DEBEATS music app has an in-game NFT headphone asset that enables holders to earn. This NFT is required to access the earn feature. (More on the NFT Headphones later in this article)
What are Beatmaps?
A beatmap is a set of game levels that are made up of various objects representing a particular song in the game. A beatmap, with respect to the game being played, can come with special motion graphics and effects that are part of the song.
Legal Permissions and Licensing
One of the setbacks that can take the fun out of a decentralized music gaming service like DEBEATS is in the permission restrictions it might encounter. Even though there are numerous songs that can be used, DEBEATS must be licensed to use these songs with permission. To ensure that this is done rightly, DEBEATS have been actively working on multiple partnerships to give users a library of different songs to pick from. With this agreements in place, users of DEBEATS can easily create a beatmap NFTs for songs they already love. By striking these kinds of partnerships with multiple record labels, DEBEATS provides a robust collection of songs to improve the user experience of their game.
Game Modes
Built with the Unreal Engine 4 for more visually appealing effects, DEBEATS is currently available in beta mode on the iOS and Android devices as active development is still being made.
Using Headphones
In the game, there is an NFT feature represented by headphones. The purpose of these NFTs is to give holders the ability to make beatmaps themselves. Different headphones give different enhanced effects to users.
We started this article by highlighting that DEBEATS is a “play, create and earn” decentralized game. The headphones NFT is a user’s pass to earn in the game. By holding headphones and creating beatmaps, you get to share continuously in the revenue earned from the beatmaps you have helped create. (Early app testers and supporters might get airdropped with free headphones).
DeBeats Gameplay
For the gameplay, the tasks of creating beatmaps are tied to multiple difficulty levels in the game. The higher the complexity of a beatmap, the higher the rankings you achieve in DEBEATS. By completing a beatmap excellently, you will be able to access the next level in the game. Below is a depiction of some of what you should expect from DEBEATS when it launches:
Download the game using the Test Feature (TestFlight for iOS)
Input your name and enter a unique username
Input your email address to get a verification code for logging in.
After getting the code from your mail, input and click “LOGIN NOW”.
If all inputs were correctly entered, you will be logged in successfully.
This is a view of how a game session looks like. (I selected Lucid. There are currently 10 beatmapped songs in the game but this is just for the alpha testing period. A lot more will be added before the game is released). Once the game begins, you need to press the buttons at the right time to create perfect beatmaps.
After a short sprint, I was able to get a 22,583 score with a ⅖ star rating. Quite low.
Why should we play games on Web3?
Building games on a blockchain like DEBEATS allows people to experience a trustless system that guarantees the growth of their community. There are two major ways in which blockchains help to improve the gaming ecosystem. These are:
- Asset Ownership: By keeping in-game assets on the blockchain with the use of smart contracts, personal holdings in the game can be secured irrespective of whatever happens to the game. That means you can easily transfer your digital assets from one place and to another and it is not restricted by the game platform.
- Play-To-Earn: With financial models built with blockchain systems in place (e.g cryptocurrencies or NFTs), gamers can earn such assets for performing tasks in the game instead of earning rewards that are not useful in the real world. It is also easier to convert blockchain games earning to fiat money.
Developers of DEBEATS
DEBEATS is being developed by Web3Games, a blockchain gaming ecosystem with 4 working products. These products are Protocol, Studios, Chain and Portal. With blockchains, a new model of game development have been unlocked through the use of NFTs and DeFi (decentralized finance) have been created. Web3Games is actively building decentralized gaming systems for gaming enthusiasts to enjoy the benefits of blockchain-based applications.
DEBEATS alerts a user with their daily missions which when followed will grant them rewards. These rewards earned are denoted in DB e.g., 50DB as shown below. After you have finished the tasks you can claim your rewards.
Every Headphone NFT you own appears in this section and you can select the one you wish to use in any game. I own the Mic Dealer NFT headphone shown below.
Users can see their ranking (position) among global gamers. Not bad for a first timer right?
Not to be confused with Ranking, the Leaderboard is a list of the order of ranks from highest to the lowest.
The SHOP is a directory of in-game materials you can easily purchase provided you have the amount they cost.
You can select the game difficulty level and start playing.
The more accurate you are in creating beatmaps, the more points you get.
Conclusion
DEBEATS is still in beta and is projected to be released officially in the coming few months.
More songs and beatmaps will be added to the application to ensure an interesting and robust game for users to enjoy. DEBEATS is bridging the gap between entertainment and the music industry.