Victoria Mozolevska

On March 20-24, 2023, Kevuru Games will attend the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA. GDC will be held at the Moscone Center. We are also one of the sponsors of this event. This year’s conference will be the industry’s largest source of content and connections with many exciting presentations, sessions, and networking events, and will focus on health and safety. GDC offers five days of expert-led training on key game development topics, as well as several special features throughout the week. Participants have the opportunity to gain insight into the future of gaming, be inspired by new methods, and discover new creative approaches. Our team of representatives will be there offline. You are welcome to contact our representatives to schedule appointments. About GDC Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional game developers, game designers, business and marketing ptofessionals, producers and team/studio managers, visual artists, writers and storytellers, independent developers, sound designers, engineers, composers, virtual and augmented reality creators, game educators, and career seekers. The event includes: Large-scale learning space: a wide range of lectures, panels, and round tables.GDC Expo showcasing the latest game development tools and services from leading technology companies such as Amazon, Epic, Google, Intel, Nvidia, Oculus, and Sony.Dedicated community spaces where GDC members can take a break from all the learning, relax and meet new people in themed areas for playable indie games, retro games, alternative controllers, and more. GDC also hosts two award ceremonies: The Game Developers Choice Awards, the premier video game competition honoring the best games and developers in the industry.Independent Games Festival, an event that celebrates the most innovative and exemplary indie game development projects. This year, the conference will cover the following topics: Design.Programming.Business & Marketing.Production & Team Leadership.Visual Arts.Free-to-Play.Game Narrative.Independent Games.Future Realities.Educators.Game Audio.Sponsored Content. Advocacy.GDC Main Stage.Game Career Development. Among the speakers one will see representatives of such gaming companies with lectures on the specifics of working on different aspects of their well-known games: Electronic Art (Dead Space, The Sims).Crytek (Deathloop).CD Projekt RED (The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077).Sony (God of War Ragnarök).WB Games (Gotham Knights).Criterion Games (Need for Speed).Guerrilla (Horizon Forbidden West).and many others. The GDC Advisory Board is made up of seasoned game and VR/AR industry experts who volunteer each year to help develop the GDC conference program and sessions. The consultants work to ensure that GDC content is engaging, relevant, and timely. About Kevuru Games Kevuru Games is a game outsourcing company that has been creating game art and developing games for PC and mobile devices for over 11 years. Our main creative driver is the love for games and our work, so we are scrupulous and dedicated at every stage of game creation, from conceptualization to post-production. Thanks to high professionalism and an irresistible desire to do something unusual, our team has become a reliable partner for many of the world’s leading publishers: Epic Games, EA, Lucasfilm, Bandai Namco, and others. We have taken the desire to create beyond the limits as our motto and are always happy when our work makes the game world brighter. Feel free to

“While you gaze into the metaverse without really understanding what it is, the metaverse gazes back at you and gradually penetrates your life.” (c) Unidentified digital avatar The difference with the Nietzschean abyss in this case lies in the fact that we know more about our abyss, that is, our dark side, than about the metaverses. What associations does the word metaverse evoke in your head? Some kaleidoscopes of virtual reality headsets, snippets of news about the renaming of Facebook to Meta, Epic Games with its Fortnite events (who knows what’s the matter?), and other incoherent info. Meanwhile, the metaverse is a How to Make Your Own NFT: All You Should Know ✔ How to Create an NFT Marketplace: Key Points in Simple Words 7. Cloud Computing The immersive and versatile aspects of the metaverse will constantly require cloud computing to process, store, and analyze the data generated by the platforms. A metaverse platform will not succeed if it cannot provide a flawless user experience or if it is difficult to scale. 8. Data Science The metaverse will collect a huge amount of data, which it will extract and use almost instantly. While the metaverse is based on a distributed technology such as blockchain, it is necessary to ensure that the data received in one part of the metaverse is reflected in the user experience in another part. Consequently, studying the next generation of data engineering is becoming a key area of education in the world of the metaverse. The Most Popular Metaverse Gaming Companies Several major players in the market quickly recognized the potential of the metaverse and invested enough money to be considered the first metaverse gaming companies.  And while conservative companies claim that the end of human civilization will come in the form of VR glasses and a mass exodus into a virtual dystopia that threatens reality, others see the metaverse as a new level of interaction. Facebook (Meta) The world’s largest social network was one of the first companies to announce major investments in the metaverse. At the end of October 2021, Facebook rebranded to Meta and announced that it was opening the Horizon Worlds metaverse to all users in the US and Canada. Previously, it was available in beta to a limited number of Oculus VR users. In Horizon Worlds, users of Facebook’s Oculus virtual reality glasses will be able to create an avatar to walk around an animated virtual world. Also there they will be able to play games and interact with the avatars of other users. The company also said that users will have access to mechanics for creating their own games and locations. After that, they can be submitted for consideration to the developers of the metaverse. Epic Games The famous American gaming company and the creator of the legendary battle royale Fortnite and the most advanced game engine Unreal has closed a $2 billion investment round for projects in the metaverse. The round was led by Sony Corporation, which provided $1 billion in funding. The other investor was KIRKBI, which owns LEGO. Together with these companies, Epic Games plans to develop services for games in virtual reality. Microsoft Just days after Facebook changed its name to Meta, software giant Microsoft unveiled its vision for the metaverse. The company said that its own metaverse will be available to anyone in 2022. A platform called Mesh for VR collaboration with 3D avatars will be integrated into Microsoft Teams in 2022. Mesh will initially be a standard virtual space for meetings or public events. In the future, individuals and companies will be able to create their own spaces with the tools that Microsoft will develop for them. Another feature that the development company plans to implement is a 3D avatar that allows people to attend a meeting without actually turning on the camera. Microsoft plans to use artificial intelligence that can mimic facial expressions and gestures and translate human speech into another language in real time to help people from different countries better understand each other. While the experience of meeting in the VR universe can be enhanced with a VR headset, Mesh users will not need to purchase such devices. As planned by the developers, users will be able to use their laptops, tablets, PCs, and smartphones − whatever they like. The Most Famous Metaverse Games While still in its early stages of development, metaverse gaming is already attracting a large amount of investment from various gaming companies. Here are some of the pioneers in the field who have already achieved incredible success and their main gaming tokens. Decentraland (MANA and LAND) Decentraland is a decentralized virtual reality platform that is one of the first metaverse gaming players. It consists of land plots, the right to which is determined by the LAND token, and other content that can be bought in the MANA cryptocurrency based on the Ethereum blockchain. In addition to trading in items and real estate, players can manage their personal space however they want: fill it with games, activities, and works of art that other users can interact with. In November 2021, the Government of Barbados signed an agreement to acquire a piece of land for an embassy in Decentraland. Thus, Barbados became the first state in the world with an embassy in the metaverse. The Sandbox (SAND, ASSETS, and LAND) The Sandbox is a multiplayer sandbox game where players are given the opportunity to create their own worlds with unique objects. Sandbox is a genre of video games or programs where the main features are full or partial configuration: object management, terraforming, map creation, etc. With a certain similarity to Minecraft, Sandbox invites players to create puzzles, mazes, buildings, maps, and other digital assets using free tools. It is even possible to make entire games with VoxEdit and Game Maker without programming knowledge. The created assets can be monetized as NFTs and sold for SAND tokens on The Sandbox Marketplace. Unlike Minecraft, Sandbox has a well-implemented blockchain and merchandise market where players buy and sell their creations. In addition to the SAND token, the platform has the ASSETS token, representing user-created in-game assets, and the LAND token, which represents digital real estate. Axie Infinity (AXS and SLP) Axie Infinity is one of the most popular play-to-earn metaverse games with the first NFT collection to reach $4 billion in sales according to CryptoSlam. This Pokémon-inspired game challenges players to collect, raise, and sell fantastical creatures called Axies. Each creature has over 500 customizable body parts. The descendants of Axies acquire new characteristics depending on the combination of their genes. The game has two types of tokens, AXS and SLP. Players receive AXS (Axie Infinity Shard) as a reward for their in-game achievements: farming and selling Axies, participating in PVP battles, collecting and selling rare Axies, etc. SLP tokens are the main source of income for players. They can be sold or used to breed new Axie creatures. This token has an unlimited supply and can be obtained by completing daily quests and skirmishes with other players. The Metaverse in a Few Months: A Special Framework The number of requests for the development of metaverses has increased. But not every company is ready to wait years for the release of a ready-made solution. Therefore, Kevuru Games CTO and his team are already working on the creation of the Metaverse Framework, on the basis of which it will be possible to create a digital space: Much faster. If the development of the metaverse from scratch takes at least 2 years, then the template will allow you to get the finished product in a few months. Thus, you will be able to see the result of your investment much faster.With minimal risk. When you already have the basis of the product, it is enough to add the necessary content, and the metaverse is ready to use. Everything happens predictably, and possible risks are foreseen in advance and leveled in time. Speed is the very secret sauce of successful investments that we’ve promised in the title. Backed by a guarantee of high speed and low risks, you can be sure that your investment will definitely pay off in the foreseeable future. And with the metaverse market’s projected revenue over the coming years, the ROI is likely to blow your mind. Final Thoughts Even though metaverse gaming is only at the beginning of its journey, it is a huge field for experimentation and has every prospect of becoming a revolution in the use of technology for a variety of purposes. While circumstances have contributed to the mass transition of people around the world to remote work, the metaverses are able to partially restore the desired interaction with people and revive traditional ways of remote communication. In order not to miss the opportunities offered by the metaverses, think about incorporating them into your business strategy now. We perfectly understand metaverse games and can provide you with comprehensive advice regarding the creation of your promising metaverse project. You will get a full preview of the key features of your future gaming metaverse, its economy, capabilities, and distinctive characteristics.

