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Nine Chronicles: A Deep Dive into Decentralized, Player-Owned Gaming

Want to own your in-game assets? Explore Nine Chronicles, the decentralized MMORPG where players govern the world and own their gear!#NineChronicles #GameFi #NFTGaming

Explanation in video

John: Welcome back to our GameFi insights column, everyone. Today, we’re diving deep into a fascinating title that’s been making waves in the decentralized gaming space: Nine Chronicles. It’s an MMORPG with strong idle game mechanics, and there’s a lot to unpack.

Lila: Hi John! I’m really excited about this one. I’ve heard Nine Chronicles mentioned quite a bit, especially its commitment to being fully open-source and player-governed. “MMORPG/Idle” sounds like an interesting combination. How does that actually play out?

Overview & Key Features

John: It’s a unique blend, Lila. At its core, Nine Chronicles is a fantasy RPG where you explore a vast world, battle monsters, craft powerful gear, and trade with other players. The “MMORPG” (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) aspect comes from the shared world and player interactions, while the “idle” component means your character can often progress, fight, or gather resources even when you’re not actively playing. This makes it accessible for players who can’t dedicate hours to grinding every day.

Lila: So, you can set your hero off on an adventure and come back later to see the spoils? That’s neat! What are some of the standout features that make Nine Chronicles different from other RPGs or even other GameFi titles?

John: Several key features really define Nine Chronicles. Firstly, as you mentioned, it’s fully open-source. According to their developer portal, “Nine Chronicles is an open-source online RPG” (nine-chronicles.dev, “Getting Started”). This means the game’s code is publicly available, fostering transparency and allowing the community to contribute, verify, and even mod the game.

Lila: Open-source is a big deal for trust, isn’t it? Players can literally see how the game works. What else?

John: Secondly, it’s player-governed and decentralized. The game operates on its own blockchain network, run by the players themselves (nine-chronicles.dev, “Getting Started”). This isn’t just about voting on proposals; players can actively participate in maintaining the network. This ties into its “dynamic in-game economy,” which is also heavily influenced by player actions – crafting, trading, and resource management.

Lila: A game run by its players! That sounds like the true spirit of Web3. So, the economy isn’t controlled by a central company? How does that work with items and currency?

John: Precisely. The in-game currency, Nine Chronicles Gold (NCG), and many of the items, especially high-end gear, are blockchain-based assets. This means players can truly own them, trade them freely, and they aren’t subject to a developer suddenly deciding to change their stats or remove them without community consensus. Crafting is a huge part of this; players gather materials, learn recipes, and create unique equipment, some of which can become very valuable NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens).

Lila: NFTs as actual gear you use in-game! That’s a direct utility. What about the gameplay itself? Is it all just idling and crafting?

John: While idling and crafting are central, there’s more to it. Players embark on an adventure across different worlds, facing progressively challenging enemies and bosses. There are various game modes, including an adventure mode, PvP (Player versus Player) arenas where you can test your mettle against others, and even World Boss raids that require community cooperation (Gate.io, “What is Nine Chronicles?”). Character progression involves leveling up, allocating stats, and choosing skills, much like traditional RPGs.

Lila: So it has that classic RPG feel of growing stronger and tackling bigger challenges. You mentioned “worlds” – is there a story or lore?

John: There is a narrative backdrop. The game is set in a vast fantasy realm, and as players venture through the “nine chronicles” or worlds, they uncover parts of this story. For example, the Nine Chronicles X account recently mentioned “World 9 hit hard” (X.com, @NineChronicles), indicating a progressing storyline and increasing difficulty. The focus, however, is more on player-driven narratives and the emergent economy than a deeply scripted single-player story.

Technical Elements

John: Let’s delve into the technical underpinnings, which are quite innovative. Nine Chronicles runs on its own dedicated blockchain, which was internally referred to as “Heimdall” (name confirmation pending official current documentation, but widely discussed in community resources). This blockchain is built using Planetarium Labs’ own open-source SDK called Libplanet.

Lila: Libplanet? What does that mean for the game? Does it make it faster or more secure than if it were on, say, Ethereum directly?

