What Is Pixel Vault?
Pixel Vault, the creator of the MetaHero Universe, is a media group focused on elevating crypto-native assets such as MetaHero and the Punks Comic Series across a variety of mediums. The Pixel Vault team has aims to do this via the development of intellectual property that is empowered by decentralization and crowdsourcing. The Pixel Vault team hopes to expand the story and lore of static on-chain assets, while delivering value to both stakeholders and the broader crypto community.
What Is The MetaHero Universe?
The MetaHero Universe was created in August 2021 by the Pixel Vault team. The project launched with Mintpass #1, the NFT reservation system pioneered by Pixel Vault. Holders of Pixel Vault’s genesis project Punks Comic, were entitled to one Mintpass #1 purchase at 0.08 ETH per comic owned (based on a wallet snapshot taken on July 15, 2021). These mintpasses were then able to be burned in exchange for a MetaHero Generative Identity beginning in September 2021.
However, in typical Pixel Vault fashion, there is much more game theory and value added on that comes with a Pixel Vault NFT. There are also unique 1/1 Core Identities, ERC-1155 planetary DAO tokens, ERC-20 $POW tokens, Mintpass #2, and MetaHero sidekicks that make up the MetaHero ecosystem.
Furthermore, there are decisions to be made on burning vs holding mintpasses, minting planets vs buying secondary, and tokenomics that are all in play.
Below is everything you need to know about the MetaHero Universe and the upcoming MetaHero games Pixel Vault has planned.
What's The Difference Between MetaHero Core and MetaHero Generative Identities?
Mintpass #1: Burn vs Hold
There are a max of 9,678 generative identities reserved for Mintpass #1 holders only. The 146 premium unique core characters are raffled off to those that still hold a Mintpass #1 and have not yet burned it to receive a Generative Identity.
As of Nov. 20, 2021 holders of these Generative Identities each received a planetary DAO token corresponding to their MetaHero’s home planet, whereas Mintpass #1 holders did not. This mechanic forced Mintpass #1 holders to make a decision to burn their mintpass and receive a planetary DAO token with their MetaHero or hold, and have a small chance to receive a premium core character. Each planetary DAO token will also be able to mint a sidekick through Mintpass #2 as explained further below.
Generative Identities
The Generative Identities are generated at the time of mint with a random combination of heroes, villains, and mutants that will appear in the MetaHero Universe games discussed below. The traits from the core identities are scrambled and randomly combined to create the attributes of the generative characters.
Core Identities
The 146 unique Core Identities are central to the content strategy of Pixel Vault. The core characters were each individually illustrated by chief artist Chris Wahl and will have premium status in the future MetaHero Universe game experience. In addition, 64 of the core characters are Punks Comic cores and are to appear in Punks Comic starting with Issue #3. Furthermore, Core MetaHero holders will also receive a PixelPass ahead of each Pixel Vault drop that allows them a free mint for each Pixel Vault drop. Holders of a Core MetaHero Identity will have non-exclusive revocable commercial rights to their NFT.
What are Planetary DAO Tokens?
Planetary DAO tokens are ERC-1155 NFTs that represent proportional ownership of their respective planet and the UPDAO. The artwork of the NFTs themselves were designed by The Virtunaut, Odious, and Raw & Rendered. The number of tokens per planet relates to the size of the planet and represents full governance over planetary decisions and revenues.
DAO tokens will allow holders to collectively own, govern, and build their respective planets into unique, user-generated environments. Depending on the actions of each planet’s community, the 10 planetary DAOs may generate planet-specific revenues controlled and governed by such planet’s token holders.
How Are the Planetary DAO Tokens Distributed?
Planetary tokens are distributed as follows: 20 percent to Pixel Vault community giveaways, 35 percent for sale, and 45 percent retained by Pixel Vault. In total, there will be 203,282 Planetary DAO tokens, with a maximum of 110,849 owned by the community. The supply of community giveaways are given to Pixel Vault genesis NFT owners through a provably fair Chainlink VRF raffle system. These include Punks Comic Issue #1, Pixel Vault Founder’s DAO tokens, MintPass#1 and MetaHero Identities. This giveaway supply also includes the Planetary DAO tokens holders of Generative Identities received corresponding to their MetaHero’s home planet during the Nov 20th, 2021 snapshot.
Additionally, 956 unique Moon DAO tokens are allocated for the community. These Moon DAO tokens are only available via the burning of PUNKS Comic, Issue #1. No Moon DAO tokens will be given away or released for public minting.
Is There a Benefit to Minting Planets Versus Buying on Secondary?
Each minter of the 18,228 planet DAO tokens were given a free Jupiter Planet DAO token for each planet token minted as a reward to incentivize minting.
What Happened to Unsold Planetary DAO Tokens?
