Hey Cardanians! Welcome aboard a Special Edition of the Cardano Newsletter!!

This edition is brought to you by TxPipe, an open-source software development company on Cardano that focuses on tooling and infrastructure solutions to improve developer experience and accelerate blockchain adoption.

This article delves into the world of gamification on the blockchain, showcasing how Cardano's eUTxO model can be used to create innovative and engaging experiences. We will explore an open-source 2D spaceship game playable through a series of on-chain transactions that can potentially onboard new developers to the ecosystem through a gamified experience. Let’s dive in:

TxPipe Taps Into Gamification on Cardano with Asteria, an Open-Source and On-Chain Bot Challenge to Demonstrate the Power and Implementation of the eUTxO Model

TxPipe is a software company that believes that blockchain adoption can be accelerated by improving developer experience. It has remained committed to its mission to facilitate software development for projects within the Cardano ecosystem by simplifying design and implementation. 

A Challenge Using UtxO and On-Chain Transactions

In one of various efforts led by TxPipe to attract a diverse range of developers to the Cardano ecosystem, the software development company recently introduced the Asteria challenge. 

In this space game, players participate by moving a ship across a 2D grid to reach the Asteria asteroid and collect rewards in $ADA. Every activity, including ship registration, its movement across the map, fuel collection, and reward collection, is executed through on-chain Cardano transactions.

Each player controls a spaceship represented by a unique eUTxO on the Cardano blockchain. To move their spaceships, players must collect a “fuel” token –represented by a Cardano native token– that is required for any change in position. 

The speed and movement of these spaceships are governed by a blockchain-based "Spacetime" validator. Players must mint NFT-based spaceships using a specific amount of ADA. The ADA used for minting is added to the reward pool for the eventual winners.

The rewards become available to players that successfully reach Asteria, an asteroid located at the center of the grid that represents the end goal of the challenge. This asteroid is represented by an eUTxO, which holds these prizes. To complete the challenge, developers are incentivized to find efficient ways to interact with the blockchain and to program the on-chain transactions. 

Attracting Developers Beyond Cardano

Asteria was born out of a Fund 11 Project Catalyst proposal with a dual purpose of showcasing the capabilities of the eUTxO model, while also attracting developers to the Cardano blockchain and generating engagement from dApp builders across all ecosystems.

This bot challenge offers a fun and engaging way for developers to learn about the eUTxO model and its capabilities. By participating, developers can gain valuable experience and knowledge, which will enable them to build more sophisticated Cardano dApps. By directly rewarding developers, Asteria is designed to encourage continued innovation on Cardano.

A beta test of the game was recently set in motion, and TxPipe anticipates a full launch in the near future. Are you ready to build your ship and embark on a cosmic journey to reach the Asteria asteroid? Join the challenge and experience the thrill of on-chain gaming on Cardano! 

TxPipe has several other projects designed to make software development for builders on Cardano easy and accessible. Visit their website to explore their other services.