John: Libplanet allows developers to create decentralized games where the game logic itself can run on the blockchain. This is a significant step beyond simply having tokens or NFTs on a chain. It means game actions, like crafting an item or the result of a battle, can be recorded and verified on-chain. Because it’s a dedicated blockchain, it can be optimized for game performance, potentially offering faster transaction times and lower costs compared to running every single action on a general-purpose chain like Ethereum mainnet.

Lila: So, the game itself *is* the blockchain in a way? That’s mind-bending! What about the “decentralized game network run by its players” part we touched on earlier from the developer portal?

John: Exactly. Players can choose to run a full node for Nine Chronicles. By doing so, they contribute to the network’s security, decentralization, and uptime. There are no central servers in the traditional sense that can be shut down by the developer, taking the game offline permanently. The network’s resilience comes from its distributed nature. This is a core tenet of its design: “Governed by players and enhanced by a dynamic in-game economy” as stated on its Google Play Store page (play.google.com).

Lila: That’s a powerful concept. But if players are running nodes, does that mean you need a supercomputer to play?

John: Not necessarily to play. Playing the game, especially the mobile version “Nine Chronicles M” (play.google.com), is designed to be accessible. Running a node is a more involved process, requiring certain system specifications, but it’s optional for players who just want to experience the game. However, this decentralization brings a crucial responsibility: private key management. The Nine Chronicles X account put it very bluntly: “No Keys, No Game… your Private Key is EVERYTHING. Losing your Private Key means losing your account permanently!” (X.com, @NineChronicles).

Lila: That’s a stark warning! So, unlike a traditional game where you can reset your password, here, if you lose your key, your character, your items, everything is gone? That’s serious.

John: It is. This is standard for self-custodial crypto assets, and in Nine Chronicles, your account and its valuable items are essentially crypto assets. It underscores the true ownership aspect – you have full control, but also full responsibility.

Lila: What about the game client itself? Is it also special?

John: The game is built using the Unity engine, which is a popular choice for game development, allowing for rich 2D/3D graphics and cross-platform compatibility. The open-source nature extends to the client as well, meaning developers in the community can create mods and tools, further enriching the ecosystem. Planetarium Labs even hosted a “Modathon” to encourage this (nine-chronicles.dev, “Modathon”).

NFT & Blockchain Usage

John: We’ve touched on NFTs and the blockchain, but let’s focus on how they are specifically used within Nine Chronicles. The primary in-game currency is Nine Chronicles Gold (NCG). This is the native cryptocurrency of the Nine Chronicles blockchain. It’s used for almost everything: crafting items, trading in the marketplace, paying for certain in-game actions, and potentially for staking or governance participation.

Lila: So, NCG is what players earn and spend directly within the game’s own ecosystem. How do they get it?

John: Players can earn NCG through various in-game activities, such as completing challenges, selling crafted items to other players, or other play-to-earn mechanics integrated into the gameplay loop. The economy is designed to be circular, with NCG flowing between players as they interact.

Lila: You mentioned Wrapped NCG (WNCG) earlier. How does that fit in?

John: Right, Wrapped NCG (WNCG) is an ERC-20 token. This means it’s a version of NCG that is compatible with the Ethereum blockchain and other EVM-compatible chains. Players can “wrap” their NCG to create WNCG, allowing them to trade it on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) or centralized exchanges (CEXs) outside of the Nine Chronicles game itself. This bridges the game’s internal economy with the broader crypto market. For instance, Binance lists the price of WNCG/USD (binance.com) and CentralCharts also tracks WNCG/USDT (centralcharts.com).

Lila: Ah, so WNCG is for external trading, and NCG is for in-game use. That makes sense. What about the NFTs? Are they just weapons and armor?

John: Primarily, yes. The most significant NFTs are the equipment: weapons, armor, rings, and necklaces. When a player crafts a sufficiently powerful or unique piece of gear, it can be minted as an NFT. This token represents ownership of that specific item with its unique stats and history. These NFTs can then be used in-game, equipped by your character, or traded with other players on the native marketplace. The scarcity and power of these items, combined with player demand, determine their value.

Lila: So, if I craft an epic sword, it’s not just an item in a database; it’s an NFT I actually own on the blockchain? What are the benefits of that for a player?

