Even if you don’t actively pursue NFTs game, you have undoubtedly already heard of them. Regardless of the interest, popular trends frequently permeate all areas of the information space and capture everyone’s attention.
However, your reading this post indicates that you are undoubtedly interest in learning more about NFT and how to create an NFT game.
Numerous industries employ NFTs. 38 NFT creations were included in a digital art exhibition that the Hermitage host in 2021. For his NFT artwork, artist Mike Winkelmann got a record-breaking $69 million.
So what is happening? What is NFT, and why is it so popular right now?
Describe NFTs.
Infusible Token is refer to as NFT game development. NFTs emerged due to the creation of the blockchain, just like cryptocurrencies. But unlike Bitcoin, every NFT is distinct and has a different value. This is not the case with NFT if one traditional cryptocurrency unit is identical to another like one (for instance, one Ethereum is identical to another and transferable without losing value). Let’s start with the NFT ecosystem, or the blockchain, to better grasp this.
According to Wikipedia, a blockchain is a continuous sequential chain of information-containing blocks constructed following predetermined rules. The blockchain operates differently than the traditional Internet paradigm, which connects all devices to centralized nodes like servers or Internet service providers. All of the data published in the blockchain is simultaneously store in its system across all devices.
In turn, tokens stand in for a blockchain ledger item. These are asset accounting units that are comparable to shares on the stock market. The concept of fungibility is one of the most defining characteristics of most tokens.
However, not all digital materials are interchangeable. Even if their estimated values are conceptually close, unique artefacts like a Leonardo da Vinci painting and a Paul Gauguin artwork can be different. Individual elements were add to the blockchain using a non-fungible token type.
Each NFT is distinct and only exists in one copy; it cannot be split. The blockchain securely stores information on its author, buyer, and any transactions involving it. An NFT may only have one legal owner at any given time.
Standards NFT
Every blockchain has some standards you can use as a model for your smart contract’s function. There are programs call “smart contracts” on the blockchain that run independently. When building an NFT, specific features and attributes from each standard must be fill in.
Ethereum
The Ethereum-based ERC-721 standard for non-fungible tokens was the first one. It is still the most popular blockchain platform for developing and maintaining NFTs. An asset is assume to have specific features or traits that make it distinctive and uncommon.
The Ethereum blockchain also uses the less popular ERC-998 and ERC-1155 standards. They are similar to ERC-721 in that they can include both fungible and non-fungible tokens. Using the same address and smart contract, users of ERC-1155 tickets can register fungible (ERC-20) and non-fungible (ERC-721) tokens.
Flow
CryptoKitties are responsible for Flow’s creation. In the NFT-based game CryptoKitties, players can purchase, sell, collect, and breed virtual cats. ERC-721 tokens were used for the launch. It gained so much traction that it began using more Ethereum blockchain resources than was anticipated.
The Dapper Labs game development team developed the Flow blockchain to solve this issue. It was created especially for video games and crypto-collectibles.
The Cadence language is used to create smart contracts in the Flow network. Smart contracts may be updated thanks to Flow. The creators of these smart contracts might release them in beta and then gradually upgrade them till they are happy.
Tezos
Tezos is a flexible, decentralized blockchain platform with the capacity to build tokens and decentralized applications, support for smart contracts, and tokenization. The non-fungible FA2 standard and Tezos’ own money, Tez, give the platform more freedom when handling in-game components.
Various Blockchains
Other blockchains exist, such as Palm and Solana.
Palm Blockchain is an Ethereum-connected token-based NFT ecosystem with cheap gas prices and quick transaction processing times. The main objective is to create an NFT ecosystem for culture and creativity.
With thousands of projects, Solana is the fastest-growing open-source blockchain in the world and the ecosystem for cryptocurrencies. It seeks to leverage ground-breaking technologies for future dApps (keep reading to learn more about dApps).
How Do NFT Games Work?
NFT games are blockchain-based entertainment items that include non-fungible tokens, which are digital objects. NFT technology can be employed in video games to draw in funding. Any in-game entity can have a pass created, purchased, or sold by players, helping to support the creator. For instance, skins, artifacts, weapons, and other game elements can be tokenized using NFTs.
We’ve already discussed specific specifications for gaming tokens, such as Ethereum ERC-1155. NFTs can be advantageous to players as well as developers. For instance, people can make cryptocurrencies and money by offering to sell NFTs they find in-game to other players and collectors.
Look at the first-person shooter blockchain game Undead Blocks. For it, our team produced character and weapon art. The game allows players to upgrade their zombie-killing armament with NFT options and even complete packages at discount rates.
The majority of NFT games are available on Ethereum. It would be best if you contributed in some way, like buying an NFT in-game item you can use to begin playing. You can sell this character or object to another player or collector for a higher price because you made it more unique by using it.
Some games are partially free and don’t ask for donations.
They typically operate on a pay-to-win model, where a portion of the game’s paid assets greatly accelerates its progression. Therefore, the players have two options: spend money on the stuff to guarantee success or win for free by being patient and having a little luck.
