Interview with Dmitry Pavlov, Creator of a New Decentralized World "Heroes of Ethereum"

Today, we caught up with Dmitriy Pavlolv from Neonix, who told us about their new gaming project “Heroes of Ethereum”, explained how it differs from others available on the market, and shared his vision on the project’s future.

Dmitry Pavlov, co-founder of Neonix: Dapps Design & Development. Dmitry worked as a developer in a number of large companies since 2011. In 2016 he set up his own company focusing on design and development of blockchain-based decentralized apps. Currently Dmitry actively presents on developers meet-ups, consults startups as well as builds blockchain community in his home town.

Coinspeaker: “ Tell us about your project. What, in outline, is it about?”

Heroes of Ethereum is not just a tabletop cards game, but a decentralized world, where its citizens can trade, fight monsters, find treasure in dungeons, render services, and, of course, govern the world they live in. Our team believes that namely the development of blockchain made it possible to build such decentralized worlds. Here we just want to formulate some basic rules for such environment, while its fate will be determined by gamers.

From the one hand, we translate playing mechanics of tabletop RPG into digital landscape, but from the other, we use capacities of digital computing to widen existing mechanics of classic tabletops.

Coinspeaker: “Tell us about your team in few words.”

Our team has solid experience in web-services and startups’ development. We got interested in blockchain few years ago, and began to study everything connected with it. After a while, we engaged in the development of decentralized apps for Ethereum and got imbued with the idea, receiving broad experience of working with this stack. This is how we created the new company Neonix, which focuses on design and development of Dapps exclusively. When we realized that we want to launch our own gaming ptoject, we reached out to Evgeni Polukhin, whom I knew for a long time, as we literally grew up together. I was keeping an eye on his creative work quite for a while and really adored it. So, I saw no other alternative but to develop the project with him. Zhenya liked the idea of gaming project, and, given already gained experience in the sphere, he agreed to become the co-founder of the startup.

Coinspeaker: “ When and how did you come up with the idea of blockchain-based game in RPG genre? Why do you think it will be successful? What are the advantages of this type of game?”

We came up with the idea of creating our own game long before cryptos became mainstream. Being gamers and fans of RPG ourselves, we always wanted to share our vision of what the game of such genre should look like. At the same time, then there was no possibility to create a real world, which would live according to its own laws and the existence of which wouldn’t depend on whether the server or gamer’s computer is active or not. But after we immersed into Dapps development, we realized that blockchain is perfectly suitable for the implementation of our idea. The tipping point, which pushed us to creation of this game, was huge success of cryptokitties back in December. It is then that we realized our ability to turn our fantasies into reality.

We hope to capture peoples’ minds with the idea of that fantasy world inside blockchain, which will exist no matter will we, its creators, be around or not.

Coinspeaker: “Why exactly Ethereum?”

For such project’s launch it’s critical that hosting network has its own audience, which supports the system and holds its currency. Also, blockchain should have its own infrastructure comprising different tools, designed to ease not only development, but also interoperability between end-user and products, based on this blockchain. Ethereum has all that, and this is why we chose it.

Coinspeaker: “ Will each action in the game require payment or gamers could enjoy playing for free? Some people think that blockchain-based games are far from such reputable model as free2play. Do you plan to follow this concept?

We strive to make the game really interesting and gaming process- free of charge. Our model is based on the inside market turnover commission. In practice, player contributes some part of his profit received from trading goods or services inside the game, but he doesn’t have to pay us just for the possibility to beat few goblins.

Coinspeaker: “What do you think about working capacities of Ethereum network? Won’t possible congestions become a sticking-point for your game?”

Ethereum network is not yet suitable for dynamic gameplay, which needs dozens of real-time calculations. That’s why we chose mechanics of card games, where actions are taken step by step and, consequently, there’s no need for lightning-fast response to all that’s happening. We actively study and experiment with state channels in our game. This will allow, form the one hand, to take the calculations off the Ethereum network, and from the other, retain gamers’ trust in the transparency of the gaming process.

