Interview with TheSword NFT: A Fantasy Based Community Book

We interviewed the Sword NFT, who believe that the recent release of Poked Studio Bots raises the bar in terms of quality art with variation on the Internet Computer. The Sword NFT is a fantasy-based community project.

As time progresses the project should play out like a book, in which the community members are also authors. Series one from the collection is called Little Ninjas.

1. How would you describe your artistic style?

Mainly cartoon/fantasy/anime style. A blend of nature, animals, characters with overexaggerated features. The concepts start with a sketch on pencil and paper, then they are edited digitally. I want the art to be fun.

2. What drew you to NFT creation rather than traditional canvas-based art?

I chose NFT creation because it allows for an extension of my artwork and ideas. It allows for the owner of the art to potentially take that cartoon and bring it to life in a game, or into a metaverse where they can interact with others. It also gives me the ability to reward holders with additional art, discounts, or exclusive club memberships.

3. Are there any artists who have inspired you? What do you like about their work?

I’m sure I’ve been inspired by different artists or even anime I saw at some point, and right now, no one, in particular, comes to mind. In interacting with the Internet Computer community I’m beginning to be influenced by other artists/teams.

I noticed from the creator of the pokedstudiobots that there was a high level of variation, which raises the bar. So I think that is a fun challenge for future projects, how can you increase the variation and at the same time make it so people recognize the art as part of that collection when they see it elsewhere.

4. What made you create NFTs?

NFTs remove many of the boundaries of modern art. Proof of ownership/transferability. When you add in technology it adds in more for imagination in what can be done with the art.

5. Can you tell us about your project?

The Sword NFT is a fantasy-based community project. As time progresses the project should play out like a book, in which the community members are also authors. Series one from the collection is called Little Ninjas. This is the Collection of 10k Ninjas that everyone is familiar with. The collection was designed with the intent of video game integration in the future.

With this, you would access the game with your wallet, and your character would have abilities derived from NFT Characteristics. If a character has: dual gold sword, gold skin, flame background, that could affect the character's ability in a turn-based RPG. Of course, the RPG is just one idea and the community will play a big role in mechanics.

Series 1: Ninjas fall into a category called Warriors, and the warriors are the main characters in the storyline. Dragons fall into a separate category: guardians; as of now, the guardians form a special bond with the warriors, and they can protect them in battle. So in the game, bringing in a guardian would add a buff. There could also be cool perks in the metaverse of owning a guardian.

6. How many NFTs will be minted? Can you talk us through the process of how you create the art?

10k Ninjas will be Minted, currently, we are in line with Entrepot. The art begins as a sketch, pencil on paper, and I then turn it into digital line art and try to bring it to life. For ninjas, they were not auto-generated; you will notice subtle changes like some of their eyes adjusting to compliment the background.

7. Will Your NFT be able to breed, stake or ever be in a game?

No Breeding is planned for any of the series as of now. I can see Ninja Staking coming into play, and this is something I’ve considered.

8. What benefits do you think the Internet Computer has over other L1 blockchains when it comes to creating NFTs?

The internet computer appears to be the most advanced in terms of technology and what it is capable of on the blockchain. A huge benefit is the reverse gas model, which allows people interested in the NFT to purchase without Gas Wars or any gas fees.

If you’ve purchased an NFT on another network, you can see gas fees can get very high. Also, the way the NFTs will interact with other projects through canisters is fascinating.

9. What other art have you seen that excites you in the Internet Computer NFT ecosystem?

We’re a fan of all the projects on the Internet Computer so far, we’ve talked to many of the creators. People are taking a lot of unique approaches. Pokedstudio, as I mentioned, had a high level of variation and was very impressive. IC Gallery launched with 3d NFTs, a game, and a digital Gallery. That was huge. Also interested in seeing Cronic Critters pioneer into Gamefi.

10. What excites you most about your launch?

I’m mostly excited to see people receive their Ninjas that have been interacting with the community and showing support. I’m excited to see which weapons become the most valuable, and how the project develops over the course of time.

11. What advice would you give to anyone trying to enter into the world of NFTs?

My advice would be not to rush into it but to take the time and make something that people will cherish. The ninjas took a while to design, but now I’m even thinking with the Dragons, how can I take the project to the next level.

12. Do you have further plans to work with ICP Squad in the future after this initial sale?

I want my team to work with ICP Squad in any way that we can. Even beyond social media collab, also with game integration once we have everything figured out.

13. Can you envisage a future where the most valuable NFT space is on the Internet Computer?

Yeah absolutely, I feel that time is important for value. But as people start to understand the technology and benefits the ecosystem will grow.

14. Why do you think NFTs have become so valuable in such a short space of time?

NFTs are valuable because of the global marketplace in which they exist, and the exponentially growing number of use cases.

15. Tell us about your team?

I am the main representative of TheSwordNFT, and I’ve been responsible for the art and community building. The team has consultants which have launched successful projects on other chains. Also, I have experience in working with developers over the years.

We have brought one member from the community on board so far as they have been highly active in keeping people engaged and coming up with great ideas for the future. We plan on the continued growth of team building, both externally and from within the community.

16. What advantages do you believe you have over other competitors?

We’re not looking to compete, as it’s still really early on the Internet Computer. Our goal is to hopefully have an NFT that stands the test of time by continually adding value to NFT holders. Our advantage over other chains is no gas fees and the ability to drop directly on-chain via social media to someone’s wallet. And that is just the beginning.

17. Tell us about your partners?

Entrepot will be minting the NFTs and helping us to sell them on their marketplace. We would also like to work with Toniq Game Studio in the Future. Some of our NFTs will be Airdropped directly to followers on DSCVR.

We have resources outside of the chain, but our goal is to work with as many within the Internet Computer network before going outside to support community growth.

We will also be partnering with other NFT projects for game integration in the future, we have had brief conversations with a few projects and we will go more in-depth after launch.

18. Tell us about the challenge you face while building your project?

One of the biggest challenges has been building the community, and keeping people engaged, while simultaneously working on collabs, and the new artwork/project concepts. You will see major changes to the team after the Ninjas launch.

19. What are your short and long-term achievements and targets?

The short term is to launch Ninjas and continue working on the art for Dragons. Collaborate with other projects and develop the community further. The long term would be the game and metaverse integration.

20. Give us some details about your roadmap?

Launch Ninjas on Entrepot Q4 2021 (exact date should be updated soon).

Q1 2022 Simultaneously begin game development and metaverse integration in which the Ninja Tokens work as a Key.

Q1 2022 Completion of Dragons.

Q1 2022 Further discuss concepts on the project that will be more community-based.

Q1 2022 Team Expansion.

Q1 2022 Proposal for Ninja Staking, vote to move forward determined by the community.

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions 😊