The Debate of ETH vs. SOL and the Overlooked Layer 2 Conversation

In the bustling realm of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), the debate between Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) often garners significant attention. However, an equally pivotal discussion lies in the evolution of Ethereum’s network, particularly its expansion from Layer 1 (L1) to a diverse ecosystem of Layer 2 (L2) solutions. This shift addresses two primary criticisms of Ethereum’s L1: high gas fees and slower transaction speeds.

Ethereum’s Layer 1: The Foundation of Trust and Security

Ethereum’s L1 is often criticized for its high gas fees and relatively slower transaction speed. However, it’s crucial to understand that Ethereum’s L1 serves a specific purpose. It acts as a settlement layer, ensuring the highest level of trust and security for large-scale transactions, not typically intended for everyday retail use.

The Emergence of Ethereum’s Layer 2: A Spectrum of Affordable and Fast Solutions

The evolution of Ethereum has led to the emergence of various L2 solutions, each offering lower costs and higher transaction speeds. These include:

• Optimism and Arbitrum: Focused on scaling Ethereum while ensuring security.
• Polygon: Known for its versatility and wide adoption.
• Base, zkSync, and ImmutableX: Offering innovative approaches to scaling and cost reduction, with ImmutableX achieving literally zero gas fees.
• Linea and Scroll: New entrants providing additional options for users seeking efficiency.

All these L2 solutions utilize ETH for gas and settle on Ethereum’s L1, contributing to the Ethereum ecosystem by burning ETH and generating revenue.

The Misconception of Ethereum’s Inefficiency

It’s a misconception to claim Ethereum as a whole is plagued by high gas costs and slow speeds. The high-cost, slower L1 is designed for specific use cases, while retail activity increasingly moves to the more efficient L2s, especially during the bear market.

Security, Decentralization, and Specialization: The L2 Advantage

L2s are not just about lower fees and faster transactions. They experiment with various levels of security, decentralization, and specialization, adding richness to the Ethereum network. This experimentation includes the development of new technologies like the SVM, MOVE, and fully private chains.

Interoperability: The Bridge to a Unified Network

Critics often point to the poor user experience of bridging between networks and the fracturing of liquidity. However, advancements in interoperability, like Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), intentions-based bridges, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs), are paving the way for seamless integration between these networks. This integration hints at a future where specialized chains operate harmoniously, enhancing the user experience.

Conclusion: Ethereum’s Transformation into a Network of Networks

Ethereum’s evolution into a network of networks, rather than a single shared state, aligns with the broader vision of a modular, interconnected blockchain ecosystem. This development not only addresses the limitations of its L1 but also opens up a world of possibilities for users and developers alike.

TL;DR: Ethereum’s expansion from Layer 1 to a diverse Layer 2 ecosystem addresses its high gas fees and slower speeds, offering a range of solutions with varying costs, speeds, and features. This evolution transforms Ethereum into a flexible, secure, and interconnected network, paving the way for a more efficient and user-friendly blockchain experience.

The post SOL vs. Ethereum: Beyond Layer 1’s Limitations into a Network of Networks appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

MapleStory Universe, Nexon’s revolutionary NFT-focused blockchain games ecosystem, has recently announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Chainlink, a leading Web3 infrastructure provider. This partnership brings Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF) into the spotlight, poised to enhance the authenticity and fairness of game experiences within MapleStory Universe’s expansive virtual realm on the Polygon Supernet.

The Essence of MapleStory Universe

Expanding upon Nexon’s iconic IP, MapleStory Universe is a dynamic virtual world ecosystem that places MapleStory NFTs at its core. This initiative heralds the dawn of RX 2.0, a transformative phase that leverages blockchain technology to craft an unparalleled MapleStory Universe adventure defined by scarcity, open ecosystems, and community engagement.

