Episode 111 - Size Matters

In Episode 111 of COPICafe the Rob and Josh discuss the latest goings on in the land of Cornucopias.

They provide updates on the exciting phase three sale featuring a significant cargo ship, the Juggernaut, and the recent successful early playtests that engaged the community with new challenges and jetpacks.

As they discuss ongoing content development and enhanced marketing strategies, the team emphasizes building strong connections with the Cardano Foundation for ecosystem growth while planning a major marketing push coinciding with the game's anticipated alpha release.

Highlights include the exploration of visually stunning environments, innovative travel techniques, and intricate gameplay features essential for player immersion, supplemented by community feedback.

The conversation concludes with insights on future updates, a focus on vehicle travel using player NFTs, and a sneak peek of new features in development, showcasing the team's commitment to enhancing the player experience.

• 00:00:00 In this section, the the hosts share updates about the upcoming phase three sale, which features a large cargo ship called the Juggernaut, excitement about its utility within the game's economy, and plans for a cinematic reveal. The segment also touches on recent playtests, a centralized exchange listing, and confirms an engaging gameplay showcase.

• 00:05:00 In this section, the hosts discuss the successful initiation of early testing for their game, Cornucopias, with around 15 to 20 node operators ready to participate. They highlight the community's engagement via Discord, where instructions are available for testing on Linux and Windows systems. A recent play test attracted 25 to 30 participants who enjoyed using new jetpacks during challenges in the game. The testing also included performance metrics, noting some connectivity issues for players from America due to server locations. The hosts shared personal experiences from the play test, expressing optimism for future developments and mentioning an upcoming centralized exchange listing.

• 00:10:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the ongoing efforts to develop more game content and mechanics, as well as the recent listing on the LCX centralized exchange, facilitated by the Cardano Foundation. The speaker expresses optimism about future listings and emphasizes the importance of establishing solid relationships with the foundation while seeking their increased support for ecosystem growth. Additionally, there is a focus on enhancing marketing strategies, particularly in refining core messaging with the help of a marketing group experienced in successful campaigns. This initiative aims to better communicate the project's values and vision, ultimately creating targeted landing pages to attract various audiences through structured marketing funnels. Overall, the team is working diligently to streamline their outreach and community engagement efforts as they progress in this early market cycle.

• 00:15:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the strategic approach to marketing and game development for an upcoming game. The speaker emphasizes that they are not waiting for major game updates to begin their marketing efforts but are gradually building their marketing strategy through data-driven paid advertising, testing different target audiences, and utilizing their owned and earned media channels. They highlight the importance of not overspending on marketing before having sufficient data to guide their efforts. The planned significant marketing push is tentatively set for the alpha release of the game, expected around Q2 or Q3 of the following year (2025), when enough content will be in place to attract mainstream gamers and generate positive word of mouth. The speaker expresses the desire to ensure that the game not only offers initial fun but also has enough substance to retain players, indicating a systematic preparation for a successful rollout.

• 00:20:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the ongoing development of various gaming features and marketing strategies within the "Cornucopias" project. The team is actively seeking community feedback while simultaneously testing their infrastructure, particularly in relation to the hollow caches and the intricate gameplay loops that will enhance player experience. Key updates include the introduction of a Nexus terminal and real-time menus, as well as improvements to graphics and game elements that emphasize exploration and engagement within large, dynamic maps. The conversation also highlights the importance of marketing, with plans to produce cinematic content and lore teasers to effectively communicate the game's unique narrative and visual appeal. Finally, the segment transitions into gameplay, showing a hands-on demonstration of new features, such as the acquisition and use of in-game assets through the Nexus terminal.

• 00:25:00 In this section, the hosts explore an intriguing location, discussing a technique known as the "bouncing technique" for extending travel distance, particularly when descending from heights like mountains. They visit various scenic spots, including a canyon and a waterfall, while reminiscing about past adventures, such as cliff diving in Hawaii. The conversation touches on the excitement and risks associated with such activities, emphasizing the importance of being prepared and fully charged for safe returns. The hosts also mention the area's potential for future quests and activities, highlighting its unique features, such as overlaying roots and its immersive environment.

• 00:30:00 In this section, the hosts discuss their exploration of a richly detailed area within the game, where they admire a stunning waterfall that appears to have formed from an asteroid impact. They contemplate travel options to reach this location, ultimately deciding to teleport for efficiency. As they navigate the surroundings, they express excitement over the beautiful vistas and the potential for adventure, including possible challenges like fighting a "quantum monster" in a mysterious cave. They highlight the thrilling nature of the environment, noting the immersive design, and envision opportunities for exploration, photography, and group quests in this captivating setting.

• 00:35:00 In this section, the speakers explore and discuss the variety of landscapes within the game, particularly focusing on the visual details like moss-covered trees and colorful rocks. They express excitement over the aesthetic features and diverse locations in Solace, encouraging exploring areas that may be hidden or unique. Using camera controls for taking enhanced photos is also highlighted, while there are suggestions for improvements, such as adding a plot overlay to assist players in locating land plots more easily on the map. The conversation indicates ongoing game development, including adjustments based on player feedback to ensure a better experience within the game world.

• 00:40:00 In this section, the team discusses the challenges of integrating land plots onto a massive map while ensuring that players’ locations align with the overlays. They emphasize that creating visual overlays for various in-game features, such as logging and fishing, is complex but essential for enhancing gameplay and will be developed iteratively with community support. Additionally, the conversation shifts to node delegation mechanisms, clarifying that the team is developing the software in-house, allowing players to host or delegate their nodes. Finally, they reveal a sneak peek of the "Atmos Juggernaut" cargo ship, highlighting its impressive scale in relation to a player's character, the ongoing development, and its anticipated utility within the game.

• 00:45:00 In this section, the team discusses the development timeline and dependencies for a new feature in their project, indicating that it will not be included in the upcoming December build, but is anticipated in a future update. This feature will facilitate vehicle travel, allowing players to utilize their own NFTs for transportation within the game world, enhancing the gameplay experience by reducing reliance on public transportation. Additionally, they mention the upcoming Hanger Bay, which may be available for viewing soon, and conclude by encouraging viewers to support their content and express their enthusiasm for the work being done in the project.