Developing KOTAverse in honor of KOTA's decade-long anniversary

The KOTAverse, a groundbreaking project by the innovative design agency KOTA, is now live and accessible to the public. This collaborative effort involved multiple team members, including Matt, Margo, Nicola, Cyd Stumpel, and James, the Creative Director at KOTA, who expressed his excitement about the finished KOTAverse and its potential impact on the community.

The design team was inspired by the portfolio of Cyd Stumpel, a creative Web Developer based in the Netherlands, and used cutting-edge web technology to create this highly interactive experience. The KOTAverse does not consist of HTML elements; every pixel that is displayed on the screen is calculated on a canvas element.

The KOTAverse design incorporates the Blob Mixer, an interactive WebGL component, and Greensock's GSAP library for smooth transitions and similar easings to the (dis)appearance of elements. To make elements interactive, the development team had to calculate if the mouse is overlaying a certain pixel.

The virtual scrolling in the KOTAverse makes the scroll feel smoother, thanks to the use of Lenis. The agency's website, set to be launched soon, was developed by Laura Wimmer.

Each significant moment in the agency's history can be clicked on for deeper exploration, leading to cards shown using 'plain' CSS 3D animations. The KOTAverse also features an interactive journey through history, with a dynamic visual timeline and orbiting events.

The KOTAverse is more than just a project; it's an expanding microsite created by the agency, which currently employs 15 talented individuals and boasts an expanding client base. Founded on January 10th, 2024, KOTA continues to push the boundaries of web technology, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and creativity.

James, the Creative Director, sums it up best: "The KOTAverse is not just a digital space; it's a dynamic, interactive journey through time. We're thrilled to share it with the world and can't wait to see how it impacts our community."