This proposal was submitted by 
Due to the urgency of this situation, the SPS DAO Foundation board has agreed to expedite this proposal past the draft phase.
The purpose of this proposal is to create a more fair rewards structure that incentivizes human participation in manual play while creating more robust automated brackets, ultimately enhancing player engagement and game balance.
Background and Rationale
The current Survival format rewards distribution has been less than ideal. Currently only 7% of rewards are going towards the manual format and players feel that the way Survival mode functions creates a dynamic where automated play soaks up all of the match liquidity and rewards, which further compounds the lack of participation or interest in the manual game mode.
By allocating a set amount of the rewards for manual play, we should be able to get a more clear picture of which brackets in manual play people are more interested in joining while we also expand the matchmaking in the automated brackets to be more viable for higher tier automated accounts that are already suffering from a lack of match liquidity.
Proposal Details
If approved, the following changes will be implemented at the start of the next possible season:
- Rewards Distribution Adjustment: Allocate 30% of total SPS rewards in the Survival format to manual play brackets.
- Allocate 70% of total SPS rewards to automated play brackets.
This split aims to provide stronger incentives for human players to engage in manual modes without greatly diminishing the participation in automated brackets.
Automated Brackets Expansion:
- Remove limitations on the matchmaking differentials in automated brackets in Diamond level and above.
- This expansion will ensure higher-rated players can find matches more readily, reducing queue times and preventing "opponent droughts" at the top tiers of the automated game mode.
It's the team's responsibility to manage the strength and availability of liquidity bots in a manner they feel is best to make each bracket fun and engaging while ensuring match liquidity at all levels of play.
No changes are proposed to other formats, total reward pools, or entry mechanisms at this time. Implementation will be handled by the Splinterlands development team, with monitoring for balance in the initial weeks post-change.
Expected Benefits
- Fairer Distribution: By weighting rewards toward manual play, human participants are better incentivized, promoting skill-based competition and community interaction.
- Improved Matchmaking: Expanded differentials in automated brackets will lead to more fluid gameplay, higher player satisfaction, and potentially increased overall number of played matches.
- Long-Term Ecosystem Health: This encourages a mix of play styles, reducing reliance on automation and supporting token utility through user engagement and more dynamic reward incentives.