The Unofficial ExoPlanets Wiki

Edited by Ezvid Wiki Editorial on 17 July 2018

Among the games currently available on the Ethereum blockchain, ExoPlanets has garnered significant interest upon its presale of planets. We'll cover the intricacies of the gameplay and how it stands out from other titles listed on DappRadar due to its use of ERC-20 and ERC-721 tokens. If you're here because you're interested in celestial bodies, try this list of the best astronomy books. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

How Is It Possible To Own An ExoPlanet?

These planets are part of a game that exists on the blockchain. They are ERC-721 tokens that can be bought and sold among players, and once you own one, you can participate in aspects of the game such as mining and space exploration. While the ExoPlanets that you can own only exist in the game, they are based on real planets. The database of planets is based on real data form NASA, and the number of planets in the game is based on the number of real known exoplanets. You can "Own" one in the same way that you can own CryptoKitties or Factbars, digital assets that are backed up by the blockchain. Once you claim a Factbar, no one else can own it but you because it is one of a kind. The same is true of your planet in the ExoPlanets game.

What Is An Exoplanet?

What Is CryptoMatching?

CryptoMatching is an element of the game that determines how fast your planet will evolve into a society that can support space travel. Each planet has a different Life Rate, and your Life Rate dictates how fast your planet will evolve among the seven stages required. Through CryptoMatching, your planet is also matched with one of fifty real cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap. If the currency you're matched with rises in value, you'll earn ExoTokens, and the Life Rate of your planet will increase, getting you to space faster.

In Depth

ExoPlanets is a game on the Ethereum blockchain that involves ERC721 tokens based on real exoplanets using actual data from NASA regarding planets outside our solar system. Players can own an exoplanet and explore the galaxy to mine ERC20 tokens known as ExoTokens. Planets are currently being sold on the site's marketplace, with several variables affecting their desirability.

To understand what makes ExoPlanets different from other blockchain-based games, and why these tokens are valuable enough to spend real money on, let's first explain the difference between ERC20 and ERC721 tokens. These two types of assets are sold on the Ethereum blockchain, and one of the reasons ExoPlanets is so enticing is that it involves both of them.

Most people are familiar with Bitcoin and Ethereum, cryptocurrencies that rely on blockchain technology. By using a decentralized ledger, users can verify transactions without the need for a central authority. Ethereum's blockchain is notable because it allows for the creation of decentralized applications, or dapps, that use smart contracts to allow for the trading of alternative assets on Ethereum's blockchain.

Ethereum's blockchain is notable because it allows for the creation of decentralized applications, or dapps, that use smart contracts to allow for the trading of alternative assets on Ethereum's blockchain.

Beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, there are many different types of crypto coins available. Often companies will issue an "I.C.O.," where they sell tokens that represent a stake in their company, or use those tokens as currency to participate in that company's business. You can use Ether to buy and sell these tokens. Many companies are attracted to Ethereum because of its ability to incorporate smart contracts through a set of principles called ERC20.

When you make a transaction on the Ethereum network, no person is verifying your payment. Instead, it goes through a smart contract for the asset that you're buying or selling. ERC20 is a set of six functions for these smart contracts to ensure integration with the blockchain, and exchanges like ForkDelta allow for the trading of ERC20 tokens among users all over the world.

ERC20 tokens are like Bitcoin and Ether in that they are fungible, meaning all coins of a certain currency are the same. If you have two Bitcoins, and you plan to sell one, it doesn't matter which one you sell because they are worth the same amount. You can also deal in fractions of a coin in the same way you can deal in dollars and cents. But some assets are unique, or non-fungible. That's where ERC721 comes in.

You can also deal in fractions of a coin in the same way you can deal in dollars and cents.

ERC721 is a standard for smart contracts dealing in digital assets that are not all the same. One popular example is Factbar, online representations of facts that are researched and verified. If you own a Factbar, you are the only person who owns it at that time, and every Factbar has its own unique value. Highly-desirable Factbars are therefore very valuable because they are rare.

ExoPlanets are an example of a unique asset. The game will only contain 3,700 planets that you can own and play with, ensuring their rarity and value. 200 are being sold through a presale, with the rest available as more game features are released. Once they're all sold, the only way to purchase them will be from other players in the marketplace. When you purchase one, the price automatically increases, so if anyone else buys it from you, you'll earn a profit.

Beyond being a unique asset, ExoPlanets get their value from characteristics which affect their use in the game. One of the most innovative aspects is something called CryptoMatching. When you buy your ExoPlanet, it will be linked to a real cryptocurrency, one of fifty that are really listed on CoinMarketCap. This currency is tied to your planet's "Life Rate," and if the value of the currency goes up, so does your Life Rate.

One of the most innovative aspects is something called CryptoMatching.

Planets start out at level one, and must advance through seven stages before you can explore space. This takes time, and the amount of time it takes is determined by the Life Rate. That means that if your planet is tied to Bitcoin through CryptoMatching, and the value of Bitcoin goes up, you'll get to the Space Age faster, so it's good to consider the matched currency when making a strategy.

CryptoMatch will also earn you ERC20 tokens. As the value of your matched currency rises, you'll earn ExoTokens, which are the in-game currency. When you reach the Space Age, you can explore nearby planets and galaxies by sending out ships. This takes time and ExoTokens, so there is a strategy involved regarding how far you choose to go. Each planet you visit has a 70% chance of containing one of five valuable resources.

If the planet is resource-rich, you can mine from it. This is where the Proof-Of-Gaming mechanism comes in. While you are mining, you must log in and claim the rewards you've mined every 24 hours, or mining will stop. This encourages players to check in every day so they can convert resources to ExoTokens.

If the planet is resource-rich, you can mine from it.

There will be a limited amount of ExoTokens, but the creators say they have controls in place so that a few players will not be able to dominate the game. It's not yet been determined what items will be available for purchase with this currency and when, but in the future they promise to release items that will help you increase your ability to mine.

It's clear the designers see big things for ExoPlanets, and by involving both fungible and non-fungible tokens, they've created an expansive experience that has the cool factor of being based on real planets. It will be a while before we find out if the game will be profitable, both for the creators and for users, but those who are excited about this game are getting a head start, purchasing ExoPlanets they think will put them in a good position in space.