If you’re interested in the Web3 gaming space then today’s episode is for you! We’ll be unpacking where Web3 gaming is currently at, the trends we’ve been noticing, and what developments we expect to see from this field going forward. Here to help us unpack this topic is special guest, Kepler, a builder, and writer who specializes in crypto and the Web3 gaming space. Tuning in you’ll hear us discuss the state of Web3 gaming, the role that speculation plays in feeding this ecosystem, and how these games are succeeding (and failing) at creating new genres and formats. Our conversation covers some of the challenges that Web3 gaming is currently facing, including how to support both investors and gamers, and what it means to create an infrastructure that accommodates a range of risk profiles. We also discuss the concept of social innovation in gaming, how Web3 is facilitating it, and what some of our favourite Web3 games. Key Points From This Episode: Get to know today’s guest, Kepler, and how he got into the Web3 gaming space. Top takeaways from the recent article that Kepler wrote on Web3 gaming. Kepler’s thoughts on the future of Web3 gaming and how to limit speculation. The potential for people to play Web3 games for fun, and not just with an earning mindset. An overview of battle royale games and how they are significant to Web3 gaming. The potential role that esports and streamers could play in Web3 gaming. A breakdown of the analogy that compares Web3 games to nightclubs. How to create a Web3 game that accommodates a range of players. Why Web3 games should have the option of playing with different risk profiles. The concept of permadeath and how it affects your gaming experience. The difficult decision many Web3 games are facing when it comes to prioritizing their investors or their gamers. The new genres and functionalities that crypto and Web3 gaming could potentially offer. How Web3 gameplay is paving the way for social innovation. Why developers need to understand what different players are motivated by. The benefits of giving people the opportunity to explore all your gaming features. The real reasons why NFT and Web3 gaming has grown so quickly. Learn what Kepler’s favourite Web3 game of the moment is! Tweetables: “When you open the economy to everyone, even players that are not inside the game, and you allow for trading, you also open it up to speculation. And that can basically destroy your whole game.” — Kepler “You probably shouldn't make every asset into an NFT. Because it just becomes way harder for you to control the economy.” “Crypto is basically risky. So what you could do is have players self-select a risk profile. So when you're looking at an esports game, some people just want to play the game, and others want to play wager matches. So that's much higher risk.” “At one point, mobile games got a template and then everyone did it. There's nothing like that in Web3 gaming, for now. But I think that's also the interesting part of it because we're in the exploration phase and not the exploitation phase of ideas.” Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Ever wondered how different the world of NFTs is in Japan? Well, today we are lucky enough to be joined by two great guests, Takuya Kitagawa and AT, to give us some real, first-hand insight into the overlaps and contrasts that are happening with regard to the burgeoning scene. We have a great conversation unpacking some basics about our guests' entry into the NFT space, and what initially drew them in. From there we look at the major hallmarks of what is popular right now in Japan, and how this compares to the rest of the world, before talking about important aspects of the field such as influencer and celebrity marketing. Takuya and AT then spend some time illuminating the inner workings of Nannda, and some more general thoughts on game design, and we finish off our chat by considering which types of games appeal to different Japanese demographics and why. Join us to hear it all! Key Points From This Episode: Our guests' paths into working in the NFT space, and their initial excitement about it. Insight into the state of the Japanese scene right now. Thoughts on the current NFT projects that are having success in Japan. Contextualising differences in the Japanese market and some reasons for popularity. Influencer marketing of NFTs and the main drives for demand. The culture of big celebrity endorsement for brands and how this figures into the NFT landscape. Barriers to entry that are influencing the Japanese market right now. Comparing the mechanism at Nannda to other examples of play-to-earn. Risk and reward in the two different approaches to game design. The importance of the social dimension to games to increase engagement and difficulty. Japanese audiences' attitudes towards different types of games. Favourite NFT picks from Takuya and AT! Tweetables: “Influencer marketing itself is big in Japan, YouTubers are big, TikTokers are big. But this actually hasn't come to the NFT world yet.” “Japanese audiences play any kind of game, individual oriented game or a social game. Either way works. If it is a more individual game, you typically have to do more campaigns.” “When I see the Nouns community evolving really well, I get really excited, seeing that maybe that is the future of NFTs.” Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://twitter.com/a_t__3_jp (AT) https://twitter.com/takuyakitagawa?lang=en (Takuya Kitagawa on Twitter) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

This week we continue with our NFT awards. Today’s category is people’s favourite NFT games. Joining us in conversation is one of the most influential voices in the NFT space today, Mete Gultekin aka Vader Research! Tune in to hear about the games that ranked in the top three, the strategy of game-makers, and why liquidity is essential within the NFT marketplace. You’ll also hear our thoughts on whether compelling NFT gaming is possible, how our game that ranked first brought people into the world of NFTs, NFT gaming, and crypto. Our guest also reveals the unexpected similarities between the gaming and nightclub promotional models and touches on the sociological implications of the changing gaming space. Tune in today to hear more from this expert in all things NFT gaming! Key Points From This Episode: Today’s topic, continuing in our conversation on NFT awards: your favourite NFT games. Gods Unchained, how it works, and why it ranked third place in the NFT game awards. How blockchain-based games strategise monetarily. What Web3 games will change about their approach going forwards. Why trading mechanisms depend on a healthy secondary market and a friction-free marketplace. The importance of liquidity and balance within the NFT marketplace. Second place: Forgotten Runes. The crossover between art, metaverse, NFTs, and gaming. Answering the question of whether compelling gaming is possible. Our game that ranked first and how it brought people into NFTs, NFT gaming, and crypto. What has driven growth for Axie Infinity, and why the number of game players has dropped even though the quality has improved. How the NFT gaming space can be approached in the same way as the nightclub model. The expectations for Axie that have not been met and why it is increasingly difficult to get gamers’ attention. Game design and the different roles one can have, from pure enjoyment to monetary gain. Our guest’s thoughts on what makes for compelling gameplay. Answering the question of whether it’s truly possible to make game play fun in NFT gaming. The sociological implications of the changing gaming space. Tweetables: “Having liquidity is definitely important; otherwise, it’s going to be a very frustrating experience for the players.” — @DeFiVader “Forgotten Runes is not a typical NFT game in that it appeals to a different crowd. There is a pretty strong delineation between people who are interested in PFPs, people who are interested in art, [and] people who are interested in NFT gaming. There’s some crossover but not a lot.” @SabretoothSG “One of the things that could create a compelling gameplay, and not just in terms of being fun and enjoyable, where you want to spend ten hours on it, but rather that it is open enough that it is welcoming to anyone who wants to engage.” — @DeFiVader Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://twitter.com/defivader (Vader Research on Twitter) https://defivader.medium.com/night-clubs-web3-games-bd71be9eb6d4 (Night Clubs and Web3 Games) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising) https://twitter.com/floorisrising (Floor Is Rising on Twitter)

Today, we will discuss the results of the top metaverse projects with a special guest, Ogar. He originally worked in design and production in the video game and the esports industry for 10 years until he found his true calling in NFTs, blockchains, and the metaverse. Ogar launched his company in 2019, Ogar Production, to pursue his passion for alternative art that embraces the voxel atheistic. His work focuses on creating buildings and assets within the metaverse space, one block at a time! In this episode, we go through the various winners and discuss what makes them stand out, as well as the future potential and challenges for the metaverse space. We learn details about the winners, what Ogar thinks about the various projects, aspects that make each project special, the role of big corporations in the space, the value of indie projects, and much more! Tune in to hear from a leader and respected figure within this cutting-edge industry, Ogar! Key