Summer may be drawing to a close, but the team at Stratis is as busy as ever with new developments and updates to share with the community. Read on for a selection of what the team has announced in August, as well as some sneak peeks of what is yet to come in September.
Blockchain Tower Suites Meet-Up
With many of the Stratis community’s interactions taking place virtually over our Discord channel, it is exciting to announce that this next month will see an in-person meet-up of like-minded individuals that are building on Stratis, are interested in the STRAX token, or are new to blockchain technology and would simply like to find out more.
The next meet-up will take place at the iconic Tower Suites by Blue Orchid Hotels. We will gather in a private room before heading up to the Skyline Bar, known for its stunning views of the Tower of London and across the beautiful city of London.
This meeting is the first to mark Stratis’s strategic partnership with Blue Orchid Group, which will see Stratis host three meet-ups at Tower Suites over the next year.
The first meet-up will take place on Friday, 23rd September, from 18:00-22:00. You can sign up using the link below, and we look forward to seeing you all there for what is sure to be a great evening.
Also, in August, Opdex announced the upcoming release of Opdex Desktop. Opdex has always prioritized total decentralization as its objective, and with the release of Opdex Desktop, the projects carried out on the application will be entirely decentralized and managed by the community.
The application works alongside Cirrus Core and will enable Mac, Windows, and Linux users to enjoy the website’s existing functionalities within a downloadable program.
Be sure to follow @OpdexProtocol and @stratisplatform on Twitter to find out when the open beta is released.
Stratipshere new look
Over to the Stratisphere NFT platform, there has been a facelift on the homepage to highlight top collections and the most popular NFTs. It was also recently announced that you can now top up your Stratisphere account with debit and credit cards to purchase NFTs and expand your digital collectable collection.
You can check out some of the current collections on the marketplace here.
Dawn of Ships Theme Song
Play-to-earn game and SDA alum Dawn of Ships has just shared its theme song on Twitter.
The RPG game has shared several exciting updates over the past few months, from new functionalities to design updates. We look forward to watching this fun, swashbuckling game set sail.
The busy month of July has seen sunny days, heatwaves and several exciting new developments across many ongoing Stratis projects. Read on for a recap of our progress.
US-based game developer, Polycarbon Blockchain, passed its first SDA vote in December 2021. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength in the developments of ‘My XR Gallery’, an interactive NFT and VR gallery powered by Stratis blockchain and featuring NFT items that can be traded across the Stratisphere NFT Marketplace.
This month, Polycarbon Blockchain launched its latest proposal, in which the game developers requested 112,000 CRS ($USD 90,000) in funding to further bring to life projects My XR Gallery and Sky Dream Mall with updates such as live VR events. By enhancing its offering, Polycarbon Blockchain aims to strengthen the Stratis network and increase brand awareness and STRAX value.
This second proposal passed the SDA vote with the 105 required votes on the 13th of July — congratulations to Polycarbon Blockchain!
Dawn of Ships announced more core ideas and mechanics
In previous monthly updates, we’ve seen the Dawn of Ships ecosystem unfold, revealing different core mechanics such as ‘Ambush’ and ‘Plunder’.
In July, Dawn of Ships announced new developments to the ‘Ambush’ mechanic, which allows players to ambush a Plundering mission and steal resources. Now, ‘Team Level’ and ‘Clan Advantage’ mechanics have been added to the ‘Ambush’ package.
‘Team Level’ literally levels the playing field by determining a player’s Team Level based on the average level of the $SHIP. Players can only launch an ‘Ambush’ if their team level is at a +-1 difference from the Plundering Party. The +- 1 window must also be maintained should players choose to send in enforcements.
‘Clan Advantage’, on the other hand, has more of an impact on the ‘Battle Outcome’, which is determined by which team has the highest AP. ‘Clan Advantage’ is decided based on the 3 SHIPs’ majority clans. Teams with no majority clans are labelled ‘Clanless’ and receive -3% of the total AP, whereas teams with a disadvantaged clan get -7% total of AP.
However, all is not lost for teams with a lower AP, as the new ‘Lucky Strike’ mechanic gives them a chance to win even against the odds.
Dawn of Ships has also introduced Weekly Leaderboards and achievements. Those who top the leaderboard will be rewarded with $GOLD and $OVIA, and achievements – based on completed actions within the game – are rewarded with currency.
You can find out more about the latest updates to Dawn of Ships here.
Stratisphere NFT Marketplace commences its brand awareness campaign
To celebrate the community at the heart of the Stratisphere NFT Marketplace, a marketing campaign is being launched to showcase the many features of Stratisphere and how artists can use NFTs.
Head to @StratisphereNFT on Twitter for an early behind-the-scenes glimpse into filming for a Music NFTs section of the campaign and some incredible artwork created by physical and digital artist Hannah Nijsten.
Our fourth instalment of the SDA update blog sees continued progress from projects in DeFi, NFTs, blockchain games and core infrastructure. The Stratis Decentralized Accelerator (SDA) allocates capital to promising ideas, teams and projects building applications that add value to the Stratis ecosystem. New ideas are funded based on votes cast by Stratis Masternode operators.
