Gaming

Exclusive Q&A with Giovanni Petrantoni, President and Founder of Fragnova

Published

1 year ago

December 15, 2022

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The term visionary is often over-used. They are like UFOs in a sense– often talked about and rarely seen.

So, ladies and gentlemen, we are happy to interview a person with true visionary traits here. Welcome Giovanni Petrantoni, President and Founder of Fragnova. Let’s jump straight to his fascinating visions and ideas.

Q. Let’s start with a brief intro about yourself, as you seem to have quite an interesting career: music, writing, blockchain and so on. Our readers would certainly love to hear it?

A. I spent a lot of my early career coding and creating software, which ultimately led me to join the Tokyo-based Silicon Studios developing game engines. The work I did on Linden Lab’s Second Life also inspired a lot of the work Fragnova does today. I put a lot of energy into coding and creating new in-game items. It may seem minor, but originally Second Life didn’t have any swimming mechanics, so I engineered that myself. It was fascinating to see not just how popular small additions to the game could be, but how much potential the players themselves had to completely alter and shape the experience.

To this day, I still believe Second Life is far and above the closest thing we’ve come to a true metaverse; the fact that two decades after launch it still has millions of users is a real testament to that. However, ever since the term metaverse was popularised a few years ago, it’s become somewhat meaningless because so many ‘metaverse creators’ are really just building walled gardens with MMO elements, brand collaborations and virtual events. For the metaverse to live up to players’ expectations it needs to be open and interoperable.

Q. Now on to Fragnova. What exactly does Fragnova aim to achieve – a French revolution of sorts in game development?

A. Our ambition is to establish the Creation Operating System and for the decentralised ecosystem that makes up Fragnova – The Metaverse Store, The Creator Store and our game engine, Claymore – to form the foundations of an open metaverse, and not the walled gardens we have now.

The Fragnova network is a blockchain that empowers game creators and democratises game development. Blockchain means the use of assets or even full games are fully stored, tracked and recorded to pay out royalties, assert ownership and keep track of licensing rights. So we’re aiming to restructure the business of making games. Currently, large companies take the lion’s share of profits, leaving creators overworked and underpaid – so, the French Revolution analogy isn’t far off, as it’s absolutely about giving more control and rewards to the creators at the bottom rather than the publishers and platforms at the top.

User-generated content has become a huge part of modern gaming, you just need to look at Minecraft or Roblox to see what is possible when there is a creator-led ecosystem. Empowering their creators has become a vital part of keeping games fresh and players engaged. Beyond these two examples, there are dedicated communities of modders that sacrifice large amounts of their time to get all kinds of incredible projects over the line, to little benefit for themselves. Imagine the level of polish in User Generated Content if creators were better compensated for their time and could make a living out of these projects.

This idea of ownership isn’t just a monetary concept either, as avid gamers ourselves we’ve experienced the pain of many of our favourite games going offline in the past, losing all the time and effort you’ve invested – potentially over many years. Blockchain is immutable, which means games built using the technology can’t be deleted, and this technology opens the door to community-run servers..

Q. What kind of features can gaming enthusiasts with zero coding knowledge expect from Fragnova?

A. We are building Fragnova for users of every level – one of the inspirations for what we are doing is PlayStation Dreams, which combines a really powerful set of creative tools with an interface that is more accessible and intuitive than conventional tools.

But with any game engine, there’s going to be a bit of a technical entry barrier unless people are willing to put in the time to learn the basics. The majority of users will probably be most at home in the Metaverse Store, where they can buy and sell in-game items and collectables, and playable experiences. However, they can still partake in the modding of games, which usually demands less coding while still allowing users to be creative.

Q.Tell us about Ambal Duels, the first-off-the-blocks games from Fragnova. Is the development going as per plan for release?

A. Ambal Duels is a free-to-play strategy card game, and it will be the first blockchain-enabled game to be built using our new game engine, Claymore. Ambal began life as a successful Kickstarter campaign for the physical version of the game, Ambal Tournament, but rather than simply create a digital version of the original, Duels takes the game concept to create more one-on-one strategic duels. We’re excited to bring the game to the digital realm and continue growing the game’s community.

The blockchain aspect of Fragnova means that everyone who worked on the game, right down to the designers and card artists, will have a fair stake in the game’s profits. As with any game developed on the Fragnova ecosystem, creators can decide on editing permissions for their work, and allow the community to create their own mods, spin-offs or entirely different versions of the game – with a portion of the profits always going back to the original creators.

