¶ Wanderers
The Warp Squad 16, an elite squadron of pilots and peace keepers, were individually chosen to represent each of the 16 alliance planets. They participated in exploration and defense of the alliance territory and promoting its interests.
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¶ Description
The Warp Squad 16 was created after the destruction of Home Planet, also known as Sol, to locate new planets as potential new homes for the evacuation. What followed was a storied history of participation in wars and exploration missions throughout the galaxy discovering new planets, lost races, artifacts and resources. New generations and cycles of Warp Squad had new members and slowly intensified training, testing and regularly received the newest, latest equipment. Training is conducted at the Warp Squad Reformatory, or the WSR. Their exploits are legendary and members enjoy celebrity status on Home Planet. Once a member, you are stripped of your identity and given a number as a callsign. Other WS16 members do not know the true identities of other WS16 pilots they fly with. Retirement is possible but rare due to casualties. Pilots sometimes request special items in exchange for conducting missions and have a healthy pension of ETH in retirement. As a condition of retirement, WS16 members are under strict confidentiality from speaking about events while in service.
¶ History
Black Hole incident
A mysterious black hole event began enveloping stars. Sirius was the first star snuffed out, followed by Procion a year later. Proxi Centuri fell and soon the home planets’ skies fell dark. The planet Lyton was threatened next. The Warp Squad 16 were called upon by the council to return and travel together to Lyton to investigate. The mission was notable for being the first time Warp Squad 16 had conducted a mission together in many years.
On August 15th, the WS16 encountered the black hole, it was discovered to be artificial and tests concluded it was consuming planets rather than destroying them. It appeared to have been placed on a set trajectory. The team was unable to send transmissions and confidently flew into the wormhole to find who created it, what powered it and to perhaps turn it off.
Traveling through the wormhole “chewed, sliced and fractionalized” the team. Warp Squad 16 was killed but 8,888 wanderers were born.
Controversies
Accusations have been made that the training of WS16 is overly harsh. One former member, Matteus Erickson, was preparing evidence of his allegations but committed suicide by hanging in his home 3 days before a scheduled interrogation at Warp Squad Reformatory.
Calat War Incident
Warp Squad 16 pilot Caliope Prost, callsign “9” was a 2 year veteran of WS16 when he initiated a war in the Calat system, disobeying orders to do so. Prost was dishonorably discharged from the squad. The incident has given rise to a faction in the council that advocates for ending the Warp Squad 16 program and replacing it with separate exploration and defense programs.
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¶ Behind the Scenes
The wanderers are a generative NFT collection with unique looping animation with hundreds of possible attributes and rarities - including music. They were released August 15th, 2021 at a mint price of .08 eth. Eth price that day was $3310. They sold out immediately.
“The original Wanderers collection will remain the central key to the Wanderverse, acting as your gateway to the story, future drops and utility.”
The Wanderers are stored as ERC-721 tokens on the Ethereum blockchain and hosted on IPFS. There are, and will only ever be 8,888 Wanderers in existence.
Some wanderers were assigned special traits. “Warp Squad 16” are a collection of 16, “Guardian Marked” have 42 and “Radioactive” have 84.
After the release of Wanderers, it was noticed two traits were “glitched”. Right arm wine and bongs mistakenly had a glass of whiskey or an antenna instead of the assigned traits. These are referred to as “glitched”. They are not marked as such on marketplaces but are highly collectable. All of these special traits guaranteed special, corresponding traits when the PFP collection Wandernauts was released.
Wanderers ships have 5 panels of randomized panel traits. Cockpits with no panels were quickly noted for their sleekness and beauty. While not promising future utility, “no panels” are sought after by collectors.
Original wanderer NFT were the key to getting free planet pass airdrops in early 2022. They also acted as a ticket for live events like NFTNYC, DeFiPhilly and FutureShape360.
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¶ Planet Pass
Planet Pass is an in-development multiplayer space exploration and resource management game from the Wanderverse. Wanderer NFT holders were given access to claim a free planet in January 2022. The planets have a dazzling array of unique traits that will be utilized in the upcoming game.
¶ Development and Release
Planet Pass was announced August 18th, 2021 via tweet. Early summaries of the game described a passport stamp collecting game. Assets would be released on the polygon network and $STARDUST would be the games currency. The donut anomaly planet was the first previewed.