Video games have come on a long evolutionary path, each step of which was a certain gaming platform. The power and capabilities of the platforms have increased, pushing the limits of the games themselves. We can easily trace this path from the arcade machine to today’s next-gen consoles. These days, with the right hardware (or even without it, say hello to cloud gaming), each of us can enjoy ultra-realistic games that would have been unthinkable with the hardware of, say, five years ago. And, of course, choosing the right platform for your game is critical to its potential success. Some fresh insights. Newzoo (the world’s leading provider of games insights) says that in 2022, the mobile segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 50%. This trend will continue over the next few years due to the increasing penetration of smartphones around the world. Source: Newzoo.com As for the eternal confrontation between the PC and the console, at this stage, it has rather shifted towards intra-platform confrontation. And while the PS5 butts heads with the Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch amid a 38% year-to-date drop in overall console sales, global PC shipments will fall by 9.5% through the end of 2022. This is what Gartner says. Source: Newzoo.com However, that hasn’t stopped the flow of new games being released. The PC vs. console confrontation has also been somewhat blurred given the fact now most modern games are delivered simultaneously for both PC and console. God of War: Ragnarök, Gotham Knights, Overwatch 2, The Callisto Protocol, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 − we are waiting for you. Therefore, we suggest that you peacefully step back from platform battles and take a relaxed look at the main gaming platforms, their advantages and prospects. What Are Video Game Platforms? So what is a gaming platform? The gaming platform is an environment with technical and functional capabilities for the execution of gaming software. Each platform has its own features and limitations that you need to consider when creating a game. In the early days of gaming platforms, the market was dominated by the unchanging pair of PCs and consoles. However, in recent years, mobile devices have come to the center of the arena and now dominate the market. AR/VR technologies and cloud gaming also contribute to the development of gaming platforms, although not to such a large extent. But let’s talk about everything in order. The Most Famous Gaming Platforms There are two broad categories of video game platforms − portable and non-portable. As the name implies, portable devices are those that can be carried with you anywhere, while non-portable devices are tied to a specific location. Portable gaming platformsNon-portable gaming platformsHandhelds and mobile devicesPC and consoles In addition to mobile devices, today’s top gaming platforms are PC and three brands of consoles − Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo. PC PC gaming platforms are considered to be one of the strongest in the video game industry. This is confirmed by the State of the Game Industry report, which is compiled under the auspices of the Game Developers Conference by polling several thousand developers. Survey data for 2021 showed the advantage of the PC − 58% of game developers chose it. The same number said that their latest project was released on PC and that their current project was planned for PC. So in the next ten years, nothing threatens the PC: it has its own reliable niche and a huge pool of followers. Why do developers prefer PCs? Thanks to the widest functionality and opportunities that this platform offers. Why do players prefer PCs? Because PCs: represent games in the best possible state in terms of performance and visual fidelity;offer cheaper games compared to consoles, plus there are frequent sales and giveaways on Epic Games Store and Steam;are easy to upgrade either completely or piecemeal;offer amazing customizable gaming experiences through various accessories;grant access to streaming channels;present an endless universe of online gaming. Yes, and many legendary games like World of Warcraft are only available for PC. So it’s no surprise that no matter what, the PC remains the most popular gaming platform. Console Returning to the State of the Game Industry, we see that the second place of honor is occupied by consoles. More precisely, PlayStation 5, which was chosen by 44% of developers. It is followed by Nintendo Switch (38%) and Xbox Series X/S (30%). We have prepared for you a small bonus table of the main pros and cons of the latest console models from 3 top brands. Pros Cons PlayStation 5 ✔ Advanced controller✔ Lightning-fast loading time✔ 4K graphics at 60 FPS ✘ Fairly large physical size ✘ Little internal storage (~667 GB) ✘ User interface issues Xbox Series X ✔ Modern compact design ✔ Simple storage expansion process ✔ Incredibly quiet ✘ Few exclusive games ✘ Little internal storage (800 GB available) ✘ User interface issues Nintendo Switch ✔ Small and portable ✔ Extended OLED screen ✔ Playable on TV or handheld screen ✘ Little game library ✘ No 4k options ✘ No backward compatibility PlayStation There are many consoles, but only one has managed to get into the Guinness Book of Records. In 2019, the Sony PlayStation family of game consoles received an award from the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling home game console brand in history. According to data from 1994 to 2019, the total sales of all four generations of home game consoles, including original PlayStation, PS2, PS3, and PS4, exceeded 450 million units. The secret to the console’s popularity can be described in several points: Its ongoing commitment to technological innovation.Sensitive response to user feedback.Sleek and elegant design compared to Xbox One and Nintendo.Tha large list of exclusives not available for PC.Huge piles of games in the library (over 3,000 for PlayStation 4 and already over 500 for PlayStation 5). Console fans will be able to add dozens more points. But these are quite enough to understand the big picture. Xbox Xbox is a home video game console developed and released by the American company Microsoft in 2001. The time was risky, competitors in the form of PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube posed a big threat to the newcomer to the market. But everything ran like clockwork: by the end of 2001, over one and a half million consoles had been sold. Its success was also fueled by strong public interest in the multiplayer shooter Halo: Combat Evolved, developed by Bungie exclusively for Xbox. A characteristic feature of Xbox is backward compatibility (PlayStation has problems with this). New consoles support old games from the very first Xbox. Some of these games are even enhanced for Xbox One X with higher resolutions and faster frame rates than the original version of the game. As for the fresh effervescent PS5 vs. Xbox Series X confrontation, many still cannot decide which console is better. Many PS fans have turned toward Xbox thanks to its more powerful hardware and more user-friendly game subscription service. On the other hand, PS still leads in terms of the number of games in the library. How will the next generation of consoles surprise us − who knows. Nintendo Switch Nintendo was founded back in 1889. However, its most popular console, Nintendo Switch, is quite young, having been released in 2017. Since then, it has made a lot of noise as it has managed to break down the barrier between handheld gaming platforms and home consoles. No console offered players the opportunity to enjoy AAA games like Doom: Eternal on the go. And hosting a Switch party with friends is a breeze thanks to its versatile portability. Nintendo has its own list of exclusives: Zelda, Splatoon, Super Mario Bros., and so on. Many popular Nintendo games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Pokémon Sword and Shield have sold over 20 million copies each. Games for this console are distributed on special cartridges or downloaded from Nintendo eShop. As of October 2020, over 4,400 games were available for Nintendo Switch. Which is not so little, given the relatively recent appearance of the console. Mobile As we’ve already said, the mobile platform now dominates the market. Access to a smartphone for most people is a much more realistic option than access to expensive consoles and PCs. The spread of mobile devices around the world and the growing interest of people in mobile games have led to the fact that many famous PC titles have been ported to smartphones. These are Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty Mobile, and, of course, battle royales like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile. With the development of the technological filling of smartphones, mobile games are gaining more and more visual appeal and performance capabilities. Many smartphone manufacturers have begun to release devices focused specifically on games. And finally, some interesting mobile statistics from trusted authoritative sources: Newzoo says that by 2023, the number of mobile players worldwide will exceed 3.7 billion people.Statista says that by the end of 2022, Puzzle Games’ total global revenue will exceed $21 billion.SensorTower says that by 2025, 71% of Google Play revenue will come from mobile games (42% for App Store). Bonus Alternatives: Cloud Gaming and AR/VR Even though only 6% of developers showed interest in developing for the Google Stadia streaming platform according to the survey already mentioned, cloud gaming, also referred to as the main representative of online gaming platforms, does not suffer much from this. Cloud gaming does not yet play a key or significant role in the gaming market. But that’s just for now. Being one of the main trends of the coming years, it may well make the leap from an underestimated niche technology to a market trendsetter. Due to the ease of operation and economic benefits of cloud gaming, major players are seriously thinking about entering this market. For example, Electronic Arts will soon release its cloud gaming portfolio and is testing the performance of its cloud gaming services. The global cloud gaming market size was $691.6 million in 2021 and the compound annual growth rate is expected to increase by 45.8% between 2022 and 2030. Among the well-known cloud gaming providers, in addition to the already mentioned Google Stadia, there are Nvidia GeForce, Xbox Game Pass, Playstation Now, and Amazon Luna. When it comes to VR and AR, there was some decline: in 2020, the percentage of developers working on a VR/AR game was 46%, and in 2021 it dropped to 38%. However, it was Oculus Quest that was chosen as the virtual reality platform that aroused the greatest interest among 52% of developers surveyed. Which Gaming Platform Is Best for You? Choosing the best gaming platform for your goals, you should first of all build on your capabilities. Do you have the budgets and team to create a major AAA title? Or maybe you and your friend are an indie team planning to start a crowdfunding project to raise funds for a new game? In your case, the best platform for gaming is the platform where your capabilities match your desires. With a small budget, it will not be possible to create a large-scale open world game. But you can create an exciting mobile title or a very good indie game for PC. Another topical issue is how to understand whether a game needs to be released simultaneously for PC and console. So, for example, did the developers of the recent summer hit Stray. Stray game screen, developed by BlueTwelve Studio, published by Annapurna Interactive Stray is a third-person quest game in a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk setting, the main feature of which is that the player takes on the role of a cat. The indie studio has been making the game for 7 years – it turned out to be a worthy A-level title released for PC and PS4/PS5 consoles. Thus, the developers have covered a much larger audience of players. But remember that such a choice lengthens production and increases its cost. Weigh the pros and cons before deciding if you need a particular audience. If you still experience difficulties and are confused about the advantages and disadvantages of different types of video games platform, then contact us. With more than 10 years of experience in the gaming market, we have been creating games for a variety of platforms. After evaluating your idea and potential audience, we will help you decide on a platform and, if necessary, take an active part in the creation of your title.

