What are CryptoKitties?
Cryptokitties is the all new trading and breeding game based on the Ethereum Blockchain. While Bitcoin was created to store and transact money, Ethereum was created to store and transfer computing power, and run applications, kind of like the apps on your phone. Cryptokitties is one of these apps. Since it is on the decentralized Ethereum blockchain network, it is called a decentralized application, or Dapp.
Why does it matter that it is on the Ethereum Blockchain?
Well, think of a blockchain like a public server. This server is accessible to everyone, but once information is uploaded to this public server, it cannot be changed. Ever. Also, this public server is ran by people called miners. What these miners do, is authorize transactions to the blockchain and expend their computing power to run the dapps. Whenever you have any activity on the Ethereum Blockchain, there is a fee that you must pay to these miners so that the information arrives at the place you want it to. Anybody can be a miner, and it pays good money, as long as you have a powerful computer.
Everytime a CryptoKitty is bought, sold, bred, or gifted, it is registered on the blockchain permanently. Therefore, it is impossible for your CryptoKitty to be deleted or removed in anyway, unless you sold it. Ether is the cryptocurrency built on the Ethereum blockchain, and is the currency that the CryptoKitties cost.
How are CryptoKitties Created?
The founders of the game created a set amount of CryptoKitties when they released the game. Now, the founders sell one brand-new CryptoKitty through the account called “⏱ Kitty Clock ⏱” every 15 minutes. These cats are called generation zero, or Gen 0. In December of 2018, they will exhaust their supply of CryptoKitties and the only way to get a new one will be through breeding.
How do I buy CryptoKitties?
It is super simple to buy some CryptoKitties, but there are some steps involved to get started.
Step 1: Purchase Ether(The Ethereum Currency). The easiest way to get Ether is through Coinbase: https://www.coinbase.com.
Step 2: Download MetaMask. MetaMask is the browser Ethereum wallet that CryptoKitties utilizes to manage all transactions. It is a chrome extension, so you will need the chrome browser and then download the extension from here.
Step 3: Set up a MetaMask account. All you need to do is follow the steps on MetaMask to get your wallet set up.
Step 4: Send the Ether to your MetaMask account. On whatever exchange you decided to use, click on transfer money. On Coinbase this is located as an arrow in the top right corner. Type in the amount you want to send, your MetaMask wallet address (which you can get by clicking on the MetaMask extension, then the three dots, and finally “copy wallet address” as shown in picture. Click send and your Ether will appear in your account promptly.
Step 5: Create a CryptoKitties account here:https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/metamask/nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn.
Step 6: Click on the Marketplace in the CryptoKitties website, and view all of the cats that are for sale!
Step 7: You can now sell this CryptoKitty, breed it, or gift it! Have fun!
By the way, when you make a transaction of any type, MetaMask will pop up a miniature window and it will ask you how much you want to pay for the transaction. 25 gwei is the default, but I recommend changing this to 15 so that you do not have to pay as much.