Unlike conventional approaches, MapleStory Universe transcends the confines of a single game. Instead, it weaves together four distinct experiences, synergistically converging to create an enriched virtual cosmos centering around the MapleStory IP:

1. MapleStory N: A pioneering game within MapleStory Universe, introducing the cutting-edge RX 2.0 experience with innovative NFT integrations and limited-quantity item supplies.
2. MapleStory N Mobile: The mobile rendition of MapleStory N, seamlessly connecting with the PC version through shared items and characters.
3. MapleStory N Worlds: A creative sandbox inviting developers to design new MapleStory realms, from unique quests to novel game modes using familiar characters, items, and maps.
4. MapleStory N SDK: A dedicated software development kit empowering developers to craft tailored MapleStory-themed experiences, including mobile apps, thereby expanding the frontiers of the MapleStory Universe.

Elevating the RX 2.0 Experience with Chainlink

MapleStory Universe, conceived through meticulous exploration of blockchain’s potential, strives to be a vanguard in the realm of RX and virtual worlds. Central to its concept is a fixed quantity of NFT items, exhaustible in supply and never to be reproduced. These items, in limited quantities, pave the way for a novel reward experience, harmonizing with the myriad MapleStory experiences crafted by creators.

However, the mechanics of obtaining these items are equally crucial. The integration of Chainlink’s VRF is set to revolutionize this aspect. As adventurers navigate MapleStory Universe to acquire items, the assurance of fairness and impartiality in item allocation becomes paramount. Chainlink VRF enters the fray as a linchpin, guaranteeing a verifiably equitable item generation process.

In the grand tapestry of MapleStory Universe’s evolution, the vision extends beyond solitary authorship, aiming to transform into a collaborative platform sculpted by diverse creators and contributors. This necessitates embedding interoperability, transparency, and integrity from the very foundation — a role that Chainlink VRF is poised to fulfill.

Conclusion

Sunyoung Hwang, Production Director of MapleStory Universe Project, aptly captures the essence of this revolutionary collaboration. By selecting Chainlink’s blockchain services platform, MapleStory Universe upholds its commitment to decentralization and transparency, heralding a new era in virtual worlds.

TL;DR: MapleStory Universe, Nexon’s NFT-centered gaming ecosystem, partners with Chainlink to integrate VRF for fair gameplay experiences. This innovative collaboration enhances MapleStory Universe’s multi-game setup and delivers equitable item allocation. The alliance underscores a dedication to decentralized, transparent virtual worlds.

The post MapleStory Universe Partners with Chainlink: Powering Provably Fair Gaming on the Blockchain appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Today, Mighty Llama NFT, a Web3 gaming and animation project based on NFT technology, has announced their integration of Chainlink VRF and Automation on Ethereum mainnet. These Chainlink services were integrated to help power lucky draw games that are meant to provide value to NFT holders.

Chainlink is the largest decentralized oracle network in the world, and major NFT projects have integrated VRF in the past for things like NFT minting. Chainlink Data Feeds have also been used to help create dynamic NFTs by notable figures like former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant for his company, Personal Corner.

Mighty Llama NFT is a 3D NFT gaming, animation, and metaverse brand that focuses on entertainment, art, and creative uses of blockchain technology. Mighty Llamas’ Genesis collection will be a complimentary NFT mint on Ethereum that will be released at the end of October 2022.

In the team’s blog post, Mighty Llama noted that their “primary focus is to create games and fun experiments for our users and community.” One of the ways that the team plans to do this is by allowing Mighty Llama NFT holders to earn native tokens and in-game digital items through lucky draw games.

“At Mighty Llama we focus on delivering secure, decentralized, entertaining experiences, and Chainlink oracle solutions were the last piece of the puzzle for our genesis smart contract,” said Bardia Suny, Founder and CTO of Mighty Llamas NFT. “Their services are well documented, developer friendly, and easy to implement.” .

In terms of automation, the team integrated Chainlink with the goal of having the lucky draw game run on autopilot, and needed an external entity to trigger automatic execution, as that can’t be coded into the smart contract itself. The team either had to create the centralized infrastructure to trigger lucky draw game rounds to start and stop, or find a decentralized automation service. In the end they decided to integrate Chainlink’s services.

The post Mighty Llama Has Integrated Chainlink to Help Power Lucky Draw Games appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Today, Tentacular, a utility-enabled NFT collection, has announced their integration of Chainlink Verifiable Random Function (VRF) on Ethereum mainnet. Tentacular is integrating Chainlink as a source of randomness to help randomly select winners in the Tentacular Berry Juicer game. 

