The Best Blockchain Games On The Ethereum And Loom Network
By Norkūnas Deividas on ALTCOIN MAGAZINE
Blockchain has become the new platform where information is exchanged, and apps are created. There are a lot of opportunities that games created on a public blockchain and the potentials that this platform for games is already gathering a huge number of following.
The collaboration between the gaming industry and blockchain is a partnership that promises a whole lot. Gamers first adopted cryptocurrencies. The benefits of this technology to the gaming world is already yielding dividends.
What Are Blockchain Games?
What traditional gaming industry has been able to do in the last couple of years is to come up with closed loops as regards development. This means that no one from the outside can replicate or duplicate their version; they wouldn’t be able also to see the core logic or utilize existing assets or data.
Blockchain, on the other hand, smart contracts controls and superintend over their core or main logic or assets. These smart contracts can be analyzed and reused.
Blockchain games aren’t controlled centrally by the server. There are, therefore, decentralized, and after that, distributed among players. Tokens used by these games are either issued by blockchain themselves or uses tokens that are already in existence. Examples of those are tokens issued by either the Ethereum or Loom network.
Why Blockchain Games Stands Out
There are a few things that make blockchain games a growing trend and why the partnership between the gaming industry and blockchain is getting stronger each year. Here are a few features of the blockchain games that make them stand out.
Tokenomics
The issuance and use of token exist only on blockchain games and not on any other platform. This concept creates different interest groups, which then permits different properties of game theory. Immense power and control have been handed down to blockchain games via the use of tokens to design incentives or create new logic or asset.
Decentralization
This is another reason why blockchain games are becoming increasingly popular than traditional games. Owing to the decentralized nature of blockchain games, anyone can access and analyze the code used in blockchain games as opposed to traditional games.
Due to this property, there’s mutual transparency between the creators of the games as well as the players. If the creator the game makes efforts to update the game without the permission of the gaming community, the game can be forked and different versions of the game. Traditional game creators do not allow for this form of openness and transparency.
This decentralized nature of blockchain games became useful for the verification of scarcity of virtual products and collectibles, quick and safe payment options system, and also gives game developers the platform to properly monetize their creations and inventions.
Eliminates Any Concern About Fraud
Fraud is a huge worry among gamers and game creators. What usually triggers fraud on these gaming platforms is the inability to prove the provenance of virtual items.
The introduction of the smart contract, on the other hand, has bred confidence in the minds of players that what they are getting in are original and legitimate items because they are tethered to the blockchain.
The exchange of such in-game items has been said to be worth $50 billion.
Facilitation Of The Exchange Of In-game Items
The exchange of virtual in-game items and crypto-collectibles has been the objective of some notable gaming platforms. As they function as a decentralized exchange of non-fungible, this particular marketplace gives players the platform to interact in a peer-2-peer manner that provides reprieve for current centralized models.
Fast And Secure Method Of Payment
This is one of the benefits that’s attracting more and more people onto its platform. This use of Cryptocurrencies as a means of payment has beneficial for eSports, thereby creating traditional in-game tokens, and facilitating smooth transactions on a decentralized exchange.
OpenSea is a platform that permits users to pay for virtual collectibles using ether. Another example is Wax, which allows users to pay using the native Wax token.
Proper Monetization Of Game Creation
Many game developers have faced this issue a whole lot. Blockchain has been able to give game developers the platform to build and distribute theirs without the need of an intermediary who would charge them. This has been made possible via the provision of direct creator-to-consumer opportunity.
This initiative has given game developers absolute control over the management of their digital rights. Also, developers can monetize their creations through in-game tokens or assets as part of the design of the game. Payments can then be received in cryptocurrencies by taking advantage of smart contracts.
Mutual Interest Between Creator And Players
In conventional games, developers and creators often exploit the existing users by changing the rules of the game with ease. This makes it possible for them to get more money.
Blockchain games, on the other hand, benefit both game developers, new users, as well as devoted players. The introduction of blockchain games has bred trust among game creators and players alike.
Blockchain Games Running On Etherum
Several blockchain games have been created that runs on Etherum. These games are gaining popularity as the day goes by. We’ll be looking at some of those blockchain games that run on Ether. They include:
CryptoKitties
CryptoKitties was created in November of 2017; this blockchain game became very popular that it caused the Ethereum network to become congested. Statistics showed that this congestion was because of the over 14,000 users and around 5,000 users in one day. This caused an issue for Ethereum developers.
CryptoKitties is a blockchain game created based on NFT tokens. There is a variation between every kitty in the game. What that means is that all kitties are different, and none of them are alike. In this game, you can breed a kitty and then trade it on the open marketplace.
After CryptoKitties infused NFT tokens into its game, nee games based in the same token concept were created. Examples of such games include: EtherRockets which is a decentralized game with collectibles rockets, a user marketplace, as well as a competition;
CryptoPets
CryptoPets is a blockchain game that features the trade, collection of digital creatures across virtual worlds; Etheremon, on the other hand, is a blockchain game that collects, train, and fight cute monsters; Crypto Zombies is another game that is educational as well as interactive. They teach users how to write smart contracts in a solid form by building your personal crypto collectibles.
