Author: William M. Peaster, Bankless; Translated by: Bai Shui, Golden Finance
Starknet has one of the most promising gaming scenarios in the crypto space, and for me, the most compelling emerging project is Realms World.
Realms World is both a game multiverse and a customized autonomous world protocol on Starknet, whose architecture is uniquely designed to turn this multiverse vision into reality.
The first game to launch on this architecture will be (Eternum), which I recently emphasized. However, Realms World will become an on-chain playground where Eternum, other Realms ecosystem games, and other non-Realms Starknet games (such as Influence) can come together in unprecedented ways.
Thus, now is a good time to understand what Realms World is preparing to launch after Eternum and the underlying protocol are released soon. Below, let’s review the six main pillars of the project and their significance.
1. $LORDS and veLORDS
The core of the Realms World economy is its native ERC-20 token $LORDS, which is used for nearly all transactions within the ecosystem, from trading resources to building in-game structures.
$LORDS also powers the veLORDS mechanism, through which players and developers can stake $LORDS to acquire veLORDS, granting them governance rights and a share of the transaction fees generated across the ecosystem. For example, a portion of the $LORDS used for in-game auctions or trades is allocated to the veLORDS pool for liquidity and funding future development.
Additionally, $LORDS introduces monetization opportunities for alternative client interfaces. Developers can build custom web or mobile applications on top of the Realms World smart contracts, and these interfaces can capture a portion of the transaction fees generated through their use, creating economic incentives for excellent user experiences.
Of course, on-chain gaming infrastructures like Realms are also prepared to be used by an increasing number of AI players, so in the near future, we may see automated agent-driven $LORDS activities become a significant aspect of the economic flywheel potential here.
2. Core Layer and Public Layer
Another innovative element of Realms World is its dual-layer architecture.
First, the core layer serves as the immutable foundation of the Realms ecosystem, hosting global standards and shared mechanisms like the on-chain positioning system (OPS), a decentralized spatial mapping system for game assets. Changes to the core layer can only be implemented through governance votes, ensuring its integrity while allowing for adaptability over time.
Then above it is the public layer, which is a dynamic sandbox where developers can freely build without permission. This layer is where games, mods, and expansions coexist and interact using the standards established in the core layer. But developers can decide the depth of integration they want here, as they can freely innovate new game mechanics they deem fit in the public layer.
3. Communication Between Games
The dual-layer architecture of Realms World paves the way for interoperability, meaning communication between games.
Certainly, some in the mainstream gaming and cryptocurrency space see interoperable games as a foolish endeavor. To that, I would say they lack imagination, and we have never seen anyone seriously attempt this method as Realms World is trying now.
In other words, (Realms World) is built from the ground up, and the ecosystem along with its assets, mechanisms, and states can be easily shared or referenced between games, creating an interconnected gaming network.
Additionally, integrations will occur at different levels, so not everything will always be related to interoperability.
Lightweight integrations can involve shared tokens, allowing resources such as $LORDS or NFTs to be used across multiple games. For example, resources mined in Eternum can be traded or utilized in a separate production-focused game. On the other hand, deeper integrations can further advance by completely adopting the game mechanics or systems of another game.
In any case, players will benefit from the freedom to carry assets and achievements across games, while developers will have access to shared tools, assets, and state pools for building. Personally, I can't wait to see the experiments here.
4. Customization, Seasons, and Soft Forks
It is also worth noting how the public layer of Realms World makes its infrastructure and the experiences built on top of it completely open for customization and flexibility.
For example, think about customization. Developers can create a mod for Eternum that introduces naval battles to utilize existing game mechanics while adding a unique strategic layer. Then anyone who wants to use this mod can choose to join it as they wish.
Another interesting element here is the seasonal format, which will be used in Eternum but can also be applied to other (Realms World) games. The setup of this system allows each season to operate under its own rules, paving the way for constant iterations of new features or game systems.
Finally, the builders of Realms World have adopted a 'soft fork' approach in their protocol. Developers can create alternative versions of Realms games, propose changes, or introduce entirely new mechanics. Players will then be free to adopt or reject these forks, creating an elite and creative environment where multiple experiences are available.
5. Open Economy
Another thing I believe will lead to a plethora of clever experiments is how Realms World embraces open economic principles, allowing for the integration of external currencies into its multiverse.
In other words, players can bring their own ERC-20 tokens from outside the ecosystem into Realms games, increasing flexibility, expanding the scope of economic possibilities, and allowing players to define in-game value using assets of their choice, whether stablecoins, in-game currencies, or today’s popular meme coins. This approach will enable Realms World to support cross-game markets and other types of related applications.
6. The Fractal Scalability of STARKS
To say the least, Starknet has performed well. In a recent game stress test conducted by the Cartridge team, the network set a new record for L2, with over 850 transactions per second (TPS).
That being said, Realms World is fortunate because Starknet can go further. In addition to base layer optimizations, Starknet also has the potential for fractal scalability, meaning transactions can be split across multiple network shards, allowing full reliance on Starknet when needed.
As the Realms World ecosystem develops, this approach will be particularly useful in promoting its growth. However, fractal scalability will also allow individual games within Realms World to scale independently. For example, Eternum can accommodate thousands of players interacting in real time, while other games or mods can run simultaneously without affecting Eternum's performance!