TL:DR
In this Devlog that recaps the work the Netvrk team had done in the month of November, we cover a wide range of elements. First, in the studio update, we talk about the Alpha plans and the criteria we are using when we discuss the plans. In the Development Update, there is both discussion and images showing off the improvements to the builds. The AI team update discusses the modular AI NPC work. The Blockchain team updates us on the wallet connection improvements. Our community team then talks about the various contests and winners, and the latest DAO news. Finally, our Partner section covers three partner projects, XRPL Apes, The Coolio Estate, and Travala. Let’s dive in!
Studio Update
The studio creative leads and production team spent a good portion of November analyzing the current roadmap, the technology in place, the crypto market cycle, and gaming space in order to flesh out a release plan for the Alpha builds that takes advantage of the trends as we see them. We kept key tenets in mind as we had these conversations, tenets like ‘Take advantage of our strongest skills’, ‘React to market conditions’, and ‘Support the community’. These conversations continue into December as we prepare the first Alpha release, and the full team in anticipating massive payouts from this planning.
The first Alpha we will be showcasing a technology that we feel has been talked about in the gaming market for a while but has yet to live up to its potential. We are confident that our approach will advance the promise significantly and turn a lot of the industry’s attention to what we are doing. As we move forward this month, keep an eye on our social media as we drip out more hints for things to come in that first Alpha release.
Additionally, as you’ll read in the Development Update, our work to improve performance of the builds has us exploring the cloud-based gaming platforms that are available and pixel streaming, in an effort to be able to expand the user base to those in the community who would prefer to be in Netvrk in a browser or middle end spec machines. While this approach has not yet been cemented, it does offer greater opportunities for Netvrk to reach a broader base, so the concept is highly enticing. More from this exploration is certain to be discussed in future devlogs.
Development Update
As was the case in October, November also saw a good deal of optimization to the graphics to allow for lower spec PCs to be able to play in Netvrk. This work again is taking advantage of the upgrade to Unreal 5.3 that we undertook and involved reworking of some of the environments.
Reworking the environment layout and assets in the newest version of Unreal ended up being paradoxical. In one direction, the art being rebuilt and imported into the game has better fidelity and aesthetic, but at the same time, the import methodology makes the layout and assets more performant. The images below show how improved the environment has become, and the Alpha build will impress our users with the performance of the experience.
Other performance tasks are ‘under the hood’ improvements that make for better initial load times and memory allocations. An example of this is that the builds now save avatar UI headshots locally when they are first generated, vice building during the game load. It is improvements like this that the development team is pursuing as we move not just to the first release but in the long-term functionality of the project.
AI Update
The AI Team continued improvements during the month of November and has become a focal point to much of our effort leading to the first Alpha (hint).
The AI NPC has been integrated into the game as a modular component that can be attached to any actor. As a modular component, the development team has the capability to load it where needed, such as social spaces, but not load it when it is not required (racing levels). This component can be given an NPC profile ID that correlates to any prompt or profile for the AI. And the team has integrated a local speech-to-text solution to further enhance the feature.
Expect to see more improvements as we integrate the AI NPC feature throughout the experience, as we see not just immersion benefits but also gameplay enhancements to the Netvrk world as this feature develops.
Blockchain Team Update
Uniswap Liquidity
As the community knows, Netvrk has fulfilled our defined liquidity locking obligation, and the lock period for our Uniswap liquidity has now expired. The advisory team was engaged on whether we should extend the locking period or move forward fulfilled as we are. That team has advised Netvrk to not reengage in a locked pool for three major reasons.
First, this allows us to protect the token from attacks with the flexibility to adjust that pool. Taking the lessons learned from the Ascendex hack, being able to temporarily remove liquidity frustrated the hackers, preventing them from dumping. Netvrk is advised to have the same flexibility should we find ourselves in a similar situation.
Second, it allows Netvrk to balance the USDT pool against the other pools with various tokens that exist, again providing our group flexibility should it be required.
Third, the contract lock mechanism currently employed is outdated, posing a potential vulnerability that may expose us to liquidity hacks. Recognizing the importance of security in safeguarding our platform and user assets, we are actively addressing this concern and implementing measures to fortify our defenses against potential risks.
We appreciate the advisory group’s input and are moving forward with their recommendation.
Enhanced Wallet Connection
In recent weeks, we’ve prioritized enhancing wallet connectivity on our staking site to ensure a seamless user experience. The staking site now seamlessly integrates with all major wallets, and we’ve addressed previous challenges faced by WalletConnect users. Throughout December, we’ll be extending these improvements to the Mine Runner site to further improve the overall user experience.
Community Update
NFT Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to h1rage, the lucky winner of our Medium Land NFT giveaway. This giveaway unfolded across our social platforms as we released the teaser video featuring Coolio. See the post on X (Twitter) here.
h1rage, if you’re reading this, make sure to drop us a DM on X to claim your exclusive Medium Land NFT!
Zealy Fever: Will you win 100,000 NTVRK tokens?
As most of you already know, we’re gearing up for Zealy contest where one lucky participant will seize the chance to win up to 100,000 NTVRK tokens!
While the contest officially kicks off once the next Zealy event begins, you can already start collecting XP (points) by taking on simple tasks that not only benefit you but also contribute to Netvrk’s success. Participating is a breeze, and every action you take contributes to the growth of the Netvrk community.
Get started here, and don’t miss out on the Boost Zone quests – they will give you a significant head start when the next contest kicks off! Any questions? Ask in our Discord or Telegram for help.
DAO vote: Grace period proposal
The next DAO proposal is close! This time, it’s about implementing a grace period for NFT stakers to claim missed rewards from previous quarters. Note that as per the latest DAO vote any missed rewards from 2023 will go towards a community driven initiative (a future vote about this is coming soon as well). This vote is about if we should allow a grace period starting from Q1 2024. Here are the key details:
Dates:
- DAO proposal launch: December 5th
- Voting Starts: December 8th
- Voting deadline & Results: December 11th
Voting options:
- Yes, implement a grace period: The length will be determined in a subsequent vote.
- No, stakers must qualify in the current quarter: Maintain the current reward qualification system.
Partner Update
Bored Ape XRP
Netvrk partner Baysed Labs has launched their updated website in support of the Bored Ape XRP Club line with new branding and functionality. The website includes a blog, an updated UI for Baynana-Bank, NFT Auctions, an origin storybook titled “Jungle’s Unforgiving Veils” and many more surprises. With that release comes an exclusive peek at their most anticipated collection “Ravagors”, which is the result of Apes and Hogs mutating. To “unlock” Ravagors, you must first read their book. This project, which runs on the XRP Ledger, has been developing throughout the bear market and is poised to make a significant impact during the next bull run. Check them out at the link:
Coolio Estate
Netvrk’s partnership with the Coolio Estate continues as we prepare to launch the virtual museum and club. The estate has been promoting Netvrk through channels such as TMZ while promoting the release of Cooking’ with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price, available on Amazon and where you get other books.
Travala
Netvrk partner Travala has announced their partnership with metasearch giant Kayak as they continue to build on their market position as the premiere crypto-friendly travel service.
From the full press release linked here, Travala already offers bookings on more than 600 airlines, 2 million properties, and 400,000 activities in 230 countries. The Netvrk community should know that 80% of their bookings are purchased with the more than 90 different cryptocurrencies they support! We encourage everyone to check out the full article and see how Travala is leading the way to web3 adoption in the massive travel industry, and Netvrk is proud to stand with them as a partner!