A lot has already been said about what the difference between vector and raster is. Each of these types of graphics has its own advantages depending on the purpose and application. In today’s world of ultra-realistic AAA graphics, 2D vector vs raster options are more commonly used by indie developers for simple point-and-click products. After all, games using 2D vector and raster graphics are created much faster and are less demanding on hardware. But we’ve got sidetracked. The ability to understand all the intricacies of both formats is an important skill for every designer and person who has definite plans for one of them. So let’s take a closer look at what is the difference between vector and raster and in what cases artists use these types of art. What is Raster Art? Raster graphics are images that are made up of pixels − tiny colored squares that, in large numbers, can form highly detailed images. Each color pixel contributes to the overall image. The more pixels in an image, the better it is. By enlarging the raster image, you will see how the pixels become sharper while image details become more blurred. The number of pixels in an image is determined by the file type. The most common types of raster files are: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) – the main format for compressing and storing photos.PNG (Portable Network Graphics) – format that allows displaying a transparent background.GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) – format for animated raster images.TIFF (Tagged Image Format File) – lossless file compression format. An important feature of raster art compared to vector graphics is that the number of pixels in each image is fixed. This means that when the image is resized, the image will be distorted or blurry. Therefore, raster images are not used for logos or illustrations that are expected to be resized frequently. What is Raster Graphics Used For? Raster graphics, also known as bitmaps, are most commonly used to work with photographs. Raw photo files taken directly from the camera’s sensors are usually converted into a bitmap file. And in general, almost all photos are delivered in raster format. By editing individual pixels, you can change the look of a photo. But having fun with its size will not work out much due to pixel restrictions. A few words about DPI and PPI. The resolution of a bitmap file is called DPI (dots per inch) or PPI (dots per inch) and is the main determining factor for changing the file size. Most graphic files on the Internet are bitmapped and saved for a screen resolution of 72 DPI. Printing usually requires a larger file, where the standard resolution is 300 DPI. What is Vector Art? Vector graphics are images created using mathematical formulas, curves, and lines. All these graphics consist of points fixed on the grid, which provides the possibility of infinite scaling of the image in the direction of increase or decrease without loss of resolution and, accordingly, quality. The most common types of vector files are: AI (Adobe Illustrator) – Adobe Illustrator proprietary file type for displaying vector images.EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) – format used for printing large and detailed images such as billboards and large posters.PDF (Portable Document Format) – format for representing two-dimensional documents in a form independent of the output device and resolution.SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) – format for describing two-dimensional vector and mixed vector/raster graphics in XML format. What is Vector Graphics Used For? Most often, vector graphics are used to create brand identity elements, fonts, and, in particular, logos. The logo, created in vector format, scales easily for printing on business cards, posters, caps, and t-shirts, and does not lose resolution. Vector graphics are always relevant when you know that the image you need will have to scale a lot and often. Unlike bitmap files, vector files will never distort or blur, no matter what size you need. Gradient is not allowed. Vector images are made up of shapes, and each shape has a different color, which makes it impossible for a vector to provide the color gradients and shading that bitmaps can have. How Are Raster and Vector Graphics Different? Vector vs raster graphics differ primarily in the way they represent images. We can summarize the above in the form of a comparative table. Raster Graphics Vector Graphics made up of pixelsmade up of mathematical formulasscaling with resolution lossesscaling without resolution lossesmore realistic lighting and shadingmore schematic lighting and shadingcomplex color combinationsdifficult to mix colors without rasterizationused for photosused for illustrationsprinting under certain conditionsprinting without limitslarger file sizessmaller file sizesbroad app and browser compatibilityrequires special software for editing Pros and Cons of Vector and Raster Art Vector and raster differences can be structured and justified using the advantages and disadvantages of these types of graphics. Vector Art Pros Endless scaling. A vector image can be freely reduced and enlarged with almost no restrictions and loss of resolution and quality.Small file sizes. Vector graphics are not made up of millions of pixels, so they result in a much smaller final file size.Design possibilities. You can easily create and edit vector illustrations by adding different shapes, text, and elements of different sizes and colors. Vector Art Cons Not suitable for photos. Vector format is more useful for creating illustrations because it doesn’t allow you to work with individual pixels in a photo.Compatibility issues. To work effectively with vector files, you need special software like Adobe Illustrator: raster programs are not well suited for this.Conversion problems. It is quite easy to make a raster image from vector, while the reverse procedure is much more difficult due to the high requirements of computing power. Raster Art Pros High detail. High-resolution photos can show great detail and a wide range of rich colors: the more pixels, the more colorful the photo.Advanced editing. Access to every pixel gives you the ability to implement even the smallest changes and photo editing without problems.Great compatibility. Raster files are supported by all browsers and devices and are easy to transfer, view, and edit. Raster Art Cons Resolution nuances. Resizing changes the resolution of the photo and results in possible distortion, which reduces the use of raster graphics.Large file sizes. High detail means millions of pixels, which can result in huge file sizes and download speed problems.Fabric printing problems. Pixels often don’t transfer well to fabrics: raster squares and fine details lose clarity, and images cannot be scaled or cropped. What Game Artists Choose: Vector Art vs Raster Art We have already mentioned that indie developers prefer to use 2D vector and raster graphics for their products. However, raster graphics are still more common. They allow creating more realistic lighting and shading and offer a richer palette of colors. Looking at the combination of raster art vs vector art and comparing their visual characteristics, it becomes clear that: raster art is more realistic;vector art is more cartoonish. Vector game art is a rather specific type of graphics, usually consisting of geometric primitives. It has its own circle of connoisseurs. However, do not think that vector graphics are the prerogative of only old games. Modern vector art games also exist. For example, the futuristic first-person shooter Paradox Vector, released in 2020, is an example of a fresh game made in the style of classic old-school projects. The graphics are inspired by the first 3D games from the 80s. But at the same time, in those years, there was no release of a single similar shooter in this style. The developers decided to correct this unfortunate omission and bring back such a visual style by creating this game. When to Choose Vector Graphics vs Raster Graphics? While raster graphics dominate the web and digital art, vector art has a strong position in its niche. With its unique infinite zoom properties, vector graphics are preferred for digital printing, web elements, and 2D and 3D animation rendering. It is suitable in all cases if you need a scalable shape and do not need complex color combinations and transitions. Conclusion Although vector and raster differences have been discussed many times and in many places, we have tried to gather together the most important information and give you a big picture of what kind of graphics are used in different situations. It all comes down to what you need to create and what it will be used for. If it’s a logo, the vector is your choice. If it’s a photograph or digital drawing, you should create a bitmap capable of displaying complex color combinations and the natural properties of light. In any case, whatever your goal is and whatever you choose in the vector vs raster graphics dilemma, our artists are always there to offer their professional services. Whether it’s vector or raster graphics, they will do everything in the best possible way − you will be surprised at the result.

We are not always directly interested in technological trends until we witness them directly. That being said, this incarnation is most obvious in the global video game industry with a turnover of more than $200 billion. Playing a new VR game or hanging out in an addictive metaverse, you gradually realize that you have already joined the trends. Or is this realization yet to come? Video games have come a long way from toxic-bright pixelated platformers to ultra-realistic open worlds with thousands of real-time players. The development of visuals and interactivity is inextricably linked with the development of technology, which gives a technical opportunity to deploy resource-intensive processes. And if you’re interested in learning more about what new gaming technologies are shaping the modern world, join our short but fact-rich tour. Or skip to that very bonus trend. We wonder if you have any idea about it. Trend #1. The Metaverse. Headlong Dive into Virtuality According to the classical definition The metaverse is a permanent virtual space in which people can interact with each other and with digital objects through their avatars. In addition to games, these can be purely social platforms where people communicate, attend events, buy virtual assets, etc. Following the success of the Fortnite music concerts, many tech corporations have taken notice of the metaverse’s potential to provide a wide range of experiences beyond pure entertainment. In the future, global giants like Microsoft plan to further expand the capabilities of the metaverse, equalizing them with those in the real world. Remote work meetings using virtual reality technologies and digital avatars of participants are no longer something unusual. And while the metaverses are just at the beginning of their journey, they will clearly evolve with the expansion of VR, AR, and AI to provide a unique real-time virtual experience to a huge number of people around the world. Prospects. It is important to understand that the metaverse is indeed one of the newest gaming technologies, the shape of which will be set by the leading market players. As AR and VR become more mainstream, they will touch almost every industry on the planet. In a few years, these technologies will become part of everyone’s daily life, but right now they have not yet been monopolized and are available for research and implementation by various companies, even if not the largest ones. Trend #2. Cloud Gaming. Cure For Hardware Addiction Is the cloud a new technology in gaming? Of course not. The idea itself was presented at the E3 exhibition by G-cluster back in 2000. Is there a future for cloud gaming? Of course yes. It spares low-end devices, saves computer storage, and gives joy to people for whom a modern PC or console is an unprecedented luxury. Cloud gaming is designed to provide end-users with the direct ability to play games across devices without device-dependent delays. All the processing power needed to run the game is provided by the cloud, while the player simply enjoys a state-of-the-art product on their not-so-powerful PC. Which under normal circumstances would not shoulder the burden of such a game even close. Valued at

