In this article, we'll be taking you on a ride through one of the projects that have redefined virtual experiences for players and fueled their zeal and creativity. Join us as we talk about Sandbox.
What is the Sandbox?
A play-to-earn game located on the blockchain, The Sandbox gives players the experience of creating a virtual world with the help of NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain. In this game, players are free to make their avatars navigate the several games, settings, and places present on The Sandbox metaverse.
In simple terms, The Sandbox is a classic blockchain-based game that allows players to earn as they participate in the game. According to the public whitepaper, their primary aim is to act as a door for successfully incorporating blockchain technology into the gaming world.
You can also address The Sandbox as an Ethereum-based metaverse and gaming ecosystem that provides users with the privilege to build, distribute and monetize in-game assets. Thereby giving them full-on game experiences.
In 2011, this groundbreaking innovation was launched by Pixowl initially as a mobile gaming platform that can challenge Minecraft. Generating more than 40 million downloads worldwide after its inception, it became a global hit and attracted a lot of interest.
In this light, the co-founders Arthur Madrid and Sebastien Borget in 2018 decided to experiment on the prospects of making a 3D metaverse on the blockchain. This allowed users to control their works as NFTs and earn rewards while participating in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. 2020 saw this release of this beautiful project. And it made marks as one of the fastest-growing games in the cryptocurrency world, right there as counterparts with Axie Infinity and Decentraland.
As The Sandbox users possess total control over their designs and works, it has created a niche for itself as an innovation that includes the prospects of breaking long-standing protocols in the gaming industry. Majorly around the regulations of user-generated content and restrictions on the rights of artists and gamers.
The Sandbox, with this, has proven to be an inclusion that not only disrupts existing processes but also paves the way for players in the gaming sector.
In November 2021, The Sandbox raised $93 million in investment funds led by the Japanese Softbank. Other attractions it got ranged from over 50 partnerships, including CryptoKitties, The Walking Dead, Atari, a famous gaming company, and hip-hop star Snoop Dogg.
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How Does The Sandbox Function?
With all the fantastic facts about this game mentioned above, the question of how it works naturally comes into play. As you might know now, players on The Sandbox can build and make their own unique NFTs. With the addition of virtual goods, custom avatars, and games with the help of VoxEdit and Game Maker.
So it's safe to address The Sandbox as a dynamic virtual world with user-generated crafts. Furthermore, the benefits loaded in these virtual goods spread across so much from interaction to monetization. Especially on the Sandbox Marketplace.
Their concept still stands with the two core projects mentioned that help users create their own NFTs. So what are VoxEdit and Game Maker?
VoxEdit
Used in creating, rigging, and animating voxel-based NFTs unique to particular players and artists, VoxEdit is an easy-to-use software tasked to help these users. Voxels which are square 3D pixels, can be edited quickly to result in several shapes.
These pixels, which look like lego blocks, are molded to make different shapes to create diverse elements. From game tools, clothing to weapons, design animals, and goods to use in The Sandbox. These virtual items can be later exported, after which they can be traded as NFTs on the Sandbox Marketplace.
This software has proven to be a catalyst for both artists and players alike in the creation of unique pixels which are converted into tradable NFTs.
Game Maker
This, on the other hand, allows users to build and examine their unique 3D games within the Sandbox metaverse. It's pretty easy as it's a program that doesn't need any coding knowledge to function. Players can be designers of several items and objects. Even NFTs made with VoxEdit, and organize them within the metaverse in a setting known as LAND.
Users can now modify terrains. Put characters and buildings in places of their choice and collect quests from the community-developed resources library. They also can help other users like them by sharing their works with the Sandbox community.
It's pretty vivid to see that the need to put these items for sale at the end of the process with these tools is imminent. So here's where The Sandbox Marketplace comes in.
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The Sandbox Marketplace
The Sandbox Marketplace was launched in April 2021 as an NFT marketplace for users to trade in-game assets (ASSETS) with the native cryptocurrency of The Sandbox. These acquired ASSETS can then be included into LAND with the help of Game Maker to create dynamic games.
These NFTs can come in different forms, from buildings to everyday items, which can all be used within The Sandbox. Players use several tokens to interact with the platform in this game. They range from SAND to ASSETS and LAND. Below is a brief explanation of these concepts.
SAND
As you might already know, the native token of The Sandbox is SAND. It is fully connoted as Sandbox, and it is an ERC-20 token with a total supply of 3 billion SAND.
SAND is a utility token which means it can only function within The Sandbox. Users can use this token to embark on any transaction and interaction within The Sandbox ecosystem. In other words, players that need SAND will play the game, make custom avatars, purchase LANDs. Or give ASSETS up for trading on the Sandbox Marketplace.
Also a governance token. SAND can stand to propose and vote on changes to the platform via a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) structure.
To cap it all, SAND holders can stake it within the game for rewards earnings. Including a share in the revenue from all transactions in SAND tokens. Like most merits found in staking, SAND can boost the chance of seeing worthy GEMs and CATALYSTs, the game resources needed for making ASSETS with a better uniqueness.
In simple terms, SAND, when staked, can improve the chances of coming across valuable game resources, which are GEMs and CATALYSTs. This leads to creating ASSETS with some form of rarity.
Some ways to acquire SAND include playing different games and contests in The Sandbox. You can also purchase SAND on cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance.
ASSETS
ASSETS is a term that has been mentioned a lot above. They are NFTs that are obtained from users. These voxel assets are made with VoxEdit. After being converted into NFTs, they are sold on The Sandbox Marketplace.
Their functions in the game differ from user choices. In some cases, they can stand as environmental assets such as buildings, cars, or even moving animals. They can be represented by wearables or tools connected to the avatar. In addition, players can create ASSETS to give dynamic gaming experiences for users that make their games on Game Maker.
LAND
As the name implies, LAND refers to a digital piece of real estate in The Sandbox platform. This unique ERC-721 token resides on the Ethereum blockchain and is purchased by players.
In total, there are 166,464 LANDs in The Sandbox. Players can buy these LANDs with SAND and ETH through public LAND sales. The Sandbox gitbook provides a list of confirmed general sales and dates. The Sandbox Marketplace and other NFT platforms also stand as alternatives where other users offer their LAND for sale. Note that there's a chance they are more costly than the official public sales in this case.
In addition to the uses of LAND discussed above. It also opens the door for players to put a price on their gaming experience. From charging other players that pay a visit to their LAND, participating in their games. Earning rewards in SAND through content and event hosting to renting or putting their customized LAND for sale, players can make a lot from their LAND.
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Conclusion
The Sandbox has shown great innovation and extraordinary brilliance. However, the more you dig into this game, you're open to the fact it's so much more than a game. It proves itself to be a place of learning while still granting the autonomy for players to be free with their creations while still creating opportunities to earn from them.
Therefore, players can now only trade, exchange, and sell their pieces and interact to help themselves and the community. As a result, the Sandbox has grown to put NFT games on the map and express the reality that the world can be better in so many ways. And while having fun and learning, in this day and age, peo