Opdex
As discussed in previous SDA updates, Opdex is a decentralised exchange built using Stratis blockchain’s native C# language to make DeFi accessible for users and easy to integrate for game developers. Opdex is extremely interoperable as an exchange because it is compatible with tokens based on both Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric, making it highly attractive to users and developers alike.
The latest news from Opdex reveals some interesting statistics: the current network staking rate is just over 33 million ODX with a network participation staking rate of 44%. Beyond this, total liquidity is, as of July 2022, sitting at $385,000. Many thousands of token swaps have now been completed using Opdex, bringing significant additional utility to the Stratis ecosystem.
You can follow Opdex on Twitter @OpdexProtocol for more insights into this Stratis-powered, open-source decentralised exchange.
CoinVault
CoinVault passed the SDA vote back in October 2021 and, since then, the non-custodial and browser-based wallet has introduced several new features and functionalities to enhance its user experience.
Users will see several new features in the next release, such as the ability to display NFTs and tokens. The update will also see users able to login to both Opdex and Stratisphere, enabling transfers on both platforms directly from the CoinVault wallet.
In addition, the update will see different indexers integrated with the wallet to highlight NFT and smart contract endpoints for projects that require access to blockchain data.
That is to say, there are certain use cases that will require source blockchain data relating to the assets in one’s wallet, both to verify ownership and to understand where the asset itself resides. For example, if a CoinVault user wished to secure a loan against an NFT they need to verify that they own the NFT itself.
The inclusion of different indexers means any lending application would be able to verify NFT ownership using underlying on-chain data in such use cases, improving wallet functionality.
Hashbattle
Meanwhile, Hashbattle, a blockchain gaming platform powered by Stratis, has shifted its focus to three core tasks to further develop its ecosystem.
Firstly, the platform is developing its NFT website for the Hashbattle NFT series, which will allow users to browse available collections. The launch of the website will be accompanied by the release of the platform’s first NFT series with 10K Deadwarrior NFTs.
Hashbattle has also been in the process of introducing eight exciting new games to the platform. These new games will add greater versatility to the game segment and provide new options for users to heighten the gaming experience.
Finally, to secure the first complete version of the platform following its public beta launch in May, Hashbattle will introduce the platform on the Cirrus mainchain. Watch this space for more Hashbattle updates as the first complete version draws nearer.
Corgi Dash
Next up is the latest proposal to pass the SDA vote: Corgi Dash, is a game inspired by Mario Run, in which players earn coins through gameplay and contributions to the ecosystem.
Corgi Dash is the latest game from Mild Beast Games – the platform behind At Sundown: Shots in the Dark – and it passed the SDA vote in early July with 112 votes in favour of the proposal, resulting in 72,500 CRS in funding.
Corgi Dash is comprised of 8 fast-paced levels in which players must complete increasingly difficult ‘Dashes’ over obstacle courses of platforms and animals, with the goal of reaching Corgi House. Each ‘Dash’ costs 150 Corgi coins ($CC) to enter, which are then added into the Game Rewards wallets for future players.
5,000 coins are up for grabs across each Dash and, if the player reaches Corgi House by the end of the final level, the coins they have collected will be added to their Stratis Wallet and become instantly tradeable on Opdex.
The Corgi Dash NFTs aren’t required to enter the game – just the app and $CC coins – but can be used in the game for aesthetic purposes and in-game utility. This collection of NFTs will include 30 ultra-rare figures that grant the players in-game abilities such as extra lives or increased rewards.
Follow @corgi_dash on Twitter for the latest updates.
Kiqqi Games
Kiqqi Games, the developers behind Trivia Legends, the knowledge-based game powered by Stratis blockchain technologies, recently released a ‘roadmap’ detailing planned updates to the game over the coming quarters.
Q3 of 2022 is set to see two releases (on the Cirrus mainnet and on Google Play, for Android users) as well as the introduction of tier-based animations and new NFT characters. Q4 will introduce more new characters and game modes, as well as the iOS (App Store) game release. Also in Q4, NFT merges, by which users can burn and combine NFTs, will be added to the game.
Finally, in 2023 and beyond, Trivia Legends aims to create new games with established characters and form its own immersive metaverse.
Time to start brushing up on our general knowledge!
Polycarbon Games
Polycarbon Games, the developers behind My XR Gallery, recently announced a series of developments that both the company and its products will undergo in the near future.
Beginning with My XR Gallery, Polycarbon Games will collaborate with a handful of experienced contractors to enhance the NFT gallery for its users through gallery landscapes and tools such as ‘the Curator’, designed to help artists and creators showcase their NFTs.
The demo of Polycarbon Game’s Sky Dream Mall is also now available on its Discord channel, and there are games to enhance the mall with an arcade for developers and their Unity 3D games, as well as an amphitheatre for events. Check out the demo to understand why Sky Dream Mall is seeing some serious hype at the moment.
Once the first edition galleries are in operation, Polycarbon Games has announced that users will be able to set up their personal spaces for NFTs through their Stratis wallet. We look forward to seeing these NFT displays and collections come to life as developments continue.
FileProtected
FileProtected now enables anybody to safeguard themselves from copyright infringement, have more control over what they make or own, and transact directly with marketplaces without the need for “middlemen.” Artists such as photographers, filmmakers, and consumers cannot monetize their IP independently since there are no simple means to verify and contract the transaction legally, or it is too expensive due to attorney costs, etc. To address this, we also created “Simple Legal,” which allows our customers to instantly construct a sales and license agreement at no extra expense.
