything from the meshes”. 


We embraced to hear the heartbeat in my avatar’s chest again before one last discovery: peering inside each other’s avatar body…internal meshes exist between our legs!


Rainbow-coloured delicate fire


Explorer 2's journal for the same encounter coming up next...


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Footnote 1

SPS = Super Plug Shader = a popular, free deformation shader used in custom avatars to make body parts like tails, ears, hair and genitals move realistically and flexibly, replacing older systems like DPS (Dynamic Penetration System) for advanced physics and blending without needing custom SDKs. 


Footnote 2

XS Overlay= Desktop Overlay application for OpenVR. It aims to be as intuitive as possible, minimalist and out of the way, yet fully functional.


Footnote 3

OVRToolkit = A toolkit that allows for configuring your PlaySpace - ability to move up and down in increments - to one of your controller buttons.


Footnote 4

OGB = OscGoesBrrr makes haptic tools work in VRChat.


Footnote 5

Intiface connects VR applications to haptic hardware (like vibrating devices) using the open-source Buttplug.io framework, allowing users to feel in VR, like impact, touch or sensations, creating a more immersive sensory experience.






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