Man my job sure is awesome. First I got to talk Chris Higgins, a major person behind Coined as well as an author for Mental Floss. Today I talk to Nikolas Gauvreau, creator of the project and Kickstarter.
Taken from the Kickstarter, VoidSpace is a twitch-based MMORPG set in a sandboxed world called The Void that you can play on any modern computing device. The top-down style is similar to Escape Velocity Nova except you are not on your own, you are playing with thousands of other players worldwide. However, it is the invention system that really sets the game apart from all others.
Another interesting feature is that it takes advantage of HTML 5, meaning that the game can be played essentially on anything that supports a modern day browser. This allows you to go from your PC to your console (the ones that support HTML 5) to even your phone. If they really nail this feature on the head, this will be a first of its kind; a game with this much integration would be ground shattering.
The more I look at this project the more I get excited for it. And the cherry to top it all off? Dogecoin integration, and the question that’s popping in your head “Why Dogecoin?” popped in my head too; it will be answered at a later time.
Here’s a trailer of the game which sums up the game quite well, taken from the Kickstarter page.
[kickstarter id=”2078503895/voidspace” mode=”normal” align=”center”]
And now time for the Q&A!
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History of Development?
I decided I would be making this game 16 (almost 17) years ago when I was 16 years old. When I was 21 years old, I remember having thought/design sessions for a generic multiplayer simulation framework with my roommate (who was a comp-sci major at the time). This was the start of the design for a framework which we now use and call the “Simulation and Networking Framework”. Up until my 30s, I still considered myself in “learning mode” where I was still trying to figure out exactly which technologies to use for the project (and learning them), but the day I turned 30, I felt like I was ready. I dropped all other projects and focused solely on the Universe Project proper. In the early days, I worked out some basic frameworks including the Html5 graphics engine, the Atmosphere-based asynchronous communications framework (for client-server communications through a browser without using flash). I also originally started using Hypertable for the database, which fit perfectly for the designs I had in mind, but eventually moved to appengine and Datastore. I also worked pretty heavily on various editors for the project as well, some aspects are still in use today.
More recently, within the last couple years, I had the privilege of having a fellow partner (Paul Korepanov) help me with the project for a number of months as we bootstrapped the project together. And about 6 months later, Oskar Stangenberg was tearing it up in the ODP (Open Development Program; it’s the open-source aspect that allows people to contribute to parts of the project) and he was officially invited into core development. He has been coding with me ever since.
2.Future Development plans?
I do have big plans for the Universe Project, they are quite a bit bigger than most people think. People usually think the end goal is the “survival-planet” game, but I definitely consider that to be just another step. In reality, I want to be creating Universe Project games that follow the Universe Project philosophy for the rest of my life. I imagine creating all different worlds that use the Universe Engine from a Star Wars universe, to a Firefly universe, to a Game of Thrones universe, or even a zombie apocalypse (this one interests me quite a bit actually).
3. Why Dogecoin?
He was expecting this question, so he promptly gave me the FAQ on the steam greenlight located here. Which I will do the same unto you.
- Dogecoin was founded on the idea that a digital currency should be fun and friendly, and we believe this ideal fits in very well for an in-game currency.
- Unlike Bitcoin, Dogecoin’s value is much less than a dollar, which makes it better suited for a game currency. It just feels better to get paid 1000 Dogecoins rather than 0.001 Bitcoins.
- Dogecoin transactions are much faster than Bitcoin (~8x faster) and Litecoin (~2.5x faster). This means that putting money into your account or sending money from your account will be much faster.
- Dogecoin has support from many currency exchanges so you can easily convert Doge into the currency of your own country. However, we would encourage you to check out Dogecoin services online that will accept Dogecoin directly!
Here is a video of him talking about Dogecoin integration taken from the Kickstarter page. Note the video does talk about other topics, so if you just want to hear about Dogecoin integration, skip to around 2:15 on the video.
[youtube id=”fRQzhctVV84″ mode=”normal” align=”center”]
4. Do you hold the Dogecoin, convert to BTC, fiat, etc.
I try to hold Dogecoin and when I get BTC, I usually convert to Doge. I’d also like to lead the initiative for a concept I call a “net-positive” Dogecoin business.
A net-positive Dogecoin business does the following:
- Supporting services should be paid with Dogecoin whenever possible, even if this means choosing a slightly less desirable service that accepts Dogecoin. An example of a supporting service would be computer stores that accept Dogecoin when buying hardware, internet service providers that accept dogecoin, domain registrars that accept dogecoin..etc.
- Preference would be given to a supporting service that claims to not convert immediately to fiat and rather tries to use dogecoin
- The business should accept Dogecoin and try to convert to Dogecoin when possible
- Overall the business should, through regular operation, increase the market cap of Dogecoin by running a business that puts a priority on circulating Doge and/or converting FIAT to Doge
5. Do you pay employees and/or services in cryptocurrency?
Not yet, but we will sure try when the time comes! Probably the very first use of the Dogecoin we have now will be in advertising where we will use Dogecoin as an incentive
6.Anything you would like to be included specifically in the article?
We are trying to reach the #1 top spot in our Greenlight campaign, we are currently #74 (which means we will be greenlit in the next batch due in a couple weeks). We think it will be incredible publicity for Dogecoin and for VoidSpace to be in the top spot when the next batch of games are greenlit. If you could include the greenlight page, as well as our Kickstarter, that would be fantastic!
As Nik requested, here are the greenlight and Kickstarter page for more information.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=269740803