Introduction

If you’ve ever wanted to build a metaverse-like experience in the browser, you don’t need Unity or Unreal Engine. With the combination of Three.js, React Three Fiber (R3F), and Next.js, you can create surprisingly powerful 3D worlds that run right inside the web.

This guide won’t cover everything (that would take a whole book), but it will give you the core building blocks: rendering 3D models, handling collisions, setting up basic controls, and making sure your world doesn’t grind to a halt the moment someone loads it on their phone.

The Core Stack

Here’s why this particular combination works well for a metaverse-style project:

• Three.js – the foundation for WebGL rendering. Think of it as the “engine.”
• React Three Fiber (R3F) – lets you write Three.js scenes declaratively in React. Instead of manually managing a scene graph, you compose components.
• Next.js – gives you routing, server-side rendering, and a framework for scaling your app beyond a single page demo.

You could build with raw Three.js, but R3F + Next.js saves you time and headaches once your project gets more complex.

Working with 3D Models

Most metaverse projects start with some sort of environment—a room, a landscape, or a scene to walk around in. For this you’ll usually import GLTF or GLB models.

The important part isn’t just importing them, but optimizing them. For example:

• Keep polygon counts low (mobile devices choke on high-poly meshes).
• Compress textures (use Basis/KTX2).
• Export models as GLB for simplicity.

Once you have your models in place, you’ll often want collisions—so your player doesn’t walk through walls. That’s where something like three-mesh-bvh comes in.

three-mesh-bvh essentially builds an acceleration structure around your meshes so you can do raycasting and collision detection efficiently. Instead of testing movement against thousands of triangles every frame, it uses a bounding volume hierarchy for speed. It’s the go-to solution for collisions in browser-based 3D.

Controls: First Person or Third Person

One of the trickiest parts of building a metaverse experience is deciding how people move around.

There are a few common approaches:

• First-Person Controls – The camera is the player. Movement is usually WASD + mouse look.
• Third-Person Controls – The camera follows an avatar. This adds complexity, since you have to handle character rotation, animations, and camera follow logic.
• Alternative Input Systems – Gamepads, VR controllers, or touch controls for mobile.

Implementing controls well is a big topic, and there are libraries and examples out there (like Drei’s useKeyboardControls or community-built third-person controllers). It’s too deep to cover fully here, but the important thing is to choose the style of control that fits your project and start simple. Don’t expect AAA-level movement on your first pass—it’s an iterative process.

Performance Considerations

Web performance is where most first-time projects fall apart. Some best practices:

• Use Level of Detail (LOD): distant objects should render with fewer polygons.
• Lazy Load Assets: don’t load everything at once—bring in models and textures only when needed.
• Bake Lighting: real-time shadows are expensive. Baking lightmaps in Blender or similar tools can save performance.
• Test on Mobile Early: if it only runs on your gaming PC, it’s not really “for the web.”

Structuring with Next.js

Next.js adds value in a couple of ways:

• Each “scene” or “space” in your metaverse can map to a route (/lobby, /gallery, /world).
• You can use API routes for persistence—saving user data, avatars, or even blockchain interactions.
• Server-side rendering helps with SEO and initial load performance.

It’s not strictly required, but if you want your project to grow beyond a demo, it’s worth building on Next.js from the start.

Common Challenges

Expect to wrestle with:

• Getting collisions right without killing performance.
• Making controls feel responsive and natural.
• Optimizing large models so the page doesn’t freeze on load.
• Handling different browsers and mobile quirks.

This is normal. The web wasn’t designed for 3D games, but the ecosystem has matured enough that these problems all have known solutions—you just have to piece them together.

Next Steps

If you’re building your first project, here’s a practical path forward:

1. Set up a Next.js + React Three Fiber project.
2. Import a simple GLB model (like a room).
3. Add three-mesh-bvh for collisions.
4. Choose a control scheme (start with first-person, then explore third-person).
5. Optimize performance as you add features.

That’s the foundation of almost every browser-based metaverse experience out there today.

FAQs

1. What’s the difference between Three.js and React Three Fiber?
Three.js is the engine; React Three Fiber is a React renderer that makes it easier to structure your scene.

2. Do I need Next.js?
Not strictly, but it gives you routing, SSR, and scalability if you want your project to grow.

3. How do I handle collisions?
three-mesh-bvh is the standard choice for raycasting and collision detection in complex environments.

4. Should I use first-person or third-person controls?
It depends on your project. First-person is simpler to implement; third-person offers more presence but adds complexity.

5. How do I keep performance high?
Optimize models, bake lighting, and lazy load assets. Always test on mobile.

6. Can I integrate blockchain or NFTs?
Yes, through wallet connections and on-chain asset data, though it’s optional.

Conclusion

Building a metaverse-style world in the browser is challenging but completely doable. With Three.js, React Three Fiber, and Next.js, you get the tools you need to create an environment, set up collisions, add controls, and scale the project into something more than just a demo.

Start small: import a simple environment, add collisions, try out a control scheme, and learn by iterating. The complexity of AAA-style worlds can come later—the important part is getting your first character moving around in your own 3D space.

🔗 Further reading: Three.js Documentation | React Three Fiber Docs | three-mesh-bvh