Block & Chain Game Studios Weekly Newsletter November 30, 2018
Block & Chain Game Studios
Weekly Newsletter
November 30, 2018
News @ Block & Chain
Recently, a few people have asked about the launch timeline for Blockfight and Draggin’ Dragons. We are happy to report that development on both of these titles for initial launch is wrapping up nicely. However, we have opted to launch after the coin split.
Why do this? Well, there are a couple of good reasons. First off, we want to avoid the confusion of splitting HALO right after we launch our games. Since we are making games for all players, whether or not they are experienced crypto users, we feel that splitting the currency after players have started using it in our games may cause frustration and misunderstanding. Second, gamers prefer to work in whole numbers. Pre-split, we see scenarios where players may have to use fractions of HALO. Again, this is not something most gamers understand or are comfortable with. After the split, players will easily be able to play with tens, hundreds and even thousands of HALO and get a lot more satisfaction from spreading their coins around.
So while our players are eagerly waiting to get their hands on these games, we will take the time we have to make sure they exceed your expectations!
We are also continuing to introduce our Blockfight oddities (aka our fighters). Without further adieu, here is our latest:
Game Maker’s Corner
Adam Testerman: Game Developer
I’d like to talk about a couple of the tools that we use to build our games, and highlight some of the similarities and differences between them. First, I’ll give an overview of Phaser, then I’ll talk about Unity. Phaser is a 2D game engine that we’re currently using in several projects. It uses JavaScript, which works well on the web, and has support for state-based logic, which serves as a great foundation for building a game. Phaser also utilizes texture atlases, which are the primary way that we load images into the game.
We also use Unity here, and while Unity is a 3D engine, it does support building 2D games. Unity also encourages building games in a modular fashion by providing developers with components that can be attached to and removed from game objects. Each component is intended to grant a specific behavior to its game object, and can be mixed and matched with other components to provide customized functionality.
Both of these tools allow us developers to build exciting games while seamlessly integrating them with the blockchain. Phaser gives us the ability to quickly generate and deploy 2D games to the web while using JavaScript’s natural synergy with back-end technologies. Unity, on the other hand, opens us up to the realm of 3D games. And it does so using an intuitive, component-based system, which greatly reduces the complexities that are often experienced when creating 3D games.
In the News
What’s hot in gaming, on and off the blockchain? Here’s where you find out!
https://community.haloplatform.tech/blogs/entry/87-blockchain-tech-breaks-through-console-gaming/ — Blockchain Tech Breaks Through Console Gaming
B&C: We posted this blog article earlier this week on our forum and we wanted to speak to it a little more. If Microsoft builds a console on the blockchain, that will be a game changer for the industry, to say the least. To date, most blockchain games released have catered to the cryptocurrency user set primarily and have lacked the broad appeal of casual and console games. At B&C, we are going after a wider market of gamers with the intention of bringing gamers to the blockchain, thereby growing the user base and player ecosystem.
Now, while porting our games to console is an exciting prospect, the sobering reality is that the big console makers need to drastically change the way they handle game submissions in order to accommodate blockchain game developers. For starters, pushing new game content, which is vital to keeping a game fresh and exciting, is an onerous process on consoles. Submissions go through a lengthy and rigorous approval process and can be rejected for any number of reasons. Developers also don’t know where in the “queue” a content submission will be. So, it could be days to weeks before new content sees the light of day. Web and mobile platforms, on the other hand, allow us to move content almost instantly. It’s no surprise that web and mobile games have taken over such a large market share in recent years. Further, console makers limit the number and frequency of content updates in a game. They also have strict guidelines for game behaviors. There is a sensitivity among console players, for example, in requiring games to be online persistent. So most console manufacturers require games to be playable offline. This is a challenge for blockchain games which need a persistent connection to utilize the blockchain.
All told, these restrictions make for a difficult sell for game makers to port games to console. Much will need to change in order for blockchain developers to flock to console and console makers are notoriously slow to change their ways. Still, we will keep a watchful eye on this space and pounce on it when it’s ready.
Join The Block & Chain Community!
Originally published at community.haloplatform.tech.