The team at FileProtected continue to innovate so content creators can take greater control over their work. The system uses Stratis blockchain technologies so creators can license media like photos for use by others, without the need for traditional industry middlemen. Check-out this short video demo to see how easy it is for users to find and license an image with FileProtected – move over Getty Images!
The key to the future of the internet and Web3 is digital ownership. With blockchain technology at its core and digital IP as its foundation, FileProtected is now at the forefront of blockchain digital ownership, authentication, and monetization.
Dawn of Ships
Dawn of Ships is a blockchain game that sees players assume control of pirate ships to battle it out with fellow contestants to capture rewards.
The team has been busy refining its core gameplay mechanic, including the addition of Team Level and Clan Level factoring for ‘plundering’ missions (when two players do battle). These new features assign higher attack points based on how developed a player or clan’s ships are.
Players can also now choose to repair their damaged ship in exchange for ‘$GOLD’, or to upgrade ships to a higher level by spending $OVIO and $GOLD to do so. Ships begin at level 1 and develop based on gameplay or ‘experience’ until they reach a maximum of level 10.
The team has also developed a weekly leader board so players can see how they compare to the wider player community, with prizes for first spot each week. The addition of ‘Achievements’, gives players something to strive for. For example, players are rewarded when they complete pre-defined achievements, like reaching specific map levels, returning to port X times, or beating their record after returning to port!
Players can also now earn ‘offline’ currency, with ships continuing to do battle and complete tasks even when the player is offline.
The start of summer has been full of highly anticipated developments for Stratis, from announcements relating to Stratis’s upcoming GBPT stable coin to a new approved SDA project in the form of Corgi Dash from Mild Beast Games.
Read to find out more about the latest updates from team Stratis, as well as insights into developments that are to come across the NFT and play-to-earn landscapes.
Cointelegraph shares that Stratis gained 200%+ with Sky Dream Mall metaverse and stablecoin
The Stratis team recently revealed that its plans to launch a Great British Pound Token (GBPT) stable coin are continuing to progress with the unveiling of ‘Stratis Investment Group Limited’, an entity that will be used for this new stable coin.
Blockchain technology holds incredible potential to simplify payments, and now is an exciting moment for Stratis to be at the heart of developments with organisations more willing than ever to accept stable coin payments.
Our friends at Cointelegraph took note of this news as well as the hype surrounding the upcoming launch of Sky Dream Mall, a metaverse developed by Polycarbon Games on the Stratis blockchain, and positioned these developments, along with Stratis’s outreach in Uganda, as factors behind STRAX prices rallying 200% according to data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and Trading View.
Stratis extends its thanks to Cointelegraph for this recognition, and we look forward to continuing to advocate for innovative projects such as the GBPT stable coin and Sky Dream Mall metaverse in the coming months.
Building continues at the Stratis Blockchain Innovation Centre in Uganda
In last month’s blog, we revealed that building had begun for the new blockchain innovation centre in the Tooro Kingdom of southwestern Uganda, and June has only seen this progress continue.
You can head over to our Twitter to watch building in action as we grow closer to watching the collaboration between the Charitable Foundation of King Oyo and Stratis turn into reality in the form of a centre that will facilitate the development of blockchain skills and innovations across the kingdom.
Corgi Dash from Mild Beast Games is approved by SDA Masternodes
Corgi Dash, the latest game from Mild Beast Games, the creators behind games such as At Sundown: Shots in the Dark, has passed the SDA vote with 112 votes for the proposal, which requested 72,500 CRS in funding.
You can follow @corgi_dash on Twitter for updates on this play-to-earn game as it comes to life on the Stratis blockchain.
Trivia Legends drops ‘Origins’ NFTs on Stratisphere
Another SDA alumnus, Trivia Legends, also shared an exciting update this month by dropping the first 250 hand-drawn ‘Origins’ NFTs on the Stratisphere marketplace.
These 250 NFTs form what will be 2000 in total from the ‘Origins’ collection, all of which have manually selected ‘EPIC’ and ‘LEGENDARY’ characters. These characters come out of 9 existing classes, which will expand to 30 classes with a mainnet release.
These NFTs are exclusive to the collection and will not be available to win, buy, or claim through the game.
It was great to see Satya Karki, C# Blockchain Developer for Stratis, represent Stratis Platform at the BCrypt Conference hosted by the GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management in Dehli, India.
Satya delivered sessions discussing myriad topics from SDA projects to the background of Stratis Blockchain development, as well as getting involved in hands-on student labs at the institute.
BCrypt is one of the largest blockchain, crypto, NFTs and Web 3.0 conferences to take place in 2022, and it was a privilege for Stratis to be amongst the esteemed speakers at the event.
Cirrus Core 2.0.0.0 Release
Finally, last month also saw the release of Cirrus Core 2.0.0.0, an updated version of the Cirrus wallet designed to introduce dynamic InterFlux Fees. These InterFlux Fees ensure tht those who wish to engage with InterFlux are able to do so at a lower cost. This version also has a new added feature that allows users to rewind their node.
