We interviewed the owner of Kabi, which includes NFT portraits, customizable 3D Avatars, a personal gallery, and personal channels where users can experience the next-generation social and multiplayer functions of 3D K-Universe with KENNER Avatars.
1. Please tell us about you, your name, position in the project, your credentials, etc., so that we can introduce you.
I've worked in crypto as a market operator for four years, serving projects and companies including Binance, Huobi, OKEX, MXC, and other online projects, such as IOTEX, ITC, Cyclone, etc. I was attracted by crypto and the idea of decentralization during my junior year at university, so I chose to leave school and pursue my dream by starting my own business.
2. How would you describe your artistic style?
We hope everyone can be defined by nobody else but themselves. So KABI portraits should be diversified. That's why artists in Team KVERSO refer to many trending fashion works and cultural fashions. The images are clean and technological by using the self-built 3D HPM models and ray tracing technology. We want KABI to embody an inclusive and diverse fashion aesthetic and, most importantly, set itself apart from the rest of the NFT artworks out there. The production cost and time consumption of 3D portraits are much higher than that of 2D, but this also brings a high degree of differentiation and solid technical barriers to avoid plagiarism.
3. What drew you to NFT creation rather than traditional canvas-based art?
Traditional art is a game for the upper class. In 2021, the global art auction industry reached a new high, with an increase of more than 70% in turnovers. The wealthy groups only become more affluent, but the lives of ordinary people are going backward. Decentralization and blockchain technology are opportunities for human beings to break the shackles of the traditional economic order. There is no monopoly or oppression in the Metaverse, and we can establish a shared utopia in cyberspace. KVERSO chose to publish the KABI NFT to recruit like-minded partners. We don't want to compromise to please a few, but we prefer to open up our KVERSO vision to all the individuals around the world. Our art is public art, equal art, and diversified art.
4. Are there any artists who have inspired you? What do you like about their work?
While creating the image of KABI, we came across the artwork of Keith Haring, a neo-pop artist from the United States. His artworks are very different from other traditional paintings, and they are creative but straightforward. The content is often cartoon-like. We incorporated this clean and direct style into KABI's design and rendering, resulting in a muted look that ensured the portraits wouldn't cause visual fatigue.
5. What made you create NFTs?
Initially, team KVERSO only wanted to develop the gaming sector in Metaverse. After observing the market trend in the past year, we began to feel the pulse of the era. Metaverse is a much bigger concept than games, and it should bear the weight of human life scenes, so we redirected our path. KABI NFT provides Mataverse citizenship confirmation and digital asset security. Kenners (K-Universe citizens) can define "who I am" with their exclusive identity on the chain and identity outside the Metaverse. KABI is an art, an asset, and Kenners' identity badge. Launching KABI is our first step in creating community and ecology in K-Universe and KVERSO.
6. Can you tell us about your project?
It's my pleasure.
Project Kverso includes two key segments: KABI Avatar and K-Universe community.
KABI includes NFT portraits, customizable 3D Avatars, a personal gallery, and personal channels, where users can experience the next-generation social and multiplayer functions of 3D K-Universe with KENNER Avatars. The galley is used to retain and display digital assets acquired by users with transaction functions; Users can publish visual information on their channels to present the cyber lifestyle in the Web3.0 era, define themselves, and empower their virtual identity. The first group of KABI holders will receive a Creator's Package, including five pieces of digital NFT apparel assets with the community title "BLAZERS."
K-Universe is a decentralized social, game, and creation sharing Metaverse based on blockchain, NFT, 3D engine, VR, and private domain traffic concepts. We will provide Kenners with a Web 3.0-level social interaction experience. More functions and rights will be discovered in time. Please follow our official website and official accounts. Stay tuned!
7. How many NFTs will be minted? Can you talk us through the process of how you create the art?
We will release 10,000 pieces of NFT KABI portraits, the first 5,000 pieces will be launched on the ICP chain, and another 5,000 pieces to be determined. We will also release a variety of NFT in the future, such as clothing, land, etc. Not all of these items will be released for MINT, but our main reason for launching NFT is to secure players' digital assets.
KABI, of course, is the recent core product of KVERSO. The NFT Avatar is the identity of the decentralized community, and it's a perfect key to unlocking the Metaverse ecology. We built KABI NFT using our 3D HPM (High-Polygon Model) with ray tracing technology, which is different from the pure 2D images all over the market. The clothing and accessories are selected by a team of designers with references to the fashion trend in recent years and the traditional dressing styles of many countries worldwide. I hope that the KBAI NFT can be diversified as possible. I believe this collection of works optimized by Team KVERSO for seven months will definitely refresh the decentralization community.
Team KVERSO recognizes that the world is one and that human societies in the WEB3.0 era should stop discriminating against each other over their differences, so we distribute KABI's image fairly based on global ethnic proportions. In addition to the human race, we also hope that everyone can find their place in the K-Universe. Therefore, Team KVERSO has also designed 2% of KABI NFT to show our support for minority groups.
