Blockchain sandbox game: What is the value of a virtual land of 600,000?

▲ In 2017, after 95, Su Yijun and his team created works in Minecraft, Forbidden City.

---

Today's public chain is still shrouded in the shadow of gambling. However, compared with last year's "betting public" EOS leader, this year's DApp ecology has made great progress.

On March 29th, technology media TNW reported that according to the data it extracted from DappRadar, it was found that 95% of the current trading volume on the Tron comes from the gaming or fund DApp, compared to “only” on EOS. 70% of the trading volume comes from gambling or funding DApp, while the proportion of Ethereum has dropped below 2%.

• DAPP trend list: DAPP funds on the line three days to run
• After the blockchain finance, the blockchain game is about to usher in the outbreak
• EOS status: 72% of applications involving gambling are listed as high-risk poems and distant places

That is to say, only from the public chain DApp data, the wave field has already taken over the bets of the gaming and capital disk, and promoted to the new "gambling public chain".

However, even so, the numerous gambling that has been eye-catching seems to be unable to bring new traffic to the public chain. Without the fertile ground for speculators to grow up, the heavy responsibility of breaking the public chain seems to be more urgent to fall. On the DApp.

Today, 31QU introduces you to the blockchain game that is considered to be likely to create a killer DApp, and the new sandbox gameplay in the field that is likely to break through the traditional model.

Text / Lin Jun

Seeking a breakthrough chain tour

"I haven't played DApp recently." A blockchain player who had been keen on all kinds of gambling told Hao 31 that he hadn't played other DApps since a Dapp that took part in November last year had no reason to stop.

In fact, Hao Hao was only a microcosm of the large number of player exits at the end of last year. As the lucrative chain tour brought about a huge return expectation, the players who entered the game in the speculative purpose quickly became like birds and beasts.

Even if it is not speculation, blockchain games face other issues, such as the asset value of the game.

"Even if the game's assets are owned by the user, if the game is really cool, the tokens based on the project can't be sold." A player who started playing the encrypted cat game in 2017 said that especially those who raised In the game of placing and placing, although the ERC-721 protocol may be used, the props and pets are still in their own accounts, but "there is no trading volume, and it is another way to return to zero."

Assets are owned and dominated by players. This claim can break through traditional games. It has been the highlight of many blockchain games and seems to have not been well resolved. In addition, “no fun games” is also the main problem facing the current blockchain DApp.

It is understood that although the current blockchain games include development, sandbox, card, strategy, RPG (role play), placement and other types, but really worthy of the game, there are only a handful.

At the end of December last year, after the wave of the block-type block game that appeared on the wave field, the "wave field shrimp farmer" fire, the game developers were just like the discussion. The next day, there were four similar games. This type of DApp also quickly occupied the top of the wave field public day.        

▲ Shrimp farmers, crocodiles, bamboo chain links that emerged overnight

However, this kind of placement game is fast and goes fast.

"Like the early encryption cats, these games basically rely on speed and need someone to pick up the disk." Xiao Yu, a player who has long been concerned about DApp, said that the threshold for such game development is not high. "A lot of code is copied by predecessors. "The key to player profitability is to get in early and get out early." Otherwise, no one will buy it soon."

No original and continuous game, quickly replaced by new projects, quickly disappeared without a trace, as a chain of entrepreneurs and players, how to find a fun and well integrated blockchain technology game?

The blockchain + sandbox game may be a direction that combines technology and fun.

"Because I am optimistic about the virtual world, I turned off the factory."

Sandbox, English is Sand Box, which is meant to be a sand-filled area for children. Children can use the sand to build castles and other things in the box.

If the sandbox concept is introduced into the game, it refers to games with high degrees of freedom and players can fully exert their subjective initiative. Open scenes, dynamic worlds, random events and seamlessly connected large maps are the main features. In the history of the Internet, there have been many excellent sandbox games such as Second Life (SL) and Minecraft (Minecraft).

“Reversing the indicators of success in reality, creating an extremely democratic space for players to live an imaginary life” is the original vision of SL. In the virtual world of SL, all landscapes are built by users, and people can Autonomously define the way to interact, play, trade, and communicate with others.

The game even has its own virtual currency, Linden Dolla, which allows players to convert virtual currency into real dollars in specialized markets, Linden labs or other companies. The SL, which has created a huge and unique virtual world, was once known as the future of the Internet.

However, after more than ten years of development, the well-known SL has slowly faded out of people's horizons.

"The age of players who played SL was getting bigger. The new generation didn't see the game more than 10 years ago. Plus SL didn't have a good incentive mechanism. Old players were addicted to it, and they only played for games."

Shi Guang, a former player of SL, said that although SL has created an era and reached the peak of sandbox games, if it is just a simple game, it will not last long.

Shi Guang, who is still optimistic about the future of virtual games, has turned his attention to blockchain games. He is now a loyal fan of Decentraland (DCL).

DCL is a virtual world built on a blockchain. Players can create content on the land, such as a static 3D scene or a virtual e-commerce, or even a game that can interact with the user.

"In this sandbox game, the official participation is only the foundation, the main force is the player, they can freely use their imagination to design a variety of creative ideas. Through the recognition of others, players can also get MANA (DCL internal Incentives for circulation of tokens." Shi Guang said.

Simply understand, DCL is the SL of the blockchain blessing.

However, Shi Guang also believes that DCL may emit magic more magic than SL.

"DCL is also the gateway and entrance to other virtual worlds in the future, just like Sohu and Sina 20 years ago." In his view, the virtual world that incorporates the model of the token economy is likely to be a self-contained economy within the game.        

