Episode 118: A Cryptomancer Conversation
The People's Guild: A Splinterlands Podcast
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Welcome back to the People's Guild. We welcome back good buddy of TPG and lead dev over at team Splinterlands, 
We catch up and get CM's take on the recent proposal for the DAO to cover his salary, discuss the land project, both near & far, general game development, conflicts, new game modes and CM's perspective on Splinterlands' longevity.
We always enjoy getting to hang out with CM and this episode is no exception.
Enjoy the show!
Proposal Discussion and Team Growth Reflections
Cryptomancer and Bjangles discussed the recent proposal and its implications, expressing relief that it had passed and appreciated the clarity it brought to the situation. They reminisced about the passage of time and the growth of their team, with Cryptomancer revealing their selection as a community-facing developer and their long tenure with the company. They also praised Matt's transparency, particularly in financial matters. The discussion revolved around the proposal's wording and its reception in the community, with Cryptomancer sharing his personal story and expressing his preference for working in the gaming community. They also discussed Cryptomancer's involvement in the People's Guild and their primary focus on 1.75 for the foreseeable future.
Challenges of Working With Large Code Bases
Bjangles and Cryptomancer discussed the challenges of working with the large and complex code base of Splinterlands, specifically Land. Cryptomancer explained that while it would have been ideal to rewrite the code from scratch, it was not feasible due to the existing code base and the need to build on it. He also shared his experience of working with legacy code at a big bank, which was written in an old programming language called Fortran. Cryptomancer emphasized the importance of consistency in coding and the need to adapt to existing code bases as a professional software developer. He also mentioned that he had the luxury of creating some projects from scratch, but Land was different due to its existing code base and unique design patterns. The discussion ended with Cryptomancer highlighting the challenges of getting new developers up to speed with Land due to its unique database layer and programming language.
Optimizing Database for Project and Future Releases
Cryptomancer discussed the challenges of optimizing the database for their project, particularly for Land 1.75. He expressed a desire to reduce dependency on the database and move business logic to code, but acknowledged that this would be a time-consuming process. The current database functions are complex and difficult to maintain, but they need to be extended to work with new resources. For Land 1.75, the focus is on extending these functions, but for future releases, Cryptomancer aims to reduce dependence on the database and write new code in JavaScript. The UI aspect of the project is relatively easy, but the back-end and database code are more challenging. For Land 2.0, a significant redesign of the UI is anticipated to accommodate the addition of more resources.
Quality of Life Upgrades and Tech Modernization
They expressed satisfaction with the quality of life upgrades and the team's responsiveness to community feedback. Cryptomancer explained the team's decision to transition to the React framework for tech modernization, a move aimed at attracting better talent and making maintenance easier. However, they also acknowledged the limitations of frameworks, such as limiting flexibility and forcing developers to work within certain constraints. The conversation also touched on the potential benefits of a custom framework, but Cryptomancer expressed a preference for keeping it in-house.
Game Development and Mobile Expansion Discussion
Cryptomancer also mentioned that the battle screen tech modernization is nearing completion, with Antiosh working on it. The team discussed the recent updates to a mobile game, which significantly improved the quality of life for players. They also discussed the potential of developing a mobile version of their game, Splinterlands, to attract a wider audience, particularly those who prefer playing on mobile devices. However, they acknowledged the limitations of their current team size and resources, as well as the previous rejection of a mobile app proposal by the DAO due to funding concerns. The possibility of a separate marketing budget for such a project was also considered.
Leveraging Splinterlands for Growth and Revenue
The team discussed leveraging Splinterlands for third-party growth and the need for the company to generate revenue. They expressed optimism for future development based on the company's assets and lore. Cryptomancer shared his original vision of a PvE experience with randomized content and progress-based rewards, expressing concerns about the current leaderboard system. A past issue with an airdrop causing card losses was mentioned. Bjangles raised security concerns about assets on Hive. Cryptomancer acknowledged the mistake and emphasized decentralization efforts, including using validators and storing cards as NFTs on other blockchains. The goal is a decentralized network of game servers.
Land 2.0 Phase and Balanced Economy Discussion
They also discussed the upcoming Land 2.0 phase, where item and spell cards would be produced, similar to tactics in battles. They also discussed the importance of land in the game, the need for a balanced land economy, and the idea of a building-in-a-box system to help with resource production.
Land Ecosystem, Specialization, and Upcoming Updates
Cryptomancer discussed the future of the land ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of specialization and trade within the supply chain. They predicted that with the upcoming land 1.75 update, people would need to adapt to new production levels and potentially rely more on the Liquidity Pool for resources. Cryptomancer also shared their land holdings status, with approximately 3,000 plots across three regions, about 30% operational. The conversation also touched on the idea of land surfing, which was initially considered but later abandoned due to implementation concerns. Cryptomancer expressed excitement about their role in overseeing land development, drawing from their experience with PC games like Civilization. The team also discussed the upcoming 1.75 update, with Bjangles expressing anticipation and planning to stockpile Dec for future land plot purchases. The discussion revolved around the high staking costs for land utilization and the gradual process of building up land over time.
Balancing Land Development and New Player Experience
Bjangles expressed concern about the focus on land development when guilds have proven to be effective in retaining new players. Cryptomancer clarified that while land development is still a priority, the focus has shifted to improving the new player experience (NPE) with initiatives like the League system and ranked battles. Cryptomancer also mentioned that the guild system is more straightforward and easier to work with, suggesting that it could become a future focus. However, Cryptomancer also noted that the land codebase is complex and difficult for new developers to work with, which could limit the team's ability to shift focus to guilds. The team agreed to continue with the current priorities for the next few months, with the understanding that priorities may change over time.
Conflict System Success and Future Plans
Bjangles and Cryptomancer discussed the success of the conflict system, which was implemented to improve the airdrop process. Cryptomancer expressed satisfaction with the system, acknowledging that it was a lot of fun and fixed some issues with the old airdrop system. However, Cryptomancer also noted that the system was stressful for some, as it generated a large number of messages. Despite this, Cryptomancer confirmed that conflicts would be making a comeback, with a new set planned, but no details were revealed. The next town hall meeting was mentioned as a potential platform for further announcements. The team also discussed the possibility of using cards from other editions in conflicts and the surprise of the community regarding the mention of new game modes.
New Game Modes and Development Strategy
Cryptomancer expressed enthusiasm for new game modes, likening the game to an onion with layers of complexity to be discovered. However, he cautioned against overextending the game's development, emphasizing the need for new modes to be done the right way at the right time. The team also discussed the game's staying power, with Bjangles highlighting the dedication of players like MattClarke, who has manually battled over 45,000 times. The conversation concluded with the understanding that new game modes are not imminent due to current bandwidth constraints, but could become a possibility in the future with additional resources.
Splinterlands' Financial Challenges and Future
Cryptomancer remains highly optimistic about the company's future, citing his faith in CEO Matt and the capable team. Despite the financial challenges, Cryptomancer believed they would overcome them and make Splinterlands even greater. He expressed confidence in the team's technical capabilities and their potential to push boundaries in Web 3 gaming. Cryptomancer also shared his long-term vision for the game, including the potential for PvE quests, land expansion, and new game modes. The possibility of a real-life celebration at Cryptomancer's banana plantation in Malaysia was also discussed. The conversation ended with appreciation for Cryptomancer's contributions to the game.