2022 has already been a busy year for Stratis. From launching our NFT marketplace, Stratisphere, in January, to collaborating with the charitable Foundation of King Oyo to launch a blockchain innovation centre in Uganda during May, we’re advancing the application of blockchain hand in hand with the Stratis community.
Stratis has a busy second half of the year in store too. Please read below for an insight into what’s next for Stratis over the coming months.
GBPT Stablecoin
Plans to launch a Great British Pound Token (GBPT) stable coin using Stratis technology are progressing with ‘Stratis Investment Group Limited’, a new entity created that will be used for the Stratis GBP stable coin. Stratis is currently working with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) to complete FCA Registration. We also expect this partnership to continue with PwC, whereby they provide auditing services for the GBPT stablecoin implementation.
With entities like Visa increasingly willing to accept stable coin payments, there’s a huge opportunity to simplify cross-border and wholesale payments using blockchain technology. We also expect more UK equities and securities to be digitally issued in the coming months and years. This will likely drive the need for these instruments to pay out to holders using a GBP-denominated crypto stablecoin like GBPS.
Stratis NFT Ticketing System
Another exciting development to announce is that Stratis is currently developing a ticketing management system through which NFTs will be used to validate entry and store benefits and perks for specific venues and events.
NFT ticketing systems not only enable event organizers to enhance user experience; they also come with the advantage of blockchain immutability, proving the ticket’s authenticity and ownership status. The employment of NFTs for event ticketing becomes even more interesting where resale is permitted, from both a buyer and seller’s perspective, especially when there are associated perks and benefits. Stratis’ solution will be deployed onto the existing public blockchain platform, enabling the status of related perks and benefits to be easily verified in a trustless manner.
This system will initially be used at Stratis events; however, the team has kickstarted conversations with brilliant artists and several historic music venues in London about introducing NFT tickets for upcoming special events. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @stratisplatform for all the latest updates.
SDA Gaming Projects
Gamers get ready, as 2022 will also see the current gaming projects that passed their SDA votes go live on Mainnet.
These projects include Dawn of Ships, a swashbuckling RPG in which players earn tokens through looting ships and exploring the seas; Trivia Legends, a knowledge-based game developed by Kiqqi Games; and My XR Gallery, the metaverse NFT and VR gallery created by Polycarbon Games.
Also set to launch later this year is Hashbattle, a blockchain gaming catalogue powered by Stratis, including games such as Cops Clash, Zig Zag Zoom, Duck Dunk, Hurdle Hop, Stack Tower, Zombie Rage, Basketball Mania, Tunnel Trouble, Hammer Hero, and Counting Snakes.
Stratis is hugely excited to see these games launch, highlighting the power of Stratis’ Microsoft-based Blockchain Platform and the natural synergy for Unity developers.
Stratis Africa
As announced last month on our blog, Stratis has entered into a long-term partnership with the Foundation of King Oyo, the reigning monarch of the Tooro Kingdom in Uganda, to fund a blockchain innovation centre in the kingdom that will encourage the kingdom to enhance its blockchain-based knowledge and development skills.
A few weeks ago, building commenced at the innovation centre site, and there is set to be a press conference at the Ugandan government’s media HQ discussing the centre and its goals. Chris Trew, Stratis’s founder and CEO, will make a speech at this press conference outlining the impact of blockchain and how the concept and its uses can benefit Uganda as a nation. We look forward to watching this partnership evolve as the Foundation of King Oyo continues its commitment to technological development across the kingdom.
Brand Awareness and Marketing
A key to the ongoing success of Stratis and its feature product, Stratisphere, is ensuring continued growth and utilization of its technologies. Often, the term ‘marketing’ is viewed simplistically; Stratis understood there needed to be a solid strategy behind their marketing efforts and campaigns; Stratis sought to work with an industry leader in brand recognition and awareness. This mindset led to the partnership with SGK.
SGK, one of the largest global brand management agencies, has been working with Stratis to articulate the value of Stratisphere, a genuinely decentralized, sustainable and commission-less NFT Platform. The creativity and innovation that has unfolded with the growth of the Stratisphere community has been a pleasure to watch, and SGK will be working with traditional artists to create key visuals about the NFTs these artists are designing. In doing so, Stratisphere will put the artists centre stage as they share their inspiration and process.
The key visuals will focus on established artists and NFT creators, detailing the process behind their creative content, whether digital or physical artwork. A series of short videos and still shots will be utilized in a London-based out-of-home marketing campaign, with Stratisphere targeting high footprint areas within the city of London, placing our adverts alongside some of the world’s biggest brands such as Coca-Cola and American Express.
The focus is not only on out-of-home; starting this summer, a considerable effort will be concentrated on bringing awareness to Stratisphere and Stratis Blockchain Technologies. This will be achieved through employing several agencies, including paid media, and targeted outreach on social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Reddit.
This collaboration with SGK will also see the emergence of high street partnerships as Stratis launches a digital campaign to raise awareness about the functionality of Stratisphere. Keep an eye out around London once this project goes live!
Monthly Meet-Ups
The Stratis community is often discussed, and while there is abundant value in its online presence, we look forward to Stratis launching a series of monthly meet-ups and events across London for community members to meet in person. There are also planned events targeted at developers and NFT creators, so if you are within travelling distance of London, do come along to a meet-up with your fellow members of the Stratis community.