Chainlink VRF is seen by many as the industry standard random number generator (RNG) and has been used by major NFT projects to provide a verifiable source of randomness.

Tentacular is a utility-enabled NFT collection of 5,556 Planet Berrylius citizens who have escaped and are now migrating to the Ethereum blockchain. As an adopter of a Tentacular, you get access to their Tentacular ecosystem. 

Users can farm daily berries and use them in the Berry Juicer game, a game that mixes chance and strategy for maximum excitement. Users can organize their farm, save up their berries, and calculate their Juice Squeeze entries, and then enter daily, or strike all at once.

According to the team’s blog post, the game is ripe for strategic gameplay and gives players the chance to make it big in the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly Juice Squeezes. 

In order to help ensure that Juice Squeeze winners are truly selected at random, the team needed access to a secure random number generator (RNG) that any user could independently audit. This is where Chainlink VRF came into play. As an industry standard, VRF is the direction that many teams across the NFT and blockchain gaming world take for transparent and auditable randomness.

In the last two weeks, Hebys.io, an NFT search engine, and BetterTicket, a Web3 NFT ticketing service for events, have both been among the teams to announce their integrations of Chainlink VRF.

The post Tentacular NFT Has Integrated Chainlink VRF to Help Power Their Berry Juicer Game appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Nakamoto Games, an expansive GameFi ecosystem, has just announced their integration of Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF) on Polygon mainet. VRF is the standard random number generator (RNG) across many NFT and blockchain gaming platforms.

Nakamoto Games has integrated Chainlink VRF to access an auditable source of randomness needed to help ensure that individual NAKA Punk NFTs are distributed fairly through Naka Punk Mystery Boxes. This integration will allow users to verify that results from mystery boxes are underpinned by a tamper-proof RNG. 

Nakamoto Games is a blockchain gaming and metaverse ecosystem that offers up to 18 different gaming titles and is played by hundreds of thousands of users. The NAKA Punks NFT collection is a recent addition to the Nakamoto Games ecosystem, uniquely designed to power exclusive player clubs and help users accrue value. Nakamoto Games says that their community-first approach and robust economic model have led to the platform’s rapid rise, with a fast-growing gaming ecosystem and community. 

“Chainlink VRF is simple but powerful,” said Chawalit Rugsasri, CEO of Nakamoto Games. “By using VRF in NAKA Punk Mystery Boxes, we’re able to level up the transparency and fairness for users in a way that would never be possible in Web2. Integrating Chainlink VRF was the perfect solution for our community-first approach. Our players can now have higher confidence that the NAKA Punk they receive was distributed in a truly random manner.”

Nakamoto Games is a constantly evolving ecosystem that some say is poised to dominate the Web3 gaming industry. In the future, the company plans to explore different possibilities created by oracle-powered data offerings for future gaming releases and multi-chain expansion.

The post Nakamoto Games Announces Chainlink VRF Integration for Random NAKA Punks appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Today, Meta Gladiators, an NFT GameFi project, has integrated Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF) on Ethereum mainnet to help determine winners in its Degen Arena. 

Chainlink is known as the largest decentralized oracle network in the world, and secures tens of billions of dollars in smart contracts. NFT-related projects using Chainlink include Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), CyberKongz, and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant’s project, Personal Corner.

Chainlink VRF is often used in blockchain gaming projects for verifiable randomization and NFT projects for verifiably random NFT minting. VRF is seen by many as the standard random number generator (RNG) in the blockchain space.

“Verifiable randomness is essential when creating transparent and fair on-chain game experiences,” Richard Larsson, Co-Founder and Tech Lead at Meta Gladiators. “That’s why Chainlink VRF was the obvious choice for us—it’s the most secure and reliable RNG in the blockchain industry.”

Meta Gladiators is a GameFi NFT gladiator game based on a system that allows NFT holders to stake their gladiator in the Degen Arena, where they compete to win each other’s NFTs. It is also possible to stake additional ETH in each battle. If you win a duel, you win your opponent’s NFT (and any additional ETH that was staked), but if you lose, you lose your own NFT.