Food for thought. According to Mordor Intelligence, the gaming market was estimated at around $200 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $350 billion by 2027. And even though 65% of the global gaming market is accounted for by the top 10 gaming companies, even a small indie studio has every chance to achieve recognition and earn good money. And one of the key roles here is played by the right choice of the right game engine. The game engine is literally a digital motor, a workbench, and a complete toolkit that allows, with due skill and dexterity, to create new incredible worlds. Given that different engines are tailored to different needs and levels of knowledge, it is important for you to choose one that offers specific tools. Those that help you perfectly represent your idea and achieve the desired emotional reaction of the player. But to choose it, you need to have some idea of ​​the proposed range. So what is the best game engine? The secret is that each of them can be the best for you. It is simply important to understand what their strength is and which one is most aligned with your goals. Let’s take a look at the most popular game engines of 2022 and see what each one is good for. Key Features of Game Engines A game engine is a set of tools that allows you to work with graphics, physics, scripts, and other elements that make it possible to create a game. Choosing the right game engine for your needs can make or break the entire gaming experience. No matter how complex your game is, you should make sure that the engine you choose performs essential functions: Input. Every interaction a player has with controllers and other input devices, even if it’s just tapping on a smartphone screen, should correspond to a clear intended action in the game.Physics. The player physics of both a mobile platformer and a huge open-world RPG must balance perfectly between the high quality of the simulation and the technical limitations of the gaming device.Visuals. The game engine allows you to program visual effects, lighting, shadows, sharpening, blurring, and more in an optimal way. A properly chosen game engine greatly simplifies game programming by implementing the above functions in an optimized way. This reduces development time and allows the team to focus more on the conceptual aspect of their game in order to provide players, if not unique, then at least an interesting and exciting experience. Top Game Engines in 2022: Detailed Dossier of Strengths and Weaknesses Unreal: AAA Kingdom Overlord Programming language C++ Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, PS 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, ARKit, ARCore, SteamVR, OpenXR, Oculus, and SteamDeck Unreal Engine is one of the most famous and widely used real-time 3D game engines developed and maintained by Epic Games. Although the engine was originally intended for the development of first-person shooters, its subsequent versions have been successfully used in games of a wide variety of genres, including stealth games, fighting games, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games. Unreal is especially good for creating multiplayer games – it provides many multiplayer features out of the box, and it’s easy to set up the Blueprint base game that runs over the network. Today, Unreal is a key driver behind most of the most advanced AAA games and has the widest and most appropriate toolkit for this particular class of games. Pricing Policy In the past, the engine was distributed on a monthly subscription basis. Since 2015, Unreal Engine has become free and production-ready out of the box, but developers of games created with it are required to pay a 5% royalty on sales if the product’s lifetime gross revenue exceeds $1 million. Unreal also offers special Enterprise program and Custom license packages that include premium support, training programs, and custom licensing terms. Their cost is discussed with clients personally. Features: Blueprint and Particle System Blueprint is a visual scripting system in Unreal. It allows you to implement your ideas in a simplified mode with a preliminary visualization of all changes. For example, without programming knowledge, you can create a cycle of day and night or make the environment react to the movement of the player. Most of Fortnite is implemented through Blueprint. You’ve heard of Fortnite, right? Also, a valuable feature of the Unreal Engine is the rapid creation of a game prototype. In the prototype, it is especially important to immediately convey the atmosphere. For this purpose, UE offers many tools − from the simulation of natural phenomena through the particle system to post-processing. In most cases, you don’t even have to look for video tutorials, since all the parameters are clearly named in the interface, and the desired effect can be selected intuitively. Learning Curve The entry threshold for Unreal is quite low: even artists with no programming experience can figure it out for their own purposes. At the same time, the toolkit of the program is huge and rich. Users have access to many free assets from the Unreal Marketplace. Also, Unreal’s modern editor includes integration with Quixel Bridge, one of the world’s largest photogrammetry libraries and toolset for creating high-quality 3D content. Unreal users can use the built-in Quixel tools and all the resources of the Quixel Megascans library for free. Potential Most of the next-generation console games that are released on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are built using Unreal Engine 5. Now it is the best engine for game development of the most advanced AAA games. Two of its key breakthrough technologies are Nanite and Lumen. Nanite allows you to use unoptimized assets right in the game. Lumen is global illumination, which is calculated in real time and allows you to illuminate an object, taking into account the reflected light. Both of them create a completely new gaming experience and make it as realistic as possible. None of the other engines so far has come close to such a level of realism as Unreal. And this is not the limit. Pros and Cons of Unreal ProsConsIdeal for AAA games and cutting-edge graphicsAn irrational choice for simple projects and mobile 2D gamesIncreased performance compared to other enginesHigh system requirements for more advanced featuresGreat toolkit for working with VRThe need to pay royalties of 5%Intuitive Blueprint system for non-programmersHigher entry thresholdUnreal Engine Marketplace with tons of assetsA more closed and less numerous community Unity: Life of the Cross-Platform Party Programming language Platforms C#, C++ Windows, macOS, Linux, PS 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Android, iOS, WebGL, Oculus, Android TV, tvOS, Nintendo Switch, ARCore, Stadia, Microsoft HoloLens, Magic Leap Unity is the second most popular game engine on par with Unreal, allowing you to create both simple 2D games and complex 3D worlds. This engine is preferred by completely different companies, from small mobile developers to large game publishers. However, it is independent studios and mobile developers that have a special warm spot for it. It is even unofficially called the best mobile game engine. Also, Unity is actively used to create VR games and AR projects due to the presence of a large number of convenient SDKs. Pricing Policy Unity offers a range of plans for different users and purposes, all of which are royalty-free. IndividualTeamsEnterpriseFreefor studentsand personal use with revenueless than $100K in the last 12 monthsUnity Pro$1,800 /yr per seatUnity Plus$399 /yr per seatIndustrial Collection$2,520 /yr per seatEnterprise$4,000 /mo per 20 seats Features: Bolt and Unity Asset Store By analogy with Unreal Blueprint, Unity has its own visual programming tool called Bolt. Bolt brings complete visual scripting to Unity, allowing artists, designers, and programmers to create game mechanics and interactive systems without writing code. Visual scripting helps even a non-technical person to test an idea, make changes, or better control their work in Unity. Everyone will also be able to use custom nodes and graphs created by technical specialists. Unity Asset Store is open for developers to buy 3D models, sounds/music, UI kits, shaders/particles, sprite kits, and tools to make the development process more comfortable and faster. For example, you can add ready-made sets of elements to the game: characters, enemies and their behavior patterns, levels, lighting settings, etc. At the same time, you do not need a single line of code to implement a new change. Learning Curve The Unity interface is quite simple and does not require any serious training or deep knowledge to get started. It uses a component-oriented approach: the developer creates objects and adds various components to them. Thanks to a convenient Drag & Drop interface and a functional graphics editor, the engine allows you to draw maps and place objects in real time and immediately test the result. The official website of the engine features an article on how to make a game without knowing the code, which describes in detail the tools needed for beginners to create games. Potential Unity’s cross-platform capabilities and its simplicity and ease of use for small studios allow the engine to stay at the top of the best. The ability to add new features to the engine, make changes to it, upgrade internal tools and create your own make Unity an extremely flexible tool for developing games of any scale. It is noteworthy that Unity does not try to compete with Unreal in matters of realism, but continues to emphasize its cross-platform and adaptability features. It also continues to be the best game engine for mobile development. Pros and Cons of Unity ProsConsFree for games with income less than $100k per yearExpensive license for games with income over $100K per yearFlexible and extensible engine with many out-of-the-box componentsHigh system requirements for more advanced featuresIdeal for casual and mild-core 2D and 3D gamesThe need to learn a programming language to create an original gameStrong support for mobile game development No access to source code for small development teams Wide cross-platform capabilitiesLess performance compared to narrowly targeted enginesSolid SDKs for VR and ARNo support for links to external libraries Unity Asset Store with an abyss of free assetsLimitation of the visual editor when working with multi-component charts Huge knowledge base and large communityCumbersomeness and slowness Amazon Lumberyard: Well-Connected Partner Programming language Platforms C++, Lua Windows, Linux, PS 4, Xbox One, Android, iOS As the product name suggests, Lumberyard is Amazon’s all-in-one offering, which is a free AAA cross-platform game engine based on the CryEngine architecture that was licensed from Crytek in 2015. The engine has integration with Amazon Web Services, which allows developers to create or host their games on Amazon servers, as well as stream video broadcasting via Twitch. Amazon Lumberyard is often used as a low-cost alternative to creating games for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles. Pricing Policy Developers can use the Lumberyard engine to create a game for free. This is because it is monetized through Amazon Web Services fees, which vary depending on which tools the developers prefer to use, if any. But if you don’t need a cloud connection, you pay nothing. There are no placement fees or subscription fees, and no profit sharing is required. In July 2021, Amazon announced that the source code for the engine is being made open source as the Open 3D Engine (O3DE) under the Apache 2.0 license. Features: Script Canvas and Component Entity Like most of its peers, such as Unreal with Blueprint or Unity with Bolt, Lumberyard has a visual scripting system called Script Canvas. It allows anyone to prototype or implement game logic without any code support. An important feature of the engine is modularity: it is provided by the Gems system, which are packages containing code and assets. This gives developers the opportunity to select the features they want and remove the features they don’t need without having to compile them later. Lumberyard also offers the Component Entity system, a modern approach to creating complex entities from simpler ones. As a content creator, all you have to do is drag and drop components to the right places to set specific behaviors, change settings in the editor in real time, or create Lua scripts or visual scripts to change or extend the behavior of an entity on the fly. To simplify work on more complex scenes, entities can be combined into sectors, which, in turn, can be included in sectors of a higher level, thus organizing a full-fledged cascading system of blanks. Learning Curve Despite the presence of visual scripting, Lumberyard remains a large engine for large projects with a large number of online components. It makes no sense to make simple mobile games on it: it will be difficult, problematic, and impractical. Lumberyard’s resource handling system and internal components are not tailored for small projects. Moreover, a smaller user base results in little documentation and possible help on various issues, the answers to which become outdated very quickly as the engine develops. Without community support and a good knowledge base, the learning curve can be quite steep for inexperienced developers. Potential Lumberyard’s visualization technology is based on a set of popular and powerful development tools licensed from CryEngine and includes all the traditional bells and whistles, from particle effects support and real-time fluid flow modeling technologies to plant creation tools with an unprecedented level of realism. It is important to remember that the game created will be tied to Amazon in many ways: the company does not allow the use of competing cloud services from other companies like Google or Microsoft. However, this is not a disadvantage: Lumberyard remains an AAA-level engine with great graphics potential that can be used to make an amazing single-player game absolutely free. Pros and Cons of Amazon Lumberyard ProsConsFree for single-player gamesThe need to pay for Amazon Web Service if multiplayer is requiredSolid and advanced VR supportFewer resources and materials than other enginesIntegration with Amazon Web Services for online multiplayer featuresNot suitable for small projectsNative integration with TwitchToo steep learning curve for beginnersFeature-rich functionalityCross-platform possibilitiesSolid rendering experience for outdoor scenes CryEngine: Real-Time Sandbox Master Programming language Platforms C++, Lua, C# Windows, Linux, PS 3, 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch, Wii U CryEngine is an AAA, all-in-one 3D game engine developed by German game developer Crytek and used for all of its games in the Far Cry franchise. Its modified version is used by such studios as Warhorse Studios and Ubisoft, and in 2015 the license for CryEngine was transferred to Amazon. It released its own revised and extended version of CryEngine called Amazon Lumberyard, which we’ve talked about above. Pricing Policy The engine is free for everyone with all its features and access to all platforms. The first annual income of $5,000 is royalty-free. Next, you must pay a 5% royalty fee. Features: CryEngine Sandbox and Flow Graph Sandbox is a real-time game editor that allows you to design maps and modifications in the 3D CryEngine environment. The editing style is focused on creating large landscapes and free-style mission programming. The editor also supports the creation of indoor levels or locations. Sandbox has the ability to instantly switch from edit mode to play mode with the click of a button. This is similar to another 3D renderer, Blender. This feature eliminates the need to load the game as the game engine is already running during edit mode. Flow Graph is a built-in CryEngine tool used to manage events and game logic within levels. In essence, it is a counterpart to the visual scripting tools of previous engines − a powerful node-based visual scripting system that helps developers quickly prototype functions and create layer-specific logic without having to work with complex code bases. Learning Curve Projects skillfully built on CryEngine can outperform Unity and even Unreal games. The engine is known for its real-time rendering power, which allows you to create ultra-realistic worlds and quickly test a newly created level or scene. However, its community is much smaller than that of the above engines. The learning curve is pretty steep, and there’s less documentation than you’d like. Potential The