8. Will people be able to breed, stake, rent your NFT, or will it ever be in a game or be a DAO?
Of course, users can freely decide the whereabouts and usage of their NFTs on the blockchain.
The DAO community is a very innovative way of organizing. I am very optimistic about it. However, although the framework of the K-Universe has been formed, the chain effect on several functions can only be verified after citizens join. Team KVERSO needs to ensure a good community atmosphere and active UGC output in order to discuss whether to adopt the DAO mechanism.
The economic system involved in the value appreciation of NFT is very complex, and a rash decision may disrupt the value logic of K-Universe and is not conducive to the long-term development of the KVERSO community. Therefore, we need to carefully discuss and determine the economic system of the entire project before finalizing it.
9. What benefits do you think the Internet Computer has over other L1 blockchains when it comes to creating NFTs?
ICP is more novel than other blockchain communities on a technical level, and it can fully implement some excellent functions with a Web3.0-level decentralized framework. The IC network supports storage in the blockchain itself, and it also allows 3D NFT modeling, which ETH and other L1 blockchains can't do. We will transfer NFT assets and partial open-world functions to the ICP network to ensure the high security and reliability of user assets and the operation of the Metaverse.
10. What other art have you seen that excites you in the Internet Computer NFT ecosystem?
Currently, the NFTs on ICP are mostly 2D, and there are very few 3D projects. There may be several NFT projects in between with their styles, but as for the NFTs with practical functions, we have not seen many NFTs for the time being; this is also the biggest competitive advantage of Kverso. Kverso is a top-tier project, regardless of development resources, team strength, and portrait quality. We have been in contact with the Crowd Creative Canvas team recently. Their idea of creation-publications with a mutually beneficial mindset is very exciting. I hope to see more diverse creations in the ICP community, including KVERSO and CCC, in the near future.
11. What excites you most about your launch, and which date is your launch?
I am really excited to see the future Kenner lifestyles in K-Universe. How amazing would that be! We plan to launch KABI in mid-May, inviting everyone again to follow our official Twitter account and Discord channel and stay tuned!
12. What advice would you give to anyone trying to enter into the world of NFTs?
If you are a consumer, please clarify your needs and budget and deeply understand the true meaning behind these fancy words before purchasing NFT. Many talented people present their talents in this industry, but many are also not worthy of the price. Imitation and pure profit-oriented products are all over the market. Please understand as much relevant information as possible and know your limits.
If you are a developer, please also clarify your goals and what role you will play in the team. It is more challenging to create a company if you build a team yourself. You should know enough about preferences and market needs, investor preferences, team operations, member capabilities, development goals, and roadmaps. The results won't be satisfying if a project cannot be commercialized or invested with time and money. Don't be too optimistic.
13. Do you have further plans to work with ICP Squad in the future after this initial sale?
Of course, I hope we can cooperate smoothly. In addition to the KABI NFT portrait, our future NFTs, such as land, pets, clothing, paintings, etc., are also considered to be released on the ICP chain.
14. Can you envisage a future where the most valuable NFT space is on the Internet Computer?
The technological advancement of ICP is undeniable. The storage cost is lower; speed is faster than other public chains, supports more diverse digital assets and functions. If we want to support applications like Metaverse and gamefi with a large number of users and data interaction, ICP must be one of the best choices at the technical level.
15. Why do you think NFTs have become so valuable in such a short space of time?
In my opinion, this is a peculiar phenomenon in the transition phase of decentralized tokens from general equivalents to practical products. Since the advent of NFT, the decentralized community can provide value judgments for all humankind, and now it will shift its services from wallet accounts to specific people. NFT assets are the future because it is difficult for us to confirm the ownership of our assets. For example, clothing manufacturers can issue NFT and send physical products simultaneously to ensure that users will not receive counterfeit products. NFT is very reliable as asset proof. More expensive items such as jewelry, cars, etc., can also use NFT to identify the authenticity and trace the source. NFT assets are difficult to steal. As long as you have a digital terminal, you can take your NFT assets anywhere.
16. Tell us about your team?
Currently, Team KVERSO has 17 young members. We are all passionate about building a Metaverse and are willing to lead our products to make a breakthrough in the blue ocean of the Metaverse. The team members come from listed companies such as ByteDance, Xiaohongshu, Hithink Royalflush Information, etc. We also have Chinese Canadians on our team. Our mods are in Hongkong and Germany. Most of our members are from Asia and Europe. The team has nine designers, five front-end and back-end developers, as well as three operators and five mods.
17. What advantages do you believe you have over other competitors?
The 3D style NFT portraits constructed by KVERSO are rare in the market. Pixel-style portraits and games filled up the Metaverse world today, but this situation won't be permanent. The next phase for Metaverse projects requires far more 3D development resources with time and labor costs than the current level, which happens to be the advantage of Team KVERSO. Although our K-Universe is just taking shape, the scalability of the underlying framework is far from comparable to 2D competitors.
