Hey guys, I trust all of you are doing well. I've written this article because some of my readers have been asking for a few insights on Metaverse. Today I’ll discuss all the important things that you must know about the Metaverse. So, let's begin.
What is Metaverse?
For you to better understand it, let me put it this way: if you have a two-dimensional experience with the Internet, that is, you can scroll and browse through the Internet on a single screen, then Metaverse is three-dimensional.
This means that you will be able to not just scroll and browse, but also walk through it with the help of accessories like glasses or headsets that are connected to it.
I agree that understanding Metaverse can get a tad complicated, only because it currently does not exist. There are various companies that just cannot stop talking all about it, there seems to be a lot of curiosity in the minds of people and they want to know all about it and how would it affect the usage of the net.
As of now, I'm not sure if there will be a single Metaverse or various Metaverses. However, one thing is for sure that Metaverse is the next-gen version of cyberspace. It is most likely to be ready by augmented or virtual reality technology.
Meta (facebook) has also declared that Metaverse will be made accessible for work, educational as well as social contexts. As of now, Microsoft focuses on the virtual office.
The entire concept is new and in the past, we've had a sci-fi author mention it in his novel that spoke about people being represented with various avatars allowing them to communicate with others.
I have also come across various people attempting to give their understanding of the Metaverse. But today, I'm not here to give you my definition but to explain a few properties and what you should expect from the Metaverse. Let's take a quick look.
Virtual World
It is a vital feature of the Metaverse, and you can explore this feature by utilizing a computer, variable technology, mobile, gaming console, etc. It allows you to have a 3D sound and graphics experience that is simply out of this world. It is created to give the user a feeling of presence within the Metaverse and an escape from the present world.
Virtual Reality
In order to explore this property, it is important that you utilize virtual reality headsets which will enhance your experience. You can live in this bubble until you hit something or bump into a person from your present world. Hurting your toes to the coffee table is one way of reminding you of the world that you belong to😉.
Other People
Metaverse is totally social. You will come across various people but in different avatars. The people you meet would choose various avatars like virtual agents, bots, and various others. This space will allow you to interact and chill with various people.
There are numerous researchers and fans of Metaverse that strongly believe interaction will be very natural in comparison to video conferencing. This is only because your avatar can now not just look at people and turn its head, but can also walk around and even change seats to begin a conversation with another avatar.
Persistence
The virtual world will always be available at any time. So, you could always go to visit this world according to your convenience. You can also change this world and make it the way you like it to be. Like you can add objects or buildings and these changes will be saved. So, every time you visit, it would look just the way you like it (these things are pretty challenging in the real world). Metaverse always relies on the content generated by the user, like personal stories and digital creations. This is remarkably similar to the social media that exists today.
Connecting to the present world
The Metaverse also has certain versions that have certain virtual things similar to that of the present world. Many fans also refer to the real world and the virtual world as digital twins.
Things that can be done in Metaverse
I'm sure that various corporations will come up with their individual visions and even localize them, however, like cyberspace, all of them will be connected. When this happens users can switch from one space to another.
And just like everything else; certain things will be practical in comparison to others. Playing various games will be a major leap because various gamers enjoy gaming online and certain games to a certain degree have already started entering the Metaverse.
The whole idea behind this is to allow you to meet and socialize with people across the globe allowing you to feel that you are already there with the person. This looks like an amazing idea given the current pandemic situation.
I don't have a clear idea as to what Meta’s Metaverse will be offering. However, according to Mark Zuckerberg during the latest rebranding announcement, he did mention that there will be various possibilities. We might appear as a hologram during a meeting or maybe just enjoy a simple game of chess with someone, somewhere across the globe.
Facebook has a vision of the Metaverse to be the future interface of cyberspace, however, will we be able to access every Internet service one day through the 3D virtual reality headsets and virtual worlds that are yet to be worked out.
Final Thoughts
The original vision of Stephenson’s Metaverse was extremely exciting, however, it also holds a lot of possibilities for the real world and online harms, especially from criminality, addiction, to democratic institutions having an erosion.
Currently, we see plenty of tension between governments and huge corporations across the globe over online harms, privacy, speech, etc. So, I would encourage everyone to consider what sort of Metaverse do you wish to create, who is creating it, and who will regulate and own it.
I do hope you have received more clarity on Metaverse. Please feel free to add your thoughts and comments.