latest version of the engine, CryEngine V, version 5.7, has received such innovations as DirectX 12, Vulkan API, support for virtual reality, and support for writing scripts in C#. The engine and SDK are still completely free. It is important that the 5% royalty payment model applies specifically to the fifth generation of the engine. Developers using older versions of the engine may apply for a fee exemption if their plans do not include upgrading to versions 5.5 and higher. Pros and Cons of CryEngine ProsConsFree for first annual income of $5,000Strong emphasis on the shooter componentAAA-level visual capabilitiesFewer resources and materials than other enginesSolid VR supportCool games require serious C++ knowledgePowerful Sandbox game editor Too steep learning curve for beginners One of the most powerful renderersGood and clear documentation Godot: Developer’s Best Buddy Programming language Platforms C++, C Windows, GNU/Linux, macOS, BSD, iOS, Android, HTML5, WebAssembly, Xbox, Windows Phone Godot is a relatively recent MIT-licensed cross-platform 2D and 3D game engine created in 2014 by two developers and currently maintained by the Godot Engine Community. The task of the creators was to make a convenient self-sufficient environment for creating a game from scratch, without using almost any tools anymore. The engine gained immense popularity due to its simplicity and wide 2D and 3D functionality. Plus, it’s absolutely free. Pricing Policy Godot Engine is a completely free game engine. Therefore, among the rest, it is the best free game engine, or, in other words, the only completely free game engine without any “buts”. Unlike Unity and Unreal, there are no conventions like it’s free until a certain income is earned. The engine remains free forever. Features: VisualScript and GDScript For beginners, Godot offers a classic visual programming tool. The engine takes a convenient approach with its node and scene architecture to represent certain game features. Combining nodes to form a tree is a powerful feature for organizing projects. Visualization helps non-technical specialists to quickly understand everything that needs to be done to obtain the desired effect. GDScript is a high-level, dynamically typed programming language built for Godot. It uses syntax similar to Python. Its goal is to be optimized and tightly integrated into the Godot engine, allowing for high flexibility in content creation and integration. It’s as readable as Python while retaining important development elements such as strong typing, better editor integration, and more straightforward speed optimizations. Learning Curve Godot has a nice intuitive interface. You can figure it out in a couple of minutes, it is not overloaded with many tabs and settings. All the necessary tabs are nearby, and the standard engine settings are enough to create a game. An active community around the engine will always come to the rescue in case of questions. The engine is very flexible: it allows you to create games using a graphical interface, but you can also write games using GDScript, an analogue of the Python language. You can also use C++ or C# to write modules, plus there is also JdNative. Each user can make an add-on and use almost any programming language they are interested in. Potential Godot is actively developed and maintained by a passionate community. The Godot API exposes almost every element of the engine, and it’s rare to find features that aren’t directly available to code. Godot also works in real 2D space, expressed in pixels, which greatly simplifies the creation and optimization of 2D games. The engine is full of community-developed tools, and many users add unique elements to the engine as part of developing their games. Pros and Cons of Godot ProsConsFree and open sourcePossible problems with mastering GDScriptIdeal for casual and mild-core 2D and 3D gamesFewer resources and materials than other engines can offerA large and welcoming communityThe need for basic knowledge of programming languagesRich development options in different languagesSimple intuitive interface Wrapping Up: What Engine Drives You Today? We have provided you with information about the 5 most popular game engines most commonly used to create notable projects. Of course, there are many other options, such as GameMaker Studio or Phaser, used to create simple 2D games. But they’re not the type to steal the show in the gaming market and are used quite rarely and situationally. So how to choose a game engine? We still say that everything depends on your needs and goals. Each engine has strengths and weaknesses, as well as optimal areas of application − Unreal for AAA games, Unity for beautiful 2D and 3D metroidvanias and platformers, etc. But the main thing is that all of them are relevant at the moment and continue to develop actively. If you are in doubt about which engine will suit your project more, we suggest discussing it with us. Our developers work mainly with Unity and Unreal, but since they are proficient in C, C++, and C# programming languages, they are automatically aware of absolutely any engine written on them. We will carefully study the requirements for your project or determine them ourselves based on your concept, and select the most suitable engine.

The world of 3D graphics and modeling is dominated by Maya and Blender (well, we’ve just asked 3ds Max to take a break for a while). 3D artists are well aware of the dilemma of choosing between these two titans. Many would say “What’s the point of comparing Blender vs Maya? Blender is free, Maya is paid, that’s the whole difference.” This is indeed one of the differences, but not in all cases it is decisive (ironic chuckles from freebie lovers). Both Blender and Maya are amazing in their own right with a lot of great tools and features that allow you to create 3D masterpieces. The latest 2022 update of both programs also brought many innovations. But a choice must be made. Blender or Maya? What software to focus on? Which is best for your project? Knowledge of what software is more in demand on the market? It’s time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Let’s look at the pros and cons of these programs and finally put an end to this endless debate about which software is better. Blender: Good Friend of the Newbies Blender is a free (i.e. absolutely free with no hidden fees) software for creating 3D graphics, containing tools for modeling, animation, rendering, video post-processing, and game creation. A characteristic feature of Blender is its relatively small size, which, however, managed to fit a full-fledged editor with all the basic functions and a set of textures, models, and event handlers. Despite the lack of official documentation, the software has a huge community and an endless database of online training materials that will help even an absolute beginner to understand the basics of 3D. Interestingly, beginners were initially afraid of Blender: the workstation looked intimidating with a huge number of parameters and commands scattered all over the screen. But since Blender has become an open source project, it has gained full context menus for all functions, and the use of tools has become more logical and flexible. Therefore, when talking about the Maya vs Blender learning curve, everyone unconditionally recognizes Blender as the best software for beginners, since it is quite simple and fast to learn. Speaking of Maya vs Blender in terms of being a better tool for beginners, Blender is by far the leader. The workstation as of 2022 is a user-friendly zone that won’t make a novice recoil from the screen in horror. One of Blender’s most interesting modeling tools is modifiers. Modifiers in Blender In Blender, modifiers use their algorithm to change an object without having to change it in manual editing mode. In other words, these are tools that modify the mesh in a non-destructive way and can be adjusted interactively. This greatly reduces the need for manual labor and results in a faster modeling process. It is important to understand that if the modifier is not applied completely, but only added to the object, then the latter remains the same when editing. The program draws the result of applying the modifier, but the object itself does not change. Modifiers are accessed through the Properties editor. There are many modifiers in Blender, and each of them has its characteristics and settings. You can apply several modifiers to an object to achieve the effect you want. Blender 2022 Updates The latest version of the software, Blender 3.2, includes a large number of new features and tools to make it easier. Here are some of them: Light Groups − a powerful system that allows users to generate user-defined lighting passes and modify the color and intensity of light sources in the compositor without re-rendering.Shadow Caustics, based on the Manifold Next Event Estimation production render method, supports selective rendering of caustics in the shadows of refractive objects.Volume Motion Blur − introduction of motion blur support for gas simulation and imported OpenVDB volumes. In addition, the new version of Blender features improved performance and the ability to paint in Sculpt mode on millions of polygons with a new brush with customizable tip shape, wet mixing, density, and flow. It is also important to note the updates to the Cycles X rendering engine: it provides a significant performance boost and renders faster. For example, many users noted that if earlier rendering could take almost an hour, then with Cycles X, the project is rendered in 3-4 minutes. Therefore, if we consider the Blender vs Maya rendering comparison, then at this stage, Blender is definitely faster. Although Blender’s interface is still filled with a large number of elements, this does not cause fear or bewilderment, because each new version of the software features significant changes and improvements in the UX/UI design. Pros and Cons of Blender ProsConsFreeControversial UIOpen sourceNot industry standardReal-time renderingLack of specializationWide functionalityPeriodic bugsLightweightLimited animation optionsLarge knowledge baseComplex node editingProcedural workflowsConfusing updates Maya: Business Partner of Game Studios Autodesk Maya is a powerful software package for modeling 3D objects, creating object motion graphics, and designing computer characters. Maya provides a wide range of functional tools for limitless creativity. Rich animation functionality makes this software ideal for animation artists. Maya’s specialty is its focus on creating and maintaining professional, market-oriented products. The Maya package is actively used by game studios to create their titles, as well as by filmmakers to introduce ultra-realistic CGI into films. The software workstation, accordingly, offers a more sophisticated and advanced experience. In some sense, the situation is easier for game publishers than for us, because they don’t have to choose between Maya vs Blender for games: it is Maya that is a generally recognized tool in the gaming industry. Maya provides tools for creating high-quality characters and effects, as well as performance enhancements for modeling, texture, and rendering tasks. Users are granted access to Autodesk software on a monthly, annual, and 3-year basis. Monthly SubscriptionAnnual Subscription3-Year Subscription$225$1,785$5,085 Maya subscription options Maya offers a free trial for 30 days. Academic licenses are also available: students and educators can get free 1-year access to Autodesk educational products and services, renewable as long as they remain eligible. There is also a more affordable version of Maya called Maya LT, a software suite focused on video game modeling, animation, and prototyping. It supports integration with popular modern game engines, Unreal Engine and Unity 3D. Monthly SubscriptionAnnual Subscription3-Year Subscription$35$290$825 Maya LT subscription options To make things easier, Maya encourages artists to use its built-in MEL language. Maya Embedded Language MEL is the scripting language behind Maya; it is the main level of user interaction with Maya. When Maya starts up, it actually runs several MEL scripts that form all the windows. Anything you can do with a UI program can be interpreted and automated with MEL. The benefits of using MEL for users are undeniable. Everyone can create windows with sliders, tabs, text fields and buttons for them, attributes, etc. One can even add menu items and new panels. This allows users to automate work and quickly execute any commands bypassing the UI. MEL is best learned with the Script Editor. MEL is quite a large language (more than 600 commands and approximately 75 functions), but the Script Editor is able to advise the user on how to use these commands, as well as copy and paste ready-made scripts into the code, without a single line of your own code. You don’t even need to use the command line to enter MEL commands. All operations performed in the Maya interface are written in the script editor as MEL commands. Even without knowing how to program at all, here, you can create quite complex scripts by copying and pasting. Maya 2022 Updates USD plug-in − support for the Universal Scene Description (USD) format is now available in Maya 2022: now, artists can work seamlessly with the USD format, integrating it into workflows based on Maya and other Autodesk solutions.Animation Ghosting − the Ghosting Editor allows artists to create images that replicate animation, making it possible to visualize the movement and position of animated objects over time.Bifrost 2.2.1.0 − the new module includes new features to improve the simulation workflow, such as the ability to resume simulation from the hard disk frame cache, create new particles in the model, and improve low-resolution Aero simulations. And much more. The animation in the new version is much faster − cached playback gives animators a serious boost in FPS in the preview window. And with Arnold’s advanced features, Viewport 2.0 preview animations come as close as possible to the final rendering. And although Blender also has an animation toolkit, the choice of rigging in the Maya vs Blender animation battle is obvious: Maya offers much more advanced animation capabilities. At the same time, while Maya’s rendering tools are efficient, animation rendering remains quite challenging and time-consuming. Therefore, as we’ve said above, when considering Blender vs Maya renderer speed, Blender has the advantage. Pros and Cons of Maya ProsConsIndustry standardHigh