Lando Soundo provided music. Multiple elements of generative audio and music were applied to each planet related to the individual planets attributes.
Snapshot of Wanderer holders was taken December 20th, 2021. A free claim of planets and $DUST was launched on January 1st, 2022. The planet claim window was expanded multiple times and closed September 29th. On October 19th, the team announced they would commence with a phased redistribution of 1,980 unclaimed planets.
¶ Gameplay
Players run their own intergalactic travel agency and are invited to collect, rename and write their own lore for the planets they own. Travel between stars to collect stamps for a passport. Earn $DUST by visiting other planets that can be spent on a rotating stock of items, upgrades and NFTs in the Planet Pass store.
$STARDUST, or $DUST, is an ERC-20 that functions as the in-game currency. A snapshot was taken and initial allocation of $DUST was airdropped to Wanderer holders parallel to the Planet Pass drop. A planet renamer tool is available for purchase with $DUST. The currency is also discord compatible and commonly tipped during discord parties, for useful alpha and for quality contributions.
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¶ Astrography
The planets have a wide number of attributes. Over 240 traits makes each of the 8,888 planets entirely unique. Each falls into a fairly even distribution of 16 factions. All planets may have cores, terrains, features, atmospheres and are set in space. Some have satellite features or different types of ships present, from moons to dogfights.
There are 36 known “anomalies” that are 1/1 unique planets with a special biome representing a resource, item, or setting, sometimes of a meme nature. These anomalies can be anything from generators or observatories to your midnight munchie snacks like pizza slices or boba tea.
Further details on planet traits and their usage in the Planet Pass are sparse. It is possible an old deciphered transmission referring to “13 excavated remains of the extinct” could be a possible clue about “ancient bones” or “burial” features. It is hypothesized hive planets are related to the necessity of bees after Sol fell. One tweet did offer clues that guardian grids are dangerous for ships that lack photonic defense armor; “even a shattered grid can still fire on foreign targets”.
Planets Newman #1277, Arapennomy #4363, Hypenct #4860, Horkus 6 #5580, Flammagas #8378, Kessel #7800, Androhution #7631, and Planet X #5994 were all featured in the Wanderverse short film “Survival”.
¶ Updates and Teasers
In a July 13th Twitter spaces, the team dropped teaser information that it will be free for the public to visit planets to encourage outside visitors. There will be generative lore and players will be able to mint “postcards” based on visits. A split second view of the program itself was shown. It looked vastly different and far more advanced than any previous iterations formerly shown. Emerald reported on 8-1-22 that they had perfected gasless minting so visitors wouldn’t require matic for transactions in the game.
On 8-8-22, a discord game was launched with a simplified planet travel game. It was resource management based and location of your planets determined if you were affected by random wormhole openings. Weedium was an additional resource to dust. Tourist ratings affected gameplay. Players were able to purchase mining vessels and assault ships and attractions. The game had many bugs. On 8-13-22, the game was taken down and players who participated were promised special flare or a role in the web game version.
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¶ Wandernauts
On August 15th, the assembled Warp Squad 16 unit encountered and entered an artificial black hole. They were killed and “chewed, sliced and fractionalized” into 8,888 wandernauts. The new wandernauts maintained randomized aspects and possession of their old identities and compensation they had received for embarking on the mission.
The crux of their original 16 remain but sparkle differently through the prism of the wormhole.
¶ The Pilots
Chasm - Cryptic and usually hooded and masked, Chasms take on manifestations of Warlock, Mage, Wizard, Eldritch. He prefers glaives, arrows or sniper. Different Chasms were captured by different enemies of the Alliance but escaped. No records exist prior to his arrival at WS16. Myths say he can speak to the void via astrakinesis. “Chasm whispers but the void screams”
Vizard - Outstanding pilot, an infiltrator and assassin who has never shown his face, not even to Warp Squad 16. Has a vast collection of predatory masks to choose between, depending on mood and the mission. Quick with a knife. Vizards have suffered traumatic loss and he has a reputation for not paying for drinks. There is a fullness and calmness which can come only from knowing pain.
