Magic and Fantasy have always been fascinating. That’s why games featuring mages and sorcery have always been around for ages. With the improvements in our technology, wizardry in gaming has just gotten better. By letting the community build the world for their NFT Wizards, The Forgotten Runes Wizard Cult by Magic Machine is about to elevate this concept to new levels.
Graphics/ Artstyle
Taking nods from the earlier generations of games, The Forgotten Runes (specifically The Forgotten Runes Wizard Cult) is designed with pixelated graphics similar to what 16-bit games used like The Legend of Zelda and the earlier Final Fantasy titles. The pixel art style also gives way to creating the mystique that surrounds the 10,000 minted NFT wizards as their holders decide what back story to give them as this is the create-to-earn part of the system.
This is actually my first time seeing a project where the NFTs come first, and the projects revolve around them after being released. The developers of Forgotten Wizards have a lot of plans for the project as seen by the roadmap on their website where they are planning to take the NFTs to various media like comics, a game, and even a full-on animated film. They already have an animation studio working for the series under Titmouse studio.
Gameplay
Holders of the NFT can write the lore behind the Wizard they own and these are all compiled on the Book of Lore that is accessible to everyone but only holders can write on it. All the written lore is then added to the game’s “Runiverse”. A metaverse for all the NFT wizards.
They can also add landscapes and items that can then be later on added to the MMORPG game they are making for the Wizard Cult thus, the create-to-earn mechanic.
Information about the MMO RPG right now is limited but from their promotional materials, I see that it looks a bit like Undertale but mixed with the RPG games of the early 2000s and will feature a turn-based battler like Fate Grand Order but with the Wizards as your playable characters.
Earning Mechanic
There are multiple projected ways to earn from the game although it isn’t publicly released yet. First is through the trading of the 10,000 wizards that were first minted on June 29, 2021. There is also an upcoming airdrop for Forgotten Warriors and Forgotten Pony’s collection further expanding on the game’s Runiverse. The Floor price for one of the Forgotten Cult Wizards as of the time of writing (September 13, 2022) is 0.92 ETH. I personally think the price is quite high but looking at the projects lined up for the NFTs, I believe it is quite a justified amount. You can purchase your own Wizard on OpenSea, Forgotten Market, LooksRare, and any other marketplace for NFTs.
We have yet to see the value of their WIZARD coin and The Forgotten Runes MMO so I cannot make a decision on whether it will be profitable or the developers opening up the game even to non-holders of the NFT.
Final Thoughts
I personally do not dabble much in the world of NFTs but, I think the project is an amazing showcase of what NFTs can be if the developers and the collectors have the same goals in mind and are building towards them together. With The Forgotten Runes Wizard Cult, it is the world they intend to build with the creativity of everyone involved that would otherwise be another Lord of the Rings/ Star Wars copy.
In my personal opinion, earning through your creative efforts is a more rewarding feeling compared to just playing a P2E title and cashing in on the token developers made. Sure, it would feel easy, but having your hand involved in the making of something bigger than what you can do alone is fulfilling.
Although I personally will not be investing in the game anytime soon, I am beyond excited to see the fulfillment of the projects lined up for The Forgotten Runes Wizard Cult, especially the MMO RPG game. I just wish they make the game available for players outside of the holders so we can all experience the world-building done by the culmination of ideas of an entire community on a project like we’ve never seen before.