Points From This Episode: We learn how Ogar first started in the NFT space and what he is currently working on. Background about Sandbox and why he thinks it is an interesting project. What Ogar sees as the competitive advantage of Sandbox compared to similar projects. How he thinks Sandbox can strike a balance between people and technology. He shares what he thinks about the future potential and challenges are for Sandbox. What the new OM project is and how Ogar would characterize it. Whether OM will be able to meet the promises of users and be sustainable. Discussion about the narrative of OM and how it is beneficial to scaling the project. Learn about Cryptovoxels and what makes it different to other metaverses. Aspects that he enjoys the most about Cryptovoxels and why he values it the most. The vision that the developers of Cryptovoxels have in common with Ogar. Some of the problems and challenges that Cryptovoxels may have in future. Comparison of Cryptovoxels to other metaverses. The characteristics of Cryptovoxels that makes it appealing to people. How Ogar feels about Cryptovoxels’ focus on art within the digital space. An overview of the winner of the vote: Decentraland. Why Ogar thinks Decentraland won and what is the mass appeal. Ogar gives us his opinion on the role of Facebook in popularising metaverse. We end the show by finding out what Ogar’s favorite metaverse project is. Tweetables: “Whatever you deliver, you deliver it in a better world.” — @Dat_Ogar [0:12:56] “I believe that the metaverse will be the one to clear the path and act like a laboratory of metaverse societies that will function under the development of decentralized contracts.” — @Dat_Ogar [0:24:22] “In Cryptovoxels, I feel like there is more life and also feel that they did more to include people that didn’t have a lot of money or a lot of crypto, in order to push them to build.” — @Dat_Ogar [0:37:53] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://twitter.com/Dat_Ogar (Ogar on Twitter) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

In 2017, Jason Bailey immersed himself in the world of NFTs, with the hope of slowly shaping a better art world. Four years later, the industry exploded into the mainstream, and although it looks different from what Jason had imagined, the increased levels of access and democratization keep him passionate about, and inspired by, the space. Even before becoming involved with NFTs, Jason lived his life at the intersection of art and technology, with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in art and 20 years of experience working for tech startups. For these reasons, we thought he would be the perfect guest to join us for a deep dive into the work of the winners of this year’s FIR Awards! Listen in as Jason shares his thoughts on artists Cath Simard, Deafbeef, Beeple, and XCOPY, and why the legacy of the NFT revolution will be the social change that it has brought about. Key Points From This Episode: An overview of Jason’s journey navigating the intersection between art and technology. Jason’s entry into the world of NFTs in 2017, and how things have changed since then. Motivation behind the founding of ClubNFT. An introduction to the work of NFT artist Cath Simard. The original crypto art collectors and what that bulk of new NFT collectors are buying. Factors that make the work of Deafbeef unusual in the NFT space. Thoughts on the accessibility of Deafbeef’s work. How most of the traditional art world views NFTs, and why Jason disagrees. Changes to the art world brought about by the NFT revolution. Jason’s love/hate relationship with Beeple’s $69 million sale. Exploring the work of XCOPY, the winner of the FIR Awards! Tweetables: “In NFTs, it’s not just that the art stands alone, but there’s also a sense that you can follow along with the artist, look up to the artist, or at least admire them for their principles and their approach.” — Jason Bailey “[NFTs] really did, to some degree, democratize who gets to make art and ways of selling art and who feels comfortable collecting art. We probably have more art collectors today than we’ve ever had in history, and maybe more artists selling work than we’ve ever had in history.” — Jason Bailey https://twitter.com/artnome (Jason Bailey) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

