Episode 116 - Happy New Year

In Episode 116 of COPICafe the hosts Rob and Josh celebrate the New Year and introduce Cornucopias set in a colorful world of floating islands where players can interact through crafting and combat.

They discuss their development plans for 2025, dubbed the "Year of the Corn," highlighting the significance of community engagement via Discord and the importance of supporting the game without relying on ad revenue.

Key topics include Nvidia's new 50-series graphics cards, which promise enhanced gameplay through cutting-edge technologies like DLSS, and the anticipated upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5, expected to significantly improve character animations and lighting.

The hosts also share their development timeline and marketing strategies aimed at expanding their player base, while revealing the ongoing cryptocurrency distribution for the game's COPI token.

With plans for engaging quests, tournaments, and innovative gameplay, the team expresses enthusiasm for the future of Cornucopias and encourages viewers to join their journey in the new year.

• 00:00:00 In this section, the hosts introduce "Cornucopias," an innovative MMORPG set in a vibrant world of floating islands, where players can control avatars and engage in various activities such as crafting and combat. The segment also marks the start of a new year, 2025, with the hosts excitedly discussing their plans for the year, which they refer to as the "year of the Corn." They touch on multiple topics including upcoming game planning, NVIDIA graphics cards, the Unreal Engine 5.5 upgrade, and community interaction through platforms like Discord. The hosts keep the tone light with a casual drink segment, emphasizing their commitment to regular communication with their audience while managing numerous development tasks.

• 00:05:00 In this section, the hosts discuss their community engagement through Discord and the importance of liking and subscribing to their videos for promoting the game Cornucopias, rather than generating ad revenue. They then delve into the recent announcements by Nvidia regarding their new 50-series graphics cards, which are compatible with the game and meet its minimum requirements. The conversation highlights innovations like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), particularly the new multiframe generation feature exclusive to the 50-series, which allows for artificially generated frames to boost performance, especially in non-competitive gaming scenarios. The hosts express optimism about the potential performance improvements for players using these new cards in Cornucopias, while also acknowledging ongoing support for older graphics card models.

• 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the advancements in graphics technology, particularly focusing on Nvidia's 40 series graphics cards and their reliance on ray tracing to enhance gaming experience. They emphasize the potential improvements in game performance and appearance with this technology, noting that older graphics cards may become more affordable as new models are released. The discussion shifts towards integrating AI technology for Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) in their game, highlighting ongoing research into leveraging Nvidia's Ace program for creating engaging NPC interactions powered by AI. Lastly, the speaker mentions the team's upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5, acknowledging the challenges that come with it while expressing optimism about progress.

• 00:15:00 In this section, the speakers discuss their ongoing projects and the anticipated features of Unreal Engine 5.5, emphasizing the significant potential advancements, particularly in AI-driven motion matching that will enhance character animations. Currently, their animations are manually created with limited frames, but they express excitement about the possibility of utilizing the new engine to implement smoother movements with a library of over 600 animations. They also highlight improvements in lighting, specifically through the use of mega lighting, which will allow for more efficient and realistic illumination within their game environments. Overall, they recognize the challenges ahead as they strive to integrate these upgrades while managing the complexities of game development.

• 00:20:00 In this section, the team discusses their ongoing development efforts for the game, indicating plans for an upcoming release (version 5.5.1) that won't affect the current gameplay available at cornucopia.org. They express a goal to significantly increase gameplay this year by onboarding new developers, elaborating on various aspects of the game, such as adding new regions and enhancing programming capabilities to fill the expansive game world. A new land selection tool released recently is highlighted, encouraging players to explore and engage with the game’s land features. The team emphasizes the importance of gameplay elements like crafting, fishing, mining, and combat, with a strong focus on creating meaningful quests that enhance player community and economic interaction within the game.

• 00:25:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the development of a massive game world where players can engage with intricate AI NPCs through various quests. These quests range in duration and complexity, presenting challenges that enhance character and district progression. The team aims to create a rich lore experience and is committed to crafting substantial quests, potentially delivering up to 50 each year. As new programming talent joins the project, they plan to refine foundational systems that will support gameplay elements such as crafting and building. There is a focus on balancing efficient project execution while ensuring team well-being, given the ambitious goals set for the coming year. Their commitment to quality and community feedback is clear as they strive to bring the world of Cornucopias to life.

• 00:30:00 In this section, the speakers discuss their development timeline, contemplating whether to release a build in February or postpone it until March to incorporate additional features. They emphasize their commitment to developing the Cornucopia project over the next several years, with a goal of reaching Alpha by the end of the current year, which requires solid gameplay systems and a strong marketing push to appeal to mainstream gamers. The conversation also touches on the misconceptions about web3 gaming's status amidst new mainstream releases, emphasizing the ongoing demand for player ownership of digital assets through NFTs. The speakers express excitement about the upcoming year, particularly the emphasis on tournaments and esports integration, mentioning plans for enhanced gameplay with leaderboards and competitions providing rewards. Overall, they are eager to capitalize on their progress and engage the gaming community further through tournaments and innovative gameplay elements.

• 00:35:00 In this section, the discussion revolves around the ambitious marketing plans for the year, emphasizing the significance of both reach and frequency to expand the user base for a play-to-earn game. The speakers acknowledge the competitive environment expected in a bullish market and stress their commitment to keeping the community informed through weekly updates. They outline plans for various marketing strategies, including partnerships with influential groups, which could involve token integrations to draw in new players. Additionally, they discuss enhancing game specifications to utilize AI technology effectively. There's also mention of upcoming centralized exchange initiatives to increase awareness of the project. Lastly, they touch on technical requirements related to GPU hosting as they consider an update to the minimum RAM specifications for optimal game performance.

• 00:40:00 In this section, the discussion focuses on the distribution of the cryptocurrency COPI. Additionally, the segment reveals a sneak peek into an undiscovered area in a pre-alpha game, showcasing gameplay elements like hidden treasures and unique locations, while cautioning that some characters may exhibit issues that will be addressed in future updates.

• 00:45:00 In this section, the speakers discuss gameplay elements related to opening chests and acquiring outfits and credits in a game. One speaker reflects on their experience of collecting outfits, particularly noting an abundance of pink ones, while another mentions finding a cumbersome wood plank item. They also uncover an area that hasn't been fully explored yet, hinting at future game developments. As the segment wraps up, they express excitement about their gaming session and encourage viewers to join in and gather their own rewards. The episode concludes with a light-hearted farewell, marking the start of 2025 as the "Year of the Corn."