Entering the Metaverse: A Beginner's Guide

The metaverse, the latest development in technological innovation. A new way of communication, a new way of doing business, and perhaps a new way of life.

Like many new technological developments, a lot of people are interested in becoming part of the metaverse while it is still in its infancy. However, many people who are interested in the metaverse have little to no idea of where to even begin in order to enter the metaverse.

First of all, and perhaps most importantly, you need to know why you are interested in becoming part of the metaverse.

Are you simply interested because the metaverse is becoming popular, or do you have a specific goal you wish to achieve within the metaverse? Are you interested in incorporating the metaverse into your business? Do you want to start your own independent business and delve into the world of NFTs? Or do you simply seek escapism within the virtual worlds of the metaverse?

What you plan to do in the metaverse will have a significant influence on the kind of hardware you require to operate in it, as well as what particular metaverse you should think of becoming a part of.

Non Fungible Tokens(often referred to as NFTs) are a crucial part of the metaverse. They are a form of digital property that is monetized with the use of blockchain technology, similar to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

NFTs can take the form of art, music or even virtual furniture that your avatar can interact with in the metaverse. Not unlike real-world items, NFTs are created, bought and sold, making them the primary source of economy in the metaverse.

It is very important to remember that what is commonly referred to as the “metaverse” is actually not one, but several different metaverses owned by different companies and organisations, or not owned by anyone at all. All of these metaverses are different, with each focusing on a different aspect of the overall metaverse experience.

The original metaverse, simply named the “Metaverse” is what popularised the whole metaverse trend in the first place. Owned and created by the company Meta(Formerly known as Facebook), The Metaverse focuses primarily on social interaction and communication between users. It allows users to attend virtual parties, concerts or even important business meetings from anywhere in the world.

Ubuntuland is the first metaverse to find its roots in Africa. It was created by Africarare, M&C Saatchi Group and Mann made. Its primary focus is the purchase and sale of digital items, such as art or even virtual land. Its aims to pomote creativity among users.

Alternatively, there are metaverses that are decentralised, which means that they are not owned by any major company or corporation. The most popular example of such a metaverse is Decentraland, which mostly focusses on the purchase, sale, creation and exploration of virtual land, however a significant downside of Decentraland is that it is not accessible on virtual reality yet.

There are multiple ways of gaining access to the metaverse, depending on what you want to do in it. The creation, management and minting of NFTs is primarily done with laptops or desktop computers, but in most instances, the metaverse is ideally experienced with virtual reality.

Virtual Reality is an essential component of the ideal metaverse experience. You will use VR to interact with your owned NFTs, your environment, and other people within the metaverse. However, because virtual reality is such a relatively new addition to the world of modern technology, it can be somewhat difficult to know where to start looking if you are interested in purchasing a new headset.

An important decision to make before buying a headset is whether you want better graphics and performance, or a better experience in terms of freedom and portability. Improved graphics and performance usually come at the cost of the headset needing to be attached to one or several cables in order to work, which will inevitably get in the user's way and become a serious obstacle that will negatively effect the virtual reality experience. On the other hand, a wireless headset offers more freedom of movement, but at the cost of having significantly weaker graphics and performance.

One of the most common first instincts one tends to have while buying a VR headset, or rather any type of technology, is to look at a new, highly advanced piece of equipment, such as the Valve Index. With cutting-edge graphical quality, highly advanced motion-tracking capability and highly responsive controllers, it allows for the optimal virtual reality experience. Unfortunately, the Valve Index's technological superiority makes it incredibly expensive, and therefore it is unavailable to a great number of people.

For those who are genuinely interested in virtual reality, but are unable to afford a decent quality headset, there are still some options that are available, even though they have severely limited functionality. Devices such as the Google Cardboard or Samsung Gear VR are widely affordable to the vast majority of consumers. All you need to operate these relatively simple devices is a smartphone. Some devices are even compatible with controllers and allow for a more interactive experience, but overall, these devices are incredibly limited in terms of capability. However, if you really are interested in virtual reality, these types of headsets might be a good entry point before getting a proper VR headset.

One of the best available options for VR headsets is the Oculus Quest. A product of Meta, It comes at a relatively low price compared to other headsets of a similar calibre. It is completely wireless and allows for complete freedom of movement, but can also be connected to a computer to improve the quality of its graphics and performance. Even without being connected to a computer, it still provides a powerful virtual experience with high quality graphics, performance and accessibility.

In conclusion, the metaverse seems quite easy to become a part of, as long as you are aware of what equipment you require and what you want to do in the metaverse when you become a part of it. Hopefully this article has given you the information you need to successfully start your journey into humanity's great technological frontier.