John: The benefits are substantial.

  • True Ownership: As we discussed with private keys, you truly own the NFT item. The developers can’t just take it away or nerf it without going through the chain’s governance, if such mechanisms exist.
  • Provable Scarcity: The blockchain records how many of a particular NFT exist, ensuring its rarity is verifiable.
  • Interoperability (Potential): While currently focused within Nine Chronicles, the long-term vision for NFTs often includes interoperability, where assets might be usable or recognized in other games or platforms, though this is a complex and evolving area.
  • Resale Value: Players can sell their hard-earned or expertly crafted NFT gear for NCG, and subsequently for WNCG, potentially realizing real-world value for their time and skill.

Lila: That really changes the dynamic from traditional gaming where you pay for items you never truly own. What blockchain does Nine Chronicles itself use for these NFTs and NCG? Is it its own, or does it piggyback on something like Polygon or BNB Chain?

John: NCG and the in-game item NFTs reside on Nine Chronicles’ own sovereign blockchain – the one built with Libplanet. This custom chain is tailored for the game’s specific needs, aiming for speed and low transaction costs for in-game actions. WNCG, as an ERC-20 token, exists on Ethereum, which is the most common and liquid platform for wrapped assets and DeFi (Decentralized Finance) activities.

Lila: So, two layers in a way: the game’s own chain for the day-to-day action, and Ethereum for when you want to take your NCG value outside the game. Smart!

Getting Started

John: For those interested in jumping into the world of Nine Chronicles, the process is relatively straightforward, but with some crucial Web3 caveats. The game is available on multiple platforms. PC players can download the client directly from the official website, `nine-chronicles.com`. For mobile users, “Nine Chronicles M” is available on the Google Play Store (play.google.com).

Lila: Is it free to play? Or is there an initial investment required, like buying a starter pack of NFTs?

John: Nine Chronicles is generally free to start playing. You can create your character and begin your adventure without an upfront purchase. The “play-to-earn” aspect means you can potentially earn NCG and craft valuable NFTs through gameplay itself. However, like many free-to-play games, there might be optional purchases or packs that can speed up progression or provide cosmetic items. For example, their X account mentioned a “Weekly Courage Pack” for $12.99, containing items like Ruby Dust (X.com, @NineChronicles).

Lila: So, a low barrier to entry, but options for those who want to invest. What’s the first step after downloading?

John: Upon launching the game for the first time, you’ll go through an account creation process. This is where the utmost attention is needed. Because Nine Chronicles is a decentralized game, you will be generated a private key. This key is your unique access to your account and all your assets within the game.

Lila: The “No Keys, No Game” rule again! How should players handle this private key?

John: It cannot be stressed enough:

  • Write it down: Physically write down your private key on a piece of paper. Make multiple copies.
  • Store it securely offline: Keep these copies in safe, separate locations (e.g., a home safe, a safety deposit box). Do not store it as a plain text file on your computer or in cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox, as these can be hacked.
  • Never share it: No legitimate game admin or support staff will ever ask for your private key. Anyone asking for it is likely a scammer.
  • Understand it’s irreplaceable: If you lose it, you lose access to your account and everything in it – permanently. There’s no “forgot password” option.

The developer portal itself has guides, and the “Getting Started” section (nine-chronicles.dev) is a good resource.

Lila: That’s a big responsibility, but it makes sense given the true ownership aspect. Once the account is set up and the key is secured, what’s next?

John: Then you create your character, choosing your appearance and initial setup. The game will typically guide you through a tutorial that introduces the basic mechanics: combat, moving through the world, your first crafting tasks, and how to navigate the menus. Since it has idle mechanics, you’ll learn how to set your character to automatically battle enemies in a stage or gather resources.

Lila: And then it’s off to explore the nine worlds? Is there a community or resources for new players if they get stuck?

John: Yes, after the tutorial, you begin your journey. There’s an active community around Nine Chronicles. Players can often find help and advice on platforms like Discord, Telegram, or official forums. The official Medium page (ninechronicles.medium.com) also posts updates, guides, and event information like the “Freya’s Welcome event for PetPop.” Engaging with the community can be very helpful for learning advanced strategies, trading, and understanding the evolving game meta.

