For a NFT game like Splinterlands, you would encounter people of different backgrounds which becomes interesting when discussing some items such as proposals, vision for the game, tokenomics, etc. Just like in any diverse community, I think it is important to understand where people are coming from and why they choose a certain route. Different perspectives should always be welcome and analyzed objectively.
What type were you before you started playing Splinterlands?
1.) The CCG (Collectible Card Game) Player - Card geeks who started physical card games like Magic The Gathering/Pokemon, then played digital cgs like Hearthstone/Yugi-oh. It would be easier to appreciate Splinterlands if you came from this background.
2.) Crypto Addict - You've been scalping the markets for so long, and from here you have encountered different crypto projects. You wanted to check the utility of DEC, SPS, HIVE and eventually you got hooked into playing a game like Splinterlands! Although it's not all about the game itself, one thing to consider is the movement of the coins. You've been pushing for the listing of SPS in a major exchange for quite a long time.
3.) The Gamer - This was a dream profession back then, but now seems to be a reality. Some people just love games in general, whatever the form. What ROI? What is important to you is having fun. Focus is on the game, earnings are just a bonus.
4.) Show Me the Money - SPL was advertised as a Play to Earn game, and this may be exactly what you are here for. Hence, it is important for you to understand where the rewards are and if it is still worth continuing to play/transact in this game/platform. There are also barriers for entry such as 'investments' needed and this is how 'scholars' came to be. Part of the game/grind is being able to earn without much investment.
5.) Mr/Ms. Web 3.0. - You believed in the evolution of the web and community-based content is the next best thing. You started blogging and have been member of the Hive (actually, Steemit) ever since and then you discovered the games later on. Content creation is something you are more keen with.
6.) Whale - You are privileged enough that upgrading cards and its associated cost is not a problem for you. With that, efficiency is key and you don't need to grind your way up. You enjoy battling against other big-wigs as you are able to tap into the max features and dominate most splinters.
The Evolution - Do you see yourself differently with the game?
Some may realize that Splinterlands is not just about the card ranked play. There may be something more to it.
7.) The Flipper - You found opportunity and success in trading NFT assets. While others spend money playing the game, you are actually among the few that earns from it! Business is good as the gamers are happy. You may not be playing much of Splinterlands per se, the game for you is on flipping assets and building your personal network. Splinterlands Tycoon!
8.) The Yield Investor - Among the allures of an NFT game is that in-game assets can be monetized and give you financial yields.
There are different ways to earn yields such as Liquidity Pools and airdrops - what is the annual rate? Better than traditional banks, huh?! Now that crypto space has transitioned to Proof-of-Stake, it's really not hard to find yields that trump any conventional investments out there. You just need to be careful in navigating through the crypto space as it is not yet that straightforward to most people. Of course, different risks are still there, so caveat!
9.) The Technologist - Concept of staking, nodes, blockchain, NFT, amazes you. You start creating your own projects in Git automating some stuff, eventually creating a bot of your own... well kinda. Sometimes, it's no longer about the game, but on the awesome things you get to learn along the way. You get to appreciate more the value of blockchain technology outside the usual trading.
10.) Rentals Master - The rentals market is such a beautiful concept in the NFT gaming world. Excess assets are no longer useless, and in fact, this is where some people put their money in. Similar to the Yield Seeker, they found solace in investing on cards and renting them out for higher yield. In some cases, they may own the card but rather rent it out at a higher price then rent in their needed level at a lower rate. Arbitrage renting!
11.) Landlord - with Land 1.0 finally out, assets are not limited to cards alone. Just like in the real world, lands are seen as something finite and would increase over time as demand picks up. Some players might transition focusing more into developing their land and increasing their yield on it. They are also positioning themselves into having the advantage whatever land would bring in (e.g. creation of abilities, spells, equipment, etc).
This is just for fun, probably there are more personalities within the Splinterlands community that is not yet represented here. Feel free to suggest more!
You may also join the poll and let's see which category do the readers relate more with:
https://dpoll.io/detail/@scion02b/which-type-of-splinterland-citizen-do-you-identify-yourself-more/
Images directly linked from the source.