For today's show we welcome back Brandon Buchanan, to discuss the intriguing results of our 2022 NFT Awards where we surveyed friends of the show and look at the top four PFPs. This category of the awards was by far the most popular, receiving more votes than any other. And we have to be honest, there were some surprises! We get to hear some really interesting perspectives from Brandon on our top four projects, Doodles, Nouns, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and CryptoPunks. We discuss Pharrell Williams' involvement with Doodles, how Bored Ape Yacht Club rewrote the playbook for NFTs, the unusual roadmap that Nouns have created for themselves, and why CryptoPunks are still the most important player in the history of the game. Key Points From This Episode: Building a brand beyond the world of NFTs; Brandon's thoughts on funding and investment. Weighing Pharrell Williams' decision to come on board with Doodles and what this means. Nouns' daily options and the implications of this relating to pricing and demand. Looking at the Nouns trajectory and the long horizon they have laid out. Board Ape Yacht Club's serious impact on the PFP sphere, and their polarising status. Misunderstandings about the way that Bored Ape flipped the crypto playbook. Considering the influence of fashion, memes, and more general rules of branding. Why CryptoPunks are the Michael Jordan of the NFT PFP space! Thoughts on the role of the CryptoPunks founders and why they broke the mould. Tweetables: “I like that we are moving away from this idea that PFPs are just there to flex. I like this idea that NFTs can be a gateway to community, a gateway to participating in governance.” — Brandon Buchanan [0:07:14] “I think Bored Ape's contribution to the NFT space, particularly with the the PFPs has to be revered, they have done so much across the board.” — Brandon Buchanan [0:33:51] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:s http://www.brandonkbuchanan.com/ (Brandon Buchanan) https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkbuchanan/ (Brandon Buchanan on LinkedIn) https://doodles.app/ (Doodles) https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a36489849/pharrell-williams-interview-black-ambition/ (Pharrell Williams) https://www.ninachanelabney.com/ (Nina Chanel Abney) https://pitchfork.com/artists/30022-meek-mill/ (Meek Mill) http://www.jeffkoons.com/ (Jeff Koons) https://nouns.wtf/ (Nouns) https://www.moonbirds.xyz/ (Moonbirds) https://boredapeyachtclub.com/%23/ (Bored Ape Yacht Club) https://larvalabs.com/ (Larva Labs) https://www.larvalabs.com/cryptopunks (CryptoPunks) https://www.cryptoadz.io/ (CrypToadz) https://www.supremenewyork.com/ (Supreme) https://www.yuga.com/ (Yuga Labs) https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html (Michael Jordan) https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/russebi01.html (Bill Russell) https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/marcel-duchamp-1036 (Marcel Duchamp) https://www.warhol.org/andy-warhols-life/ (Andy Warhol) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Show Notes. Just as NFT technology has disrupted the way art is commercialised, so too is it disrupting the way art is curated. Joining us today to break down the role of curatorial DAOs is Lucas Pontes. Lucas is part of Fingerprints DAO and RAW DAO, in this episode, he fills us in on the greatest issues NFT collector DAOs face, as well as the solutions they aim to solve. We discover the parallels between the traditional art world and the NFT art world, in terms of legislation and curation, as well as the novel, decentralised curatorial system of RAW DAO and its subsequent challenges. Lucas predicts the evolution of the DAO as a format, before delving into NFT photography and what it means for the traditional photography space. Tune in to find out more about all things DAO, and how curation competence is ensured in the ever-evolving world of NFTs! Key Points From This Episode: How Lucas Pontes got into NFTs and how he got involved with Fingerprints DAO. Lucas explains Fingerprints DAO and his role in the DAO. The biggest issue with NFT collector DAOs: the unclear business model. Fingerprints DAO’s current business model and brand attributes. The solution Fingerprints is selling to NFT collectors. The balance between the DAO as a format and the art itself in terms of creating, retaining, and returning value. The novel and decentralised curatorial system of RAW DAO. The meticulous art-centred curatorial process of Fingerprints. How DAO members make decisions about acquisitions. The similarities between gallery and DAO acquisition processes. The parallels between the traditional art world and the NFT art world. The challenges of the decentralised curation model and ensuring curation competence. Fingerprints DAO’s plans to stray from solely Ethereum acquisitions to include real-world acquisitions. The impact of the NFT market on photography. The criteria by which RAW DAO deems a piece of NFT photography valuable. Lucas’ prediction of the evolution of the DAO as a format. How NFT technology disrupted the way art is commercialised. The differences between photography NFTs and traditional photography. Lucas’s favourite artists. Tweetables: “Perhaps the biggest