Coinspeaker: “ Have you considered Tron network just for the future? They seem to be making a far more powerful network out of Ethereum, and its projects can migrate to Tron. Heroes of Tron – also sounds good.”

No, we haven’t, cause our experience lies in the development for Ethereum. On top of that, Ethereum already has the audience, which is so badly needed when it comes to successful launch of the project. Tron, in its turn, doesn’t, and we don’t want to wait till the network gains enough popularity.

Coinspeaker: “Let’s delve into the essence of the game. What mechanics should we expect, and how do you plan to get players interested and retain them?”

As I noted before, this is cards role play with insider goods and services market. We plan to introduce characters with unique skills, which they could use to help other players, and, of course, earn from that. For example, Gnomes will come along in the second chapter along with outfit, and could help other players to craft weapons and other useful staff.

If turn to exploration of locations, we took a cue from card version of the Pathfinder game. Its mechanics is exciting and simple enough to be used as a basis for the process. You will explore locations map after map, build your own strategies of search, trying to save food supplies, strength, health and mind of the character. It’s dangerous for mental health of a hero to stay in dungeons for a long time, as the power of Chaos can do serious harm.

Coinspeaker: “ What benefits receives the player, who buys his hero during pre-sale event? What in particular will these heroes do?”

As Ethereum kingdom hasn’t been in the war for many years, its citizens forgot how to fight. But the power of Order sent ancient heroes from peoples of Humans and Orcs to teach kingdom’s habitants to combat.

Those, possessing these heroes, will be able to upgrade skills and characteristics of other gamers’ characters. Through this craft they can earn daily bread, or, for example legendary-celestial-long sword Titan Killer, it depends ☺

Coinspeaker: “ You say that there are three types of heroes on offer during pre-sale. What is the difference between them?”

We launched 50 legendary, 100 epic and 150 rare Ancient Heroes for pre-sale stage. These differ in characteristics, and the more rare a hero is, the better characteristics it initially has. This also means that legendary Ancient Heroes are better coaches than epic o rare ones, thus, they can charge higher fees for exercising others than their competitors.

Coinspeaker: “As we see, you will sell out 300 pre-sale heroes. Will it be possible to somehow get more of them, and will developers be able to add such heroes later?”

Not anymore. We can add 150 heroes of different race or type, but all of them will have different skills. According to our plan, 150 Ancient Gnoms will be introduced next, and their inherent skill will be crafting.

Of course, there will be the possibility to buy these pre-sale heroes from other gamers, and, given this is a ERC-721 token, we don’t impose any limitations on their transfer.

Coinspeaker: “Please, unveil some details about dungeons. Will the game be pay2win?”

Currently, the final chapter opens up the possibility to explore locations. There you will encounter enemies, traps, and, of course, will find such cool staff as swords, arbalests and other useful loot. We don’t plan to charge visiting the locations, opening coffers and other pay2win mechanics, as we ourselves hate this in games. Later on, we will add new chapters with new locations, enemies, staff, and, of course, a boss. To pass these, one will need to choose from a variety of tactics, as it won’t be enough to just go through the crowd of monsters swinging a huge axe.

Coinspeaker: “ Uncover some details about your roadmap. When will we have the chance to play?”

Currently, anyone, who feels like it, can try to employ a hero on a rinkeby testnet, where we are beta testing the game (http://rinkeby.etheroes.co/my). To do this, one should have metamask configured to rinkeby network.

As our own funds are limited, and we count on pre-sale, it’s very important for us to see gamers’ reaction. Whatever it be, we will launch the first chapter with heroes and coaches on the mainnet over the next month.

Coinspeaker: “ We wish you good luck and are waiting for the full release. Please, say a few words to our readers.”

Thank you, it was pleasing to answer your questions. I wish readers of Coinspeaker enjoy the real world and not forget that one can always take a break from it in a virtual one. Thank you again!