priceHyper-realistic effectsHigh system requirementsAll modern formats are supportedSteep learning curveBuilt-in node editorLack of documentationWorld-class animationSlow rendering Maya vs Blender Side-By-Side Comparison Chart BlenderMayaPriceFreeFrom $ 225 per monthPlatformLinux, Mac OS X, WindowsLinux, Mac OS X, WindowsWritten inС, C++, PythonC++, MEL, Python, C#RenderingCycles/EeveeArnold/OctaneLicenseGNU GPLCommercial softwareTarget audienceSolo artists and indie studiosBig AAA studiosLearning curveModerateSteepStorage space~500 MB4 GBIndustry standardNoYes Maya vs Blender: What to Choose in 2023? So, what is the bottom line of our Blender vs Maya comparison? In view of the foregoing, we hasten to state that each of these software products has something to offer the 3D artist. Being free makes Blender a great starting point for beginners, and its rich tools allow you to achieve the quality of modeling and sculpting that is not worse than in Maya. So often, when considering the Maya vs Blender modeling dilemma, many people choose Blender. Because why pay so much when there is a great set of full-fledged modeling tools? At the same time, animators note that Blender vs Maya animation comparison makes them instantly point to Maya as the best animation tool. Very often Maya is used only for the animation part of the project, while other software is preferred for modeling, rendering, etc. Линия слева от текста .line { border-left: 2px solid #08BEB2; /* Параметры линии */ margin-left: 0px; /* Отступ слева */ padding-left: 20px; /* Расстояние от линии до текста */ } Interesting fact. Maya was used to animate characters in the video game The Last of Us Part II and create visual effects for Marvel films and the Game of Thrones series. Also, do not forget that Maya is the industry standard that is popular with professional suppliers of AAA gaming and cinematic solutions. Blender remains a great piece of software for solo artists and independent studios working on personal projects that can be freely monetized without the need for licensing. In addition, its online community is much more powerful and larger than Maya can boast − many people learn Blender on their own and are happy to share their experience with beginners. I choose Blender…I choose Maya…to start my journey in 3D modelingto make professional world-class animation to create my models and personal projectsto be able to get a job in AAA studios Our 3D artists and animators are proficient in Maya: many of the works in our

While many have managed to get rich on NFTs and others still don’t know what it is, the non-fungible token market has calmed down since the boom of 2021 and carved its own niche. The subsidence of the hype contributed to the fact that only the most persistent and interested people remained in the game. And this is more than enough for it to continue to bloom: in mid-2022, the NFT market is worth $3 billion and has the potential to grow to $13 billion by 2027. Since you are here, chances are you know what NFT is and how powerful it can be in the right hands. And this applies not only to large-scale metaverse projects but also to NFT-based game is no different from creating art for a regular non-blockchain game. Therefore, the pipeline remains classic, from concept art to the final versions of all the necessary characters, assets, and backgrounds. The stages of work were as follows: Moodboard.BnW draft (2-3 options per 1 asset)Color draft (2-3 options per 1 asset)Render.Final PSDs preparing. You can see a breakdown of the estimated cost to create individual assets and all art in general for this project. Work on the art for this

In recent years, gamification has taken the world by storm. More and more companies are inspired by the successes of others to incorporate gamification into their processes. As of 2021, the total value of the global gamification industry was $11.94 billion, up to $7.03 billion from 2016. These numbers are expected to increase significantly over the next few years by nearly $20 billion to reach $32 billion by 2025. North America will lead the industry. We considered in detail the goals of using gamification and gave practical tips on its successful application in our recent material. Today we will focus on those business areas for which we have already implemented gamification projects, and touch on the key gamification trends for 2022. But first, here’s a little retrospective. What is Gamification? Gamification is the technology of introducing game elements into non-game contexts. Interactivity, a sense of competition, and the pursuit of achievement motivate people to get involved in a particular business environment much more strongly. How Gamification is Used in Business? Interestingly, this technology can be used in almost all areas of business. And not only to attract new customers or to familiarize them with the product, but also to search for personnel, recruit, and increase employee motivation. Gamification is also successfully woven into learning cases, both corporate and governmentally significant. Driving simulations for various military and civilian vehicles have long demonstrated their effectiveness. Why Gamification in Business is Important? Gamification is a breath of fresh air in the already boring and obsolete ways to attract new customers and motivate employees. By infusing the best engaging game mechanics into business to achieve specific goals, companies receive an effective long-term tool (in case of successful gamification) and instantly stand out from competitors, which is also important. Business gamification is not the preserve of big companies with big budgets. Companies of any size, from any industry, can incorporate it into their business processes for a host of benefits: Customer side: increasing engagement, attracting new customers, simplifying acquaintance with a complex product, boosting conversion, and strengthening loyalty.Employment side: increasing motivation, engaging progress tracking, improving onboarding, accelerating learning, and boosting productivity. Companies that use gamification operate in sales, finance, retail, education, health, design, technology, and enterprise spheres. And there are no signs that this trend will slow down any time soon. Successful Gamification Examples: From Insurance to Dating There are many examples of gamification in business, many of which we have already covered. And now we invite you to look at some of the other areas that our team has encountered in our work and find out how they harness the possibilities of gamification. Trading Many are interested in investing, but few understand it. Robinhood Markets decided to use gamification to give people the opportunity to try stock trading and investing without commission. Gamification makes it possible to simplify the complex, for example, to explain concepts such as risk, reward, or compound interest, the meaning of which is often difficult for financial companies to convey to their clients. Kevuru case. We had the opportunity to develop gamification for a trading platform designed to teach beginners the basics of trading. Thanks to the interactive and visual form, people had the opportunity to try their hand at trading without any risks and losses. Insurance Most often, people perceive insurance as a complex product that involves a huge amount of paperwork. The game form allows companies to quickly and easily educate their potential customers or help them choose the right insurance product. Tryg, a Danish insurance company, has created a five-question dental health quiz to raise awareness of their dental insurance offer. The campaign allowed Tryg to collect about 600 leads and attract the attention of new customers. Kevuru case. A well-known insurance company asked us to gamify the learning process for their new product. We built learning in the form of interactive choice-based storytelling, where people needed to live their lives as happily as possible, making one or another choice at different stages and experiencing the consequences of this choice. The insurance product, its benefits for a happy life, and its main features were subtly woven into the narrative. Healthcare TrialCard, the American biopharmaceutical solutions company, developed a smartphone app called Mango Health to motivate patients to take their medications on time. It is enough for patients to set the time for taking the medication, and the application will remind them of this. It also provides information about the compatibility of different types of drugs and their side effects. By taking medication on time, patients earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards or weekly charitable donations. Kevuru case. We were honored to work on a gamified application that was designed for remote patient care. It features medical prescriptions, necessary exercises, and the ability to consult a doctor at any time. At the same time, the doctor remotely monitored the progress of the patient and, if necessary, corrected the prescription. The application could be used both by the patients themselves and by their caregivers. Education The gamification of the educational sphere is actively developing all over the world. AR/VR is used to increase student engagement and better assimilation of complex information. A great example is The Stanford Ocean Acidification Experience. Stanford University has created a special simulation game that shows people the damage that carbon pollution is doing to our oceans. VR technology actually puts people underwater and shows the effects of ocean acidification. The project is widely used in museums, schools, and other educational institutions around the world. Kevuru case. Our team developed a gamified application designed to conduct a virtual tour of the university. Due to the pandemic, it was unable to hold an open day and introduce those who wish to all their educational opportunities. The application conveyed not only statistics, but also the atmosphere of the learning environment, as well as an interactive chat with the teaching staff. Retail The possibilities for gamification in retail are truly endless. But the American marketplace eBay offered one of its most significant forms. The company found that the key to its success was the ability of shoppers to find niche products not available on other e-commerce sites. With its highly efficient bidding method, it has turned buying and selling into a game where bidders are challenged to become the top player, eventually outbidding other bidders. The platform also has a reward system for sellers. A rating system with colored stars based on positive reviews motivates sellers to reach certain levels. Kevuru case. For this area, we created a game project in which customers could come into contact with all the offers of the company. This was implemented in the form of a simulation game where customers could develop their virtual store, transferring all the possibilities of a real retail network to the online world. The goal was to attract more people to the store and strengthen their connection with the brand. Dating From a technical standpoint, Tinder initially paled in comparison to other dating apps and crashed frequently. Its success was underpinned by two key factors: targeting young people and introducing new gaming features such as swipe and variable rewards. This gaming experience of browsing and liking or rejecting others has become the basis for the emergence of the phrase “swipe right”, which is now firmly established in the language and culture of millennials. Kevuru case. The gamification feature of our dating project was to introduce a special mechanic that allows people to recognize each other during the game by certain traits, choices, or actions. All this took place in a fun and active interactive way, a bit like classic dating TV shows. Thus, we managed to get around the big popular dating apps. Gamification Trends to Consider in 2022 The emergence of new technologies shapes further transformations of gamification and sets new trends. Let’s see what interesting things the second half of 2022 can offer us in this regard. Onboarding Procedure Transformation If earlier gamification could be used as one of the elements to simplify the adaptation of new employees, then in the near future it may become the main mechanics of adaptation. This is especially true given that since the pandemic, most companies have decided to continue working remotely. Gamification dramatically speeds up onboarding – some companies report up to 90% faster onboarding time – and improves the memorization and reproduction of information. Deeper Implementation in Healthcare Since COVID-19, the use of telemedicine has increased 63 times. Gamification can help these initiatives significantly improve patient outcomes and continue to connect with distant patients. The interactive form helps health care providers track medication regularity, schedule physical and cognitive exercise, record calories and blood sugar levels, and more. More Artificial Intelligence Integration Artificial intelligence makes it possible to apply an element of prediction, which helps to improve the level of gamification adaptivity. We already see this in the field of education – gamified educational programs can adapt according to the skills and level of education of people, focusing on aspects that are not yet familiar to them. This results in a more personalized and tailored educational experience. Conclusion: It’s Time to Play Implementation mechanism trends can change, just like technology, but gamification itself is here to stay. Companies that use gamification are reaping the benefits of increased conversion and employee motivation right now. So ignoring the inclusion of the game component in your activity can be a much more costly solution than implementing it effectively. Working in the gaming market for more than 10 years, we are without exaggeration one of the best gamification companies that knows all the ins and outs of the most exciting and engaging game mechanics. Our game designers are well versed in the logic of the formation of the desired behavior of the player and are able to set clear goals. We already have several major gamification projects behind us in such serious areas as trading, healthcare, insurance, and e-commerce, and we have developed a clear strategy for implementing gamification from scratch into any business with a focus on long-term goals. Drop us a line to tell us about your plans and get an initial consultation on the gamification of your business.