As an illustration, you begin with no investments and shape your character through various deeds. Its worth will rise with time. Additionally, practically every game features systems that let you win extra money, such as token drawings within the game or tournaments that payout.
These games can allow you to monetize your gaming experience, earn money while playing, and grow the blockchain ecosystem. There are also drawbacks: you must invest in them, and the earnings depend on selling in-game items and cryptocurrency, both of which carry dangers. To win, players must constantly advance their characters, most frequently by purchasing add-ons. However, the price of improved characters might rise to absurd levels. An inexpensive $1,076,100 was paid for the most costly creature from the NFT game Axie Infinity, for instance.
How to Make an NFT Game: The Setting Up Phase
What role does NFT play in the gaming world? Developers write smart contracts with the rules for using such tokens to create NFTs and use them in the game.
For instance, the game of CryptoKitties is organized around a select few core contracts. The most well-known of them, geneScience, describes the chance processes of producing new cats. Since the game’s programming was first kept a secret, curious players even made tools to calculate the likelihood that cats would possess particular characteristics—this improved users’ chances of obtaining a rare and expensive breed.
Let’s now discuss how to make an NFT game in more detail.
Playing field
NFT games can be categorized into two main categories:
P2E (play-to-earn) (play-to-earn). Players must purchase their first NFT before they can begin playing. There is a chance to recoup the investment in the future. Most P2E games allow players to purchase NFTs that represent characters, perks, or power-ups and win so-called utility tokens.
F2P (free-to-play) (free-to-play). There are fewer of these games, but you can start playing them immediately without having to pay anything. The potential income in this situation will be less. Utility tokens might be absent in such games.
Compared to the NFT-only method, which heavily depends on the chance to earn valuable NTFs, the utility token method is a more reliable way to make money. Sponsoring and training them are provided by seasoned players, who then receive a cut of the winnings.
Create Your Own Game
Choose the future game’s genre. The NFT game is not some terrifying creature from another world. Although it is the same game as the others, this one has unique features. Therefore, many options exist, including card games, strategy, combat, adventure, simulation, and role-playing.
Conducting a competitive analysis is crucial after selecting a genre. Discover related games outside of the blockchain. Instead of mindlessly copying popular games, pick the most intriguing elements and incorporate them into your design.
The game design document should contain a complete list of game-related details. By doing this, you can keep the team from miscommunication or misinterpretation. You can move on to design and begin producing art once you have precisely defined the major game milestones, characters, leveling system, victory conditions, and monetization features.
Of course, game art is a creative field where you can express yourself however you please. But keep this in mind for yourself.
Right now, the most popular NFT game requires players to gather magnificent NFT animals that can be reared or sold in Axie Infinity. We also recall CryptoKitties, a game that set the standard for animal breeding mechanics.
These video games combine adorable animals with vibrant cartoon art. There are very few people who can resist cute animals. So bear that in mind.
Other popular NFT games are also non-AAA graphics examples. The introduction of NFT and the emergence of AAA games are planned for the future, but their efficacy still needs to be evaluated and is still up for debate. Start with a simpler graphic option to reduce the risks and significant investments in an unproven concept.
Later, after getting your hands on it and understanding the specifics of NFT games, you will be able to move on to games with a more advanced level of art.
Web or Mobile
Decentralized applications, or dApps, are programs created using blockchain technology. In contrast to client-server applications, whose data and code are processed on servers, a decentralized application’s main code and data (backend) are stored and executed on the peer-to-peer blockchain.
All cryptocurrencies are already variants of decentralized applications. But usually, they are considered the basic foundation of the blockchain, on top of which a variety of decentralized applications already work. Decentralized applications are generally open source.
We continue to figure out how to make an NFT game. The next question is how you want your users to interact with the game. Through a web browser or mobile app?
Both options are valid. The web application is universal and can be launched from any device, from a computer to a smartphone, anywhere in the world. On the other hand, a mobile app will run much faster on smartphones and may have many more features. Therefore, its development is generally more expensive.
Mobile applications can be native and cross-platform:
Native options are created for a specific operating system and can have access to various smartphone functions: camera, contact list, GPS, and others. We often talk about Android and iOS, but there are also Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Bada, Symbian, and open-source systems such as Mobian and Ubuntu.
Cross-platform options won’t be able to access smartphone functions, but they’re much easier, faster, and cheaper to create because you only need one version that will work for all operating systems.
Before choosing between native and cross-platform apps, consider whether you need smartphone features for your game. Also, note that the AppStore requires each app to meet a set of requirements and may refuse to list a play on the store if it detects any infringement.
A hybrid app option also works as both a mobile app and a web app. It makes sense for you to pay attention to advanced web applications. PWA allows you to run the application using a mobile browser.
The advantages of PWA are:
- Sending push notifications (except iOS devices) (except iOS devices).
- I am working offline.
- Accessing some smartphone features (except iOS devices) (except iOS devices).
- Placing a shortcut on the desktop that doesn’t visually differ from that of a native application.
Define your target group and the devices they use. But the simplest solution for your first NFT game would be a web application.
Suitable Technology
Take advantage of open source to get your feet on the ground in NFT. For example, you can go to GitHub and find ready-made games and templates for NFT games that you can manipulate to understand the specifics of such games better.
