History
Launched in 2012 by Pixowl Inc., the original Sandbox game was released on the mobile platform. Players would take on the role of “apprentice Deity” and create the world using elements and reactions. Reactions would depend on which elements the player selected. (To make Mud, players need to use Sand and Water elements.)
Six years later, Pixowl would launch the next version of their hit game, The Sandbox 2. Also known as The Sandbox Evolution, the game came with a primary Game Maker and a pixel art creator. These tools allowed players to create game levels and share their creations online for other people to download and experience for themselves.
Fast-forward to November 2021. Pixowl (Now owned by Animoca Brands) releases The Sandbox Metaverse Alpha to the public. Gone are the 2D pixel models, and in their place are 3D voxel assets.
Gameplay Features
The Sandbox Metaverse is made of three core components. VoxEdit, their Game Maker, and the Marketplace.
VoxEdit
The successor to The Sandbox Evolution’s pixel art platform, VoxEdit is an editing tool that allows users to create voxel assets, ranging from static furniture pieces to fantastic, animated dragons.
Game Maker
The Game Maker allows creators to design gaming levels and experiences with voxel assets created or purchased from the marketplace. They can use this tool to manipulate game elements and objects inside Sandbox’s LANDS.
Marketplace
The Sandbox marketplace allows for the seamless buying and selling of voxel NFTs for the game. Apart from NFTs, LAND can also be found in the marketplace.
LANDS
The entirety of The Sandbox Metaverse is a collection of different LAND plots. Virtual real estate is a trend found in many proto-metaverses, but in The Sandbox, LAND is utilized as a way to generate more $SAND. Essentially, LAND is a blank canvas for game experiences created by players. People who want to develop games in The Sandbox need to own or rent a plot of LAND to put their creations.
Ways to Earn $SAND
By paying a small fee of $SAND to LAND owners, players can experience the game stored on the plot. Players are rewarded $SAND for finishing these games. LAND holders can also choose to host events and charge guests, or rent their plots to players who want to build but don’t have their LAND. Non-LAND owners also have the option to utilize the VoxEdit tool to create NFTs that can be sold on the marketplace.
How to Play
By signing up on their official website and linking a MetaMask account, players can download their Game Maker tool, which doubles as the game’s client and allows access to The Sandbox Metaverse.
