Project Watch: Sidus Heroes
Although NFTs have been integrated into crypto gaming at an incredibly quick rate, it is still a sector that is very much in its infancy. There is a huge amount of growth that this sector must go through before it can enter the mainstream. As of yet, the biggest developers have not gravitated over to the blockchain space, meaning that gaming experiences in crypto are not as immersive as in traditional gaming. The huge resources that legacy game studios have mean they can create much more detailed stories, gameplay, and graphics. This is something that, until now, crypto gaming has been unable to compete with.
Despite the fact that crypto gaming is in its infancy, we are already seeing a massive revolution in space. Blockchain games are evolving at an incredible rate, and the new wave of games are incorporating a much more complex set of game mechanics. Sidus is one of those games, immersing its users in an incredible 3D, futuristic space that aims to emulate the experience of traditional AAA games. Sidus represents the integration of a blockchain economy into a fully realized game world and shows the potential of play-to-earn as a concept.
Today we sat down with Dan Khomenko, CEO and co-founder of Sidus Heroes, to talk about the world he helped create and what it means for blockchain gaming.
- Could you tell us a bit about Sidus and how this project got started?
SIDUS is an AAA-level, Play-to-Earn, NFT, and MMORPG game and is the first project to be built on WebGL technology. That means the SIDUS HEROES game is accessed through a browser and doesn’t require users to download any apps onto their phone or PC.
The game is set in a space metaverse during a time when technological advancements have reached the level of merging with all living beings. All the Heroes belong to one of several blockchain races and embody that chain’s strongest attributes. The SIDUS metaverse includes an advanced socio-economic system and a political structure that has elected Council representatives.
SIDUS HEROES started out as an NFT avatar collection, launched in August 2021. The collection features 6,000 unique characters with several rarity levels. According to the lore, every Hero belongs to one of various different blockchain races and fled to the independent city of SIDUS to escape the intergalactic war. The Genesis NFT collection stands out because, from the very beginning, our team built certain benefits into the NFT. Holders receive added value through multiple DeFi services (e.g. Galaxy Staking — our NFT yield farming product). Furthermore, each NFT from the Genesis collection doubles up as an entry ticket to the future SIDUS HEROES game.
The NFTs were released at the end of August and were met with incredible success. The work on the game itself started shortly after. Now, both the team and the project are growing at a rapid pace. And in January 2022, we’ll be ready to present the beta version of the game.
2. Sidus takes place in a futuristic sci-fi setting. Can you please tell us a little bit about the world that players will be able to explore?
SIDUS transports players to a world in which technological advancements have reached a level where they have merged with all living beings.
The SIDUS metaverse includes several planetary systems that are inhabited by different tech-races, multiple neutral planets and comets that are yet to be discovered ( colonized by players), and the independent city of SIDUS.
Players can choose to build infrastructure and transform their own little corner of the universe into an oasis. Or they can travel the metaverse and discover new corners, lobby for colonization, equip expeditions, and explore other planets and cultures. On their quests across the universe, players can find artifacts and pets.
SIDUS is a complex, closed economic system based on limited resource emission. The metaverse relies on non-renewable fossils and renewable biological resources that play a part in the development of an advanced production structure. The player’s interaction with the platform is heavily tied to it.
3. And how will they interact with said world? What things will players be doing in Sidus?
Our team is creating gaming scenarios for any taste and skill level. Players can be farmers and grinders who mine and collect resources and sell them on the marketplace for coins. The metaverse is designed so that the crafting of large-scale items pushes players to collaborate. Pro players with years of gameplay experience will still always need resources that are mined by newcomers. It guarantees demand for products created by players who have just gotten into the game. This is how we are able to achieve inclusive gameplay for all players, no matter their level of experience or involvement with the metaverse.
Or users can choose to master a profession and become a skilled manufacturer who crafts equipment (like spaceships) and the components for them (e.g. ammunition, weapons and medicine). SIDUS players will have a chance to master professions like jewelers, scientists, and so on.
One of the key elements of the game is the Battle Arena, where users can challenge other players, form fighting legions and compete in tournaments.
A career in fighting helps players get elected and command legions in massive battles.
SIDUS HEROES is also building a political system. Players can create their own parties and find companions to run for power in the Council elections. Councilors will have real power and will heavily influence the development of the game.