Reputation & Reviews

John: When considering any game, especially in the GameFi space, it’s important to look at its reputation and what players are saying. Nine Chronicles has garnered a mix of feedback, which is typical for a game pushing new boundaries.

Lila: I noticed on the Google Play Store, “Nine Chronicles M” has an average rating of 3.1 stars (play.google.com). That’s a bit mixed. What are some of the common points of praise?

John: The praise often centers on its core philosophical strengths:

  • Decentralization and Open Source: Many players and Web3 enthusiasts applaud the commitment to a truly decentralized, player-owned, and open-source model. This is a significant differentiator.
  • True Asset Ownership: The ability to genuinely own in-game items as NFTs and trade them in a player-driven economy is highly valued.
  • Innovative Technology: The use of Libplanet and running a game on its own blockchain is seen as forward-thinking.
  • Idle Gameplay: For many, the idle mechanics are a plus, allowing progress without constant active engagement, fitting busy lifestyles.
  • Community Modding Potential: The open-source nature and events like the Modathon (nine-chronicles.dev) excite developers and players who want to contribute to and customize their experience.

Lila: Those are strong positives, especially for people who believe in the Web3 ethos. What about the criticisms or areas where players feel it could improve?

John: Based on general sentiment often seen with games of this nature and a 3.1 rating, criticisms can sometimes include:

  • Grind and Progression Pace: Idle games, by their nature, can sometimes feel grindy, and progression can be slow, especially for free-to-play users. If the balance isn’t perfect, this can lead to frustration.
  • Technical Issues: Being on the cutting edge of technology can sometimes mean encountering bugs, synchronization issues, or a steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with blockchain interactions. The need for robust private key management, while a feature of decentralization, can also be a hurdle for some.
  • Complexity: The blockchain aspects, managing NCG, WNCG, and understanding the decentralized network, can be complex for newcomers to crypto.
  • User Interface/Experience (UI/UX): Sometimes, decentralized applications (dApps) and GameFi titles are still maturing in terms of providing a slick, intuitive user experience comparable to traditional polished games.
  • Economic Balance: Maintaining a stable and fair player-driven economy is incredibly challenging. Inflation, deflation, or imbalances in resource availability can impact player satisfaction.

It’s important to note that developers in the GameFi space are often very responsive to community feedback and continuously update their games.

Lila: That makes sense. The “idle” aspect could be a double-edged sword – convenient for some, but perhaps leading to that “grindy” feeling if not carefully balanced with rewarding milestones. Do these reviews often mention the blockchain aspects negatively, or is it more about the gameplay loop?

John: It’s usually a mix. Some players fully embrace the blockchain elements and see them as the primary draw. Others might be traditional gamers drawn by the RPG or idle features, and for them, the blockchain layers can sometimes feel like an added complexity or a source of technical friction if not seamlessly integrated. The key for widespread adoption is making the blockchain elements feel additive and intuitive, rather than like a barrier.

Lila: It sounds like a game that strongly appeals to a specific type of player who values decentralization and ownership, but might still be refining its appeal to a broader gaming audience. Continuous development and community feedback will be crucial then.

John: Absolutely. And the open-source nature means the community can also directly contribute to solutions and improvements, which is a unique strength.

Q&A

Lila: John, I have a few specific questions that newer players might be wondering about.

John: Let’s hear them. This is a good spot to clarify some common queries.

Lila:

Q1: We’ve talked a lot about Nine Chronicles being “on the blockchain.” Can you simplify what that really means for an average player’s daily gameplay, beyond just owning NFTs?