Games have long gone beyond the purely entertainment industry. The unique component of engagement that is inherent in all good games is now actively used in almost all industries. Modern gamification campaigns for a variety of products, from e-commerce to the oil industry, have become effective tactics that can significantly expand the pool of customers and brighten up their user experience with the product. Here are some seemingly disparate facts: According to eMarketer, users spend three and a half hours on mobile devices every day, and 11% of that time is spent playing mobile games.Data analysis platform Data.ai shows that in 2021, players downloaded $40 billion by 2024, up from $6.8 billion in 2018. Do you catch the trend? People love games. Gamification uses the very essence of the game to motivate the desired behavior of the user. People willingly embrace gamification after learning familiar and favorite game mechanics. The bottom line is that the gamification market will grow, and companies will compete in creativity for the opportunity to capture the attention of users. Using the key engaging features of games helps businesses take the best out of games and put them at the service of their goals. The key question here is how to implement high-quality gamification that will really work. What is Gamification? We’ve talked in detail about the key principles of gamification, its target audiences, and approximate cost in our big gamification breakdown. Let’s recall that Gamification is the use of engaging game design and mechanics in a non-game context to increase the user’s motivation to implement the actions needed by the business.  What are these actions needed by the business? It can be anything aimed at key goals: increasing customer engagement;attracting a new audience;arousing interest in the product;growing conversions;strengthening customer loyalty. At the same time, gamification does not focus only on customers. It can be internal, aimed at optimizing the process of recruiting new specialists, increasing employee motivation, optimizing the process of their training, and so on. We’ll talk about this in more detail below. Where Is Gamification Used? The concept of gamification fits perfectly into any industry: IT, media, banking, retail, education, tourism, etc. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, its scope is not limited to marketing and its goals – attracting new customers, creating interactive campaigns, and increasing brand loyalty. Popular areas of its application are: Learning – increasing engagement and memorization process.Recruitment – testing skills and behavior.Sales – creating events and promotions to encourage conversion.Operations – growing productivity and efficiency in completing tasks.Finance – ensuring accuracy and improving understanding of client goals.Customer service – improving performance, complaint management, and user experience. Gamification is possible wherever business processes exist. It is only as flexible as you have the imagination to use it to achieve your goals. And your goals regarding the actions of future users can be anything. The main question is whether you can offer them enough motivating mechanics to get them to do it. Best World Examples of Gamification The best way to understand the essence of successful gamification is to look at its most prominent cases from global companies. Let’s study a few best examples of gamification and try to break down the secrets of their success into components. We’ll look at gamification ideas from a wide variety of industries to illustrate the versatility of gamification as a powerful multifunctional tool. You’ll learn what the most innovative brands do to pave the way to brand loyalty faster and more effectively than others. Duolingo Source: Duolingo.com The educational niche is traditionally a rich and promising field for the application of gamification practices. Language learning platform Duolingo demonstrates this perfectly by using gamification to increase user engagement. All the usual game mechanics are used here: achievements, progress bars, scoring, various bonus modifiers, rewards, competitions, etc. Each action of users is justified by something, they have both long-term and short-term goals – reaching a level in competition with other users, earning bonuses, etc. This engages users in the app and keeps them coming back to it. Lesson learned. The usually boring learning process can be spruced up by introducing a rich system of fun mechanics focused on achievement and a sense of competition. Achievers (players who love to get all the available achievements in the game) get a huge pool of opportunities to achieve a variety of goals, and fans of the competition can face off with other students. Starbucks Source: Starbucks.com The company’s application is one of the most popular among the loyalty programs of the main chain restaurants in the world. It has more than 16 million active users, and sales from the Starbucks Rewards program account for 40% of the chain’s revenue. The philosophy of Starbucks is to focus not on coffee, but on customers and their emotions. Through gamification, Starbucks encourages customers to return to the store and buy more. Starbucks Rewards members can earn stars or rewards and redeem them for chain food and drinks. The program also includes a free drink on the visitor’s birthday. Lesson learned. Starbucks offers its customers not just to collect some points and save them for drinks, but to become part of a club with a personalized approach: they remember your favorite drinks about your birthday and are always ready to offer you your favorite chocolate chip cookie, fresh out of the oven, right in time for your morning visit. Nike Source: Nike.com One of the pioneers of gamification, Nike demonstrates how it can be used to the fullest to achieve a leading position in the market. The company first created the Nike+ app, which allowed users to track their route, steps taken, and calories burned when they went for a run. They could compete in speed with friends or complete tasks and receive rewards from developers. As an additional motivation for users, the retailer offered early access to new collections, discounts, or free shipping. In 2012, Nike released the first wearable example of gamification on the market – Nike FuelBand. FuelBand measured the intensity of movement and transmitted the data to Nike+. Thus, in a playful way, the system tracks all the workouts of its owner. FuelBand was sold out within days of being on the market and became the basis for the creation of the next generation of fitness bracelets from other companies. This case can be called one of the most successful gamification examples at the moment. Lesson learned. Creating a full-fledged brand ecosystem is the highest form of gamification implementation. Members of this system, as product owners, receive a large number of benefits and opportunities not only to monitor their physical fitness, but also to interact with other participants in the ecosystem. M&M’s Source: Mars.com After the release of a new pretzel-flavored version of their legendary product, M&Ms launched a massive marketing campaign to promote it. It was a simple and fairly inexpensive game consisting of an image of an M&M’s and one small pretzel for users to find. The simple game brought tangible benefits to the campaign and increased user engagement with the brand. M&Ms received 25,000 new likes on the brand’s Facebook page, as well as 6,000 shares and 10,000 comments. This is one of the social gamification ideas that give consumers the opportunity to interact with a brand in a playful way and spread the word about it on their social media. Lesson learned. Social gamification can have stunning results, even if the most seemingly simple form has been chosen for its application. It must be understood that even a simple form hides a ton of analytical work, research, and tests. When choosing an elementary game for social boosting and product promotion, make sure that it is relevant for your brand and matches its tone. Samsung Source: Samsung.com One of the gamification goals of Korean electronics giant Samsung was to increase engagement and product reviews. To do this, the company launched its Samsung Nation social loyalty program in collaboration with the gamification company Badgeville. Users earned badges for doing things like writing reviews, watching videos, liking or tweeting products, and participating in forums. Lesson learned. If the audience is already large, it is not necessary to focus on gamification to increase it even more. Reaching out to your existing audience and encouraging them to become more active is a much more effective method that will also passively influence new customer acquisition. But the main thing is to increase the contact of existing users with the brand. How to Approach Gamification: Kevuru Games Tips for a Successful Outcome The above gamification case studies clearly demonstrate the need for a thorough preliminary analysis of the target audience and its needs, the competitive field, current trends, and much more. Inept application of gamification can become not only a waste of a lot of money, but also harm to business. People who have a negative, primitive, or meaningless gaming experience are more likely to say goodbye to the brand once and for all. With several successful gamification examples in our portfolio, the Kevuru Gems team has identified a few key tips to help you decide on the right gamification strategy for any product or service. 1. Think Long-Term Gamification of any kind is a multi-level and complex undertaking that requires large investments. Creating a one-time program or product with a short-term effect will ruin the whole point of its application. Be sure to think about the replay value strategy and the reasons why customers will keep engaging in the game over and over again in the long run. 2. Don’t Go Too Far With Rewards Just putting as many badges and achievements into the game as possible is not gamification. Achievements must be supported either by special conditions and offers associated with the product, or by a social and competitive component. That being said, players shouldn’t be given room to cut corners for quicker rewards. They should be interested in going all the way to achieve it, that’s the whole point. 3. Provide a Level Playing Field Gamification is not about pay-to-win. Any privilege must be backed by something available to each user: the amount of time spent interacting with the brand, the number of restaurant visits, the number of gaming sessions and time spent in the application, etc. The reward system should be transparent and not allow some players to have privileges if they make something like an in-game purchase to speed up progress. No cheaters allowed here. 4. Don’t Pick a Winner Except in rare cases or raffles, gamification doesn’t mean that there is a single winner who gets all the credit. Gamification in business is about the team. Players can compete among themselves for the number of points or badges received, but this is not the goal of the game, it is only part of its social component. More active and engaged players are privileged in accordance with the well-known transparent reward system, and these are always collective awards of a large number of people. Not the choice of a single person. 5. Don’t Make Non-business Awards This is closely related to the first and second points. Gamification is not like a random prize draw that often lures new followers on the social network. If you’re not Apple, then the iPhone raffle has nothing to do with your business and will only provoke a short-term surge of activity among people who don’t care about your brand, they just want a prize. Carefully consider the system of rewards so that they more firmly tie users to the brand and open up new facets of it to them. 6. Track All Results In gamification, as in any other business, a clear system for tracking results is required. Otherwise, how will you know if it works? Tracking will help to understand whether the goals are being achieved, what works and what does not perform well, what aspects users are satisfied with and what needs to be improved, etc. You can track all this manually, but why waste time when there are many useful tools to help automate this. We hope that these tips will help you better understand the strategy for implementing successful gamification ideas. If you still have questions or doubts about creating a gamification product for your business, or you can’t figure out how best to implement it, please contact us. We will provide free consultation on the possibilities of using gamification for your specific business and goals. Conclusion Gamification surrounds us from all sides and from all spheres. Even if you’ve never played a game on a mobile device, PC, or console (is that possible?), you’re basically still a gamer. Because a person actively reacts to the game component wherever it occurs. You have a great opportunity to use this to your advantage. It can be any area, from banking to a restaurant – in any case, successfully applied gamification will be in place here. The bottom line is to implement effective gamification that is naturally and seamlessly embedded in your business and does not cause any questions or rejection. This requires a team of qualified experts with proven experience in gamification. And you don’t need to go far – our specialists, who have already worked with gamification in the insurance, trading, and retail niches, are ready to discuss your project and offer a free consultation and quote for a better understanding of your prospects and required budgets.

