Episode 112: A Blewitt Conversation
The People's Guild: A Splinterlands Podcast
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Welcome back to the People's Guild. 
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We cover a ton of ground throughout this episode, making our way through Blewitt's shop to NPE to the DAO to abilities & gameplay.
As mentioned in the episode, Splinterlands merch coming soon to Mass Paranoia Apparel!
Enjoy the show!
Exploring AI Art, Marketing, and Digital Collectibles
Bjangles, Fatjimmy, and Blewitt discussed their shared interests in AI-generated art and marketing, with Blewitt sharing his experience of acquiring a castle in a game and his plans for future events. They also discussed the potential of digital collectibles, like NFTs, and the need for better integration with the physical world. Blewitt expressed his plans to promote his shop, Splinterlands, and the challenges of getting other shops involved, suggesting a potential solution of offering shops the opportunity to create their own character in the game. They also discussed the potential of collaborating with comic creators to bring their characters into the Splinterlands world, with a steampunk direction being explored.
Improving New Player Experience in Splinterlands
The team discussed the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies and the need for an improved new player experience in Splinterlands. Blewitt suggested creating a basic tutorial explaining the ecosystem, its benefits, and how to use them, possibly through a fun, engaging battle game analogy. The team agreed on a self-service onboarding system but did not reach a consensus on specific features. They also discussed the mobile experience, noting issues with navigation and timers during tactics screens. Bjangles proposed using liquidity bot accounts to gather feedback on the new user experience.
Improving New Player Experience and Game Development
Bjangles expressed concerns about the slow progress in improving the new player experience, which was identified as a key focus for 2024. Blewitt acknowledged these concerns but remained optimistic, attributing the slow pace to budget constraints and the need for careful attention to detail. They discussed the timing of the company's marketing efforts, with Blewitt suggesting waiting until the new player experience is improved before investing the marketing budget from Hive. Fatjimmy and Blewitt discussed the integration of free-to-play players into the game, the potential for crafting and generating NFTs, and the need for a more iterative and focused approach to game development. They agreed on the need for a more streamlined approach to game development and the importance of giving people something to work on. The conversation ended with a shared hope for better time management and potential improvements in the community.
Governance, Proposals, and Decision-Making Improvements
Bjangles, Blewitt, and Fatjimmy discussed the governance of Dow proposals, expressing concerns about human decision-making and agreeing on the need for improvement. Fatjimmy suggested a more focused approach with the Dao's authority limited to SPS distribution and the use of surveys. The team reminisced about past mistakes, acknowledging that trial and error was necessary. They discussed the need for a clear decision-making process, with Fatjimmy preferring proposals focused on SPS-related matters. Matt's encouragement for proposals in town halls was mentioned as contributing to "proposal madness." The team also discussed the potential for botting in a popular vote system and measures to mitigate it. They expressed optimism about the project's future and the importance of learning from setbacks, despite challenges.
Strategies for Engaging Large User Base and Monetization
The team discussed strategies to accommodate a large influx of users, including allowing free play and introducing ghost card challenges and tournaments. They also considered the introduction of cosmetic items like skins and challenges, and daily quests or challenges to keep players engaged. The idea of a "skip ahead" feature was also brought up, but concerns were raised about the length of battles. The team agreed on the importance of setting achievable goals and the potential for new animations and skins, with a focus on monetization and revenue generation. They also expressed hope for the development of these features and the potential for promotions and contests.
Balancing Exclusivity and Affordability in Card Sales
The team discussed the balance between exclusive, high-priced items and more affordable options for collectors and investors. They agreed on the need for both types, with a focus on exclusivity for certain items and more accessible options for new collectors. The team also discussed the objectives of promotions, emphasizing the importance of promotional cards supporting the core set and driving people to buy more cards. They expressed disappointment in the execution of a card's ability and questioned its exclusive connection to the Chaos Legion set. The team also discussed the upcoming sale of a new promo card, with concerns about the high price point. They agreed on the need for a mix of high-priced and affordable options to attract both collectors and newcomers. The idea of an auction-style system was proposed to create scarcity and appeal to collectors. The team concluded that finding the right balance was crucial for the product's success and that they needed to consider various factors, including card availability and pricing.
Power Curve Adjustments and New Player Experience
The team discussed adjusting the power curve and design to make new abilities more valuable as players progress, while considering the difficulty of balancing new abilities against existing ones. They also discussed the potential of new cards and their abilities, particularly the 'cleanse rearguard' card, expressing a desire for more extensive testing and data collection. The team acknowledged the need for improvements in the new player experience, including a more streamlined process for updates and a focus on clearing out technical debt. They agreed on the importance of improving the new player experience on their website, potentially through the sale of cosmetics, with the goal of creating a more engaging and inclusive environment for players of all levels.
Community Growth, Collaboration, and Comic Series
Blewitt and Fatjimmy discussed the positive changes in their community, attributing the shift from toxic to constructive criticism to increased listening and understanding among members. They expressed optimism for the future, acknowledging the community's impressive six-year history in the crypto space. The conversation also touched on the concept of selling assets in a community, with a focus on the Splinterlands game, and the potential for collaborations with comic and gaming industries. The team also discussed the idea of creating a comic series based on the indie comic concept, setting up a presence at comic cons, and the potential of exhibiting at a major event. They emphasized the importance of thinking outside the box to promote the game and generate revenue, and the need for a comfortable and accessible location for customers to access their services.
New Ability and Merchandise Discussion
Blewitt introduced a new ability where cards gain combined abilities when paired. The team was excited about this and discussed its potential impact. They also talked about creating official Splinterlands merchandise like T-shirts. Blewitt proposed reinvesting a portion of merchandise sales back into the community.
