Compile: MetaCat

We are exploring a new concept aimed at bringing games to Bitcoin: the Ord Games protocol. With its unique model and game design potential, Ord Games enables creators to mint game universes and items directly on the Bitcoin blockchain. Let's dig deeper!

About Ord Games

Ord Games is a base protocol that aims to define a Bitcoin game world consisting of a single player and loot. Game designers and developers can use the protocol to build unique, open-source, decentralized games using the Bitcoin blockchain as the underlying technology. With Ord Games, game avatars, weapons, armor, and other base game items can be minted in a completely decentralized manner.

At its core, Ord Games is built on the "Ord Games Protocol". Each game world launched based on the protocol is defined through a "boot operation'", which includes key parameters such as the game name, an avatar representing the game, and arrays defining available loot and player types.

The boot operation acts as a unique identifier for each game world, which can then be referenced during item minting and player interaction. The structure of the boot operation usually follows the following JSON5 format:

In the example above, GameName is the name of your game world, and GameAvatar is an optional glyph to use as the game icon. PlayerType and supply represent the category and total number of each player type in the game, respectively. Likewise class, name, power, and supply specify each loot's class, name, power level, and total supply.

Disclaimer: Blind Casting

One of the main drawbacks of this nascent protocol is that it currently lacks a reliable indexing service. This meant that, in the early days, the inscription process could only be done blindly. Users can only mint their items without any live inventory information. This means that it is very easy for users to waste gas by trying to mint items that already have no supply. Until the indexing service goes live to count Ord Games inscriptions, it is highly recommended that extreme care be taken during the inscription process.

Example: Wizords game world

Now that we've covered the basic structure and concepts of Ord Games, let's take a look at an example game world created on this protocol: Wizords.

Wizords is an on-chain combat game where you forge wizards, orcs, and other mythical beasts, and assemble loots of weapons, armor, and magic items. The "boot operation" of Wizords looks like this:

Gameplay involves players casting specific avatars and the best loot they can get. They form "full" player characters to fight by putting avatars and five loots into a bitcoin wallet. This signals to the Wizords game client that they want to challenge other players.

Wizords also introduced the concept of "dual-key avatars," where players are defined by a unique pair of private and public keys. A public key visible to all players and used to identify other players on the Bitcoin network. Only the player knows the private key, which represents the player's secret weapon.

in conclusion

Ord Games is a novel and exciting protocol that opens up a new world of gaming possibilities on the Bitcoin blockchain. Despite its experimental nature and associated risks, it offers a fresh approach to decentralized gaming and has the potential to disrupt the industry. If successful, it could very well be the protocol that brings gaming to Bitcoin!