Blockchain Gaming with Witek (Enjin)

Boxmining avatar Boxmining
5.3K views 260

Description

Support the stream: https://streamlabs.com/boxmining1 https://www.boxmining.com/enjincraft/ Blockchain gaming has been all the rage, with the introduction of Non-fungible tokens (ERC-1155) and cross ...

AI Analysis

Enjin is pioneering the future of blockchain gaming, moving beyond simple digital art to create a vibrant, interconnected multiverse where in-game items possess real-world value and utility. This deep dive with Vitek, Enjin's CTO, explores how their innovative approach, powered by Enjin Coin (ENJ) and the custom ERC-1155 standard, is transforming how players interact with their digital assets, all while tackling crucial scalability challenges with their upcoming Efinity network.

Here's a breakdown of the key insights and technical advancements discussed:

* Enjin's Vision for Blockchain Gaming: Blockchain gaming isn't just a trend; it enables entirely new forms of gameplay and provides game designers with powerful new tools. The goal is to move past the traditional model where game progress and items "rot away" if a game shuts down. Blockchain allows for an "infinite history" of assets and a "real economy" around games, providing immutable data and opening up incredible possibilities.
* The Power of Reserve Value: Enjin introduces "reserve value" by allowing game developers to infuse in-game items with actual Enjin Coin (ENJ). For example, a rare sword might have 100 ENJ infused within it, giving it a tangible material value, much like real-world gold or Valyrian Steel. This provides players with insurance; if a game no longer supports an item, they can "melt" it down to reclaim the underlying ENJ. This mechanism also encourages competition among developers, who naturally want to infuse more ENJ into their rare items, aiming for higher base values than their rivals. The fixed supply of ENJ (1 billion) means that as more items are created and held by gamers, ENJ gets locked up, creating an interesting tokenomics model.
* Addressing Scalability with Efinity: A major hurdle for blockchain gaming is Ethereum's transaction fees and speed. Imagine needing to pay a few cents in gas fees and waiting for confirmation every time you drink a health potion! This simply doesn't work for mainstream gaming. Enjin's solution is Efinity, a custom network designed to make transactions "absolutely free" for the average player and process them in "just a few seconds." It works via a bridge contract, allowing tokens to move seamlessly between Ethereum mainnet and Efinity. While power users might pay a small fee in ENJ for high-volume transactions, casual players will experience frictionless gameplay. Critically, existing games built with Enjin's SDKs will automatically support Efinity without needing any code changes, and the network is designed to support multiple chains for future scaling.
* Developer-Friendly SDKs: Enjin has built a comprehensive system for game developers, abstracting away the complexities of blockchain. Their Unity SDK (with an Unreal Engine SDK in development for later this year) allows developers to easily integrate blockchain features with just a few lines of code. It feels like an advanced inventory management system, enabling actions like sending items to players or facilitating complex in-game transactions (e.g., "send key to door") directly from the game logic. This eliminates the need for developers to worry about smart contract programming, which can be prone to bugs and security risks like the infamous DAO hack. The Unity SDK is undergoing a major refactor for speed and is set to be fully released on mainnet in June.
* The ERC-1155 Standard: This token standard, developed by Enjin, is a cornerstone of their vision. It addresses the limitations of earlier standards like ERC-20 (designed for cryptocurrencies, not flexible enough for game items) and ERC-721 (great for unique items, but not for fungible items or bulk transfers). ERC-1155 allows for the creation of both fungible (stackable) and non-fungible (unique) items within a single contract. It supports millions of different item classes and types and enables "bulk transfers" (e.g., sending 200 different items at once). The standard has been under development for over a year, with extensive community input, and is nearing its final submission, promising a robust and widely adoptable solution for digital assets.
* Samsung's Embrace of Blockchain Gaming: A significant validation for Enjin's approach is Samsung's integration. The Enjin wallet leverages the Samsung Key Store on the S10, providing hardware-level security for private keys, similar to a Ledger or Trezor. Even more importantly, the Samsung SDK directly supports ERC-1155 tokens, demonstrating Samsung's foresight into the future of blockchain-powered ownership in gaming.
* The Multiverse and the Monolith: Enjin envisions a vast "multiverse" where items can be used across multiple games. A prime example is the "Monolith," a single, extremely valuable item infused with over 1.1 million ENJ (worth around $200,000 at the time of the discussion). This item is hidden deep within the multiverse, requiring players to embark on a long, multi-game quest, collecting items, crafting, and deciphering lore to find it. This concept is openly inspired by "Ready Player One" but aims to be even more diverse, forcing players to navigate vastly different game universes and art styles.
* EnjinCraft: Minecraft on the Blockchain: Enjin has developed a plugin for Minecraft, allowing the popular sandbox game to integrate with the blockchain. Players can link their Enjin wallet directly to the Minecraft server, seeing their ENJ and EVE balances reflected in-game. They can then send and trade real blockchain-based items within the game using simple commands. While currently on mainnet (requiring ETH for transactions), it will transition to the free Efinity network. The Enjin team has poured effort into creating a massive, explorable world with quests (including one to find Vitek's "lost multiverse wallet"), mini-games, and hidden chests containing ERC-1155 items. In the future, tokenized "plots of land" could allow players to own and build on specific areas within the game, bringing true ownership to Minecraft. The plugin will soon be released publicly, allowing any Minecraft server owner to introduce blockchain items.
* Enjin Wallet Security: Security is paramount for the Enjin wallet. It employs custom code for private key handling to ensure keys are immediately cleared from memory, preventing other apps from accessing them. Keys are stored using two layers of encryption, and the wallet includes screenshot protection and a custom keyboard to prevent keylogging. It leverages device-level hardware encryption (like the Android hardware keystore or iOS equivalent) on top of its software encryption. The wallet has undergone a thorough audit by Oru Security, receiving positive feedback with only minor, non-consequential concerns raised. To prevent scams, the wallet is not open-sourced, as past experiences have shown this leads to malicious clone apps.
* The Broader Future of Blockchain: Beyond gaming, Vitek sees blockchain becoming an integral part of how we interact with value. He anticipates more businesses, even those not currently involved in crypto, adopting blockchain in innovative ways. Examples include smart contracts replacing traditional legal structures (like a blockchain-based marriage contract, complete with staked ETH and a charity clause for early divorce, as implemented by the host!), enabling censorship-resistant free speech, and fostering completely autonomous businesses. While there are dark sides (e.g., "hit contracts" on the blockchain), the technology's potential for self-executing, transparent, and immutable agreements is vast, potentially replacing many functions currently performed by traditional institutions like banks.

The overall sentiment is one of immense excitement and confidence. The Enjin team has been working for years to bring this vision to life, and with games finally launching and major integrations like Samsung in place, they feel the hard work is paying off. They are dedicated to overcoming challenges, constantly refining their technology, and reducing barriers to adoption to bring blockchain gaming and its broader implications to the mainstream.

Transcript

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Alright, and we're good to start. So welcome everyone to this amazing live stream. Today we got Vitek. Vitek, he is the CTO of Engine, the project I've been following for almost two years now, the real blockchain gaming, and we're going to talk a lot about blockchain gaming. We also have a little surprise for you guys. We got the Minecraft plugin with engine working. So Vitek, thank you. Welcome s...