✍️@themikesteez

Issue #11 | November 18, 2021

Dead pilotz tell no tales.

Except the ones in the upcoming action-adventure NFT game, Dead Pilotz Society, which mints its first NFTs in a few days (read this interview to get the exact date).

I recently chatted with Wes Whittaker, Dead Pilotz Society’s founder / creator, to learn more about the game, the team, and his vision for Web3 gaming.

So instead of our regular newsletter this week, I want to dedicate today’s issue to our interview.

(It’s published in full below, but if you’d rather read it on your browser, then tap here.)

Before we begin, you can take a look at the game’s first trailer by tapping here.

For the people in a time crunch, what’s the elevator pitch for Dead Pilotz Society?

Wes Whittaker: Dead Pilotz Society is an action-adventure NFT game that takes place in an archipelago of islands called The Forgotten Sea where Pilotz search and battle for hidden treasure worth cryptocurrency.

I’d like you to expand on the game economy, but first can you tell me about your background and the team behind DPS?

WW: So my background is mostly in filmmaking, writing and content creation. I also have a background in creative advertising.

We have many talented people working behind the scenes on marketing programming, and development, but I’d like to feature a few core members of our team.

Vivek Kumar, who’s our Lead Character Artist. He’s a Character Artist and expert 3D Modeler and Sculptor. 

He has been working in the gaming and film industries for around four years and has experience in creating characters, environments, and props for games, films, AR, and VR, and has worked on several AAA titles as a character artist.

Annia Lutcan is one of our digital artists. She’s a professional background and character designer who has worked on lots of projects for cartoons, comics and mobile games. 

Bilal Siddiqui is our Community Manager and he has helped launch several NFT projects.

Raj Srini is our Blockchain Developer. He is an expert in Blockchain, Solana, Candy Machine, Metaplex and complex application development. 

Wow, that sounds like a pretty solid team! Is this your first NFT project?

WW: Yeah, this my first NFT project that I’ve launched but I have a couple other projects secretly developing in the background. My priority right now though is Dead Pilotz Society. 

It’s one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on. I truly believe it’ll be one of the funnest games to come out in a while. It might not be the biggest but definitely one of the most fun. 

How are you funding this project ?

WW: Mostly self-funded (thank you crypto investments) but I also have a couple silent investors. I’m in talks with other investors as well, mainly for the strategic partnership aspect. 

So you’re bootstrapping an NFT project using your crypto profits. I love it! Tell me about how you got into crypto and NFTs.

WW: I’ve been investing in crypto since 2017 and I love the idea of decentralized currency. 

But when I first learned about NFTs earlier this year and finally grokked their potential, I was all in. Then I started buying NFTs and was having so much fun doing it that I knew I had to build my next project in this space. 

NFT technology allows me to combine my passion for creativity, entertainment, gaming, entrepreneurship and community building into one amazing platform and bring people along for the ride. 

Yes, money is a great part of the NFT space but the way it brings communities together is what I’ve been most impressed with. 

At the end of the day, relationships are more important than money, but hey if you can make friends while making money and have fun doing it, then it doesn’t get much better than that!

Plus I believe it brings more art into people's lives. 

But what’s really going to take NFTs and crypto to the next level is gaming. I believe gaming will do for NFTs what porn did for VHS tapes 😆. 

In all seriousness though, who wouldn't want to make money while playing video games? It’s amazing.

Speaking of making money while playing games, tell me about the game economy. 

WW: Sure. DPS will have its own cryptocurrency. We’re still determining coin supply, but you’ll be able to upgrade your player and buy things in the marketplace with it. You’ll also be able to exchange it for other cryptocurrencies, like Solana.

Players will go on treasure hunts to find the coins. You can also find tools, weapons, assets and Dead Pilotz, which are all NFTs that can be used, traded or sold. 

Dead Pilotz will be rare, but if you find a buried pilot and have an enchanted shovel, you can dig it up and add a new pilot NFT to your collection. 

Are you building this on a public blockchain, private blockchain or traditional server?