Additionally, members of the Stratis team are attending various meetups across the city on a weekly basis, if there are any specific events you would like to see members of the Stratis team attend, be sure to let them know in their Discord channels.
May saw myriad developments at Stratis. From commencing the construction of the Stratis Blockchain Innovation Center in Uganda to launching several new updates across Stratis-fuelled projects, including Opdex Inc. and My XR Gallery. We have enjoyed working across a variety of projects and concepts designed to bring Stratis technologies to communities around the world.
Find out more about what we’ve been working on below, and you can follow us @Stratisplatform on Twitter for all the latest news coming up in June.
Building begins at the Stratis Blockchain Innovation Centre in Uganda
Recently we announced that Stratis was to fund a new blockchain innovation centre in the Tooro Kingdom of southwestern Uganda as part of a new partnership with the charitable foundation of King Oyo, the kingdom’s reigning monarch. Building work has officially commenced, with the foundations laid at the end of May.
As discussed in a previous blog, the centre will encourage the development of blockchain-based knowledge and skills in the kingdom, which will support blockchain innovations across fields such as agriculture and finance.
This launch is symbolic of Stratis’s global expansion, with Stratis Africa launching alongside it. We look forward to the evolution of this development.
The First ODX Vault Proposal Has Passed the Community Vote
This month saw the first ODX Vault proposal approved by community vote. The proposal aimed to build on the driving force behind Opdex Inc. of ascertaining fully decentralised protocols by ensuring that everyone contributing to the project had a voice in the distribution of ODX tokens, with 75% of the supply distributed through a Mining Governance smart contract and the remaining 25% through a Vault smart contract.
This update will allow users involved in the project to propose contributions in exchange for ODX tokens. Other community users may vote for or against these proposals with CRS tokens. Approved proposals will result in the request ODX having a one-year vesting period before these tokens can be collected.
With this proposal, Opdex Inc. hopes to extend the longevity and bolster the quality of all future developments. You can read more about the proposal here.
Hashbattle Public TestNet Beta is Now Available
After teasing the Hashbattle beta launch back in our latest Stratis Decentralised Accelerator update, this month saw it drop on the Hashbattle website.
This beta launch features 10 games – Cops Clash, Zig Zag Zoom, Duck Dunk, Hurdle Hop, Stack Tower, Zombie Rage, Basketball Mania, Tunnel Trouble, Hammer Hero & Counting Snakes – with entry fees ranging from zero to one Cirrus.
Users will also soon be able to enjoy the first phase of the Hashbattle NFT drop, which will include 10K Dead Warriors NFTs with an inbuilt Photobooth feature designed to allow users to position their NFT characters in various environments.
You can follow Hashbattle on Twitter @Hash_battle for further updates and discover how to be involved in the public beta test.
Dawn of Ships Update
The Astroverse Club recently released a blog post uncovering new details about its exciting play-to-earn game, Dawn of Ships.
Building on last month’s update, in which we explained the newly revealed Plundering and Ambusing features, this blog focuses on the game’s Core loop, by which Plundering and Ambushing missions lead to the customisation of the player’s ship.
The ships at the core of Dawn of Ships are designed to be highly customisable and are influenced by the pirate’s Clan and Class. Each of the six Clans – Blackbeard’s Buccan, Hired Guns, Deadly Deserters, The Forsaken, Broken Bones, and Galactic Ghosts – have six distinct classes with roles that will determine the ship’s battle skills.
You can follow Dawn of Ship’s Discord Channel here for further updates on how the game is leveraging Stratis technologies to bring the pirate’s life to game players.
My XR Gallery Update
Another SDA project rapidly gathering steam this past month was My XR Gallery from Polycarbon Games.
With newly introduced functionalities, users can link their artwork to the Stratisphere via My XR Gallery, interconnecting the two platforms and allowing other users to view and buy artwork from Stratisphere while viewing it in the gallery. This offers both creators and community members the opportunity to engage with, bid on, and purchase digital collectables after enjoying the highly visual experience of a virtual gallery.
This past month has seen a particularly exciting development for Stratis, as we announced a long-term partnership with the charitable Foundation of King Oyo, the reigning monarch of the Tooro Kingdom in the South West of Uganda.
A kingdom with a population of approximately one million, the Tooro Kingdom has enjoyed a renewed national commitment to technology under the leadership of King Oyo (Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV). The world’s youngest monarch – crowned at just 3 and a half years old – the king is known for his keen interest in technology and innovation, having recently partnered with the Uganda Industrial Research Institute to create the King Oyo Science, Technology, Innovation and Industrialization park.
Under this partnership, Stratis will fund a new blockchain innovation centre in the kingdom designed to encourage the development of blockchain-based knowledge and development skills. Stratis is committed to encouraging creativity and innovation at the centre and the syllabus has been designed with this in mind, using case studies to spark fresh ideas around blockchain applicability.
As Stratis is a Microsoft-focused blockchain platform built from the ground up utilizing Microsoft programming languages (C#), the syllabus will leverage renowned development tools, such as Microsoft’s Visual Studio. As part of the partnership, Stratis plans to locate a senior team of business and technical roles at the new innovation centre with the vision to further grow its ecosystem across Africa. As this blockchain innovation centre launches in the Tooro Kingdom, Stratis Africa launches alongside it.
