Episode 80: A MattClarke Conversation
Welcome back to the People's Guild. In this one, we sit down with another wonderful community member and valued neighbor in Praetoria, MattClarke.
Our first time hosting MC in more than a year, we've been looking forward to this one for quite some time and we attempted to tee it up to take place just on the heels of Land 1.5 being dropped. Well, we lucked out and instead were greeted with 1.5, Rebellion and the 3rd leak of the 2.0 whitepaper of the Secret of Praetoria's next big installment, Land 2.0.
We have a lot of fun shooting the breeze with our guest and manage to get in plenty of picking MattClarke's brain.
Enjoy the show!
Splinterlands and Family Adventures
Hepthorn shared their Splinterlands gaming experience, discussing their card buying strategy and the quality of images on the Aqualis marketplace. Matt2castlesClarke then talked about their experiences with thunderstorms in Adelaide and their progress in the game, including setting up their landpots and accumulating Sps. Matt also recounted his family’s recent vacation to the Sunshine Coast in Australia, where they encountered leeches and visited several attractions. The discussion concluded with Matt2castlesClarke sharing their investment strategy in the game and their family's recent vacation to Queensland, which was filled with unique wildlife encounters and leech experiences.
Gaming, Balance, and Land Management
Bjangles, Matt2castlesClarke, and Hepthorn discussed the user interface of a new system and Matt2castlesClarke's experiences with a gaming group. Matt2castlesClarke shared their approach to the game as a source of enjoyment, avoiding burnout, and their involvement in the "Roaring 20s" guild, which held significant land plots and a castle. They emphasized the importance of balance and not taking the game too seriously. Matt2castlesClarke also shared their strategy of focusing on specific cards, maxing them out, and then leaving them on the rental market. Hepthorn inquired about Matt2castlesClarke's experience with managing land and setting up plots, and Matt2castlesClarke advised against over-preparation. The discussion then shifted to a newly released white paper, which Matt2castlesClarke had reviewed several times.
Game Mechanics and Maintenance Discussion
Matt2castlesClarke shared their insights on the game's mechanics, highlighting the unique requirement of worker cards for various tasks. They found the penalty for not maintaining buildings intriguing and suggested it could provide an advantage for players who keep up with upgrades. Hepthorn voiced concerns about the associated maintenance costs, to which Matt2castlesClarke responded that it was a common issue and would be factored into the pricing. Matt2castlesClarke also suggested 'Landsurfing' as a potential strategy for resource holdings. Matt2castlesClarke and Bjangles discussed the potential impact of building maintenance on the game's economy, suggesting the need for alerts or automatic maintenance systems. They expressed interest in hearing from Matt Manning on managing multiple plots and regions.
Game Harvesting, Rarity, and New Features
Bjangles, Matt2castlesClarke, and others discussed their experiences with harvesting in the game, with Matt2castlesClarke suggesting the potential of using Peak Monsters for this purpose. They also explored the opportunities and challenges arising from the rarity of land plots not being taken into account for resource production. Matt proposed a new feature for the game, suggesting the addition of a guard tower to reduce the chance of robberies in areas where gemstones are polished. They also discussed the potential introduction of Praetoria’s PvE features and the uncertainty surrounding the specifics of a transport feature. The conversation concluded with Matt suggesting the potential for a network of underground caverns and tunnels in Praetoria for mining and archaeological projects.
Guild-Owned Arenas and Research Points Strategy
Matt2castlesClarke discussed the potential of guild-owned arenas and the role of research points in their game. They suggested that players could focus their research points on specific areas to increase their efficiency and incentivize bidding on plots of land. They also shared their strategy of buying alpha flash columns to increase market share. Bjangles noted that this strategy was already being employed by landowners and agreed that as the game matures, different opportunities would arise for different players. There was also a discussion about selling flash columns directly to individuals who reach out.
Splinterlands Artwork and Nostalgia
Bjangles, Matt2castlesClarke, and Hepthorn discussed the artwork and nostalgia associated with the alpha cards in the Splinterlands game. Matt shared the history behind the artwork, explaining that it was from a previous project and was reused for the game. They also discussed the art style changes over time and the uniqueness of some older cards. Matt expressed a desire for more inventiveness in the styles and brought up the technical difficulties of animated cards. Bjangles asked Matt about the percentage of their Alpha Flesh Golem cards in the total market, to which Matt replied that they held over a third.
Gaming Experience and Future Plans
Matt discussed their gaming experience, explaining that a nickname they used led to their recognition worldwide. They admitted that despite planning to quit, they continued playing the game as part of their daily routine. Matt2castlesClarke shared their strategies and experiences with their guild mates, emphasizing the fun aspect of the game, such as unexpected wins against high-profile players. Bjangles asked if Matt2castlesClarke would consider competing at a higher level in the modern format, to which they expressed interest but was uncertain due to the advantages of using older cards. Ultimately, Matt2castlesClarke stated that their decision to move to modern would depend on their daily feelings about the game.
Splinterlands Gameplay and Stable Coin Potential
Matt2castlesClarke shared their experience playing the card game Splinterlands with his daughter, Evelyn, and discussed their shared enjoyment of the game's new tactics phase. They mentioned their strategy of buying cards from the Chaos Legion due to their higher PP. Matt, Bjangles, and Hepthorn discussed the positive impact of the Rebellion update on their gameplay, noting the introduction of new tactics and interacting cards and abilities. They also highlighted the game's accessibility to new players due to the affordability of both the Chaos Legion and Rebellion packs. Furthermore, Matt pointed out the potential benefits of their stable coin holding peg, which could attract attention from the broader crypto community.
Soulbound Cards and Decision-Making
Matt2castlesClarke expressed their support for Dave McCoy's proposal to unlock soul bound cards, viewing it as a fair compromise. They emphasized the importance of decision-making and the need to vote in favor of proposals if one's vote could significantly influence the outcome. The discussion then shifted to their game, where Matt2castlesClarke shared their strategy of logging in once a week to claim and combine rewards cards. They showed interest in purchasing unlocked cards, provided they aren't marked up. They also discussed their experiences and strategies in the game, including the use of soul bound cards and summoners. The conversation concluded with a review of the first year of the 'soulbound' card set and the potential impact of soulbound reward cards on their value.
Balancing Game Card Power
The participants discussed the balance of the game's card system. Matt2castlesClarke expressed that soulbound cards were not overly powerful but were definitely worth winning, offering a good balance. Hepthorn agreed, noting that the cards kept the game interesting despite occasional frustration. Bjangles raised a concern about potential overpowered cards at the end of the print run. Matt2castlesClarke emphasized the importance of ensuring the game remains worth trying to progress into the next league. They highlighted the challenges of balancing the power of cards, particularly when certain combinations prove too strong. They also noted that there have been grumblings from players who feel left behind due to changes in the game. Matt2castlesClarke and Bjangles discussed the effectiveness of certain cards and abilities in the game, and the importance of understanding the impact of changes in the game.
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