The dispensation of gambling and punting also introduced a game where you can stake certain amounts of money and win something huge. Some of these games include:
Fomo3D
$12 million is always up for grabs in this game. The foremost precursor of such a game was the PoWh project. In this game, there is a time ticker. The player has to buy the keys (tokens) to be able to play the game. The time is extended, depending on the number of times a player purchases token.
There isn’t a limit to how many times the time ticker will be extended. Every buy transaction in this game has a fixed fee. Your token will determine how much dividend you’ll be entitled to. The winner of the game is the person who purchases the tokens before the time ticker stops.
A lot of games with the same concept and arrangement has been made.
Gods Unchained
This game was inspired by songs like Magic the Gathering, and Hearthstone. Once the cards are bought, players have complete ownership of the cards. The unique history of the individual asset is proved via blockchain.
The only time players interact with Etherum is when they want to buy and transfer cards. These cards are therefore stored on-chain. The actual gameplay takes place off-chain. It is only compatible with the web.
Crypto Space Commander
This blockchain game is a multiplayer online game where the players can build a fleet of spaceships, collect resources, create items, and fight with pirates and other players while they travel the star. While a large portion of the game takes place off-chain, all economic and financial activities take place on-chain.
All valued assets are created, tracked, and transacted on the non-fungible token (NFTs), based on a standard recommended by ERC- 271. The engine type of this game is unity. You can play this game via PC, web, as well as your mobile phone. All you need is Metamask for web play and Ether.
MLB Crypto Baseball
This is a collectible card game. Each MLB Crypto is a non-fungible token (NFT) that has unique visual traits, and the game is symbolized by a 3D model of an official MLB player or an event.
Once a user has purchased this game, they have absolute control over the NFT. Users or players can create a card game with MLB Cryptos and compete among themselves for a reward. The blockchain on this game is only used to store digital assets.
A custom off-chain solution was developed to handle a large chunk of the game’s functionality. This game can be played on either the web or on mobile. All that is required to play this game is ether, mobile DAPP browser (which may be a Coinbase Wallet).
Blockchain Games That Runs On Loom Network
Several blockchain games are running on the Loom network. This network, by the way, is a side chain that is connected to the Etherum network. The software referred to as SDK produces these side chains. PlasmaChain is also included in Loom, and it is capable of interacting with other chains in the network.
Blockchain games that run on this network include:
Zombie Battleground
This is a collectible trading card game. The game was developed by the same creators that came up with the blockchain game, CryptoZombie. In this game, players are capable of creating decks that consist of zombies from six different elemental fractions, including water, earth, life, air, fire, and toxic. Each element has its own unique style as well as unique abilities.
You can download this game with the aid of the free cards that accompanies it, or players can purchase premium cards from the creators.
Neon District
This blockchain game is a post-apocalyptic turn-based strategy game from the creators of Apple Arcade and Plasma Bear. The neon district comes with a futuristic theme and amazing graphics. Although this game is still in its developmental stages, it promises to be a fantastic game.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a game that involves cute creatures called Axie. The game is a browser-based collectible game. In this game, players can breed with each other to produce new ones. This axis can be used to fight each other to gain experience.
This game has a sophisticated combat system with Final Fantasy Tactics. It is going to be running on the Loom network very soon.
Pixie Wardrobe
This game is focused on a social MMO that is centered on anime-style. Pixie Wardrobe has over three million users, the majority of whom are teenager girls from east Asian countries. Those that created this game is currently developing a special feature called Pixie Shopping Street that will permit players to design and create their personal costumes.
These designs will be stored on the blockchain and owned by the users who designed them. Transactions on the game will be validated and authenticated by the Loom network.
DelegateCall
This game is similar to Quora because of its Questions and Answers format. Instead of players earning social status by answering the questions, what they get as a reward is that they earn cryptocurrency.
Although this game hasn’t plenty of users yet, it is the future. Sites like Steemit, which actually pays people for their social media posts, means the DelegateCall.
Now, The Best Of Them All: Heroes Of Ether
So, we’ve been able to talk about other blockchain games on the Ethereum and Loom network. But here’s the best of the best; Heroes of Ether.
Though this is a blockchain game, it was developed with non-blockchain people in mind. It is a free-to-play game. Hence, you don’t have to pay any cash to start playing.
Heroes of Ether has five different eras: Prehistoric, Ancient, Gunpowder, Modern, and Future. You start playing the game in the first era, Prehistoric and work your way up to the fifth era, Future.
Also, the game allows you to train heroes and even fight with them in the arena. Even more, there’s an Arena working multiplayer that lets you fight with other players. Interesting, right? That’s not all!
Heroes of Ether will be the first-ever blockchain game with Augmented Reality and a Mobile App. In the AR, you can watch as your hero trains, fight with other players, and also see how your heroes fight.
Additionally, the game has an “occupy land” gameplay where your mission is to occupy more land than other player zones.
To Wrap It Up
The partnership between blockchain technology, Cryptocurrencies, and the gaming industry promises a lot. Although technology and UX needs a lot of horning for mass adoption, blockchain games are already taking the lead in terms if incentivization.
More professionals will be attracted owing to its reusable data and better incentives. And, the Heroes of Ether makes this adoption easier and more interesting.