The opportunities are endless and any gamer will be able to find an occupation that suits them and monetize their time spent playing.
4. NFT games are seen by many as an early example of the metaverse. Why do you think this is, and how will Sidus implement NFTs in the Sidus metaverse?
If we look at the definition of a metaverse, it’s a shared virtual environment where users interact with each other in a computer-generated reality via connected headsets or glasses. A metaverse usually includes aspects of gaming, AR, VR and some form of economic system. If we look at a metaverse like that and compare it to SIDUS, then yes, it’s an early example of a metaverse.
SIDUS users can fight player-versus-player, sell each other their produce, vote for each other in the Council elections and interact in a variety of ways. The gameplay also includes multiple scenarios for interacting with the environment.
SIDUS HEROES is built on the ‘play-to-earn’ model, meaning all in-game items are represented as non-fungible tokens. Heroes, ammunition, weapons, spaceships and other in-game items are NFTs and belong to the players. Users are free to utilize them as they like: to upgrade their holdings, sell them in the marketplace or use them during gameplay.
5. Can you please tell us about the NFT Heroes collection?
Sure, the Heroes belonging to the Genesis NFT collection consist of 6,000 generative characters. They were created by our team in partnership with the biggest international collective of modern artists known as NFT256. The collection features Heroes that fall into different rarity categories: Original, Rare, Legendary, Exclusive and Partnership.
According to the lore, every Hero came to the independent city of SIDUS from one of 12 blockchain races like Bitcoione, Avalanya, Polygopus. Each Hero’s blockchain race has left an imprint on their appearance, character and armor. When SIDUS grew into a gaming metaverse, we kept the idea of blockchain-based races and adapted it a bit to suit the general idea.
NFTs from the Genesis collection are endowed with several features. Original Heroes can upgrade to a higher status and all NFTs can be staked to earn NFTS tokens. Additionally, each Hero from the collection acts as a ticket to the game. The upcoming closed beta version of the game will only be available to the holders of NFT Heroes.
It’s important to mention that the in-game characters won’t have the same visual appearance as the NFT Heroes from the collection. But the rarity level will play a role in the economic system of the metaverse.
6. Why did the Sidus project decide to use WebGL technology to build?
WebGL provides both users and game developers with many opportunities that were unattainable any other way.
The use of WebGL technology makes the SIDUS game available to a large audience. Users who have been previously priced out of blockchain gaming (along with its many earning opportunities) can now gain access to this world.
Imagine: all you need to start playing the game is to open up your browser and type in the SIDUS HEROES URL. Players don’t need to download any applications, buy gaming sets or upgrade their PCs. The game can be launched on any device the user already has. It also cuts out all the time traditional gamers spend updating content, installing a game or downloading version updates. SIDUS HEROES streams content to the device and any updates to the metaverse is handled at the developers’ end. So it’s instantly available to players without any manipulation required from the players themselves. This lowers the barrier to entry for many new players and users that come to SIDUS never played a blockchain game or perhaps any game before.
If we’re talking about game development, WebGL provides us with the freedom to create. The only limit is our own imagination. Our developers don’t have to send the game to AppStore or Google Play for approval each time they update something. WebGL games are more flexible and scalable.
7. A huge issue with many GameFi games is the lack of interaction with other players. How does Sidus hope to overcome this problem?
It’s simply impossible to advance through the SIDUS metaverse without collaborating with other users.
The centerpiece of the SIDUS fighting mechanics is the Battle Arena where players can challenge other players, fight in teams of three, participate in tournaments, and form their own fighting legions. Even if a user comes to SIDUS solely to fight, they will have to interact with other players.
Then, there’s the in-game marketplace where players sell what they’ve produced. The SIDUS production chain is built in such a way that players have to cooperate with each other if they want to craft large-scale items.
The metaverse is also run by the Council, a place where players will see a lot of interaction with each other. The Council will decide on the colonization of neutral planets, which is an activity that requires a large number of players. The same applies to mastering new technologies. One patent needs several players to develop it.
These are just some of the examples.
8. Why do you think Play-to-Earn games have seen such an explosion in popularity recently, and how will this model affect players in the Sidus world?
The mechanics change the paradigm from ‘paying to play’ to ‘playing to earn’ and makes players the center of the in-game economy. With this model, a game’s success is determined by the value of its in-game currencies and items, not by how much money the game development company has made. That’s why P2E games are receiving a lot of attention from the gaming community.
