What is Wonders of the First?
TL;DR:
It is a collectible 10K PFP style collection that establishes the universe for a TCG and its characters.
It is even more special because the collection is the indisputable first ever on Ethereum Proof-of-Stake.
Read more:
Wonders of the First (I may use “Wonders” and/or “WOTF” interchangeably) is an NFT collection coming in 2023.
Wonders has immediate significance as the first NFT collection deployed on Ethereum under its new “Proof-of-Stake” (PoS) consensus mechanism.
We were LITERALLY the only contract deployed in the first Proof-of-Stake block (which creates a new collection) and we instantly minted the entire 10k token supply.
Our provenance as first is indisputable. We don’t need to caveat it in any way.
We. Were. First. To. Make. A. Proof-of-Stake. Collection. On. Ethereum. Period.
See Appendix A for a short overview on why this matters.
The Wonders collection will be 10,000 unique PFP style NFTs that establish the foundation for a vast imaginary world where dragons roam and power struggles are constant.
The Wonders will feature rich and diverse character archetypes. Each will be distinctively unique while maintaining overall collection cohesion.
What does that mean? Well for example, Archers will look different than Swords. Archers will be smaller and fast twitch while Swords will be bigger and stronger. Ogres and Elves will be distinctly different and Kings, Queens, Lords and Ladies will all have their own character bases and unique attributes.
WOTF rarity will take on almost a “collections within the collection” approach to build out the world.
Unlike the Lost Miners (final “mined” collection) which marked a clear “ending” and everything from the collection name, to the art, to the provenance, all tied up perfectly with a nice clean bow, our ongoing vision for the Wonders franchise is different.
How Is It Different…
The actual WOTF tokens from the first PoS collection do not have utility. They are not game pieces. They are collectibles that establish the WOTF universe.
Once the world comes alive, Blokpax will be using the IP to develop a native Web 3 Trading Card Game (TCG) with annual releases, updates and ongoing development.
We also want to bring WOTF to life in the metaverse and will explore all sorts of licensing and partnerships to grow the lore.
Imagine if Pokémon had started with a 10,000 supply card set (all unique characters) but they were just collectibles. Imagine if these collectibles were the birth of Pokémon and the character types the world has come to love. Would you like to own THAT Charizard?
That’s our vision here. You wont “play” with the initial the WOTF release. You will simply collect them.
Even when it comes to the subsequent releases of the TCG game packs, you can be an enthusiastic Wonders collector and still not play the game. I know what it’s like to “collect” a TCG without “playing” it and that will for sure be fun part of the entire Wonders framework.
Why Not Just Do Collecting Then? Why is a TCG Necessary?
Gameplay serves two major purposes.
It fosters a deeper connection with those who enjoy playing. These people become inherently vocal advocates for the entire franchise.
Gameplay mechanics create rarity and increase the fun of collecting.
Example: A fairly small percentage of the total kids buying Pokémon actually PLAY the game regularly. However, gameplay parity mechanics lead to a better collectors experience. Charizard is as collectible as he is because of many factors. He’s cool looking sure but he’s rare and powerful in the game. It’s all these things combined that make him what he is.
So yes, gameplay leads to fun for those who choose to play but it is also an important piece of the rarity/collectibility framework for everyone (even those who never actually play the game).
There’s a lot more to come in 2023 but I wanted to get this info to you all because I received a few DMs that told me I haven’t clearly articulated WHAT the Wonders collection will be.
APPENDIX
Significance of being “The First Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Collection”
For the first 7 years of existence transactions on Ethereum (including the creation of all NFTs) were created through a highly energy intensive process known as mining.
On September 15, 2022 years of work from the Ethereum developer community culminated in the end of mining forever. The actual transition is known as “the Merge.”
With the Merge complete, the ETH blockchain reduced its energy consumption by 99.9% and businesses, governments and investors will no longer avoid the chain over environmental impact concerns. Ethereum is green and the future is bright.
The end of mining has other advantages you can research (some of them particularly exciting related to ETH cryptocurrency tokenomics) but most will agree the instant change to the ETH environmental narrative is the biggest.
The technical specifics behind the Merge are nothing short of amazing. Ethereum developers succeeded at the crypto equivalent of the lunar landing. The planning and the execution were flawless.
If crypto does a tenth of what most experts believe it will do, history books (not just computer science books) will remember the Merge.
Prior to the start of PoS all NFT collections had to be “mined” in a block in order to be created. So Bored Apes, Artblocks, CryptoPunks, and Lost Miners of the Ether…were all mined.
WOTF however was the very first NFT collection on Ethereum that wasn’t mined. Instead it was created via Proof-of-Stake just like EVERY NFT collection in the future will be.
When consumers, historians, academics, or archaeologists look back at the Merge there is literally only 1 collection created in the first PoS block. That 1 collection is WOTF. The 10K tokens were all minted in that same first block and instantly staked to the contract. They await their first owner.
If you want to learn more about how we successfully landed this collection you can read the technical section of the Lost Miners of the Ether white paper. The Lost Miners is also our collection and we are so proud to bring “last mined” and “first PoS” to collectors around the world.
Again, We will have a lot more to share in Q1. If you want to be on the WOTF Allow List you should start by grabbing a Lost Miner. The Allow list won’t be a “1 to 1” but pro-tip, grab 2 and you will be in great shape.
(We will be revealing more info in the new year to help single Lost Miner holders become Wonders but the Wonders allow list won’t be a straight 1-to-1 - as we’ve said from the very beginning.)
To buy a Lost Miner visit the official collection on OpenSea:
https://opensea.io/collection/lostminers