The game’s alpha is currently planned for Q2 2023, so definitely watch this space!

Q.Could you shed more light into the Metaverse Store and Creator Store? How do they help gamers and developers in terms of monetization? Is it possible for existing gamers and developers – who use other or independent platforms – to migrate to your platform?

A. The Creator Store is a place for devs and creators to license and offer game assets, like 3D models or audio scripts, or even full games. Blockchain makes each and every asset trackable. So when it’s used in the development of other games, the original creator will earn royalties depending on the success of the project, something unprecedented in the existing asset stores.

The Metaverse Store is an asset store where players can buy and sell in-game items. Furthermore, every item uploaded to Fragnova can be “detached” from the Fragnova chain and migrated into many other chains (for example, Ethereum), allowing creators to sell and trade items on any possible platform.

The important point about the use of blockchain is that it’s not about turning a game item into a crypto asset with the aim of trading it and making money – the blockchain element is there to provide control and ownership in a way that simply hasn’t been possible before in the digital domain.

Q.Could you elaborate on Claymore, the game engine of your platform?

A. Claymore is a multiplatform game creation system focusing on full immersion in which creation and gaming take place in the same environment. Uniquely, Claymore allows developers to seamlessly upload their creations directly to the marketplace. Developers can also import game assets directly from the marketplace.

We built it on top of a new programming language we call Shards. Software development is still in a palaeolithic stage in terms of innovation and so we had to take a full stack approach. Shards allow us to express how games can interoperate with each other from the bottom of the stack, as well as allow us to build the foundation of a rich visual environment where creators can interact, build, inspect and modify their creations in a no code, AI-assisted way which is Claymore itself.

In future, I hope Claymore will rival industry mainstays like Unreal or Unity, as I believe there’s a real opportunity in the industry to bring in a fresh approach. Other incumbent engines are too big to change and adapt to modern gaming concepts like Web3 or the metaverse – at least without an extraordinary amount of investment and work. Both have been built over decades, so changing anything is always a complex task when legacy technology is involved. Equally, when you have an established brand, a massive user base and a huge number of stakeholders, it can be really difficult to pivot and keep everyone happy.

We are working on a pretty aggressive development roadmap so I’m hoping that we’ll have opportunities for creators and developers to get hands-on with parts of the engine and give us their feedback as soon as possible.

Q.Fragnova was founded on 2021. How do you look back at the journey over the last one year or so. Could you tell us about the development and funding so far and the path forward?

A. In about 14 months we’ve managed to realise a lot of the platform’s different elements and we’ve seen a really positive reception so far. One of the biggest challenges has been building the team and growing the company at the same time as developing the platform itself – as the founder I have to be involved in everything!

But perhaps one of our biggest challenges has been addressing the misconception that blockchain and crypto are all the same thing, which has been especially hard while we have been in such a hype bubble around NFTs and all the talk of the metaverse. We are now seeing the hype bubble deflate, so I am hopeful that we can go back to discussing blockchain as a means of doing more than just speculating on crypto. The reality is that blockchain is just a vehicle to help realise our ambition of stimulating the create-to-earn gaming economy.

Q.Finally, a tricky question. Your Linkedin bio says you like to ‘research, create and sometimes destroy’. Is there anything in the gaming industry at the moment that you would like to destroy?

A. That’s actually a very old line I just left there, but still belongs to me and indeed I think I kind of just answered that question with my previous answer! I would have to say the way the tech industry needs to hype the next big thing when the reality is that new technologies need to have utility and appear in the right place at the right time. Blockchain is a technology that has a lot of potential, but there also needs to be the right application for the right audience to give it lasting value.

Related Topics:Exclusive Q&A Fragnova Giovanni Petrantoni

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Digital Asset Horse Racing Game Stables Appoints Lebnan Nader CEO And Unveils International Expansion Plan

Published

18 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Stables, the Paris-based Web3 Equestrian Fantasy Game, has appointed venture capital veteran Lebnan Nader as Chief Executive Officer.

Lebnan Nader, who had founded and run several gaming and technology businesses, will oversee an international expansion as Stables seeks to add horses and attract owners from outside its French home market.