Prodigy - Unusually bright is an understatement. Pioneered photonic AI and has a theory on how to access the seventh dimension. All boys seek heroes to emulate. Prodigy can often be found with clothes or items that pay tribute to his colleagues. Musician, movie fan and sometimes fisherman. Naively has taken work from parties most of the other WS16 are rivals of.
Halcyon - Near-lethal wounds can be healed with a pass of his hand. It’s said he stopped a fight as a young man that lead to him becoming a healer. Resided as a medic at the mega-hospital orbiting Uliah when it was attacked. Disillusioned, Halcyon joined WS16. Always in a meditative pose, he enjoys wide-brimmed hats, especially a non la. Often found with a cyon or lighting the way with a lantern.
Aegis - Clone smugglers hate her. Her defense protocols standardized the bullet-wave deterrent that largely put the smugglers out of business. When she isnt wearing a bright helmet, she is the definition of style. She rocks aviator sunglasses and fashion magazines on Home Planet watch her hair styles. Enjoys a storied history of defending small factions from larger ones. “Love should be enough to save the universe. It’s not, but Aegis is“.
Aegis Sabik SNR, Comms Officer #1461 crash landed on a dense foliage planet after the wormhole events and encountered a system guardian.
Formalin - It’s unusual to find Sluds outside their hydroponic habitats deep beneath their ocean world. But Formalin was called to touch the stars. He requires wearing a helmet that acts as an environment stabilizer. The environments found underneath vary widely from aquatic with fish and barnacles to terrariums. Rumors circulate he sometimes has drugs mixed into his helmet environment. He often runs deliveries for different factions.
Tarlor - Languishing for a million years as the last survivor of an attack on an exploratory ship, Tarlor is a biologist that likes to wear a solar system as a reminder of a past lost to her. Sometimes seen in a robo or armored suit, she prefers bliss as her drug of choice. This isn’t her first run in with a black hole. Her imprisonment on that coffin ship removed the twin demons of mobility and diversion, allowing her to master varied exotic biological skills. She has sold those skills to different factions but with varying degrees of success.
Hawk - Much has been said in the tales of the bounty hunter from Teres. Most are true. Eyewear and helmet are typical. Traditional tools of the trade like grappling hooks, lasers, and bliss are common. His mustache is the stuff of legend. Some factions still owe him ETH for past missions while others have fresh bounties out for him.
Cosmo - Epistemologist and philosopher who joined Warp Squad as part of a greater voyage for meaning. An autodidact proved life in the alliance territory came from comets. Style and swagger voiced through suits and suave hats. There are many enviable sunglasses in the WS16 but Cosmos wormholes are a darkened window into a mind disinterested in the petty squabbles around him. Mysticism without revelation. Has a hobby in cloning different animals.
Siren - Not looking for meaning in the universe, she simply wants to witness the beauty it possesses. “Songs of the stars” call her. A former archeologist that now sells paintings to the different factions. She is elegant, well-dressed and a noted influencer. Her different renditions have bright, poppy accessories like balloons and cat ears. She is perfect and some hate her for being so. She is the music of the spheres.
Guest - Something beyond human. Clinically dead for an entire day, Guest received an experimental nanobot treatment and was miraculously revived. His face is often marked by mutilation from past battles. Or past medical experiments. His clothing is varied; sometimes therapeutic gear, classy suits or military garb. It is rumored he killed the scientists who revived him. Part nano-bot as a result of his treatment. He is incapable of caution and therefore powerful. He cannot inspire love, so he inspires fear.
Oracle - Capable of seeing just beyond the horizon of the preset, Oracle has precog abilities and is a natural strategic battle planner. They are also a natural card player. Joined WS16 because they knew they would. They don traditional clothing, suits, head ornaments, and jewelry. Their variants are very picky about the cockpit their ships have. They predict there are factions who intend to kidnap them and use their special skills.
Fission - Hero atomic scientist of the HyperChem Plague. He made the difficult decision to explode the local star in the Teres system, preventing the plague spreading beyond those planets and people. He struggles with mental health issues due to those events. His derivatives have created a number of delightful toys and inventions. Some factions have tried to steal the patents of his inventions causing rivalry with him. It is suspected but unconfirmed his callsign number was 8. He often sports a striking bubble helmet or gas mask and unusual practical work suits. He prefers his bliss in pipe form or sometimes carries it in a tank on his back.