WW: We’re still deciding, but the NFT and crypto elements will be on the Solana blockchain.

What are some challenges you’re facing? 

WW: Managing time. 

Things move so quickly in this space and there is a lot to stay up on while also managing a team and getting ready to launch. I don’t have much of a social life at the moment, lol. 

Well don’t worry, NOBODY in crypto and NFTs can keep up lol. It’s such a new space and I believe all builders are pioneers, so props to you. Tell me about any surprises you’ve encountered along the way.

WW: I’ve been surprised at how powerful Discord is. It can be both a blessing and a curse sometimes though. 

It's one of the best tools an entrepreneur could have but it's also filled with lots of spammers and it can sometimes be like running a 24/7 call center lol. 

But what’s cool is when the community begins to help each other. That’s when the magic starts. And I love being able to engage with the community in there.

Ultimately it's one of the best tools I’ve seen for building community, which is awesome!

Describe to me what a win looks like to you.

WW: I love that question. A win for everyone is a win for me. First and foremost, we are developing a really fun game with an enchanting world and addictive gameplay. 

But I want Dead Pilotz Society to be a part of a new profitable wave of blockchain gaming where the players also have a chance to benefit financially from the time they put into the game. 

With traditional gaming, the majority of players don't get any financial benefit for all of their time spent playing while the game studios make billions. 

With DPS, players become owners in the game and can get something for their time and energy while also having fun and being a part of a great community, which we’ve already started building.

And in that sense, we’ve already won because our community is awesome, and all are welcome!

Cool, let’s get to the important stuff players wanna know. What platform(s) will DPS be playable on?

WW: PC mainly but we might eventually have a mobile version. 

Are there any video games that you’re taking inspiration from?

WW: I’d say the biggest games that inspire this game are King’s Quest 1, Legends of Zelda, Myst and Red Dead Redemption 2. 

Do you have a list of your favorite video games you’d like to share with our readers?

Chess, King’s Quest 1, Pitfall, Galaga, Kung-Fu Master, Super Mario Bros, Commando, Tetris, Contra, Golden Axe, Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pro Wrestling, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, Rygar, Kid Icarus, Sonic the Hedgehog, Shinobi, Street Fighter, T&C Surf, Gumshoe, Marble Madness, Sega NHL, Madden, NBA Jam, 007 GoldenEye, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Tony Hawk, Myst, SimCity, Age of Empires, Civilization, Hot Shots Golf, Typer Shark, Temple Run, Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Dig This, Killer Queen, Division 2, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Splitgate come to mind. 

I could go on, lol. 

Are you playing anything currently or are you just focused on creating DPS?

I’m playing Splitgate right now when I have time. It's in beta still. Very fun. 

Wen mint?

November 20th.

How can people learn more about Dead Pilotz Society?

Connect with us on Twitter @DeadPilotzNFT and join our discord to get a feel for the community! Here’s an invite link (which is also available on our Twitter):

https://discord.com/invite/aFWF4rM6GV

Also, I’m not sure if this will still be open when you publish, but at the time of this interview we have our whitelist registration open at https://deadpilotzsociety.com/whitelist-form/

How can people connect directly with you?

I’m active on our Discord server and I’m also on Twitter @WesWhittaker108

👾

Okay fren, time for your feedback!

Would you like me to do more interviews with creators, investors, and others in the space?

How do you feel about this format?

Let me know!

WAGMI 🚀🚀🚀

– Michael, editor of Crypto GameBites

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Disclosure: From time-to-time I might add links in this newsletter to products I use and I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Also, I hold crypto assets (shocking right?). See my investment disclosures here.

Disclaimer to protect my a$$: All investment strategies and investments involve risk of loss. Nothing contained in this magical newsletter should be construed as financial or investment advice. We’re just two brains connecting through cyberspace and shooting the shit about the wild world of blockchain gaming, where buzzwords like “crypto” and “NFTs” roam freely. Any reference to an investment's past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit. Remember to do your own damn research and don’t just ape into things like I did with all those shitcoins from the Spring 2021 bull run.