Transcript: Pixudi founder discusses building NFT board game in Neo ecosystem

Pixudi CEO and founder Alex Scoresby joined the Neo Live AMA series to discuss the company’s game and connections to Neo. Five participants shared rewards from a prize pool of five Pixudi in-game items. The five individual prizes included a rare pack, a common pack, a Christmas pack, 3,500 INGEMS (game’s currency), and 2,500 INGEMS.

Pixudi is a traditional race board game with modern party game mechanics built on blockchain technology. The game leverages Neo blockchain technology for payments, NFT minting, and storage via NeoFS. Players can access a profile, achievements, and leaderboard page, as well as start a multiplayer game for anyone to join. In July 2023, Pixudi received approval on a GrantShares proposal to integrate Neo into the game.

In the AMA, Scoresby discussed his passion for gaming, the logic of Pixudi’s game, building a sticky game, giving players a sense of ownership and trust, building on Neo and NeoFS on the back-end, organically building a community, and more.

The full transcript is below.

Intro: Can you please introduce yourself to the chat and share a quick overview of Pixudi?

Alex Scoresby (Pixudi founder and CEO): Hello! Greetings, everyone! It’s a pleasure to have the fantastic Neo community here with us. Our goal is to cultivate a welcoming community for genuine gamers. We’ve coined our project as “web 2.5” because we’re dedicated to crafting an engaging game that caters to both conventional gamers and those exploring the world of Web3.

Neo technology has played a pivotal role in enabling us to implement a multitude of features and integrate an innovative storage system with NeoFS. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to reflect on the origins of gaming and the emergence of industry titans like Nintendo. This is partially what we’ll delve into today.

Pixudi is a blockchain-based racing board game where players compete to collect treasures, overcome obstacles, and complete missions. Drawing inspiration from beloved classics like Dungeons and Dragons and Heroes of Might and Magic, Pixudi takes board gaming to the next level. Immerse yourself in mini-games, embark on quests, interact with your trusty pet, power up your character, and explore countless other thrilling features.

Pixudi offers two business models: Free2Play and Play2Collect.

Elevate your Pixudi experience with our Mystery Packs, brimming with surprises that enhance your gameplay. From unique characters and epic boards to adorable pets, powerful upgrades, and tournament passes.

Q1: What inspired you to create Pixudi, and how did the concept of a board game become the central focus of your project?

Alex: The idea for Pixudi stemmed from my love for classic board games and a desire to bring that timeless fun into the digital age. We wanted to create something that combined strategic thinking with the unpredictability that makes board games so engaging.

Q2: Heroes of Might, Magic, and Pokemon are iconic in the gaming world. Can you share how these games influenced Pixudi’s development?

Alex: Sure! And we love Pokemon, by the way. Heroes of Might and Magic and Pokemon were huge inspirations. Their depth, character development, and the balance between strategy and exploration influenced Pixudi’s design, especially in terms of character progression and the diverse game world.

During the development process, it’s crucial to consider the backstory of your game. This not only enriches the user experience but also enhances user engagement.

These games have allowed us to strategize on numerous levels and provided us with our unique creatures and the thrilling capability to engage in battles with them.

Q3: Many gamers have nostalgic connections to games like Heroes of Might, Magic, and Pokemon. How does Pixudi tap into that nostalgia while offering something fresh and modern?

Alex: We aimed to strike a balance between nostalgia and innovation. While Pixudi’s mechanics and fantasy elements echo the charm of those older games, we’ve integrated modern technologies like blockchain and NFTs to create a new, immersive experience.

This distinctive feature sets us apart from other Web3 games. Our approach isn’t about reinventing the wheel; rather, it’s about crafting an experience that resonates with both traditional gaming enthusiasts and the Web3 community.

In this way, we’re creating a game that adheres to established gaming principles while integrating new technologies not for mere hype, but as essential components of the technology landscape.

Q4: What was the thought process behind choosing a board game format for Pixudi, especially in an era dominated by different types of video games?

Alex: We chose a board game format because it’s a genre that transcends age and time. It encourages social interaction and strategic thinking. We wanted to bring that essence into the online gaming space, offering a unique blend of classic and contemporary gameplay.

Moreover, it can genuinely be classified as a video game! Each distinct board can be likened to cartridges for a Game Boy, for instance, adding a nostalgic touch to the experience.

Source: Pixudi.

Here’s our second board, for example.

Q5: How does blockchain enhance the gaming experience in Pixudi, and what made you decide to incorporate this technology?