Launched in January 2023, Stables was born from an ambitious project funded by PMU, the European leader and number 3 worldwide in horse betting, alongside the startup studio 321. The game is designed to bring the excitement of horse racing into the digital realm by combining real data from actual racehorses with an online Web3 gaming experience where horses are represented as tradable non-fungible tokens.
“Stables brings together two of my favorite domains, video gaming and horse racing. Two sectors I’ve been involved in for the past 12 years. The game’s ambitions are high, and that’s what convinced me,” said Lebnan Nader, CEO of Stables. “The teams have done a tremendous job, and we will continue to develop the game, but my priority will be our community, as they are our greatest strength.”
A graduate of HEC Paris with nearly 20 years experience in strategy, product development, and market positioning in the digital sector, Lebnan co-founded an internationally acclaimed video and VR gaming studio, and also co-founded a software company for lottery and betting operators.

PMU’s initial gamble to reach a new audience has paid off as Stables now boasts a community of several thousand engaged players, aged 25 to 40 on average. The community is currently composed of 70% French players and 30% from the rest of the world.

The Stables teams are now expanding the gaming experience by adding new features that will allow any player, even without owning NFTs, to be able to explore Stables for free. A seasonal horse racing system with an in-game leaderboard will be introduced, as well as “The Paddock Gazette,” a feature allowing the analysis of all NFT data and comparing their performances.

The ability to interact with other players and access numerous new horses are among the features currently in development.
“In 2023, Stables succeeded in realizing PMU’s bold vision of diversifying the world of horse racing into Web3 and becoming today’s reference in equestrian fantasy gaming. Contributing alongside its historic partners to the financial support for an accelerated development of Stables represents for the Tezos Foundation a natural progression to the adoption of Tezos. Among other things, the Tezos Foundation always listens to the needs of management teams and economically engages in projects that have adopted its blockchain to be an active participant in their growth stages,” says Jean-Frédéric Mognetti, Executive Director of the Tezos Foundation.
“Convinced of the relevance of the project, it seemed important to involve new investors. We enthusiastically welcome the financial support of the Tezos Foundation, which strengthens a proven technical collaboration that the project has benefited from since its inception,” comments Emmanuelle Malecaze-Doublet, CEO of PMU.

Gaming

Speechless Announces Hybrid License, Giving Actors Greater Control Over Their AI-Generated Voices

Published

2 days ago

April 23, 2024

Alan Campbell

Reading Time: 2 minutes

New platform will enable voice actors to gain commission on their AI-generated counterparts while also streamlining the development process for studios

Today, Speechless, the voice actor database and asset tool for the games industry, has announced its new Hybrid AI License, combining real voice talent and generative artificial intelligence (AI). This new license will enable game developers to utilize all aspects of modern voice-over production while providing more equitable opportunities for the actors themselves. With the current games landscape increasingly experimenting with the potential of AI, Speechless is offering a solution that takes a greater ethical approach to this technology.

The first complete management system for the games industry, Speechless’ Hybrid AI License easily allows developers to use the full range of voice-over options in one place; from text-to-speech, speech-to-speech and conventional voice recording. Unlike other text-to-speech providers, Speechless’ integrated approach allows developers to access the voice actors behind the AI-generated, text-to-speech options. This license not only enables developers to gain greater creative control over voice production but also gives actors control over their AI-generated voice.

Voice actors will benefit from this license by having their AI-generated voice earn a commission when it is licensed by developers. In addition, developers can utilize text-to-speech options to refine their scripts before bringing on the voice actor for the full recording. Developers can then adjust the voice actor’s recording with its AI counterpart at the later stages of development, removing the need for reshoots and allowing voice actors to move on to new projects.

The potential of Speechless’ License also enables a greater depth of content for side characters and NPCs and streamlines localization in new markets while keeping voice talent involved. With the rise of generative AI in game development, Speechless is establishing the best practice for utilizing the advantages of this technology without excluding the creative talent of voice actors.

This new license is available immediately and follows Speechless’ recent collaboration with audio middleware leader Audiokinetic Wwise.

“We can’t ignore the potential AI has for the games industry but we need to approach this technology ethically; that’s what we aim to achieve when it comes to voice-acting,” the Chief Executive Officer for Speechless, Peo Drangert (pictured), said. “By offering a hybrid license, developers can streamline their processes and experiment with different voice actors at a lower cost. At the same time, voice actors are compensated for their work and the work of their AI-generated voice, have greater opportunities to collaborate with studios and can work more flexibly. AI will continue to grow in the games sector, so we must use it responsibly to ensure a fairer industry.”

