While trying to figure out what to write about for this article, I was talking to my girlfriend about how one of the areas Influencive focuses on is Web3 gaming. She responded by telling me she just bought the token of a game called ‘My Neighbor Alice.’ This caught my attention for two reasons: 1) I’ve never heard of the game, and 2) she said it was on the Coinbase top coins list, indicating that there might be some interest building. So, I decided to take a deeper look at the game.
What is My Neighbor Alice?
Developed by Antler Interactive in collaboration with ChromaWay, the game allows players to purchase and develop virtual islands, engage in activities such as fishing, bug catching, and beekeeping, and socialize with others in an enchanting world. The vision behind the game is to create a fun and engaging platform where players can enjoy casual gaming while benefiting from the economic opportunities provided by blockchain technology.
Key Features of My Neighbor Alice
Virtual Islands: In My Neighbor Alice, land ownership is central to the gameplay. Players can buy virtual islands, each with unique characteristics and resources. These islands can be customized to your heart’s content, making every piece of land truly unique. Owning land isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a crucial aspect of the game’s economy.
In-game Economy: The game’s native cryptocurrency, $ALICE, plays a pivotal role. Players use $ALICE tokens to buy land, items, and other in-game assets. These tokens can be earned through gameplay or purchased, creating a dynamic and player-driven economy. $ALICE is also used for staking and governance. The current price of $ALICE at the time of writing is $2.09, down from an all-time high of about $24. The total supply is 100M with a circulating supply of 67.9M. The current market cap is $141.9M.
Customization and Social Interaction: Customization is at the heart of My Neighbor Alice. From designing your avatar to decorating your island, the game offers multiple options to express your creativity. Moreover, the game encourages social interaction, allowing players to visit each other’s islands, collaborate on projects, and participate in community events.
Gameplay Mechanics
Building and Crafting: The building and crafting systems are intuitive yet deep, offering a range of tools and resources to create your dream island. Whether you’re constructing buildings, planting gardens, or crafting decorative items, the possibilities are endless.
Quests and Activities: My Neighbor Alice keeps you engaged with various quests and activities. Completing quests not only provides rewards but also helps players progress and unlock new features. These activities ensure there’s always something to do, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting.
Farming and Trading: Farming is another vital aspect of the game. Players can grow crops, raise animals, and trade their produce with others. This farming system adds a layer of strategy and interaction, making the game more immersive and rewarding.
Blockchain Integration
Chromia Blockchain: The Chromia blockchain is designed to support decentralized applications (dApps) with high scalability and flexibility, making it ideal for complex and interactive games like My Neighbor Alice. It offers a unique relational blockchain architecture that allows for efficient data handling and user-friendly development. My Neighbor Alice chose Chromia for its robust infrastructure, enabling seamless and secure gameplay while providing players with true ownership of their in-game assets.
Notably, one of the Chromia founders, Alex Mizrahi, was the founder and lead developer of the first blockchain token protocol, Colored Coins, and worked with Vitalik Buterin back in the day.
Ownership and Decentralization: One of the standout features of My Neighbor Alice is the true ownership of in-game assets. Players genuinely own their virtual islands and items, which can be traded or sold outside the game.
Security and Transparency: Blockchain ensures that all transactions are secure and transparent. This technology guarantees that your assets are safe and that every transaction is recorded and verifiable, fostering trust within the community.
Marketplace and NFTs: The game features an in-game marketplace where players can buy and sell items, including Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). These NFTs represent unique assets, adding value and rarity to certain items and properties within the game.
Community and Impact
Player Community: The player community in My Neighbor Alice is a driving force behind the game’s development. Players are actively shaping the game, providing feedback, and participating in events. This sense of community makes the game more engaging and inclusive.
Economic Opportunities: My Neighbor Alice also presents economic opportunities for players. The play-to-earn model allows players to earn ALICE tokens through gameplay, creating a potential income stream. Additionally, investing in virtual land and rare items can be profitable.
Final Thoughts
No one knows what the next narrative in crypto will be. But there are some good bets to make, and one of those is Web3 gaming. Metaverse-style, land-based games like My Neighbor Alice could easily take off because they are aimed at casual gamers, but also incorporate DeFi-style mechanics into their economies. This mass appeal is important because not everyone is a hardcore gamer, and not everyone has robust DeFi knowledge. It’s also interesting that My Neighbor Alice is heavily geared toward women, which is a largely underserved population in Web3. Who knows, this style could be a huge hit in the future.
Cheers!
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