John: Certainly. For the average player, “being on the blockchain” in Nine Chronicles means several things during daily gameplay:

  • Persistent, Verifiable Progress: Every significant action, like crafting a rare item, leveling up, or even some quest completions, can be recorded as a transaction on the Nine Chronicles blockchain. This means your progress and achievements are not just stored on a company’s private server but are part of a distributed, immutable ledger. Your character’s existence and history are cryptographically secured.
  • Decentralized World State: The state of the game world – who owns what, what monsters have been defeated, etc. – is maintained by the network of player-run nodes. This means there’s no single point of failure. If one node goes down, the game continues.
  • In-Game Actions with Real Consequences: When you craft an item using NCG, that NCG is actually consumed on-chain. When you trade an NFT sword, the ownership transfer is a blockchain transaction. These aren’t just database entries; they are cryptographically secure events with economic implications.
  • Fairness and Transparency (Potentially): Because game logic can run on-chain (thanks to Libplanet), critical calculations like drop rates for rare items or combat outcomes can potentially be made verifiable and transparent, reducing concerns about hidden mechanics favoring certain players or the house. This depends on how much of the logic the developers choose to run on-chain versus off-chain for performance reasons.

So, while you’re playing, you might not “see” the blockchain constantly, but it’s the fundamental infrastructure ensuring the integrity, ownership, and persistence of your game experience.

Lila: That’s a great explanation! It’s like the game’s DNA is made of blockchain.

Q2: You mentioned the in-game currency NCG (Nine Chronicles Gold). How exactly do players earn it, and what are its main uses besides crafting?

John: NCG is the lifeblood of the Nine Chronicles economy. Players can earn it in several ways:

  • Monster Drops: Some monsters may drop small amounts of NCG or materials that can be sold for NCG.
  • Quests and Achievements: Completing certain quests or achieving milestones in the game can reward players with NCG.
  • Selling Crafted Items: This is a primary method. Players craft equipment, potions, or other consumables and sell them to other players on the in-game marketplace for NCG.
  • Marketplace Trading: More advanced players might engage in arbitrage or speculation on the marketplace, buying low and selling high.
  • Play-to-Earn Mechanics: The game often features specific mechanics or events designed to reward active players with NCG. This could include participation in PvP, special dungeons, or world events.

As for its uses beyond crafting:

  • Marketplace Purchases: Buying items, materials, or gear from other players.
  • Enhancing Equipment: Some upgrade or enhancement systems might require NCG.
  • Staking (Potential): Depending on the game’s tokenomics, NCG might be stakable to earn rewards or participate in network validation/security (this would be more for node operators or those engaging deeply with the protocol).
  • Governance (Potential): NCG could be used to vote on game development proposals or community initiatives if such on-chain governance mechanisms are implemented.
  • Portal Usage Fees/Energy: Some actions, like teleporting or entering certain dungeons, might consume NCG as a gold sink to help balance the economy.

The goal is to create a robust circular economy where NCG is constantly being earned and spent by players.

Lila: It sounds very integrated. Okay, last one:

Q3: How and where can players trade their Nine Chronicles NFTs? Is it only in-game, or are there external marketplaces too?

John: Primarily, NFT trading for Nine Chronicles items (like gear) happens within the game’s own decentralized marketplace. This is an auction-house-style system where players can list their NFT items for sale, setting their price in NCG, and other players can browse and purchase them. This keeps the primary NFT economy closely tied to the game world and its currency.

Regarding external marketplaces:

  • WNCG is for External Token Trading: As we discussed, WNCG (the wrapped, ERC-20 version of NCG) can be traded on external cryptocurrency exchanges (both centralized like Binance and decentralized ones). This is for the currency itself, not typically for the in-game item NFTs.
  • Item NFT Trading Externally (Limited/Complex): While technically an NFT on its own chain could be bridged or represented on another chain for trading on marketplaces like OpenSea, this is a more complex process and depends on whether Planetarium Labs or the community builds and supports such bridges for item NFTs. For most players, the in-game marketplace will be the primary venue. The focus is on a self-contained item economy first. Some games do eventually enable broader NFT marketplace support if their NFTs are on a widely supported chain (like Ethereum or Polygon directly), but Nine Chronicles uses its own chain for items.

So, for now, expect to trade your powerful swords and armor mainly with other adventurers directly inside the Nine Chronicles world. This ensures the items stay within the game’s ecosystem where they have utility.

Developer Info

John: The driving force behind Nine Chronicles is Planetarium Labs. They are a South Korea-based Web3 game technology company focused on building decentralized, community-powered gaming experiences. Their vision is to create games that can run forever, free from centralized control, and where players have true ownership and influence.

