I’m talking today with Nikki Fuego from fromway. Vroomway is a Decentraland racing game where you can earn NFTs by playing the game. Vroomway is one of the most popular games out there On the platform, it gathers more than 500 players per month. It took a lot of guts to create a game like this, and Nikki herself is such an inspiring person to talk to. So, we talked a lot, and here is her journey.
Tell us about your background and how did you end up in Decentraland?
I stumbled upon Decentraland by accident. I researched different Metaverses after trying The Sandbox, which was gated tokens that were very expensive at the time. The moment I logged on to Decentraland, I was hooked. I found myself wandering around Wondermine, meeting my Metaverse friends (now my best friend) who gave me my first NFT! “DOCTORdripp KITE” and “Back Hat”.
VroomVroom was your first big project, did you always feel like this could lead you to something bigger – Vroomway?
The VrommVroom wearable was a huge undertaking because it wasn’t just a traditional wearable, it was among the first wearables in the leather category. Since it was a new category, I was pushing the envelope because these were primarily wearables, 90% of VroomVroom is a stationary vehicle.
Previously, there were upper body wearable devices/vehicles but nothing like this. It was the first “hover car,” and I managed to create two before they changed the rules and banned wearable cars. It was also the inspiration for the wearable automobile trend.
What was the biggest challenge when you joined the space?
Honestly, I had just started moving before joining Decentraland. I’m now an honestly proud transgender woman, but when I joined it wasn’t very secure. So, fighting my inner demons and not sabotaging my creativity was a challenge. I don’t come from a very loving family or past, so these demons have a habit of showing up. The powerful and relentless embrace of this vibrant community has been life-changing, challenging me to push and push and push to keep chasing what was already mine. As a result, I began to love myself for the first time, became proud of myself for the first time, and finally began to see myself the way others actually saw me.
Tell us a little bit about Vroomway. Why did you initially decide to create something about racing?
This change in the rules was the real catalyst for me and ultimately led to the creation of Vroomway. “The only way you can get more vehicles in the game is by coding them up on a parcel,” Decentraland told me. So, I started brainstorming and planning, and it all fell into place. It started with a mini launch party with Wisher Vodka. We had over 100 people at that party, and I can still imagine the celebrations to this day. Then I created a more ambitious event called “Grand Prix”, dedicated to VroomVroom holders. We held a race where only those who owned one could participate. Wisher Vodka sponsored the event, and we created three unique 1:1 helmets to give out to the first, second, and third place winners. The event went so well that I just started thinking bigger. Then the Avengers gathered and put a proposal together. Nearly ten months later and we’re competing with other top games in the space in a bear market. This is a dream come true for any artist entering the space for the first time.
Fromway is a complex game. How did you manage your workload, and what is required to build a game in Decentraland?
One day at a time and brick by brick, haha. When I started Vroomway, I was still working full time as the Head of Customer Service at a startup, so it was a challenge. I had just adopted a new four-month-old puppy. I’m single and living independently, so there was a lot to juggle with that. Having a great team is crucial, I wouldn’t be where I would be without them. I’m so lucky they got them to say yes. I’ve worked for many companies, both Fortune 500 and startups, so I know what it takes for a team and a goal to work. I like organizing people too, if that makes sense. I have a knack for seeing the great in people and giving them a role to succeed in. I think it helps that everyone on our team is as passionate as I am about the project. We’ve built some amazing stuff and created an amazing user experience for anyone to enjoy. Plus, they always say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life!
Vroomway uses a great technology called instancing. Can you explain why you chose to use it?
So, I had another challenge early on in Decentraland which was the accessibility of LAND. Land was very expensive at the time of my upswing (about $15,000 apiece), so owning land was not within the realm of reality. So, when I was offered LAND to host Vroomway, I knew I had to make it count. I’ve never had anyone give me such an opportunity before. I’m also a huge gaming geek, so I’ve played a lot of video games and gaming has always been a part of those. Being able to move from one scene to another and immerse myself in this natural environment has always fascinated me. So, I wanted to recreate that with Vroomway, for immersion and the opportunity to offer more than just a racing game. I wanted to create our own mini Metaverse within the already amazing Metaverse. We currently have ten sights (running on the 11th and 12th) using the same 4WD area, sixty-four meters by sixty-four metres, for a total of 256m x 10. LAND is more likely to pop up than anyone else at the time. It is excellent for sharing the experience. We have a harvesting area, a nightclub area, six lap racing areas, a single race area and a demolition derby area. There is a place for every type of decentralized citizen to enjoy, whether they are gamers or not.
For new users, it can be difficult to enter the Decentraland Metaverse and then find a Vroomway game to play. So how has this helped limit your marketing strategy?
I think this is something every playmaker struggles with. We all found Decentraland earlier than we should (thanks, Mark Zuckerberg), and that means we’re all way too soon. But for those here, it’s an opportunity. If we can get the attention of early adopters, late adoption will be 10 times easier. I don’t think about this project for a month or two, I think about Vroomway in a period of one or two years, or even five to ten years. As such, we will take this time to build and develop the game. If we are in a bull market right now, many game makers will be overwhelmed. This is why it is so important to keep building and trying everything. Nobody has mastered Web3 yet, and we’re not going to pretend. We’re doing the best we can and learning as we go, and we’re fortunate to have a like-minded community that shares our vision.
What’s Vroomway’s biggest challenge in space – are you even considering making it a standalone game?
Honestly, I think it’s a matter of time and money. If we had the money that traditional game studios have, we’d 100% take it to an indie game with huge interoperability between Decentraland and the other Metaverses. The biggest challenge in general is my perfectionism, I want everything to be 100% AAA clean, and it’s not just because we’re not there as a platform. This whole “we’re early” thing is new to me. I’ve always been a late bloomer to trends like this in the past, so the fact that I have a small part in this digital revolution is enough to keep me going.
How do you see the future of Metaverse games?
I think “Ready Player One” has a great depiction of what Metaverse games can be. Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been a gamer since I can remember, always finding a way to get the latest games and keep up with tech trends. So, “Metaverse” is a fairly familiar concept to me. Essentially, every video game is its own Metaverse. I played “World of Warcraft” for 14 years, so I understand the concepts of multiplayer as well. So, I see us taking all our assets from one platform to another and enjoying our imaginations as humans. This is what it all boils down to. human expression!
Decentraland is a place full of innovators and opportunists. What is your advice to someone who just joined the space?
Don’t try to be someone else, or try to do what someone else is doing, just do it! Don’t overthink things. Don’t let your insecurities win. If you are always 100% authentic, you will never have anything to feel insecure about. Take everything brick by brick, and love yourself first.
Jump into Vroomway and take a ride >> here
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Fashion Editor, Founder of Online Magazine Abstract Stylist and Global Tech PR for Cyber ​​Security Companies.