Chainlink VRF is used to help determine duel winners in the Degen Arena and is an RNG that any user can securely and independently audit. In a blog post, the Meta Gladiators team said that they chose Chainlink VRF because it is based on cutting-edge academic research. 

This week various projects have announced their integrations of Chainlink’s technology, including Swingby, who has integrated Chainlink Proof of Reserve into their Skybridge product. Yesterday, Chainlink Price Feeds also went live on Metis, a fully operable layer 2 on Ethereum.

The post Meta Gladiators Has Integrated Chainlink To Help Determine Winners in PVP Arena appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Today, Planet IX, an online game based on NFTs built on Polygon, announced its integration of Chainlink Keepers to automate in-game weekly drawings. Chainlink will allow Planet IX to securely and cost-efficiently automate the selection of IXT CAT RAFF winners.

In the past, Planet IX also integrated Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF), the standard for blockchain-based random number generation.

The Planet IX team claimed that they chose to decentralize their winner selection function using Chainlink Keepers, as Chainlink’s battle-tested network already helps secure tens of billions of dollars in DeFi. Chainlink helps ensure that every Planet IX Lucky Cat Raffle is executed on time in a trust-minimized manner, giving users stronger guarantees that it will function exactly as intended.

Planet IX is an NFT-based strategy game that gives players a unique gaming experience through true digital ownership via NFTs. The project claims to have over 260,000 connected wallets, a strong community and to be building on the edge of the NFT gaming experience.

“Planet IX requires best-in-class infrastructure to truly innovate in the Web3 space,” Karl Blomsterwall, CEO of Planet IX. “Chainlink Keepers is now a critical part of our stack, helping to make Planet IX drawings more fair, transparent, and automated.”

The IXT CAT RAFF is a part of the LuckyCat in-game corporation. This corporation hosts a pooling function where users can stake IXT to join a weekly drawing and potentially win a 2,500 IXT reward.

Chainlink Keepers are a decentralized service that was built to manage tasks on behalf of smart contracts. Keepers serve as a decentralized and economically incentivized automation bot that “wakes up” smart contracts when they need to perform critical on-chain functions, which usually take place at regular time intervals (e.g., every day at the same time) or based on external events (e.g., when an asset hits a specific price).

Last week, Chainlink Keepers were also integrated by Burn.Party, a platform created by Elongate, a social media and social impact platform that has also delved into the NFT space. Aavegotchi expanded their use of Chainlink VRF to help calculate “Alchemia” included with Gotchiverse land parcels, and Solanart, the first NFT marketplace on Solana, integrated Chainlink Price Feeds to accurately and securely display NFT prices.

The post Planet IX Has Integrated Chainlink Keepers On Polygon appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Today Potluck Labs, an NFT incubator, and a subsidiary of Potluck Protocol, announced that it has integrated Chainlink Price Feeds and VRF on Avalanche and Fantom mainnet. 

The incubator will reference Chainlink’s AVAX/USD Price Feed on Avalanche, and the FTM/USD Price Feed on Fantom. In a blog post, the Potluck Labs team said that they have integrated Chainlink to help NFT buyers make more informed decisions. Chainlink’s Price Feeds will allow Potluck to display accurate price conversions.

Potluck Labs has also integrated Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF), the leading random number generator in the space that has been used by well-known names like the NBA, Dolce & Gabbana, CyberKongz, Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), and many other notable projects, including well-known names in the sports, music, and art industries.

“Integrating Chainlink Price Feeds and VRF for enhanced functionality and security was the next logical leap for Potluck Labs as it continues to scale into a leading NFT incubator available on multiple chains,” stated True Voodoo, Chief Vision Architect at Potluck Labs. “Chainlink trust-minimized services are helping create more seamless user experiences both for projects launching on Potluck Labs and for users purchasing NFTs through the platform.” 

Potluck Protocol launched Potluck Labs in December, 2021, and since then Potluck Labs has seen over 30 unique NFT mints, including mints from projects like Astrokids, Bot Squad Chickens, and Swol Chads.

Wallets that hold NFTs from Potluck Labs-approved collections also gain a small number of LABS, which is Potluck Labs’ native token, on a second-by-second basis. The incubator is currently live on Avalanche, Fantom, and Polygon, with plans to expand to other blockchains in the future.

