More than 7,000 people participated in the second test operation of Yugarabo’s metaverse “Otherside” | coindesk JAPAN | Coindesk Japan

On March 25, Yuga Labs completed “Second Trip”, the second test operation of its own metaverse “Otherside”. Community members got a glimpse of what’s to come with Otherside, which is set to launch this year.

According to Yugalabo, about 7,200 players participated in the 90-minute test operation. Holders of the NFT “Otherdeed” representing land on the Otherside were invited, and one additional guest was allowed per holder.

CoinDesk was a guest at the private event, where you could interact with other attendees and participate in action-packed stories.

Trip to Metaverse

From the start, users were lured into a sci-fi fantasy world that combines elements of the popular MMOPRG (Massively Multiplayer Online RPG) and NFT culture.

First, users began their journey by entering an empty arena, the Infinity Space, to familiarize themselves with controlling avatars and sending messages to other players. Participants could gather in small groups and talk to each other. Players will only be able to converse with other players who are nearby, and it was designed to mimic the real world, said Michael Figge, chief creative officer at Yuga Labs.

Screenshot of Otherside Second Trip (CoinDesk/Cam Thompson)

After about 20 minutes, a large screen appeared in Infinity Space. A message from Curtis, the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) mascot and host of the experience, appeared.

Curtis divides the participants into four color groups and announces their captains. Luster (yellow) led by Yuga Labs community program manager Lowbellie, Crimson (red) led by Twitch streamer Brycent, Veldan (green) led by Snoop Dogg’s son and NFT collector Cordell Broadus, and gamer Jimmy Wong. There are four groups led by Glacia (blue).

The clothes of the participants were replaced by the team color of the group to which they belonged, and were collected by group. After that, a wormhole opens and the player moves to the area for each team. Complete tasks to earn points. The game had a number of bizarre instructions, such as collecting “magic blobs” to give to a toad that breathes fire from its mouth. Participants ran, jumped, and flew to explore multidimensional space.

Screenshots of Otherside Second Trip
Source: CoinDesk/Cam Thompson

I got the blue team. Members of the blue team were given helmets with feathers. According to Yuga Labs, he will be airdropped into his wallet.

great expectations

Existing Metaverse experiences suffer from poor graphics, time lag, and hard-to-explore virtual spaces, but Otherside’s user experience (UX) was relatively stable and easy to use.

It was particularly detailed, and even though thousands of players were participating at once, it didn’t seem to spread the congestion.

Feedback from players has also been largely positive, with many expressing optimism about the platform’s future.

My 2nd trip in the otherside.The experience was smoother and more surprising than the first trip.Although some Ape holders did not get in.But we should continue to have strong faith in Universe of Otherside.They are doing something big!@yugalabs @BoredApeYC @OthersideMeta pic.twitter.com/2KRNMlh4OY

— Jackie_W (@JackieL75030261) March 26, 2023

“Second trip to Ohterside. It was smoother and full of surprises compared to the first. It seems that some Ape holders were unable to participate, but they should continue to believe strongly in the world of Otherside. It’s a big initiative. !”

As a non-gamer, the @OthersideMeta 2nd trip left me feeling optimistic about what a web3 metaverse could be. I can’t wait to get into the Otherside BAYC clubhouse for Apefest.

So these pockets of fud saying the gaming credentials aren’t proven, seems like a different question.

— Paddy.og (@PaddyWarburton) March 26, 2023

“As a non-gamer, Otherside’s Second Trip has made me feel optimistic about the possibilities of the web3 metaverse. Can’t wait for the Otherside BAYC clubhouse at Apefest.

Some people claim that their gaming credentials aren’t verified, but that seems to be another matter.”

Of course, there were those who complained about connectivity issues and questioned the importance of in-game items that remained shrouded in mystery.

thoughts on the Otherside 2nd trip:

– game design overly simplistic, got boring (tbh I switched to Diablo towards the end)
– people couldn’t connect, this is obviously a major problem
– still looming questions about the usage of resources, artifacts, Kodas, and frankly Deeds
+… pic.twitter.com/HzDiq0i12A

—tropoFarmer (@tropoFarmer) March 26, 2023

“Things about Otherside Second Trip:
– The game design was too simple and boring (to be honest, I switched to Diablo towards the end)
– There were people who could not connect.this is obviously a big problem
– I still have questions about resource usage, items, Koda, Deed, etc.”

public rehearsal

The gamification of Otherside is part of Yugalabo’s strategy to build excitement and familiarize users with the game ahead of its official launch. Yugarabo will hold “First Trip” in July 2022, welcoming 4,600 players to Otherside for the first time. Players who returned to Otherside in Second Trip were able to acquire the NFT “Obelisk” commemorating their adventure.

According to the NFT marketplace OpenSea, Otherdeed NFT has a trading volume of over $1 billion (approximately 131 billion yen, converted to 131 yen to the dollar). The floor price at the time of writing this article is 1.67 ETH (about $ 3000, about 390,000 yen).

Further trips are planned ahead of the official launch, Figge said. He is focused on developing an ecosystem that will always be accessible to NFT holders.

“With First Trip and Second Trip, we delivered a grand, theatrical experience, like a 90-minute show on Broadway,” Figge said. “But we’re pouring all the technology we’ve developed so far into developing Otherside, which will be more frequently accessible,” he continued.

Each trip gives you feedback on what went well and what needs tweaking. Yugalabo Chief Gaming Officer Spencer Tucker said Second Trip’s biggest takeaway is that players want a more intimate, community-building experience to strengthen their relationships with other players. He said he understood.

“This is definitely a point to consider when proceeding with development. Sustainability is necessary, but it is also necessary to have a unique identity and be able to form peer groups.” “What will a sustainable space look like?” As we look at , we want people to be able to stop and smell the flowers, but also be able to dive into a really cool experience,” Tucker said.

The dates for Third Trip have not yet been decided. However, Figge and Tucker said there is an opportunity for NFT holders to enter Otherside and experience a more advanced experience going forward.

｜Translation and editing: Akiko Yamaguchi, Takayuki Masuda
｜Image: Yuga Labs
｜Original: Over 7,000 Players Successfully Converged in Yuga Labs’ Otherside Metaverse ‘Second Trip’