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The Metaverse is an interesting concept. We can escape one reality and bring the important elements of another into the forefront of our psyche. This is all fine and well when we are playing games or doing social events. But what happens if we try and be productive? I set out to answer that exact question by trying to work in the metaverse. Here’s how it went.
Metaverse Working was a Complete failure – Which was Partially My Fault.
I brought my headset into work to try and bring an element of the Metaverse into our workplace. Luckily for me, most of the work we do can be done within a browser.
Which is really important if you want to work in the metaverse. Because unfortunately, Meta has not made a great case for working in VR… yet.
The most common app to use in the metaverse is the natively built Meta Horizon Workspaces. The app is currently still in beta and it shows.
When trying to work, I couldn’t view a browser in its regular screen size without breaking the whole experience and needing to restart the whole headset. Which was really frustrating when trying to build a website…
Working with Coworkers in the Metaverse Was Awful.
When I decided that we would try to do an experiment at work, I knew there would be issues bringing people who had never done VR into the metaverse to try and be productive.
But instead of the biggest problem being me or even my coworkers, I believe the biggest problem is I used the wrong software to introduce everyone to it.
I used Horizon Workplace but instead I probably should have used virtual desktop.
Virtual Desktop in my opinion works a lot better bc you don’t have to go through all the crappy Meta Account Setup to make your screen mirror to your Quest 2. Instead, just using the right software and connecting to a PC you actually want to use is a breeze.
Use my referral link to buy Virtual Desktop and you can get 25% off your purchase https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals/FlatbushZubumafu/2017050365004772/?utm_source=2
Working in the Metaverse Requires A LOT of Onboarding.
Now this one, is on me. I thought we might be able to introduce, set up, and teach people how to use a VR headset all within the space of the hour. But learning VR is a lot like learning a brand new operating system.
You need to learn how to navigate the headset, and test different settings before you feel comfortable.
That says nothing about the actual experience of setting up a headset for your own use. Need to make sure the headset is comfortable and the lenses are set just right for your glasses prescription.
I Made the Mistake of Sharing VR headsets…
On that note, the metaverse does require a degree of the ownership in the fundamental technology. In the same way that you can’t connect to the internet without a device with internet capability, you can’t connect to the metaverse without a VR device.
Just like an iPhone or an Android phone, sure there are things that you can lend your device to other people to do like browsing the internet and making a quick phone call.
But the magic of the metaverse is only seen when everybody uses their own device. You need a unique identifier to truly experience the digital opportunities available to you.
I’ll cover this more in my updated “What is the Metaverse” guide Coming soon but consider reading my original article here.
Can You be More Productive Working in the Metaverse?
The answer to this question is unfortunately still undiscovered. As someone who works in a small business and often wears many hats, the answer is kind of no.
I say kind of no because I don’t feel like I truly got to try and be productive inside the metaverse because of how much time it took to setup initially. I’ll be trying again soon so consider subscribing if you like this type of content.
If you made it this far and want to try out the Metaverse, I have a referral link below that will give you a $30 credit you can use after you buy your headset to buy Virtual Desktop and a game.
https://www.oculus.com/referrals/link/FlatbushZubumafu/
Thanks for reading!
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