Alex: Blockchain was a deliberate choice to enhance player ownership and trust. It allows for true ownership of in-game assets and transparent game mechanics, fostering a more engaged and invested gaming community. And we have some important features on Neo, which I want to share with you.

Q6: Can you discuss how integrating Neo blockchain technology, especially NeoFS for data storage, enhances the Pixudi gaming experience? What benefits does this technology bring to the players and the game’s overall functionality?

Alex: Integrating Neo blockchain technology, and specifically NeoFS for data storage. Neo’s blockchain provides a high-performance, scalable, and secure platform, which is essential for managing in-game transactions and NFTs. The real game-changer, however, is NeoFS. This decentralized file storage system offers several key advantages:

• Security and Ownership: NeoFS ensures that all in-game assets.
• Scalability: As Pixudi grows, NeoFS enables us to scale our data storage needs without compromising on performance or security.

In summary, the Neo blockchain and NeoFS technologies are not just back-end features; they significantly enhance the player experience by providing security, transparency, and efficiency.

Q7: Could you elaborate on how the game mechanics in Pixudi were inspired by or differ from those in Heroes of Might, Magic, and Pokemon?

Alex: While drawing inspiration from Heroes of Might, Magic, and Pokemon, we’ve adapted and evolved these mechanics to fit the board game format. We focused on making Pixudi intuitive yet deep, where players can explore various strategies.

That’s precisely why we’ve incorporated a plethora of character attributes and currently boast over ten in-game items, with the promise of more than 35 in the upcoming expansion!

Picture this: the ability to traverse time, manipulate player movements, and achieve invisibility—all these exciting features will be at your disposal on the forthcoming board!

The game turns into a real chess strategy, but at the same time, you can relax in it!

Q8: Board games often involve. How did you approach balancing the elements of strategy and chance in Pixudi,  to appeal to both casual and serious gamers?

Alex: Our approach was to ensure that while chance plays a role in Pixudi, strategic decisions should always be significant. We meticulously designed game elements to ensure that both luck and strategy have their place, appealing to a wide range of players.

Q9: How has the gaming community influenced the development of Pixudi? Were there any community suggestions that significantly shaped the game?

Alex: Thank you very good question! Community feedback has been vital. We’ve incorporated several suggestions, especially regarding game balance and character designs, which have greatly enriched Pixudi’s gameplay and overall user experience.

Our primary objective is to foster the most inclusive and welcoming community possible. Many can see that our aim goes beyond merely pumping up a token and calling it a day; rather, we are genuinely committed to constructing our own immersive world.

We consistently strive to provide support and transparent insights into the development of our game. Therefore, our one earnest request is for you to subscribe to our social networks.

Unfortunately, in the Web3 landscape, many individuals artificially inflate user counts with bots, leading newcomers to expect servers with 10,000 plus users. We pride ourselves on having an entirely organic gaming audience, which is why your support in this endeavor holds tremendous significance to us.

We roll out game updates on a weekly basis, underscoring our commitment to showcasing the potential for outstanding games within the Web3 realm!

And, allow me to emphasize further: in today’s Web3 landscape, it is imperative for projects to grasp that the community and the trust they place in it are absolutely paramount.

Q10: What is your vision for the future of Pixudi? Are there any expansions or new features you are particularly excited about?

Alex: Looking ahead, we plan to expand Pixudi with new boards, characters, and events. We’re particularly excited about integrating augmented reality features, further blurring the line between board and video games.

Please mark your calendars for February 29th, when our second game board is set to launch, promising a wealth of exciting adventures ahead!

We’ve already embarked on the creation of exclusive merchandise tailored to our game. Allow me to offer you a sneak peek!

Source: Pixudi.

Our fervent commitment is to cultivate Pixudi into a thriving franchise actively, and we aim to rival the success of Pokemon – well, we’re certainly not settling for anything less!

(I’m sorry, hahaha, for the hair on this hoodie in the photo, that’s my dog.)

Q11: Reflecting on your journey in developing Pixudi, what were some of the most rewarding challenges you faced, and what advice would you give to aspiring game developers?

Alex: Developing Pixudi has been a journey of passion and learning. One key lesson is the importance of community feedback. My advice to aspiring developers is to remain flexible and open to ideas, and always prioritize the player’s experience.

Here’s the most crucial piece of advice I can offer: Create your game with the primary goal of enjoying the process. Focus on crafting something genuinely exciting and enjoyable, rather than obsessing over financial gains. When you pour your heart and soul into making something cool and fun, rest assured, success and financial rewards will naturally find their way to you!

Note: Some edits have been made for formatting and readability.

The full AMA can be found at the link below:
https://t.me/NEO_EN/281167