You may be around in the crypto and blockchain space for a while. Likewise, you know your way around in DeFi as well. It brings you some good yields on altcoins and stablecoins. However, as of now, you somehow never managed to visit a metaverse. Therefore, in this article, you will learn how to start participating in Decentraland.
1) Signing up for Decentraland
We are not going to explain how to set up your MetaMask. Rather, we show you how to set yourself up for a trip to Decentraland, with or without your MetaMask. So, let’s go, it’s time to put on your adventure boots.
Just to clarify and before you start signing up. Decentraland is at the moment only available for Chrome or Firefox. Windows, Linux, and macOS will all work. Only the marketplace is available as a mobile option.
Likewise, the game will note if your laptop or pc has a strong enough graphics card. If not, it can lead to performance issues. The notice on your screen devices to check your browser and OS configuration.
2) Various Accounts
Once you are on Decentraland’s main webpage, click on the big red ‘Get Started button. Can’t miss it, bottom left of the page. As the above picture shows. This brings you to the actual ‘play’ site or app. You will have to make your first choice.
However, since we are here to sign up, we chose the option on the left. ‘Play using your wallet‘. This option is a temporary account. Once you log out, it’s deleted. It will give you a very limited experience. Consequently, it doesn’t ask for an email or wallet.
So, click on ‘Play using your wallet’. The first thing you will see is in the picture below. Offering three different ways to sign up.
When picking your MetaMask, make sure to use the Ethereum mainnet. Create your new account, and after you sign the connection, you can rename it. On the other hand, WalletConnect lets you sign up with a variety of mobile
However, we prefer to show you another option to sign up. With the Fortmatic wallet. This wallet uses email addresses or a phone number for verification. It is an easy-to-use option to other Web 3.0 wallets.
First things first, though, click on Fortmatic. The following screen will pop up.
Moreover, you can avoid this screen for future log-ins, by clicking the small box in the bottom-left corner. ‘Don’t show this screen again. Click ‘Continue’, in the blue box.
Fill out your email address or phone number. Click on ‘Sign Up/login’. This sends a 6-digit number to either your phone or email address.
Enter the 6-digit code and the game will start loading.
3) Creating an Avatar
The games are about to begin. Most importantly, though, how are you going to enter the metaverse? Like Sheena, as a punk rocker? Or do you prefer a stoner look? This is where your fantasy can go wild and anything goes. So, here is the first screen you will see.
Another choice to make. Male or female.
Thereafter, you can choose your skin tone. Ranging from dark to a whiter shade of pale. After that, you can style your ‘head’ with 10 different hair colors and 33 different hairdos.
Furthermore, there are 26 eyebrows to select. In addition, other 35-different kinds of eyes are on offer with 10 color options and 20 x a month. Or how about 13 kinds of different facial hair? This one got out of hand!
Then, after that, there are 29 different tops to decide from and 19 pairs of trousers. Keep note that this is all at the male configuration. Female options include 35 mostly different tops and 22 ‘bottoms’.
For shoes, there are 15 male and 19 female options available.
The next available option is accessories. No less than 12 different shades are on offer for women and 9 for men. With a slight difference in models between men and women.
Furthermore, there are different earrings and tiara’s. The choice is all yours. However, now we get to accessories and other items that are only available in the marketplace. Other accessories, like masks, hats, helmets, and top hats are for sale. Now you will need MANA and a visit to the marketplace to buy them.
In the same vein, all skins and collectibles are not free. For these, you will have to pay.
Source: Decentraland marketplace
4) Welcome to Decentraland
You completed your avatar, and you are ready to visit Decentraland. A few last things still need sorting, though. For instance, you can name your avatar. The names of other people in Decentraland will hover above their heads. It is a combination of the name you chose, a hashtag, and some random numbers and/or letters. To receive their newsletter, just add your email address.
The next screen will be accepting the ‘Terms of Service and Privacy Policy‘. If you want to enter, you will need to accept these. Finally, you are ready to enter. You will find yourself back at the Genesis Plaza. Click on the red button, ‘‘, and you end up just like in the picture below.
This area is usually busy with other players who are ready to start their journey. There will be a series of explanations on how to use your keyboard, to move around. The first one is to click on the map in the top-left corner. That will give you this view. Here you get an overview of the layout of Decentraland. You can jump straight to a certain area.
However, you can also climb the jump board at the small pool, and jump! Much more fun and in a kind of psychedelic tumbler you fall into Decentraland. Now you can still click on the map and move to another area.
Here are some keyboard functions that may come in handy.
- Move your avatar
- Change view
- B—Emotes, like dancing
- U—Remove interface
- I—Back to avatar set up
- C—Basic control functions
- Space bar—Jump
- Enter—Start chat
- TAB—Open full map
Chatbox demands are as follows.
- Teleporting—/goto xx,yy (e.g., /goto 56,-225)
- Teleporting Tip—/goto crowd (go straight to a busy area)
- List of all other available commands—/help
Conclusion
Joining Decentraland is easy to do. It is also a lot of fun. For instance, once you arrive at the avatar settings, it’s loads of fun. Before you know it, you spend an hour or more playing around just here.
However, the moment you enter the metaverse, that’s where the fun starts. Enjoy!