Gaming

G2 Gozen crowned inaugural Red Bull Instalock Champions with Grand Finals sweep

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 3 minutes

G2 Gozen crowned inaugural Red Bull Instalock Champions with Grand Finals sweep

G2 Gozen were crowned inaugural champions of Red Bull Instalock in 3-1 win against VCT Game Changers 2023 champions Shopify Rebellion
The invitational tournament ran from 20-21 April at the UK’s premier esports and gaming venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London
Red Bull Instalock brought together some of the best women’s VALORANT GC teams from around the world including G2 Gozen, GIANTX, Shopify Rebellion and Karmine Corp
The tournament was hosted by Yinsu Collins, with insights from Kieran “Kairo” Tulloch, Billie “BillieIDK” Purdie, Matt “Twiggy” Twigg, and Harry “Hazza” Chapman and an appearance from Megan “Megsoundslikeegg” Garner
AGON by AOC was the official Monitor Partner for Red Bull Instalock, providing cutting-edge AGON PRO AG254FG monitors, featuring a 360 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time, for the best in-game experience.

G2 Gozen have been crowned the inaugural Red Bull Instalock champions, claiming the victory across a weekend packed with exhilarating VALORANT matches and tactical plays. Streamed live from London’s premier esports and gaming venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, Red Bull Instalock marked the UK’s first professional women’s VALORANT tournament of 2024.

Red Bull Instalock brought together four of the world’s best professional women’s VALORANT teams for a spectacle tournament, G2 Gozen, GIANTX, Karmine Crop, and 2023 VALORANT Champions Tour: Game Changers Championship winners Shopify Rebellion. Putting a unique twist on the traditional team composition, the competing teams were required to implement three of the game’s offensive class, duelists.

Red Bull Instalock quickly established itself as a high-stakes competition, with teams racing to dominate maps across a best-of-three format across the Upper Semi-Finals. The first game of the tournament saw powerhouse G2 Gozen battle it out against underdogs GIANTX, with GIANTX securing their position in the Upper Finals with a tiebreaker victory against G2 Gozen (2-1).

The second match featured North America’s Shopify Rebellion, who swiftly relegated the French force of Karmine Corp to the Lower Bracket (2-0). Facing off once again, G2 Gozen vanquished GIANTX in a Lower Bracket match underdog victory, securing themselves a position in the Grand Final to compete against Shopify Rebellion (2-0).

This Lower Bracket victory marked a turning point for G2 Gozen, who delivered a flawless masterclass in VALORANT against the North American titans Shopify Rebellion. The Grand Final was an intense showdown, pivoting to a best-of-five format in a battle for the crown. Shopify Rebellion started off strong, with a one-map lead, a reward following their success in the Semi-Finals, but G2 Gozen quickly closed in on that lead as they took the first and second maps. In a gripping third and final map, G2 Gozen swiftly closed out the tournament, claiming the win over the tournament frontrunners and Game Changers 2023 champions Shopify Rebellion (3-1).

The tournament also featured a show match featuring some of the UK’s most beloved VALORANT creators going head-to-head, including Talia Mar, Shan “ThePizzaWaffle” Hadden, Ella “Tenshi” Merry and Alexandra “LexieMariex” Butterfill. Hosted by British FNATIC content creator and partnered streamer Megan “Megsoundslikeegg” Garner, the nail biting creator show match saw Team Jupi take the win after a surprise comeback from Team Tenshi forced the match into overtime.

Kieran “Kairo” Tulloch, Billie “BillieIDK” Purdie, Matt “Twiggy” Twigg, and Harry “Hazza” Chapman were also part of the broadcast, providing live commentary and analysis.

Following the gripping grand finals, recently crowned Red Bull Instalock champion, G2 Gozen Pro and Red Bull Player Michaela “Mimi” Lintrup said: “We learned so much playing in this new format at Red Bull Instalock, how undisciplined people can be when playing something so chaotic. In the chaos, the thing that helped us to secure the win was to chill.”

Red Bull Instalock host Yinsu Collins also commented: “I loved my experience at the first ever Red Bull Instalock! The invited teams were incredibly competitive and tackled the format in a really unique way. Throughout the tournament, as the player’s normal game plan was out the window, we saw a lot of creativity, pros thinking on their feet, adaptation and some new approaches to how the game can be played.”

AGON by AOC, a global leader in gaming monitors, returned to join the Red Bull Gaming universe once again as the official Monitor Partner for Red Bull Instalock. Bringing the event to life and providing cutting-edge hardware for the esports tournament, AGON by AOC equipped the event with the AGON PRO AG254FG monitors, featuring a 360 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time for the best in-game experience.

Check out redbull.com/gaming for more information.

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