issue with collector DAOs is there isn’t a very clear business model.” — @lucasponn “The main purpose of [Fingerprints DAO] is fostering the best collection that we can.” — @lucasponn “In RAW DAO there is a more decentralised curatorial system in place, which is quite interesting.” — @lucasponn “As much as people rely on experts, you can’t just say anything is art.” — @lucasponn “There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between the traditional art world and the NFT art world. At the end of the day, it’s still a bunch of people in art and you’ve still got the same problem of figuring out what is valuable and what isn’t.” — @lucasponn “If the curatorial process is entirely open, you’ve got to make sure that there isn’t a way for people to go into it and sway it to their will.” — @lucasponn “There is a big conflict between what is popular and what is good, and divergence within that. That is not going away with the technology.” — @lucasponn Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://twitter.com/lucasponn (Lucas Pontes on Twitter) https://twitter.com/FingerprintsDAO (Fingerprints DAO on Twitter) https://twitter.com/theRAWdao (RAW DAO on Twitter) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Show Notes Cole Sternberg is a critically acclaimed contemporary artist who is now entering the world of NFTs. His first NFT drop was on June 10th and in this episode, we hear about the broader concept of his work and how it manifests through the process of relinquishing control to code. Cole fills us in on what it is that he loves about generative work, and why he chose to embrace the technology tied to NFTs rather than simply turn his physical art into jpegs. We also find out more about the differences between the physical art world and the NFT world in terms of ranking and collector trends, interactions, and expectations. As a ‘crossover’ artist, if you will, Cole explains the dynamic (and the thrill) of exploring the new medium of NFTs, as well as the digital literacy gap between physical art and the NFT space. Tune in to hear about Cole’s exploration process, how his themes of human erasure manifest in his NFT works, and how NFTs act as a commentary on society! Key Points From This Episode: Why Cole Sternberg chose to enter the NFT world via Art Blocks. Cole’s choice to embrace the technology tied to NFTs, rather than turn physical art into jpegs. The themes of his work: erasure of the human hand, and the earth itself as a composer. How his upcoming NFT collection addresses these themes in the digital form. What Cole loves about generative work. How it feels to relinquish control to code versus nature. Cole’s learning process of thinking more abstractly and getting to his imagined final product. How interactions with collectors differ in the physical art world versus the NFT world. Why ranking NFTs according to their floor price is detrimental. How NFT curatorial concepts can (and should) evolve. The crossover dynamic of established contemporary artists moving into the NFT space. The digital literacy gap between the physical art world and the NFT world. NFTs as a commentary on society. Speculation on how Light and Space artists would have approached NFTs. Cole’s favourite artists! Tweetables: “All these different things emerge when you expose paintings physically to the elements.” — @colesternberg “That broad idea of erasing the human hand and giving it back to the earth, I wanted to address that in the digital form.” — @colesternberg “There’s not much transparency in the physical art world but there’s basically infinite transparency in the NFT world.” — @colesternberg “There’s an inherent crossover that should be irresistible to most artists.” — @colesternberg “It’s a crazy thing that a medium can come over a few-year period, tops, and become so prevalent in the world and in the market.” — @colesternberg Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://twitter.com/colesternberg (Cole Sternberg on Twitter) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Today on the Floor Is Rising Podcast we are joined by Prateek Shah and Drew Beller, the two Co-Founders of Spanning Labs, to speak about what their company is offering the world of NFTs and why artists and collectors should be excited about the expansion of possibilities they are bringing to the space. We get to hear all about the company and how our guests made their way to the advent of this project before we dive into their vision for cross-chain interoperability and the practicalities of what this will mean when they launch publicly early next year. Along the way, we cover some interesting ground, hearing from Drew and Prateek about the lessons in consensus the blockchain space has taken from robotics, what they see on the near horizon for the NFT markets, some