Episode 107: A Yabapmatt Conversation

Episode 107: A Yabapmatt Conversation

Welcome back to the People's Guild. Join @davemccoy, @fatjimmy and I as we welcome @yabapmatt back to the show.

We dive into a whole heap of Splinterlands topics with Matt in this one including player experience, leagues, marketing, validators, Hive, and much, much more.

Enjoy the show!

Splinterlands Project and Growth Priorities

Bjangles welcome guest co-hosts Davemccoy and Fatjimmy and special guest Yabapmatt and expressed appreciation for his contributions to the Splinterlands project. Yabapmatt emphasized the importance of the project's long-term vision, which aims to introduce people to blockchain through gaming and improve lives, and discussed the potential of using gaming as an entry point into the world of decentralization. He also highlighted the need to prioritize growth and sustainability to revisit the long-term vision. The team also discussed the evolution of the new player experience, with Yabapmatt noting that the focus had shifted from improving the reward system to addressing the onboarding process.

Improving New Player Experience Strategies

Yabapmatt and Fatjimmy discussed improving the new player experience by introducing a free-to-play mode, enhancing the game's onboarding, and offering a more comprehensive tutorial. They considered introducing a time-limited access to a larger set of starter cards, creating a separate 'Novice League' for new players, and developing a one-click set rental system for bronze level cards. The team also debated on the potential benefits of introducing a rule set reminder and a "battle vision" feature, but prioritized focusing on introducing these features to new players initially. The discussion concluded with Davemccoy sharing his approach to the game and the concept of the new player experience.

Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Casual Players

Davemccoy and Yabapmatt discussed strategies to attract and retain casual players in their game. They emphasized the importance of improving the new player experience to convert more visitors to the Splinterlands.com website into casual or enthusiast players. Yabapmatt highlighted the ongoing tech modernization project, the need to balance high and low level decks, and the potential of a digital scarcity program to focus onboarding new players. Despite the challenges, Yabapmatt remained committed to the project's goals and expressed hope for the future.

Fresh Perspectives and Splinterlands Opportunities

Bjangles and Yabapmatt discussed the company's need for a marketing professional who could bring a fresh perspective to the team's strategies. They highlighted the importance of community and the need for marketing approaches that go beyond traditional methods, especially in the crypto industry. They also discussed the challenges and opportunities in the Splinterlands game, emphasizing the appeal of new ideas and the importance of stability and proven track records for gamers and investors. The conversation touched on the company's microcap value, with Yabapmatt suggesting a shift in focus from asset prices to the game and product, and the potential benefits of posting content online for recognition. Bjangles agreed with Yabapmatt's philosophy and showed interest in seeing how this shift would work out in practice.

Securing Developer Funding for Hive and Splinterlands

Yabapmatt proposed submitting a proposal to Hive and the Splinterlands to secure funding for the development of validators and other related projects. He emphasized the crucial role of the Hive community in supporting these initiatives, and expressed his intention to finalize internal processes before accepting funds from any sources. The importance of Splinterlands to the Hive blockchain was also highlighted, with discussions on the potential consequences if Splinterlands were not available, and the complexities of moving to another chain or a fork of Hive. Yabapmatt suggested that the Hive community should be more proactive in finding and supporting projects like Splinterlands to prevent further decline, and proposed that the Splinterlands project should use its own funds for building its own tokens infrastructure, while Hive should focus on supporting its own operations.

Hive Mainstreaming, SPS Token, and Validator Proposal

The team discussed the potential of bringing Hive into the mainstream through partnerships with projects like Splinterlands and the need to address the current unsustainable situation. They expressed concerns about the centralized management of the SPS token and the need for decentralization to maintain the platform's reputation. A new proposal was put forward to launch a solution by the end of the year, with developers committing to continue working on it, funded by the SPS Dow through monthly payments. The team also discussed the future of the team responsible for the validator proposal, with Yabapmatt confirming that the Dow would inherit the contract for the workers, and the team would not be able to keep them on without significantly altering the project.

Promotional Card Costs and Potential Solutions

Discussions were held about the high cost of producing promotional cards for events. Yabapmatt clarified that the cost included the entire event, not just the design, and stated that the company typically recoups the cost through sales. The decision to partner with Dow was made to share risk and potential profits. Fatjimmy voiced concerns about the high pricing and suggested lowering the cost to increase community participation and sales. Davemccoy proposed a compromise where Fatjimmy's company would produce the cards upfront in exchange for a predetermined sum of money. The team also discussed the potential of selling gold foil and introducing a random multiplier to sales, with Yabapmatt expressing concerns about potential unintended consequences. The team agreed to consider these ideas further before making any decisions.

Debating Player Rewards and Asset Valuation

The meeting transcript discusses Yabapmatt, Fatjimmy, and Davemccoy debating the potential impact of offering rewards like promo cards and leaderboard prizes to players. Fatjimmy suggested reserving prizes for new players, while Yabapmatt proposed splitting up rewards to avoid devaluing assets. Yabapmatt emphasized reducing waste and being strategic with resources to keep asset prices up. Bjangles proposed A/B testing with different incentives and price points.

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