We are currently testing features such as 3D Avatar customizations, dress-up functions, 3D clothing, and building model upload with NFTization functions. These features will be available to users in the upcoming months. We have built thousands of 3D HPM models, and maps with grand scenes that can be seamlessly loaded to ensure the K-Universe can become an actual everyday life scene for citizens.
Gamefi can no longer summarize the scale of the K-Universe. We have also planned for Play To Earn and UGC and reached cooperation intentions with many creator economic platforms like CCC. The decentralized Kenner homepage/social forum based on ICP is under development. We will help users NFT their creations to achieve a mutually beneficial situation in the future. Many project parties and investors are optimistic about our comprehensive layout, and Team KVERSO is confident in realizing these plans.
18. Do you have any partners? Please tell us about them
We have several partners in the space, such as yourselves, Dfinity Community, which we value very much :)
19. Tell us about the challenges you have faced while building your project?
We are a group of young people mainly from the year 1995 to 2000. We have been developing with funds from our team for seven months and marketing for only more than one month. We did encounter some difficulties in funding and the initial cooperation within the team. Since it is a relatively difficult task to develop the Metaverse, the progress at the development level has to be done step-by-step.
20. What are your short and long-term achievements and targets?
The short-term goal of Team KVERSO is to establish a K-Universe social ecology that satisfies the KABI holders. After we complete the essential functions and framework of the seamless open world, we will allow registration to all players worldwide. Build a PGC&UGC game community, and use reasonable reward mechanisms that encourage everyone to build the Metaverse ecology where we share and perfectly balance the social interaction, creation, and gaming functions.
I hope to develop a K-Universe parallel to real life in 2030. Where users can enjoy our services and products in both worlds, such as realistic/virtual parallel creative design competitions, NFTization of physical goods, with brands and cross-border cooperations, etc., create incredible values for everyone.
21. Give us some details about your roadmap?
2022Q2
Cyberspace K-Universe Beta Test, multiplayer Metaverse game,
3D Avatar customization & UGC dress up & clothing upload, graphic chat, voice chat functions, social casual game functions
2022Q3
Custom construction (Dream Builder) Alpha test, with building material customization/upload functions.
2022Q4
Game Changer Alpha test, implement game level design function, Play to Earn, UGC & PCG methods, VR, AR, official creative events in progress... Details will be updated in real-time according to the development progress. Please stay tuned to our official website and official accounts!
22. Do you have any plans to expand into the Metaverse?
Rather than saying we are expanding into the Metaverse, the Metaverse has been our goal since the beginning. In my opinion, KABI NFT is Team KVERSO's key to the Metaverse ecology. We have walked on various paths toward this ultimate goal and finally confirmed that NFT is the best choice at present.
23. Will your NFT be tokenized in the future?
Team KVERSO's first consideration is the artistic, collectible value of the KABI NFT portrait and its centrality to our Metaverse social/gaming capabilities. For tokens, we may give them out through NFT airdrops, etc. We believe that the NFT commercialization is also a good development direction. I hope the KVERSO community can jointly build a Web3.0 generation and future-oriented human life scene. For this reason, we are willing to stick to it and maintain the healthy growth of the K-Universe and the vitality of the PGC&UGC community.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions 😊
Add-on Questions:
24. Many individuals are still full of doubts about decentralized technology. Have you ever thought about attracting people who aren't familiar with decentralization to your NFT project?
We will, but not now. As long as our K-Universe is exciting enough, people will be naturally attracted. We will prove that NFTs and decentralization belong to all human beings and cyber utopia is not a mythical legend.
25. Can you share KVERSO’s marketing plans before the official launch?
We have released a warm-up campaign on Galaxy and co-operations with many other projects like CCC. We will also provide some whitelists for our H5 mini-game warm-up event winners, and game participants can also join the raffle. The mini-game is really entertaining, and I hope everyone enjoys it!
26. What's your attitude towards other developing metaverse projects?
We would love to see progressive developments in the decentralization community. Team Kverso welcomes all developer teams to cooperate with us to break through network barriers and finally realize the usage of digital assets across all networks. It would be beneficial for everyone.
27. I heard that the KABI NFT holders will have lots of benefits in your Metaverse. Can you tell me about it?
KABI NFT holders from our first launch will have the benefits below:
1. Honorary Title:
Initial KABI holders will be certified as founding members in K-Universe, “BLAZER” will be displayed on top of their nickname and home page.
2. Digital apparel:
A set of creators’ costumes will airdrop upon first entrance, with choices of several fashion styles. Each item in the creator’s costume is an NFT property, allowed to be traded freely on-chain.
3. Experience KENNER Avatar customization:
Shortly, costume upload and dress-up functions will be available for BLAZER members. Along with building materials and model customizations. BLAZER members will have the maximum creative access with the ability to monetize and trade their digital apparel and building textures.
4. Land purchase:
BLAZER members have priority on the K-Universe land allocations.
5. Personal channel:
Members can rename their KABI NFT and write their stories on the KABI profile, and the profiles will be displayed on our official website!
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