If GitHub is Greek to you, then pave the way for the initial orientation in it. You will need it in the future. This is the most famous project and code version management system. It allows you to collaborate with others worldwide, plan your projects and track your work.
One of the most common dApp development ecosystems is Truffle Suite. It is the leading smart contract development environment.
Truffle Suite consists of three different parts:
Truffle. A development environment that uses the Ethereum virtual machine as a basis and specializes in developing, managing, and testing smart contracts.
Ganache. A tool for setting up a local Ethereum blockchain that allows you to deploy, develop, and test all of our decentralized applications in a secure and deterministic environment.
Drizzle. A set of frontend libraries based on the Redux store for developing a more predictable and manageable interface.
For a long time, Truffle Suite only supported blockchains based on Ethereum and Ethereum Virtual Machine. But recently, Truffle has announced support for Tezos. It is the first blockchain outside of the Ethereum Virtual Machine.
Another dApps development platform is Moralis, which has an infinitely scalable server infrastructure and can remove the biggest obstacles in dApp development. The platform provides you with a fully managed backend infrastructure. This means that you, as a developer, can focus on developing the front end and the main user interface.
The Frontend Stage
The front end – the client side of the user interface – can be create using JavaScript. It would be best if you also chose a framework, a ready-to-use set of software solutions, including the design, logic, and basic functionality of a system or subsystem. It contains predefined and implemented classes or functions. Also, you can add your code to what is already include in the framework for specific tasks.
As frameworks, React, and Vue can be good options. Angular, with its huge API, may seem too complicated for beginners. Truffle Suite was originally built to connect to React, but as of 2019, they also offer a Vue plugin.
The front end can be host on Netlify. It is one of the most advanced web development platforms that help programmers publish projects online. It is ideal for small teams or solo developers who cannot independently create the infrastructure for their resources but still want to put their product on the Internet. Besides, it’s free.
The Wallet
A crypto wallet is a special software or hardware that allows you to keep digital currency and perform various operations.
Any crypto wallet should have a high level of security. To select a good wallet, you first need to go to the website of the coin you are going to store and acquaint yourself with the list of suggested applications. Every safe wallet must meet the following requirements:
Have private and public keys; \shave many degrees of security.
For example, CryptoKitties uses the MetaMask non-custodial wallet. It works as an extension for the Google Chrome family of browsers.
Smart Contract
We have already mention that smart contracts are programs stored on the blockchain that runs when predetermined conditions are met. If people wish to access their NFT, it goes like this:
The front end receives the user’s address from the crypto wallet.
The front end passes the user’s address to the smart contract.
The smart contract offers the user the NFT address owned by the provided user.
To operate with a smart contract, you can utilize the official Ethereum blockchain library called Web3.js. Web3 allows you to abstract from the internal mechanics of Ethereum and work with the network and smart contracts as if they were ordinary JavaScript objects.
The Solidity programming language is used to write smart contracts. Solidity is a Turing-complete language, which means you can create complex arrangements in a well-defined code format.
Therefore, you must thoroughly test the contract before sending it to the production environment. Fixing bugs can be costly or even cause critical system failures.
Smart contracts have the following important properties and advantages:
Transparency. Blockchain users can read and use smart contracts through the APIs.
Distribution. The output of the contract is verified and evaluated by many nodes in the network. Information on the status of contracts is publicly available. In some cases, even private variables are viewable.
The Backend Stage
So, we have already determined that the smart contract deals with the URL of the desired NFT. With this address, the front end requests the backend to get the metadata for this NFT. The backend sends metadata to the front end. They include the name of the NFT, address, and identifier. After receiving this data, the front end can send another request to the server with the NFT URL. The interface can display the available information, and the user can see their NFT’s name and image.
For the backend, you can use node.js. It is a software platform that translates JavaScript into machine code that runs on the server side.
The Testing Stage
To test your NFT game, you can use special test blockchains like Rinkeby. Ganache by Truffle makes it easy to create a mock blockchain. The types of blockchain game testing can be as follows:
Functional testing. This is a test of the overall functioning of the game, data transfer, block, and chain sizes to evaluate requirements, processes, etc.
Security testing. This is mandatory to check for any threats to the blockchain system.
UI testing. It’s important to ensure the game’s workflow and functionality are working properly and testing fonts, colors, graphics, and more for a great user experience.
Integration testing. This is a test of interconnection between different software components.
API testing. The bottom line is to check the communication of software components with an external API to ensure that the system correctly processes the request and response.
Conclusion
Now you have a general idea of how to make an NFT game. In this case, it is important to avoid getting carrie away with the number of NFT token development assets but to consider what value they represent for the players. Will players want to buy them, and what will be their motivation?
If you want to keep up with the trends but have yet to learn what NFT features can be offer to jaded players, let’s join forces. Our NFT game development expertise is multifaceted and constantly updated. We have experience in creating unique NFT assets for games of various genres. We have carefully studied the NFT phenomenon and are ready to offer you a bunch of options for using it in games. Contact us, and we will develop an interesting NFT solution for your game.