Players are able to monetize the time they spend playing and perceive in-game items and assets (e.g. land, crafts) as investments that they can rent out, earn a yield on and sell. And they can be sure that their beloved items will stay with them, even if the game shuts down for some reason.
SIDUS is based on a ‘play-to-earn’ model. All in-game items are represented as NFT tokens, and users get rewarded for their actions. For example, the Council decides on what technology to develop during its term. If the technology is mastered successfully and is applied where it’s needed before the end of its term, the Councilors will receive a share of the patent fee. Thus, players are rewarded for their contribution to the development of the metaverse.
9. Sidus’ economic incentives are designed to entice players to play for at least three years. How exactly will this work?
The SIDUS metaverse will open to users one step at a time. For example, each profession has several levels, and mastering the most advanced level could take years. Some artifacts and items appear only after a certain period of time spent in the metaverse. It’s done this way so that users don’t lose interest as they progress through the game, they have to apply actual effort to become a pro.
Some missions, like the colonization of a neutral planet, take months if not years of preparation. First, users need to agree if they want to discover and colonize the new land. This question is put to a Council vote. Then, players need to join forces and equip the expedition and only then can they go on the adventure.
10. Sidus has a dual token model. How do both SIDUS and SENATE tokens function within the game?
SENATE is the governance token. Users holding this token will be able to express their political views and influence the development of the metaverse. Voting power will be proportionate to the number of tokens each user has. SENATE will also be used for purchasing accelerators and consumables, which make the gameplay more effective and productive.
SIDUS, on the other hand, is a gaming token that will also be used widely within the game and for other SIDUS products, like the upcoming launchpad.
11. PAID is very proud to have Sidus as part of its ecosystem. How will the partnership benefit both PAID and Sidus?
Thank you! Our team is also excited and grateful to see PAID Networks among the project’s supporters. For SIDUS, each partner is a reassurance that we’re on the right path and that there is actually a demand for a new generation of games. The support of the PAID community will provide our team with the needed boost and ensure sustainable development for the project.
As for the PAID community, it’s a good chance to be among the first settlers of SIDUS city. You’ll be part of an ambitious project that is about to revolutionize gaming.
12. Tell us about what new features and events Sidus has in store for us over the next couple of months.
The major event coming up soon is the Initial DEX Offering. Then, we take a small break for the holidays and come back with a closed beta version of the game on January 10th. The game will only be available to holders of NFTs from SIDUS’ Genesis NFT collection. But soon enough, on January 23rd, we’re going to launch the public beta version and invite the PAID community to see the SIDUS metaverse in all its full glory.
Soon, we will also announce the release of the Academy collection. This NFT collection is essentially an entry ticket to the SIDUS game. We’re sticking to our initial plan to only grant holders of NFT Heroes from the Genesis or Academy collection access to the game.
If the PAID community is interested in the long-term development of the project, I invite you all to visit our website. There you’ll find a detailed roadmap that extends out over several years to come.
About Dan Khomenko
Dan Khomenko is the co-founder and CEO of SIDUS HEROES. Before getting into blockchain gaming, Dan worked in FinTech, banking, property development, blockchain and crypto. Dan has co-founded one of the biggest blockchain software development companies and consulted over 500 projects, many of which have now reached the Top 200 on CoinMarketCap. He is also the founder and CEO of NFT marketplace NFT STARS (launched in July 2021) and the CEO of DeFi aggregator SpaceSwap.
About SIDUS HEROES
SIDUS HEROES is the first ever WEBGL, AAA-level, Play-to-Earn, NFT and MMORPG game. The game is set in a space metaverse at a time when technological advancements have reached the level of merging with all living beings. All characters belong to one of several blockchain races and embody that chain’s strongest attributes.
SIDUS HEROES provides users with multiple gaming scenarios. Users can choose to fight in the Battle Arena, build fighting legions, run for power and represent their race on the political stage, craft and sell products, mine resources, travel the metaverse and discover new planets or develop economic and social structures.
The game relies on a closed economic system based on a limited emission of resources. It incorporates a ‘play-to-earn’ model into all in-game items (represented as NFTs) and its two native tokens — SENATE and SIDUS.
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