Selene - Enthusiastic child of prominent research scientists on Paldanas second moon who were killed by anti-cloning terrorists when she was 7 years old. At the age of 16, she joined the military to hunt terrorists. She has pursued security work for different factions. She is often seen with a variety of weapons including guns, axes, swords, glaives, and arrows. She is noted for her facial war paint. She takes inspiration from historical female warrior clans and can be found with Valkyrie helmets, decorative armor and braids.
Reef - Marketing himself as a carefree criminal, Reef was an infamous bliss smuggler before being captured by two WS16 members. He was offered a life at WSR or imprisonment. Legendary pilot always looking for the latest way to get buzzed. He provides bliss at a discount to some factions in exchange for other exotic drugs. It is rumored he provides the other WS16 members their bliss. He is always ingesting an intoxicant. Or pizza. He sports trendy hip streetwear or prison uniforms. Some versions have multiple or unusual eyes.
Bliss Mixer Reef Aesculus #8887 crash landed on a desert planet after the events of the wormhole and was attacked by a system guardian and left for dead.
Mortis - Emotion is for the weak. Crippled with guilt after a kill, an experimental surgery removed too much brain tissue from Mortis. His guilt was removed but the surgeons overcorrected, leaving him with no remorse. Mortis doesnt speak much. He did different blue collar jobs for different factions. Once more fun loving, Mortis is now a cold killer. He sometimes wears helmets or face shields but also medical bandages or cyborg implants following his surgery. He enjoys suits from classy to vampire. A bandolier often carries unusual ammunition like bananas and weiners.
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¶ Behind the Scenes
Wandernauts are the PFP release of the Wanderverse. Wandernauts are kinetic avatars with mind-blowing variety, animation, story, and music. Using the wanderverse web interface, you can change the state of your NFT. Utilize “The Rift” to swap between the mp4, gif, and png versions of your avatar, while keeping it an NFT so you can stay interoperable across Web3. Wandernauts are hosted on IPFS -- which means the file storage is decentralized.
Mint
The mint occurred on March 25th, 2022 for a cost of .1 ETH. The cost of ETH was $3143 that day. There were 7 mint groups that guaranteed special traits:
- Wanderers
- Glitch
- Radioactive
- Guardian Marked
- Guardian Glitch Marked
- Radioactive Guardian Marked
- Warp Squad 16
In the lead up to the mint, collaboration efforts included Rarible, Argent, Odyssey DAO, Satoshi Runners, Superlative Secret Society, Bankless DAO, Non-Refungible Network, BearX labs, and BYOPills. A Tropix DJ party was hosted the night before release.
Over 95% of the initial wave minted. On June 6th, 2022, it was announced via Twitter the team would give away the remaining 337 wandernauts. One day later, it was announced that over 50,000 “had entered the wormhole” and submitted entry. The remaining 337 Wandernauts were released on Friday June 10th in a free mint. Everyone who entered the giveaway was airdropped a free Queen Arachnid NFT. A Tropix mint out party was held the following day.
Community Engagement
On April 29th, an open casting call was opened on Twitter for people to submit their wanderer assets, including wandernauts, for use in short films. Over 200 applied and those chosen were featured in the short film “Survival”.
Honorary Nauts were presented to prominent members of the web3 community. “Wanderaries” were presented to Cobie, Gramatik, Emonee Saturn, Belfort, XCOPY, Cozomo de’ Medici, Biana de Medici, “Packy” McCormick, uwu, Andrew Wang, Sarah Zucker, clan favorite Boofer, Path, Bigdog, Deeze, Claire Silver and Vitalik.
Music
On August 26th, 2022, long time music composer for the Wanderers, Lando Soundo, announced the completion of the Wandernauts album. Single “Between the Stars” and its visualizer was released on September 2nd. Single “Ad Infinitum” and its visualizer was released on September 19th.
Gaming
Wandernauts have been utilized in web3 gaming. Pixel Nauts have been available free for all holders for use in web 3 gaming. Wanderworlds is soon to be released in Minecraft.
Liquid Lands has been and continues to be a stunning success in the Wanderverse. The Nauts have held first place in the game for months, virtually uncontested. 400-630 Nauts, over 5% of all Nauts in existence, are often in play at any given time. Many wanderers have reached the highest honor in the game of minting eternals.
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