TL:DR
To get everyone quickly to the Devlog, here’s a short TL:DR for the post. The Studio Update explains some of the team's external connections, the Development team talks about critical support for multiplayer, the Blockchain team details the Q3 distribution, and our Community team continues with news on the DAO and our Zealy interactions. Read on!
Studio Update
There have been plenty of enticing connections that the studio has made, showing that the concept of Netvrk continues to resonate with promise for the market. We have connected with some of the biggest PR firms, some of which have been in the web3 space since the start of ETH. We have started negotiations with them to help us with the marketing push into and after the Alpha launch. We will continue to update the community as these plans solidify.
Partly for some cost savings and partly for some familiarity, we have reconnected with some of our outsourced partners to bring the latest builds up to our standards. This includes outsourcing for our Art, some Unreal development, some blockchain work, and to bring in some experience with AI APIs. We are happy to be back working with these teams and expect that their work will enhance the work our in-studio team is doing.
One last note from a studio standpoint is the effort and savings that the upgrade to Unreal 5.2 has given us cannot be minimized. Here a month out from the changes, we see vast improvements to our pipeline for building and for our performance in engine. To have a taste of what all was involved in the change, and to see what kinds of improvements we are taking advantage of, this link of the patch notes for Unreal 5.2 should prove enlightening for anyone who is familiar with game engines. Unreal Engine 5.2 Release Notes | Unreal Engine 5.2 Documentation
Development Overview
The development team has continued with some of the foundational work that make the play experience as robust as would be expected once release happens. The work below is all supported across multiplayer, which while challenging, is vital for the type of experience that Netvrk is building. These changes include a vital check to ensure that players are not spawning either on each other, each other’s vehicles, or other disallowed spaces.
Because the driving experience is designed to allow players to use each vehicle they own as well as some free vehicles that the Algorithm provides, one key feature we’ve been at work on is to allow for a player’s momentum to continue when vehicles are hot swapped. In the earliest prototypes, the swapping of your vehicle came with a harsh and un-fun stop to the movement. When designing a track, one could imagine that a fast car would be needed for the straight aways, and better handling as the terrain twists. Being a virtual world, the player should be able to hot swap during some races and not lose position.
In addition to these gameplay elements, work has continued this month with the saving and loading of the tool suite, to add more functions and robustness to the process. Once again, saving progress and returning to it when time allows is generally taken for granted by players, but the functionality to make this happen has complexity that bridged the two months.
Blockchain Team Update
Q3 Rewards Distribution
The main focus for the Blockchain team has been on the distribution of staking rewards for eligible wallets throughout Q3. We're excited to announce that the distribution is scheduled for October 4th at 3 pm ET.
Additionally, around the same time, we will introduce the participation requirements for Q4 staking rewards. These requirements will remain consistent with the previous quarter. You can choose to either mine 50 nodes in Mine Runner or submit a questionnaire for approval.
Referral system
In the past month, our team has continued to refine our referral system to create a seamless and rewarding experience for Netvrk users. Our mission is to empower you to introduce fellow metaverse enthusiasts to Netvrk NFT minting and earn rewards in return. When one user successfully refers another to mint NFTs, they will become eligible for rewards based on their Netvrk holdings.
Community Update
Netvrk DAO: Your Voice Matters!
In the coming weeks, we're putting the power in your hands with a special DAO vote. This vote will determine the fate of any unclaimed staking rewards, which have been available for claiming throughout 2023 but remain unclaimed. As of the end of Q3, the unclaimed amount stands at 43 ETH.
You'll have the opportunity to choose between two options:
Option 1: Unclaimed rewards remain accessible, allowing stakers to claim them in 2024 as well.
Option 2: Unclaimed rewards are reinvested in community-driven projects and initiatives, voted on by the DAO.
To qualify for the DAO vote, you'll need to hold Netvrk NFTs, such as land, transport, bonus packs, and OG avatars. However, if you've staked your NFTs, you'll not only be eligible to participate in the vote but will also enjoy increased voting power, giving your voice even more influence in shaping the future of Netvrk.
Zealy Contest: A Chance to Win Big!
We're thrilled to announce that in the upcoming Zealy contest, one lucky participant will have the chance to win up to a whopping 100,000 $NTVRK tokens! 🎉
While we're keeping the exact contest details under wraps for now, here's the exciting part: everyone in the Netvrk community will have an opportunity to win this substantial prize. That's right, it won't just be limited to the person at the top of the leaderboard – each and every one of you will have a chance to pocket this grand reward!
But why wait until the contest begins? You can get a head start right now by diving into the Zealy Boost Zone. Complete the quests available in the BoostZone and earn XP that will give you a competitive edge when the next contest kicks off. Start your journey towards that 100,000 $NTVRK token prize today - https://zealy.io/c/netvrk/questboard
Partnership Update
Martians v Roughnecks!
Martians Invade!!!! After 18 months of Stories from the Roughneck Badger Family it's finally been proven to be true! Martians are real! AND now you can download your own UE5 Character (also working in Blender), Be part of the Invasion force, go to
https://3d.martiansvsroughnecks.com/
and log in with your crypto wallet which holds your MVR Martians NFT and you're ready to go! The Invasion starts here, when will the Defense force be ready? Get ready ASAP for the Battle for Earth.