Crypto gaming is gaining popularity despite the skepticism that surrounds it from many players and developers. While the latter are shunning blockchain with suspicion, others are rapidly churning out blockchain games, with over 400 released in 2021. The competition in the market is increasing, and the play-to-earn mechanic is attracting more and more players who are looking to turn their passion into a source of income. Oddly enough, players can actually make money in such games by completing game tasks and missions, reselling their assets or renting them to other players. Thus, they receive some kind of in-game currency, which can later be used to purchase NFTs or transferred directly to a cryptocurrency wallet. Players then have the option to sell or exchange it for tokens or the currency used for real payments. We are here to break down the features of 5 blockchain games that are currently considered the best in terms of the number of players and the total value of assets in Dapp’s smart contracts. What is Dapp you can learn from our previous article about the creation of NFT games. Top 5 Blockchain Games: Best Titles In the Spotlight So, in no particular order, here are 5 best blockchain games in the play-to-earn format that cause the most buzz in the gaming community. We will consider the number of players and the value of assets over the last 30 days to get more stable and objective information. Axie Infinity Axie Infinity game screen, Sky Mavis Genre Platform Blockchain Tokens Free-to-play Creature battler Windows, macOS, Android, iOS Ronin, Ethereum SLP, AXS No One can’t simply ignore Axie Infinity. Originating from CryptoKitties and Pokémon, this game remains the leader among the top blockchain games in terms of the number of players and the total amount of incoming value to dapp’s smart contracts. In August 2021, Axie Infinity reached one million daily active players. Two months later, that figure approached the two million mark. Here, players breed cute little creatures called Axies and take part in battles against other players or the game’s AI. The game requires an initial investment – one needs to buy 3 Axies to start playing. In dollar terms, it will be about $75 for one creature. Winning battles and daily quests allow players to get Small Love Potions (SLPs). These are the utility tokens of the game, which can then be used to breed more Axies and sell them to other players. What affects Axie prices? The price of Axies may be determined by their in-game power, usefulness, and demand from players. Axies created in the early days of the game are more expensive. In addition, there are the mythical Axies, which look more colorful and are especially rare. As a rule, the rarer attributes also provide the most utility in the game and result in a high price. With the rise of Axie Infinity, the creature market is now influenced not only by players, but also by NFT collectors. How to get Axie for free? One can receive scholarships from other players who are looking for someone willing to temporarily take over the management of their Axies. Formally, we are talking about rent: the renter is actually developing someone else’s account, receiving part of the profit for it. Note that only the owner of Axies, i.e. the sponsor of the scholarship, can claim the SLP tokens the renter mines. Thet latter get his or her share from this sponsor. In most cases, income is divided in half. Gods Unchained Gods Unchained game screen, Immutable Genre Platform Blockchain Tokens Free-to-play Trading card game Windows, macOS Ethereum, Immutable X GODS Yes The best blockchain games of 2022 include card games without fail. Gods Unchained is a fantasy collectible card game with colorful graphics and a catchy style. Its first major advantage is that there is no initial investment. The essence of the game is the battle of two players in the arena. Each player initially has a deck of thirty cards. When players win a battle, they take their opponent’s deck. Every card in Gods Unchained is an NFT, so players own their cards and can sell them on the secondary market. The native token of Gods Unchained is GODS. What is Immutable X? The game is made by the same team behind the Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution called Immutable X. This means the game is powered by Ethereum and uses Immutable X where Dapps can trade peer-to-peer without fees and process up to 9,000 transactions per second. Immutable X launched its marketplace in 2021, and today it serves as a gas-free trading hub for Gods Unchained cards, as well as a number of other NFT projects. How to get unique cards? Players have basic cards that they earn for free just by playing the game. Also, even before the launch of the game, there were special card sets on sale that players could buy to avoid grinding. Now they are no longer produced. But they can be bought from other players on the Immutable X marketplace. Splinterlands Splinterlands game screen, Splinterlands  Genre Platform Blockchain Tokens Free-to-play Trading card game Windows, macOS, Android, iOS HIVE, WAX DEC, SPS Yes Since the release of Splinterlands in 2021, it hasn’t left the top positions of the best blockchain games list on DappRadar. Splinterlands is a turn-based card game with fast-paced and easy-to-learn gameplay. Each card is an NFT with power and rarity attributes to determine its value. Unlike other card games with long, sometimes overextended battles, those in Splinterlands only last a few minutes. The rules are simple, so even beginners can quickly figure them out. How to earn tokens? The game token, SPS, is used to buy, trade, and rent cards for battle. There is also a secondary token, DEC (Dark Energy Crystals), which allows players to purchase various in-game items and power-ups. Players earn these tokens by completing tasks and daily quests, challenging other players in ranked games, or participating in tournaments. Cards can be combined to level them up for better stats and additional abilities. If desired, everyone can convert their cards into cryptocurrency at any time. What is the main feature of the game? Unlike other games, Splinterlands often receives updates and additions, thus attracting more and more new players. For example, recent updates have brought new rare cards to the game. Splinterlands runs on the Hive blockchain, but thanks to the cross-chain functionality, tokens can also be traded on Wax and Ethereum. Alien Worlds Alien Worlds game screen, Dacoco GMBH Genre Platform Blockchain Tokens Free-to-play Strategy Windows, macOS, Android, iOS WAX TLM Yes Alien Worlds is the fastest growing blockchain game and one of the most popular decentralized applications on the market. Its players explore other planets by cooperating and competing with each other for land and resources, mine the in-game TLM token, and receive in-game items in the form of NFTs. The game is evolving: in the future, the developers plan to add the possibility of battles for the right to rule the planets and the organization of political alliances and planetary authorities. To date, Alien Worlds is the only blockchain game that runs on multiple networks at once: Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, and WAX. Its TLM tokens are available on all three networks, but all settlement transactions and game maintenance go through WAX. What is DAO? Each planet is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that receives TLM daily through smart contracts. The token is needed to participate in the DAO activities of the selected planet, as well as to purchase in-game items, complete quests, and simply earn interest. TLM and NFT can be sold on the secondary market. There are 7 planets in the Alien Worlds universe, but, according to the developers, more will be added later. Each planet is a separate DAO competing with others. What is LAND? Planets are made up of plots (LAND). Each plot is an NFT with a unique set of parameters (such as the amount and speed of TLM mining) and a price. Players with a large amount of TLM can buy LAND on planets and rent it out to other players, receiving a daily stable income. Decentraland Decentraland game screen, Decentraland Foundation Genre Platform Blockchain Tokens Free-to-play Virtual reality platform Windows, macOS Ethereum MANA, LAND No No list of best blockchain games would be complete without Decentraland. Decentraland is a virtual world like a metaverse. Virtual characters and their upgrades, skills, clothes, land and other in-game items are presented here in the form of NFTs, creating a self-sufficient unique market powered by the MANA token. The entire Decentraland metaverse is made up of 90,601 individual plots of LAND, each of which is 100 square meters and is a separate NFT. Players can develop them as they wish. Since Decentraland is a decentralized autonomous organization, MANA token holders have a say in the governance of the project and the metaverse. To buy LAND, a player must first purchase MANA on cryptocurrency platforms. Prices for land plots in Decentraland are sometimes not less than the cost of real-world plots. For example, the most expensive plot at the moment is worth a whopping $3.5 million in MANA. Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton also bought plots, sharply increasing the value of adjacent LANDs While the game is still in its early stages of development, it has huge potential to become the most influential metaverse of play-to-earn games. How to get income? Players generate income in the form of MANA tokens by trading their NFTs, renting out their digital properties, selling ad space, etc. Can Decentraland be played for free? With no initial investment, players can simply explore the world, customize their avatar, and interact with other users. But they will not be able to receive daily rewards, earn MANA, buy land, participate in events, or play certain games. Future of Crypto Gaming Now there are many projects in development that can take their place among the top blockchain games of 2022. If they really have weight, we will definitely return to their consideration. But it’s already obvious that blockchain games have firmly established themselves in their niche. A bunch of new games are in development. The Kevuru Games team is working simultaneously on several NFT projects slated for release in 2022 (Guild of Guardians), 2023 (Gooniez Gang) and 2024 (MechaChain). Characteristically, the waiting lists of these games number hundreds of thousands of future players, and the first NFTs are sold out in the first hours. The combination of blockchain and gaming should prove to be a win-win for gamers and developers alike. Players will have more control over their assets and a chance to earn money from their efforts. Developers will be able to earn a percentage of resold tokens and create more buzz around their new projects. Everyone wins. So welcome to blockchain.

For many, the surge in hype around NFTs was sudden and unexpected, seemingly out of nowhere. One day they woke up and saw that everyone was talking about the NFTs. Emmy-nominated photographer Jon Knopf announced that he sold the NFT of his Bored Ape Yacht Club for $1.39 million. The first page of Wikipedia labeled Hello World! was sold as NFT for $750,000. And the icing on the cake is the electronic painting Everydays: The First 5000 Days by the artist Beeple. The NFT tied to it was sold for $69.3 million. This non-fungible token is considered the most expensive in history. If you’re wondering what on earth is going on, whether it’s a short-term hype or if it makes sense, or even thinking about how to create your own NFT, then you’ve come to the right place. And at the end, you will find a step-by-step guide to creating your personal NFT. Jump in! What is NFT? NFT stands for non-fungible token – it is a type of cryptographic tokens, each copy of which is unique and cannot be exchanged or replaced by another similar token. We discussed its nature and standards in detail in our article on making NFT games. Simply put, fungible means that it can be replaced. One bitcoin is the same as the other, they are interchangeable. But a painting by Paul Gauguin exists in a single copy – it is not interchangeable, it cannot be replaced by a Picasso painting, even if their estimated value is approximately equal. Basically, NFT tokens operate on the Ethereum blockchain using the ERC-721 standard. The standardization of NFT issuance allows for a higher degree of interoperability – the ability of blockchains to interoperate with each other. As a result, these NFTs can be transferred between different decentralized applications. When a non-fungible asset is tokenized, important information about it is digitized with it and stored on the blockchain, which is a large public database where anyone can verify digital ownership. This means that fake versions of NFTs can never pass for the real ones. It’s convenient, isn’t it? Here are the special properties of NFT tokens put together: Indivisibility. Non-fungible tokens cannot be divided into smaller parts.Authenticity. Information about the token and its owner is easily verified in the blockchain.Non-interchangeability. Each token is unique and cannot be replaced by another.Tradability. Tokens can be sold on different cryptocurrency platforms.Liquidity. Tokens are available to everyone, from beginners to experienced traders.Programmability. Tokens are fully programmable just like any other digital asset. Why is NFT Creation a Promising Business in 2022? The active digitalization of everything in the world clearly indicates that the development of NFT will not slow down. According to Collectibles are the most promising and interesting NFT form for buyers.Easy entry. A large number of blockchain specialists will make your entry into the market fast and efficient. Choose the right contractor and tell them what kind of NFT business you want. Or maybe you are planning to create a full-fledged NFT game development will become a shining example of the use of technology outside the financial sector, revitalize the industry and make game mechanics more exciting. All in all, it looks like NFTs are here to stay. Each NFT collection has its own value proposition, but in the long run, they are only worth what someone is willing to pay. Most of the NFTs ever created will become almost useless over time. On the other hand, some will become even more valuable. Who knows, maybe it is you who will be their creator?