In addition, the parnters will collaborate on new blockchain use cases that will benefit the kingdom and its population. For example, the Tooro Kingdom is renowned for its agricultural properties – rich soils, sunshine, high rainfall. Stratis’s management team is therefore discussing how blockchain technologies can be used to support the management of resources. By setting up IoT devices to interact with Stratis Blockchain technologies, an immutable data store can be created that contains data about plot usage, weather conditions, product traceability, and finances.
“Blockchain technologies offer new approaches to organizing societies and increasing efficiencies,” says King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. “In the Tooro Kingdom, we see that the immutability of blockchain has significant potential, for example, for use cases within agriculture, logistics, banking and many more. I’m excited to be working with Stratis to further knowledge and understanding across the kingdom.”
Our founder and CEO, Chris Trew, seconded this excitement: “We’re looking forward to developing a syllabus that will be taught at the new innovation center, focused on the use of Stratis blockchain technologies. We view this investment as the beginning of Stratis Africa and plan to deploy a senior team to Uganda. King Oyo is taking a forward-thinking stance on innovation that will bring new economic opportunities to the Tooro Kingdom.”
Stratis has seen significant growth in new applications built using its foundational Layer 1 blockchain technologies over recent years as developers embrace the simplicity of developing in the world’s most widely known programming language, C#. We look forward to seeing this growth continue with this partnership with the Tooro Kingdom and subsequent launch of Stratis Africa.
Welcome to another monthly update here at Stratis! Today we’ll discuss several new updates that range from eagerly-awaited gaming news to the expansion of Stratis overseas with an exciting new partnership with the Tooro Kingdom in Uganda.
It is excellent to see the variety of use cases that Stratis blockchain technologies can apply, and we look forward to seeing these updates develop further in the coming months.
Stratis Africa
This week, Stratis announced its partnership with the Foundation of King Oyo, a charity led by the monarch of the Tooro Kingdom in the South West of Uganda. With this long-term partnership, the global expansion of Stratis has begun with the launch of Stratis Africa.
King Oyo (Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV) is the world’s youngest reigning monarch. The king was crowned at 3 and a half, and his reign thus far has been marked by a keen interest in technology and a dedication to developing the digital offerings of this kingdom of approximately one million.
As such, this partnership will see Stratis fund the creation of a blockchain innovation centre based in the Tooro Kingdom that will develop the local community’s blockchain-based skills and learning.
In addition to this, Stratis and the Tooro Kingdom will develop blockchain use cases that will positively benefit the kingdom’s population, such as the introduction of blockchain technologies that can be used to manage the Tooro Kingdom’s abundant agricultural resources.
We look forward to watching this collaboration grow and thrive as Stratis continues to expand its ecosystem across Africa.
Opdex Liquidity Mining & Token Swap
New tutorials have launched on YouTube for how to take full advantage of features available on the Opdex platform, such as liquidity providing and mining, staking, and token swaps.
Opdex itself is a series of DeFi and governance smart contracts that enable users to trade, swap, earn, and govern assets through the use of Stratis and Cirrus blockchains.
With low gas fees and rigorous testing processes to ensure platform security, Opdex allows users to enjoy its abundance of features in a non-custodial, gas-efficient, and trustless manner.
Trivia Legends – a competitive knowledge-based game that allows players to win different avatars in the form of blockchain NFTs – was officially launched on the Stratis Blockchain TestNet this month and is currently undergoing review from a team of dedicated alpha testers.
Trivia Legends has also announced their plans to create a collection of high-tier characters from the game, which will be made available to anyone exclusively via Stratisphere NFT marketplace. More news on this will be coming soon!
Be sure to follow @TriviaLegends on Twitter for the latest updates, news, and giveaways!
Dawn of Ships
Speaking of exciting gaming updates in April, this past month also saw two new features be added to the game of pirates and sea adventures that is Dawn of Ships.
We took a deep dive into these new features over in our most recent SDA Update but, to summarise, these new mechanics – ‘Plunder’ and ‘Ambush’ – add a fun competitive edge to the game.
Each Plundering mission takes 4 hours to complete, and players can Plunder other ships three times, with Club Pass holders able to increase the number of Plunderings they choose to do. Plundering wins players GOLD and OVIA tokens for each mission, but it requires a delicate balance of wins and losses, as each plundering will cost a player one reduced durability point. Players can also win Yield Bonuses and Speed Bonuses, the latter of which reduces the time of a Plundering mission by 30 minutes.
The ‘Ambush’ feature enables players to steal resources from other players on Plundering missions. An Ambush takes between 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on whether the opposing player sends back-up. Players can win additional $OVIA and GOLD for a successful Ambush, although, similarly to Plundering, an Ambush also costs a durability point.
Plundering players can reduce the time that opposing players can spend on an Ambush mission if they have a Speed Bonus. To aid them in their strategies, both players can send up to 2 additional $SHIP and $CREW as reinforcements.
The past few months have seen several SDA projects continue to evolve and harness Stratis blockchain technologies to push the boundaries of gaming, smart contracts, and more. With so many developments to share and many more to come over the course of 2022, this blog will shine a light on some of the most recent project updates that are taking place with the support of the SDA and the wider Stratis community.