There are 34,890 planetary DAO tokens remaining that didn’t sell during the public minting period. All 34,890 of these Planetary DAO tokens have gone to the UPDAO (explained below). These tokens can only be minted in the future via a governance vote collectively decided on by Planet DAO token holders.
What Is UPDAO?
While the Planetary DAO tokens govern each of the individual planets, the United Planets DAO (UPDAO) is a central DAO that controls the whole MetaHero Universe. Think of the Planetary DAO tokens as state governments and the UPDAO as the federal government. Collectively, the UPDAO will govern the MetaHero Universe. Each planet will hold proportional governance over the UPDAO and receive proportional revenue opportunities from the game and platform (see UPDAO token distribution below).
UPDAO Governance
It’s important to note that Pixel Vault Founders DAO token holders will receive 9.8 percent of the UPDAO tokens. Since Pixel Vault owns 45 percent of Planetary DAO tokens, they will retain 45 percent of the UPDAO as well. The 45 percent ownership by Pixel Vault in Planetary DAO tokens, as well as the UPDAO, is to allow for Pixel Vault to help guide the direction of governance decisions but still allow the community ownership to ultimately have majority rule.
Currently the UPDAO funds will be used to develop the MetaHero Universe AAA first-person shooter game.
What are MetaHero Sidekicks?
Sidekicks will be playable characters in the MetaHero Universe. MetaHero Sidekicks will act as a Tier 2 level character while MetaHero Identities exist as Tier 1 characters. Sidekicks will be minted with Mintpass #2, which can be claimed free for each MetaHero Identity or Planetary DAO token held during a Q1 2022 snapshot.
Sidekicks will help expand the MetaHero Universe beyond the 9,824 MetaHero Identities, but they will also be deflationary. Sidekicks can be leveled up into stronger (and more rare) characters through a burning mechanism of Mintpass #2. The number of Sidekick levels isn’t finalized, but it has been tentatively suggested that five levels will exist. With every MetaHero Identity and Planetary DAO token receiving a Sidekick at the time of snapshot, there could be upwards of 60,000 Sidekicks. Though this supply could vary greatly per as a result of the aforementioned deflationary mechanic.
Staking MetaHero Identities and Sidekicks for $POW
The in-game currency of the MetaHero Universe is called the $POW token. $POW tokens will be used for in-game purchases such as performance boosts in the future MetaHero Universe game.
Currently, MetaHero Identities (Core or Generative) are able to be staked for a period of six months in Staking Pool 1. While staked, MetaHero Identities will not be able to be traded on the secondary market. At current rate, every MetaHero Identity staked will accrue about 1,000 $POW tokens per week. Staking Pool 2 (with gamified mechanics) is planned to open at the conclusion of Staking Pool 1. There will be 200M $POW tokens distributed in the first six month staking period. Total, there will be a total of one billion $POW tokens in circulating supply.
While official details are limited, Sidekicks are expected to be able to be staked for $POW as well, though less substantial staking rewards.
Who Is The MetaHero Artist?
Chris Wahl is the Chief Artist & Illustrator behind Pixel Vaults MetaHero and Punks Comic projects. Chris is an award winning comic artist and illustrator from Wollongong, Australia with over 25 years experience in the industry. His clients include big names such as Marvel (Avengers, Spiderman, Black Panther), Lucasfilm (Star Wars), DC Comics, Titan Comics (Tank Girl, Doctor Who, Vikings, Dishonored), Pepsi, Hasbro, MAD magazine, Nike, and Sony.
What Is The Future Of MetaHero Gaming?
MetaHero Universe AAA First-Person Shooter
Pixel Vault is thinking big and aiming to create a major AAA first-person shooter that incorporates the MetaHero $POW ERC-20 token currency and MetaHero NFTs. As of January 2022, the Pixel Vault team is working on finalizing a deal with a game studio to begin development of the game. The UPDAO wallet, currently holding 7,888 ETH, will be used to get started with game development. Games of this magnitude typically take several years to develop and should not be expected to be released anytime in 2022.
Pixel Vault aims to create a MetaHero Universe game with the quality of first-person shooter games like Halo and Call of Duty, but with the crypto elements involved. As a social and gaming platform, MetaHero Universe will allow supporters to be more than just holders. The community will actively build, govern, and own the Universe through the United Planets DAO (UPDAO).
Each planet will have its own unique interactive environment, providing revenue opportunities to the DAOs and players via land-based sales, environmental resources, wearables, gameplay, and more as governed by the community. These planet environments are planned to be released in accordance to their distance from the sun. Therefore, Mercury would be completed first and Pluto last. However, with development in such early stages, all descriptions of gameplay and future utility are subject to change.
MetaHero Blockchain Game
While the AAA first-person shooter is in development, there will be a MetaHero blockchain game that gamifies $POW released later in 2022. While there are no details around the $POW blockchain game, one can expect it to be in a similar manner to other blockchain games with their own tokens (Wolf Game being one of the better known examples).