Lila: Planetarium Labs… they sound quite ambitious! What’s their main technology or contribution to the space?

John: Their key technological contribution is Libplanet, the open-source software development kit (SDK) I mentioned earlier. Libplanet allows developers to create complex, fully decentralized multiplayer games that run on their own peer-to-peer networks. Nine Chronicles is essentially the flagship showcase of what Libplanet can do. They are effectively pioneering the “application-specific blockchain” model for gaming.

Lila: So, they’re not just making a game; they’re building tools for others to make similar decentralized games? That’s quite a significant undertaking.

John: Exactly. Their goal extends beyond a single title. They aim to empower a new generation of games where communities can own and operate their game worlds. As for tech partners, specific ongoing partnerships are usually announced on their official channels. The open-source nature of their tech, however, means they inherently “partner” with any developer or community that chooses to build with or contribute to Libplanet.

Lila: What about the roadmap for Nine Chronicles? What can players look forward to?

John: Roadmaps in live service and Web3 games are dynamic, but generally, Planetarium Labs outlines future developments on their official website (`nine-chronicles.com`) or developer portal (`nine-chronicles.dev`). Typically, these roadmaps include:

  • New Worlds and Content: Expanding the game world with new regions, storylines, monsters, and bosses. We saw a hint of this with the “World 9” mention.
  • Gameplay Enhancements: Introducing new game modes, improving existing systems (like crafting or PvP), and adding new character progression paths or abilities.
  • Economic Adjustments: Continuously balancing the NCG economy, introducing new sinks and faucets, and potentially new uses for NCG or NFTs.
  • Technical Improvements: Optimizing the network, improving client performance, and enhancing security.
  • Community and Governance Features: Further developing tools for player governance and community involvement in the game’s direction.
  • Interoperability and Ecosystem Growth: Exploring ways to connect Nine Chronicles with the broader Web3 ecosystem, possibly through more WNCG integrations or NFT utility expansions.

Players should always refer to the latest official announcements for the most up-to-date roadmap information. For example, their Medium blog (ninechronicles.medium.com) and X account (@NineChronicles) are good places to watch.

Lila: It sounds like a continuously evolving project, which is exciting for long-term players.

Summary

John: To sum up, Nine Chronicles stands out as a pioneering title in the GameFi landscape. It’s a fully open-source, decentralized MMORPG with idle mechanics, built on its own blockchain using the Libplanet SDK. Players truly own their NCG currency and NFT gear, participating in a player-driven economy and a network run by its community.

Lila: It’s definitely not your average mobile RPG! The emphasis on decentralization, player governance, and true asset ownership is what makes it unique. While it comes with the responsibility of managing your own private key and navigating some Web3 complexities, the potential for a truly community-owned and ever-evolving world is immense.

John: Key takeaways for anyone interested would be:

  • It’s free to start, with a mobile version “Nine Chronicles M” available.
  • Understand and securely manage your private key – it’s critical.
  • Gameplay combines classic RPG progression with idle mechanics, crafting, and trading.
  • The in-game currency NCG and item NFTs offer true ownership and economic participation.
  • The project is developed by Planetarium Labs, with a strong focus on open-source and decentralized technology.

It’s a game that requires a bit of a learning curve, especially if you’re new to blockchain, but it offers a glimpse into a possible future for online gaming.

Lila: For players looking for something different, something where their time and achievements translate into tangible, ownable assets, Nine Chronicles definitely seems worth exploring. The “idle” aspect makes it more accessible too, even if you can’t be at your screen all day. Plus, being open-source means the community can really shape its future!

John: Well said, Lila. It’s a project that we’ll be keeping an eye on as it continues to develop and grow its ecosystem.

References

Related Links

  • Libplanet GitHub (for those technically inclined): (Search “Libplanet GitHub” – Planetarium is the org)
  • Nine Chronicles Discord Community: (Usually linked from the official website)

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. The cryptocurrency and NFT markets are highly volatile. Always do your own research (DYOR) before participating in any GameFi project or investing in related assets. The value of in-game assets can go down as well as up.

Nine Chronicles, GameFi, NFT, Play-to-Earn, Decentralized Gaming

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