A few days ago, I made a post summarizing a podcast talk between @aggroed, @nealmcspadden and @jarvie. You can find that post at this link. The post did well, becoming my most successful post for quite a while. Another lengthy interview caught my eye for another summary post, so here goes.
In this interview, @yabapmatt and @exyle talk about STEEM in general for half an hour, and then Splinterlands specifically. You can find the original on 3speak at this link. The interview was hosted by @exyle on the MSP waves radio station.
A day in the life of @yabapmatt
- Check steem feed - up-vote, curate, comment when possible
- Work - Check messages, customer service, bug check.
- Development work.
STEEM
NewSteem.
- How does a great, working trending, (P.O.B.) give value to STEEM?
- Only value of holding STEEM is to use the STEEM network.
- Agreement that STEEM should cease being the content reward mechanism, and should be a utility token. P.O.B. hurting the platform?
- Advertising is the way value comes to website.
- Front-ends get the Ad money - doesn't necessarily benefit STEEM.
- RC pools coming so owner of website needs STEEM, not necessarily end users. Users don't need it.
I think P.O.B. and holding STEEM gives some value in this context as it holds influence. A user with lots of SP generally has more influence over the platform. that said, I can see the argument for a separate P.O.B. token with STEEM becoming a utility coin. Has anyone thought of doing the reverse? Create a new utility token to replace SBD, and keep STEEM in its current P.O.B. form. Use SBD for witness rewards, the DAO and for RC's, remove it from post reward calculations, and keep STEEM token as P.O.B. - something to think about.
- Would be cool if tribe like @steem.leo had a subscription model requiring staked tokens. On block-chain would be a link to off-chain content, but LEO tokens staked would be required to access (exclusive content).
Really like this idea for tribes or SMT's - Staked tokens giving access to subscription type of content is a great idea I think.
- More powering up at the moment than down. Thinking it is due to low prices. Currently powering up is more than inflation.
- So many advantages of building Apps on STEEM - no one knows. Should be focusing more on getting more Apps to build on STEEM than on content.
- Delegation and upcoming RC delegation works so much better than other block-chains. Other chains have it backwards with users required to pay gas or pay for resources, on STEEM its the Apps that have to have the RC's
- Shifting to STEEM as a utility token should happen, but will it due to lots of history with P.O.B.
- Should be a suit of tools built to make iteasy to launch an app on steem.
- Should focus more on App building rather than POB.
This is a pretty significant topic arising. Would be controversial, as I mentioned above, is there another way to do it (convert SBD's to the utility token - also handy as it is pegged (kind of))
Splinterlands has an automated system to delegate STEEM Power to users that run out of RC's.
RC pools will simplify the process.
SBD's - @yabapmatt has been hoping to get rid of them for ages. Too complex, messes up post payouts, zero benefit to the platform. Also leads to the price feed being wrong to try to maintain peg.
To get rid of it, Hard Fork with auto conversion to STEEM. A bit complicated for exchanges.
Not sure when or if it will ever happen.
I agree that SBD's currently seem pointless. system needs to be simplified in some way. Getting rid of SBD's is something I would support.
- Steemit's longer goal. What is Steemit Inc's vision now - no visionaries. At least Ned gave a vision for SMT's.
Splinterlands.
- Exyle's fear that Splinterlands could leave for another block-chain. Answer is that as long as STEEM keeps running and there are no adverse changes.
- If a rival chain came along with a big money offer, that would be considered - It's a business - but @yabapmatt considers it highly unlikely.
- Less than 60k Beta packs left.
- These days more pack purchases with crypto - maybe 50/50 but not a lot of STEEM purchases due to the low price (more BTC etc)
It's hard to pay 15 STEEM for 1 card pack. We all I think perceive STEEM to be much more valuable than its current price reflects.
New developments.
Biggest thing - Mobile App. Third party dev company - goal by the end of year.
Main focus is growing player base. Mobile App is key.
Working on a "free to play" version to.
Login to App with STEEM account for existing users.
New users sign in with email - STEEM account created in the background.
Wallet only Accounts (Lite accounts that have been mentioned) not really relevant for Splinterlands.
External Investors: Created the security token - SMTT on Steem Engine. Raised $100,000 mainly from existing users to fund development.
Splinterlands is self-sufficient financially.
New card balancing:
- Basically a big complex spreadsheet - points system for approximate power. Every card listed and target point value
- Adjusted lots of cards early on, only some recently. Prince Rennyn adjusted.
- Headwinds is the new ability specific to hurt ranged.
- Certain cards may drop in value, but overall value rising - diversification is important.
Untamed
- Entirely new set of cards. Alpha and Beta not being reprinted.
- 1.5 million packs for untamed.
- DEC rewards not finalized - probably initially no difference between Untamed and Beta. In time, some bonus for Beta over Untamed is likely, as Beta cards become rarer.
DEC
- Has become a stable coin. Demand holds up token price. If the price goes up too much, card burning will happen.
- 1 million per day plus new cards, but burnt when used in-game.
- Overall not much inflation on balance.
The next three big things the Splinterlands team are working on:
- Mobile App
- Free to play.
- Better tutorials.
Should all be out by end of year.
Then more promotion focusing on bringing in new players.
Bring on the mobile App, I think a top quality mobile version will bring about a boom in the game.
I hope you found this summation useful,
Cheers,
John.