CoinVault
In a recent update from the CoinVault team, it was revealed that their explorer has undergone some exciting extensions: not only does it now support both the Stratis and Cirrus Testnets; it can also display an in-depth and detailed summary of smart contract data.
In terms of NFT, DAO, and StandardToken smart contracts, users will be able to access detailed information regarding relevant smart contracts on the explorer, while developers will gain access to API endpoints. The list of smart contracts that this information is available for is only set to expand as time goes on, and we’re excited to see these developments put in place to ensure the utmost transparency across smart contracts usage.
Our recent SDA update also touched on CoinVault, a non-custodial and browser-based wallet that passed its proposal back in October 2021. CoinVault supports multiple Stratis wallets and several accounts simultaneously, enabling users to manage their assets with autonomy. When integrated with Opdex, the first decentralised exchange on the Stratis Platform, CoinVault will allow users to transfer and swap STRAX and CIRRUS tokens. CoinVault also now supports users in sending and receiving assets on both the Stratis and Cirrus Mainnets and Testnets. The wallet is currently in private alpha testing, and you can be part of the test group by requesting to join on the Stratis Discord channel.
You can also follow Stratis and CoinVault on Twitter, @stratisplatform and @coinvault_io respectively, to stay up to date with all relevant news around the launch.
The Astroverse community announced two exciting new mechanics – Plunder and Ambush – to the pirate-inspired Dawn of Ships game earlier this month.
In the game, players can ‘Plunder’ other players as they set sail across the sea. As an essential activity within the game, Plundering requires players to build three units known as SHIPS, which they can then assign a CREW to if they so wish. Players can Plunder three times, with each turn taking 4 hours to complete, although Club Pass holders will be able to increase the number of plundering missions they undertake. Plundering allows players to gain GOLD and OVIA tokens for each mission, although these gains are not without their challenge, as each plundering will cost a player one reduced durability point, impacting the overall SHIP durability.
The players that choose to assign a CREW to their SHIPS may find themselves at an advantage when it comes to winning a Yield Bonus, which are awarded as a result of assigning CREW members or through being a Club Pass Holder. If a player wins Plundering Points (PP) over the course of gameplay, they can also win a Speed Bonus, which reduces the time of a Plundering mission by 30 minutes.
The ‘Ambush’ mechanic, on the other hand, allows players to steal resources from other players whilst they are carrying out Plundering missions. Ambush also requires the player to have three SHIPS with the option to assign 1 CREW to each. An Ambush is shorter than a Plundering mission, however, and takes between 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on whether the opposing player sends back-up. Ambushing offers players the opportunity to gain additional $OVIA and GOLD for successful attacks. As with Plundering, each Ambush reduces the $SHIP durability by 1.
The Ambush Window has a default time of 1.5 hours, although Plundering players can reduce this time if they hold the previously mentioned Speed Bonus. To add to their attack and defence forces, both the Plundering and Ambushing players can send up to 2 additional $SHIP and $CREW as reinforcements.
If Dawn of Ships and its game of swashbuckling strategy sounds interesting, do join The Astroverse Club Discord Channel for all the latest updates.
FileProtected
As explored in our very first SDA update, FileProtected harnesses blockchain technologies, digital fingerprints, and timestamps to make copyright ownership completely indisputable. And since becoming part of our SDA programme, the FileProtected team has been investigating how to implement these capabilities across other companies in the community.
Most recently, FileProtected has been updating its UX/UI branding to ensure the most efficient and easy-to-use customer experience possible. The team has enhanced storage services by introducing One Drive to the mix and allowing several One Drive accounts to connect to FileProtected and instantly register all uploaded files. Another exciting addition is AI-assisted image, and video tagging, which allows our system to recognize and auto-tag registered content, enabling users to search and discover quicker than ever.
Amongst many other new features, upcoming additions to the FileProtected system include:
The ability to instantly register any file or IP
Automatic Instagram registration
Integrated Google search capabilities
QR code watermark protects and links offline work to sales
Do check out FileProtected for further details and keep watch for new content across their Discord.
Hashbattle
Hashbattle is making its way towards a public beta launch, with a targeted release in the first week of May. With final testing ongoing, the first beta version will feature 10 games with an entry fee of 0 Cirrus, 0.3 Cirrus, 0.5 Cirrus and 1 Cirrus. The titles include Cops Clash, Zig Zag Zoom, Duck Dunk, Hurdle Hop, Stack Tower, Zombie Rage, Basketball Mania, Tunnel Trouble, Hammer Hero, and Counting Snakes.
The first phase of the Hashbattle NFT drop, which includes 10K Dead Warriors NFTs, will debut in late May. NFT owners will gain access to a unique feature called Photobooth, which enables them to pose their NFT characters in different environments with different camera angles to create print shots for use across various platforms. All the 10K NFTs will be accessible in Hashbattle games, which will have character usage and provide access to upcoming exclusive Hashbattle Metaverse available only for NFT owners. The first phase of Hashbattle Metaverse is planned to for launch in late June.
