Putting your humanity into an avatar, to navigate one, or many of the Metaverses in operation now or in the near future, require both leaps of faith and a landing point to get the most out of the experience whether commerce or leisure oriented.
Though one might enter a Metaverse for many reasons ranging from curiosity to business, what often keeps you there is the collective; people you meet and the community. This is the same in any virtual world as your avatar interacts with others. If you wanted to be alone, you’d play a game of Resident Evil. You go because there is something happening in that cool pixelated atmosphere you can just log into and become immersed in. Because if you travel to one, there are going to be other people there and not from one place, but many.
How does one hobnob with new and old social rules as they apply in any Metaverse?
You will have questions about what, who and where you are, as well as what to wear, and Mz Pooky is ready to help with this weekly column. Twenty years in virtual worlds, as a pioneer, creator of shows, series and events, means there’s nothing she hasn't seen or done.
Introducing Metaquette ~ Tips & Tricks for the Metaverse.
Q: I have just materialized in the Metaverse, and would like to have a conversation with another avatar, but when I say / type “hello” I’m ignored. I think I need a better opening line, any clues?
It is both easier and harder to make friends in the Metaverse, and when you spawn or appear for the first time in the new world, it can be even harder. On the one hand you might never see the stranger you are standing next to again, so you risk nothing but your initiating convo. Then again you might have nothing in common except you’re both human on one side of the screen, and on the same game engine platform. Then again you are both there, and somehow fate has conspired to put you within dance range of each other. Be relaxed, as they might be just as relieved as you to strike up a conversation to avoid that wasteland feeling.
However with the rise of very clever AI, you might want to check you are not chatting up a bot, unless you need “chatting up” practice then that’s exactly what you want to do.
Beyond trying to game your opener to out trick a robot, here are some lines, or ice-breakers designed to get you going in your new reality. Remember anyone could be from anywhere wearing anything on the other side of their screen, you don’t really know who you are standing next to (in the spawning space), and they probably spawned very recently too, though some oldies hang out sometimes to help, or take advantage of the newbies. You might be in some pixel paradise while really sitting at your favorite spot in your PJs at home, but just think of yourself as standing on any street corner in a new town finding some company.
>”Wow, this looks interesting, what do you think happens next?”
If they respond with something you want to go with, it’s an opener.
>“HiHi and help if you can please? Do you know how to….(fill in the blank - move, sit, walk, get to the NFT giveaway etc.)?”
Asking for help is a great way to connect as every n00b needs guidance and someone who will be helpful to a newcomer is probably not that awful a person. And being polite will get you much farther in the Metaverse as no one seems to have remembered their manners in real life. Be refreshing, grateful and different. And please try not to get closer to another avatar than you would someone at a cocktail party.
>“You look familiar, haven’t we met in some other metaverse?”
A sense of humor is one of the greatest unlockers of human interaction on any plane. If you get someone to smile on their side of the screen, you have potentially made a friend.
>“We have to stop meeting like this…Oh, I’m sorry I thought you were my ex”
You have no idea who the person is you are standing next to, humor pays off, just don't be crude, unless you want to hang out with other crude types, water seeks its own level even when it's pixelated and not even wet.
>“Your hair is on fire”
-Cute compliments are generally accepted everyverse, unless their hair really is on fire, then help them!
>“Excuse me, I missed The Banana Fools (or w/e) do you know anything else going on?”
You might use this if you have moved along some from the landing point, as the person next to you also knows nothing.
It is NOT recommended IF you want to find a social group, to beg for coin of the realm; though some people might help you out with the equivalent of under a $1.00, and you might get some satisfaction from building up your coin purse, however unless you find these people to return the “loan” to, you probably won’t bond with them. Unless you ask them to adopt you, and then you might get more than you bargained for, but then you can always log out and start all over again in a brand new & wiser avatar.
If you have a question, send an email to info@pookymedia.com with Metaquette in the subject and it will be addressed.
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