▲ Shi Guang’s envisaged subjective connection around DCL

“The self-contained economy means that it can be cycled first, not closed-loop, and then new elements can be added, even including other virtual worlds.”

In the DCL virtual world envisioned by Shi Guang, 3D model designers, independent developers, tourists, landlords, and officials all have their own responsibilities. "In this free world, there will be special game designers and characters." Professionals such as modelers, fashion designers, and advertisers provide elements to build a new world."

“I think that the products of the physical world, whether industrial or consumer, are saturated, but entering the virtual world, where the demand is not capped.”

This means that with the blockchain and the virtual world of self-proclaimed economic system, the future will perfectly restore the real world or create a new world.

Stone Advertising v. 31QU, he used to open a machinery factory. He just shut down the factory last year. "In fact, I know that DCL is ready to be a virtual world and make a decision after comparing it with reality." After careful consideration, there are games. Planning his experience, he decided to put his next career into the virtual world.

“I am going to open a store on the land to help designers sell virtual game cards, character models, and clothing, mainly selling clothing.” This is Shi Guang’s current plan.

However, Shi Guang also knows that the “business” in the virtual world is not easy. “Opening a store to create goods, to promote, and to maintain, requires specialized people to design, model, model, and sell them. "Apparel", "There must be recruiting behind."

"As for the rise and fall of the token, it is not something I can control. I don't care much about it at the moment." Stone Advertising v. 31QU.

However, no matter how good the idea is still in its infancy, all his ideas are based on the development and construction of DCL itself.

According to the current development progress of DCL, there is still a period of time from the opening. "I have been waiting for nearly two years, and the remaining patience is always there." Shi Guang said.

Break through the bottleneck of sandbox games

In fact, targeting the “sandbox game + blockchain” business opportunity, not only a team of DCL, but also other teams.

According to 31QU, there are already a number of chain games that also play Sandbox cards, such as Decentraland (DCL), HashCraft, NeoWorld, Product Evolution Planet, and Encrypted Metropolis. Previously, 31QU had analyzed the gameplay of NeoWorld. For details, please see "The first generation blockchain game is degraded , the new track, who can kill the dawn?" 》 .

"Combining with the CIS economy, motivating players to participate in it" is the main practice of this type of game fusion blockchain, but relying on the currency circulation value to attract new players to enter the market, but ignore the charm of the sandbox itself, very It will face problems soon.

In 2019, NeoWorld's mining pool was rapidly deflated, and player revenues fell sharply. After the money-making effect began to subside, user activity began to decline.

"The recent daily life is estimated to be around a few thousand." The depth player told the 31QU a few meters. The obvious difference is that at the best time last year, the number was about 23,000.

"At present, the retention of this game is already awesome for traditional games." Jimmy said that for the CSI products, the decline in the price of the currency will always affect the activity. "This is normal."

However, after trying the NeoWorld game, the impression left by this game to Shi Guang is not too good.

“NeoWorld and DCL are just two extremes. The former is designed by the designer, fixed gameplay, fixed architecture,” he said. “All the player can do is find fun under the designer’s low creative ceiling. The coin is just a reward for the player to participate in the boring gameplay.” Shi Guang concluded, “It’s boring, quite boring.”

For the fun of the game, Jimmy has analyzed in the article, the early version of "playability is general", "free player feels more monotonous", but until now, NeoWorld has developed a variety of gameplay, the player also developed A variety of copies, "Now NeoWorld has a large number of copies of the foundation, housing, sports, etc., can fully play the player's creative ability."

"Compared to DCL, NeoWorld's advantage should be that it has landed. It has only been in the past more than a year since it was established, but it has been on the line for nine months." Jimmy said that during the period of the NeoWorld fire, there have been many Imitation, but "basically did not live for 3 months."

But in the eyes of Jason Hu, head of DCL China, NeoWorld is not a “real sandbox game.” “If you simply add tokens instead of decentralized ideas from the underlying system, it’s only attracted. It will be the 'player' of wool, but the development of the whole game will not last long."

"Sandbox game is a circle game. SL also has a replica in China, but the players are especially few. If the virtual world like DCL can be self-contained and attract more imitators, the whole ecology will be more prosperous. ”

Shi Guang said that he hopes to have more imitators, so that it is possible to make the whole ecology more prosperous and to make the virtual world more likely.

In September 2014, Microsoft announced the acquisition of the Mojang team and its SL property rights for $2.5 billion; at the beginning of last year, the sandbox game Minecraft (My World) sold more than 144 million units on each platform, making it the second only in Russia in history. The second best selling video game in the box.

From the perspective of the vision, the deep participation of players in the sandbox game, the sustainable ecology, and the unique token incentive mechanism of the blockchain itself may really open a new virtual world.

However, it must be acknowledged that most of the sandbox games currently integrated into blockchain technology are still in the early stages of exploration. DCL, which was launched as early as 2015, has gained a lot of dead powder by virtue of its advantages. They have the patience of “putting long lines to catch big fish” and the insight that “premature babies have become four.”

However, the long-term DCL, perhaps only to the client to go online, can let players explore the truth.

More similar attempts, such as NeoWorld, may not be “real blockchain games”, but with the rapid landing advantage, it is also possible to gradually adjust according to the needs of players, and finally create a fun, long-lasting virtual world. of.

(At the request of the respondent, Wenzhong Shiguang is a pseudonym)

Disclaimer: All original articles of "31QU" must be authorized by "31QU". Reproduction is prohibited without authorization.

We will continue to update Blocking; if you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us!