We’ve completed another step on the Beta Roadmap by releasing version 1 of Research Projects. There is much to be discussed around balancing this system, but here’s how it works in a nutshell.
$PXL and use Developer and Designer NFTs to do research
Some of these concepts may be changed or adjusted (such as the Tech Debt idea) as we refine the Research system. But overall, it is meant to:
Here’s a quick walkthrough of how to use the Research system:
It’s on the left and should spawn a page that looks quite similar to the game making page. Note: you need to have a Studio License to do research!
Select your research type, who’s going to do it, and which specific tech you want to work on.
The tech selector has details around what it costs, which platforms and which game dev elements it will affect if used. A final panel will outline all the costs and ask you confirm before initiating a blockchain transaction to start the process.
The progress screen will also look familiar to those who have made games. Once the research is complete, unlike games it will become immediately available and the NFT will be minted into your wallet.
Once you have tech items (either created yourself or traded for), you can use a certain amount of them in the games you make. We’re working on improving the UI so that the impact of using the items is a little more clear, but the ability to use them shouldn’t be tough to figure out—the tech menu is pretty obvious in the game development screen!
In Version 1—which could change based on balance needs—what Tech Items do is add a small but reliable change to the formula that determines your game rating.
It will be proportional to the amount of Dev Points spent in affected categories.
So if you spend 10 points in Engine and apply a 2% Tech Item boost, you could see a bigger effect than if you only spent 1 point in Engine.
Bonuses from Tech Items can be stacked with bonuses received from NFTs with special traits as well.
It is likely that this post will become out of date in the future, as we adjust the balance of all current and future features. The best place to find updated information will always be the Rise of the Pixels Rulebook, which you can access here.
The following roadmap is subject to change anytime. The main goal of the Beta phase is to include the community in the game development early on. As a result of this quick feedback loop the development team can shift priorities and re-organize features.
Please have a look at our draft Rulebook (aka whitepaper) for the most complete documentation of the game, including drop chances, mechanics, tokenomic thoughts, and more.
You can also follow 
If you already bought a license and some packs in the official shop page you can join the beta by following this link: https://beta.riseofthepixels.com/shop, and clicking the Accept & Join button.
1️⃣ Purchase a license or packs here
2️⃣ Go to the live Beta server here
3️⃣ Read the Beta description and click or tap Accept & Join
Check out the official website: https://riseofthepixels.com
Read more in the game Rulebook: https://rulebook.riseofthepixels.com
Follow us on Hive: https://peakd.com/@riseofthepixels/
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/e7cKB3KmsS
...or if you want to experience an authentic legacy Web2 vibe you can check out our X/Twitter profile: https://x.com/riseofthepixels