The post Potluck Labs Has Integrated Chainlink to Support Enhanced NFT Mints appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Girls Robots Dragons (GRD) has just announced their integration of Chainlink’s Verifiable Random Function (VRF), a random number generator (RNG) used to help ensure fair and verifiable NFT minting for all GRD NFT minters.

Girls Robots Dragons is a fantasy & sci-fi NFT card collection made up of 15 unique characters (5 girls, 5 robots, and 5 dragons) in front of 2 randomly selected layers. The collection was created by Zoltan Boros and Gabor Szikszai, a duo known for their work drawing and painting card decks for Magic the Gathering, monsters for Diablo, illustrations for Dungeons and Dragons, and creating some of the best-known graphics for World of Warcraft and Star Wars.

“Chainlink VRF is the best solution for NFT projects needing a secure source of randomness,” said Szikszai. “By helping increase transparency and enabling the generation of provably random outcomes, Chainlink VRF gives our team peace of mind and inspires confidence from our community that we truly believe in creating a fair Girls Robots Dragons NFT mint.”

Boros and Szikszai established their international careers in Budapest at a fantasy book publisher, and have been involved in creating cover art for hundreds of sci-fi and fantasy books. As a tribute to the artists’ decades-long history, the back of every NFT will showcase one of their classic artworks.

The GRD NFT minting for their first public sale is ending June 28, with the first 3,000 GRD NFTs receiving DUST tokens equal to the original price of the NFT. GRD NFTs are unique as they’re purchased via credit card, with no crypto address required.

According to the GRD team, some holders will also be able to redeem extra benefits with their NFTs, such as the ability to collect bonus art, get their initial purchase price back, meet with the artists online, or win ETH or merch.

Chainlink news continues to roll in. On Wednesday, Chainlink Price Feeds went live on the Moonbeam Network, and the week before saw Chainlink VRF (often used in blockchain gaming and NFT minting) and Chainlink Keepers go live on Avalanche. Several weeks ago Chainlink Price Feeds also went live on Solana mainnet. 

The network continues to expand its services to various blockchains, while Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), which will provide a universal, open standard for developers to build secure services and applications, is expected to be available later this year.

The post Girls Robots Dragons Has Integrated Chainlink to Support Fair NFT Minting appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

It’s been a busy week for Chainlink. Last Friday, Chainlink Price Feeds went live on Solana mainnet, with quick integrations on the blockchain announced by UPFI and Apricot Finance. Chainlink staking was announced earlier in the week, and yesterday two Chainlink services, VRF and Keepers, went live on Avalanche.

Today, LonelyPop, an NFT collection and community centered around the artistic expression of loneliness, announced their integration of Chainlink VRF. VRF was integrated to help ensure a fair and verifiably random NFT reveal for LonelyPop NFT minters, ahead of the mint set to launch on June 14th.

VRF stands for Verifiable Random Function, a provably fair and verifiable random number generator (RNG) that enables smart contracts to access random values without compromising security or usability. VRF V2 was launched in February 2022, reducing transaction fees and empowering smart contract developers.

LonelyPop was created with the intention of raising awareness of the importance of mental health, and specifically the challenges of loneliness. The project was built with the endeavor to gather a community around the idea of being lonely together and joining the LonelyPop family, community, and ecosystem. The project’s goal is to help people make lifelong connections.

Noinah, an artist and co-founder of LonelyPop commented on the Chainlink VRF integration.

“Chainlink VRF is the standard solution for NFT projects that need a secure source of randomness,” said Noinah. “It checks all the boxes, from verifiability to transparency and security. It gives our team peace of mind and inspires confidence from our community that we truly believe in creating a fair and robust system for this LonelyPop NFT mint.”

Chainlink VRF is regularly used in blockchain gaming and NFT minting to promote transparency and fairness while definitively proving that the RNG being used is truly random and can’t be manipulated.

On Wednesday, Megaverse, a company seeking to redefine the metaverse, also announced their integration of Chainlink VRF to support fair Mega Hero NFT randomization.

The post LonelyPop Has Integrated Chainlink VRF to Help Shuffle NFT Images appeared first on NFT CULTURE.