My current series of posts is featuring my top proposals for Splinterlands and it includes: Splinterlands Draft Format, Splinterlands Achievement System, and now this: Splinterlands Adventure Quest. I figured, instead of just talking about these ideas and mentioning them to friends, guildmembers and the discord I would flesh these proposals out visually and with structural details. Each proposal is meant to have revisions as I refine the idea and get feedback and ideas from anyone that reads this (so please leave comments). I would love the support with a follow or a heart. In addition, I post my proposals on the Feedback at Splinterlands where you can actually vote these project into existense.
Splinterlands Adventure Quest idea developed after listening to the last few AMA (Ask Me Anything) weekly presentations. I never miss the AMAs and I find a ton of value, inspiration and information. I also love scanning the discord chat that day to see how players are responding to all the information as it rolls in. It seems clear that all players, new and old players, current and prospective players, employees and customers would benefit from new player growth and new player retention. Frictionless crypto is something Splinterlands is already ahead of the game on incorperating, and this mode would be completely focused on just getting players quickly up to speed on how to be successful on the battlefield. Another focus in Splinterlands is a seemless gateway from interested to invested, both in terms of learning crypto, but also in terms of Play to Earn gaming.
The Idea
My simple idea is taking what Splinterlands does excellently (gameplay and lore) and overlaying decades old familiar scenarios. Splinterlands LANDS can be the backdrop for this adventure (and be integrated into the experience), the gameplay will be the anchor, the 6 splinters and lore can be the setting and the cards will be the characters and it will lead new players down a tutorial that gets exponentially difficult and explores the complexity of gameplay and strategy that exists in the game. Having RPG standard textbox style pop ups guiding new players through, with hints, tips, and a little encouragement will be a comfort and an easily understood format.
The Map
The graphic I am using above is a small and simple example of what the Adventure Quest screen would look like. An overhead map of Pretoria, or perhaps we call it Practiceatoria: the gateway to Pretoria. The map itself would serve as a gameboard, and essentially be a roleplay progression bar similar to many other AFK style mobile games or RPGs. We can see exactly how far we have progressed, and exactly how far we need to go. We can see the characters and Splinters we will be facing in the future, and we can see landmarks and lore based scenery all around us.
The Battles
The battles could mimic gym battles in Pokemon, with a series of challenges in one Splinter that grows increasingly difficult, and forcing the player to win all 5 battles in a row in order to unlock the next battle. Between fights we could hear our Summoners speaking to the player, and introducing to us lore based characters and settings, while teaching the fundamentals of the game. The gameplay would work exactly as it does in Ranked battles. Extra: Perhaps using a unique Last One Standing (another gameplay mode I plan to propose in the future) mode.
Aftermath
When the tutorial is over the player will be familar with all of the Splinters and ghost cards available to them, they will have a grasp of how battle works and an idea of how to be succesful in Daily Quests, Ranked play and tournaments and they will have a taste of the lore and characters of the universe of Splinterlands.
This concludes the first draft of this proposal. What do you think of the idea? What is it missing? What does it need? How would an Adventure Quest tutorial best serve new players of Splinterlands, and what gameplay features would be the most helpful to learn in the few days of playing?