Episode 142: An Azircon Conversation
The People's Guild: A Splinterlands Podcast
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Welcome back to The People's Guild.
This week, we sat down with @azircon to dig into the state of Splinterlands — from land and UX to innovation, content strategy, and community alignment.
As always, nothing was off the table. Let’s get into it.
Enjoy the show!
Splinterlands Innovation and Event Challenges
The episode focused on discussing the current state and future of Splinterlands, a digital card game. Azircon and the hosts, Bjangles and FatJimmy, engaged in a conversation about the game's lack of innovation and excitement. They questioned whether Matt, the game's designer, plays the game enough to understand player concerns. Azircon suggested that while Matt's involvement in the game is not a strict requirement, his focus should be on innovation rather than gameplay.
Streamlining Land Development Flowchart
The team discussed the results of a UX poll where 71% of participants identified as "gamer" rather than "grinder," "idle," or "ROI" players—though only 70 people participated. They agreed that the current flowchart for land development, which spans multiple years, needs to be revised as it's too extensive for one developer to complete in a reasonable timeframe. Azircon emphasized the importance of setting up for success rather than failure, suggesting that the flowchart should be simplified and delivered in manageable chunks, potentially within a year, rather than maintaining an unrealistic long-term vision.
In-Game Resource Economics Discussion
The discussion focused on the economics of in-game resources and the need to maintain excitement around new offerings. Azircon explained the financial implications of land purchases and resource usage, while FatJimmy and Bjangles debated the value and utility of wagon repair kits. The conversation concluded with Azircon suggesting the development of new, exciting items or spells that could modify gameplay and increase player engagement, rather than relying on resource-gating mechanisms.
Two-Committee Gaming Decision Framework
The team discussed implementing a two-committee approach to improve decision-making and execution speed, with Azircon proposing a Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) involving 10 hardcore gamers to generate ideas, followed by a Management Committee Meeting (MCM) to translate those ideas into actionable solutions. They agreed this approach, which is common in the business world, would help address their current slow progress. The discussion then shifted to a specific issue regarding rating inflation in Survival mode, caused by weak liquidity bots from XBOT and Archmage companies, which was leading to unfair wins for certain players.
Splinterlands Survival Mode Debate
The group discussed the survival mode in Splinterlands, with Azircon and Bjangles agreeing that the current iteration is not sustainable and should not pass if put to a vote. They questioned the need for a new game mode when only a small percentage of players could reasonably participate. Azircon suggested that instead of creating a new mode, they could simply allow players to stake their cards and allocate a reward pool, which would not cost anything. Both Azircon and Bjangles expressed doubt that the current game mode would receive support from key figures like Vugtis and Tofu, as they believe these stakeholders prioritize the game's long-term health.
Development Priorities and Community Alignment
The team discussed concerns about the pace of development and decision-making, particularly regarding guild features that have been pending for years despite known benefits for player engagement. They criticized recent UX updates that were implemented without clear community demand, with Azircon specifically noting that the ranked battle page should not have been changed. The discussion highlighted a need for better alignment between development priorities and community needs, with Bjangles suggesting that Matt needs to either re-engage more directly with the community or delegate decision-making responsibilities to trusted community members.
Content Strategy and Team Support
The team discussed the need for fresh content and improvements in retention strategies, with Bjangles expressing concerns about the end of the season feeling abrupt and highlighting the importance of engaging new players. FatJimmy and Azircon emphasized the necessity of speaking up about delays and supporting Dave, who is working to implement changes in the business culture. They also mentioned upcoming features like conflicts and Basic Mode, with FatJimmy suggesting a playful approach to marketing these updates. Azircon** encouraged the community to assist Dave by offering support and feedback.
Lilhoggr Release Strategy Discussion
The team discussed the upcoming release of Zyrx, aka Lilhoggr, with Azircon expressing satisfaction with the card's stats despite its high mana requirement. They agreed that more high-mana matches were needed to showcase new cards effectively, and Bjangles suggested aiming for an average mana cap of 35–45 during the first two months after release. The group also addressed the need to improve practice mode by allowing players to choose their own rule sets, and FatJimmy acknowledged his lack of recent activity on Hive, promising to post more content and transfer relevant Discord discussions to Hive.
Hive Platform Community Insights
The group discussed the Hive platform and its community, Praetoria, where FatJimmy was introduced to the community and learned he needed to subscribe. Azircon encouraged regular posting on Hive, mentioning that rants are welcome in the Rant community, and highlighted that Hive offers rewards for content creation. Bjangles shared insights about Praetoria, noting its high-quality content and the 5% donation system that supports the community. They also discussed the DAO's substantial investment in HBD, earning approximately $2,000 in monthly rewards.
Hive Blockchain Engagement Strategies
The episode finished with a focus on Hive blockchain engagement and content creation strategies. Azircon shared advice on successful Hive behavior, emphasizing the importance of writing for oneself rather than seeking immediate financial returns, and recommended ignoring Splinterlands-related content. Bjangles and FatJimmy discussed plans for an upcoming live stream focused on Hive, covering topics like community engagement and successful account behavior. The group also briefly touched on an upcoming town hall meeting where foundation-related updates are expected to be announced.
Welcome to the People's Guild
We love hearing the stories that make this community special.
Whether you're a seasoned vet or just getting started, if you've got insights, feedback, epic battles, or just want to say hey, don’t hesitate to reach out.
You can find us at 📬 thepeoplesguildspl@gmail.com or Twitter.
Let’s keep the conversation going.
Join us in our Splinterlands journey by creating your own battle mage!
We love hearing the stories that make this community special.
Whether you're a seasoned vet or just getting started, if you've got insights, feedback, epic battles, or just want to say hey, don’t hesitate to reach out.
You can find us at 📬 thepeoplesguildspl@gmail.com or Twitter.
Let’s keep the conversation going.
Join us in our Splinterlands journey by creating your own battle mage!