Kiqqi Games
Trivia Legends by Kiqqi Games is set to be released in alpha version to the general public in the near future, with testers and fans able to test their knowledge and unlock NFT characters as they progress through the game designed on Cirrus Testnet Blockchain.
To celebrate the release of Trivia Legends, we will also launch a Discord group for the gaming community as well as an Origin NFT collection, so watch this space for updates.
Opdex
Opdex launched on Cirrus more than a month ago, bringing DeFi and ODX governance tokens capabilities to Stratis. ODX tokens have commenced distribution through liquidity mining in USDT, WBTC, WETH, and SHIB pools with a high participation rate amongst liquidity providers. Roughly 12.5 million ODX tokens have been distributed, with about four million being staked, a million being provided, and the remainder either held or available for collection. The protocol has about $600,000 in locked liquidity, with 95% of it locked within liquidity pools that have activated ODX mining. Nearly 100% of that eligible liquidity is actively participating, showing strong support for the project. Overall, users have traded just over $300,000 in organic volume in a 100% decentralized and non-custodial fashion, and that number will only continue to go up with time.
Polycarbon Game
Polycarbon Game is incredibly close to releasing the demo of its XR Gallery featuring a Stratisphere gallery, to reflect the talent and artistry of the Stratis community with a sense of physicality. The website for XR Gallery is currently in development, although users will soon be able to access existing metaverse galleries, design their own custom galleries, invite friends and followers to view their artwork, and converse with them directly using Photon Technology.
Polycarbon Game is also working with Andy Rosen and the FileProtected team to develop a use case example of how a store front will operate in the XR Gallery metaverse. Andy Rosen is generously contributing minted NFTs featuring his award-winning punk rock photography for users to enjoy.
The UI/UX updates will continue to unfold as Polycarbon Game receives community feedback, and we look forward to seeing users enjoy their own accessible and adaptable galleries.
Spring has sprung at Stratis, and with the new season comes a host of eagerly anticipated developments. From the announcement of the Opdex launch signalling a new era in GameFi for Stratis to an exciting collaboration with UCL on the balance between NFTs and sustainability, this month has seen some long-term projects come to fruition. We look forward to seeing the Stratis community reap the benefits.
Opdex and GameFi on Stratis
March saw the launch of the Opdex platform, a decentralised exchange within the Stratis ecosystem designed to support the integration of DeFi into its GameFi ecosystem. Opdex is built using the native C# language of the Stratis blockchain, making it ideally suited to game development.
Opdex will allow users to swap Stratis native tokens on the Cirrus sidechain, provide liquidity and mine for rewards in ODX (the native token on Opdex). Opdex is compatible with tokens based on Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric, allowing for a high level of interoperability. As part of the Stratis ecosystem, it also uses the .NET framework to enable smart contracts. These features make Opdex a useful exchange for game developers as the platform is both affordable and highly customisable.
Speaking of GameFi, three eagerly awaited mini-games – NFT Knives, NFT Rise, and NFT Road Runner – launched on Windows and Android utilising the Stratis Unity3d SDK. With each mini-game designed to showcase NFTs built on Stratis, these launches mark the start of an era in which creators can build blockchain-based games and integrate DeFi using Opdex to create a truly immersive experience. Links to download the games can be found below:
Stratis & UCL Collaborate on NFT Sustainability Manifesto
This month, Stratis teamed up with Paolo Taticchi, Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at UCL School of Management, where he is also the School Deputy Director, to develop the ‘NFT Sustainability Manifesto’. The manifesto aims to raise awareness about how companies can approach the use of NFTs from an environmentally conscious perspective.
Traditionally, consensus mechanisms such as Proof of Work (PoW) contribute to carbon emissions due to their energy consumption. This is one reason why Stratisphere and the and underlying blockchain that powers it is based on Proof-of-Authority (PoA), which is considerably more energy-efficient, thanks to an alternate approach to block production.
The manifesto is available here, and its release has been marked by the launch of a Queen Elizabeth II NFT in which the monarch dons a top with the tagline: ‘NFT – use and consume responsibly’. We would like to extend our thanks to NFT designer Michele Fabbro and artist Massimiliano Donnari for their work on this NFT, and we wish UCL and Professor Taticchi (who recently appeared on Italian television to discuss the manifesto) the best of luck as they continue to facilitate meaningful discussions surrounding technology and environmental responsibility.
New tokens available through InterFlux Bridge
InterFlux has recently undergone further developments to enable bi-directional transfers of ERC20 Tokens to SRC20 Tokens. These changes are supported by updates to Cirrus Core, which can now mobilise bi-directional transfers to swap tokens back to ERC20 in a matter of clicks. This development further enhances the capabilities of InterFlux as a bridge between Stratis Blockchain technologies and platforms such as Ethereum.
From 9th March, six ERC20 Tokens will be available through the InterFlux Bridge – wETH, WBTC, USDC, USDT, LINK and SHIB – and if you are interested in seeing more tokens added to this list, please join our Discord and add your voice to the community discussion.
Stratis Community Infographic Contest
To celebrate the aforementioned Opdex launch, the Stratis Community has launched an Infographic Contest, giving participants the chance to win between both STRAX and NFTs.
To enter, you simply have to create an infographic about Opdex and share it in the comments of this post, from which Gold Members will choose a winner on the 10th April.
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