of their competitors, and how they differentiate themselves, and a little about the architecture of their solution. So, in order to hear all about an exciting addition that might be the answer to your needs, be sure to press play! Key Points From This Episode: Our guests' backgrounds and journey into their current roles working in the NFT realm. Cross-pollination between robotics and the blockchain space. Spanning Labs' solution for cross-chain interoperability. Detailing how ownership changes in NFTs under the Spanning Labs NFT framework and what is meant by 'moving owners around'. The intricacies of blockchains like Solana and how the Spanning network fits into these transactions. Potential changes to the NFT landscape in the next few years, with increasingly lower barriers to entry. More power and control for creators to make decisions about their art. Drew and Prateek's perspectives on competition in their section of the market. Differences between Spanning Labs and competitive solutions such as LayerZero. Integration with OpenSea and how Spanning NFTs can be deployed and function. An explanation of multi-chain addresses in the current climate. Adoption strategies from Spanning Labs in the context of the bear market. The modular architecture of Spanning, and what this enables for transfers. Where and how to learn more about Spanning Labs! Drew and Prateek's favourite NFT artists and projects, and what they are most excited about on the horizon. Tweetables: “There won't be one blockchain to rule them all, but there might be one blockchain that's the best at payment processing.” — https://twitter.com/drewbeller (@DrewBeller) “It's really important to us that an NFT is always owned by the user.” — https://twitter.com/drewbeller (@DrewBeller) “The important thing to keep in mind is that it's not possible for a contract to meant to be deployed locally to interact in a multi-chain way.” — Prateek Shah “I am really looking forward to seeing more changes in the generative art space, specifically how we can start generating art on-chain.” — Prateek Shah Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: https://spanninglabs.com/ (Spanning Labs) https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcshah1996/ (Prateek Shah) https://twitter.com/drewbeller (Drew Beller on Twitter) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)

Episode 66: Show Notes. Today we have a great chat with generative artist, p1xelfool, about how NFTs became his main practice and source of income, and his philosophy towards the evolution of the art world. p1xelfool tells us about his focus on the feelings that art can evoke, and why he values these over intellectualisation and representation. We also discuss why making his work look distinctly digital is a central part of what he does at the moment, and how his path diverged from his focus on a more classical painting practice. As a relative newcomer to the world of NFTs, p1xelfool's story is one that many artists might relate to; we speak about the possibilities of the future, what it means to stand out in these burgeoning and sometimes overcrowded spaces, and where and who he draws most of his inspiration from. To hear it all from this great guest, join us! Key Points From This Episode: p1xelfool's route into the world of NFTs and the part that using Bitcoin played. The decision that p1xelfool had to make between pursuing generative art and painting. p1xelfool's innate attraction to obsolete technologies and low-resolution work. The market's appreciation of difficult mediums such as generative art. A look at the tools that are used in p1xelfool's creative process. Thoughts on 'concrete' and abstract generative works and why our guest shifted gears in his latest project. The challenge of standing out in the digital realm; how our guest approaches catching viewers attention. p1xelfool's thoughts on the current stage of his career and hopes for the future. The big influence that Nicolas Sassoon has had on p1xelfool's work and attitude. Tweetables: “I have always loved the idea of playing with obsolete technologies.” — @p1xelfool [0:05:40] “One of the things that I like about low-resolution works is that it is very restrictive, and I see that as a challenge.” — @p1xelfool [0:09:12] “When I started p1xelfool, I decided that I wanted to create something that is more sparkly, in some way.” — @p1xelfool [0:12:27] “I try not to represent anything. What I try to do is somehow evoke feelings or try to examine the feelings that a work brings in.” — @p1xelfool [0:14:40] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: http://p1xelfool.com/ (p1xelfool) https://twitter.com/p1xelfool (p1xelfool on Twitter) https://twitter.com/Nicolas_Sassoon (Nicolas Sassoon on Twitter) https://www.floorisrising.com/ (Floor Is Rising)