TL:DR
Here’s the TL:DR! In the Studio Update, we have some exciting news about how our promotional efforts are paying off. In the Development Update, we have some video footage of the Alpha environment and display of the day/night cycle. The AI Update includes video capturing our NPC work-in-progress. The Blockchain Team covers the $NETVR swap, and the Community Update has the latest questionnaire and Zealy contest. Let’s get into it!
Studio Update
January was an extremely energetic month for the studio. On the surface, the community could see all of the cycles that were consumed by the token swap, from $NTVRK to $NETVR. Again, the switch to a flexible smart contract is expected to be monumental for the economy, and we’re glad to focus attention on the VR aspect of NetVRk, as that is where the roots are. While there are still edge cases being addressed here early in February, for the most part the swap is complete as the CEXs have made the conversions. Additionally, we are excited to be working with KuCoin in the coming weeks to do a marketing push through their channels. More on that as the campaign starts in our social media posts.
More shielded from the community is an exciting marketing opportunity that we have been asked to keep under wraps until now. Killer Whales, a reality show focused on crypto and web3, has launched season 1 on HELLO TV, and NetVRk will be featured on the third episode, airing February 22nd. Our project founders appear before the panel and are able to show off our project to the entire web3 community. Then, on March 11th, the show will be airing to the web2 world via the streaming partner for HELLO TV. You will start to see promotional material for their show and our episode in our social media. In the week following our episode airing, there will be a X space hosted by Killer Whales where each project that aired will be discussed in an organic, non-scripted way. Our community is encouraged to attend that X Space as well. Again, we will keep everyone informed through our channels when the time gets close, but we encourage everyone to check out this trailer and be ready!
Killer Whales Season 1 | Extended Trailer (youtube.com)
Development Update
The Alpha environment changes are progressing really nicely, and we’ve cornered the dev team to produce a series of shots to demonstrate all the work they have put into the build. The work included a fair amount of lighting and effect changes to really promote the day-to-night cycle that is an important element of having the world be dynamic. No more words, the video does a better job showing off their progress.
Also available here: Alpha 1 Preview Video
AI Update
The AI team is making this behind-the-scenes WIP video available to the devlog to demonstrate a small part of the AI progress. The objective is to make the AI characters as lifelike as possible, which will mean a mix of many parts. This video shows the eye tracking and the beginnings of the lip syncing to audio, as well as the personality programming that is possible. The feature backlog includes neck and body turning, emoting based on attitude or mood, and more natural breathing during conversation. The gap between robotic and natural is vast, and so are the use cases of a fully realized AI character in the world. More updates to follow.
Also available here: AI WIP Preview
Blockchain Team Update
The Blockchain team prioritized the successful NetVRk (NETVR) token launch. They focused on strategic initiatives like liquidity provisioning, seamless bridging between Ethereum and Polygon, and creating a user-friendly claim portal. This portal ensures a smooth and intuitive experience for users to claim their tokens on their preferred network (Polygon or Ethereum). The team also handled meticulous token distribution through a well-executed airdrop, showcasing their comprehensive approach to a successful and user-centric launch.
In parallel, the Blockchain team seamlessly distributed Q4, 2023 rewards and outstanding Q1-Q3, 2023 rewards. 449 land stakers received 21.06 WETH, and 292 transport stakers were rewarded with 0.85 WETH. Additionally, outstanding rewards of 20.09 WETH went to land stakers, while transport stakers received 1.11 WETH.
Community Update
NFT Staking Rewards Q1 Qualifying Period
The new quarter marks the beginning of the Q1 qualifying period for NFT staking rewards. In order to qualify for rewards, you must, like always, complete one of the participation requirements; mine 50 nodes in Mine Runner or fill a Questionnaire. We value your input, so even if you’ve already fulfilled the requirement via Mine Runner, we invite you to take the Questionnaire too. You will be asked to suggest new DAO proposals, propose ideas for utilizing unclaimed rewards from 2023, and let us know how you envision contributing to the community, whether as a moderator or in any other capacity.
Complete the Questionnaire here.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to win up to 100,000 NETVR tokens!
Dive into the Zealy tasks and, specifically, don’t miss out on the Boost Zone quests. By completing these quests before the next contest, you’ll accumulate XP, giving you a head start in the upcoming contest. There will be a lot of prizes up for grabs, plus a chance for one of you to win up to 100,000 NETVR tokens!
But that’s not all—the next Zealy contest is not just about winning; it’s your golden ticket to stake your NETVR tokens. Make sure you don’t miss the chance to get access to the staking pools with the highest APY.
