NEW PLAYER POV

My recent blog posts regarding simplifying @splinterlands has been centred around the POV of a NEW PLAYER.

I watch my son calculating the credits he grinds in a game, what assets he can sell, which assets he needs to pass a level, the trades with other players ... and that's a web2 game. The game is free. The grind is real. Of courrse he can buy credits to buy assets - but he knows and accepts the grind.

I then meet people and tell them about @splinterlands. They're interested sometimes. The interest is never really for the same reasons. I can see that some seem motivated by the EARN. Others by a CARD GAME. Owning Assets. Trying something NEW.

Yet, they all seem to lose interest when they see the complexity - The TERMS, The TOKENS, The COST, The LOGIN ... then it can seem to some that they have "missed the boat" in terms of it being established.
That seems to be a mixed blessing where the game has proven its resilience,yet, has it created gatekeepers or whales who have reaped the best rewards?

This post is regarding some of the LOGIN issues that I see.
It also posits that maybe we need an easier way to just play the game in Modern version.

What is this game?

I was speaking with a guy regarding merchandise that he does, or is planning to do, and talking about this Splinterlands to him.
He seemed interested and said to put the website into his phone so he can check it out.

And that is where I saw him lose interest...

He thought that the webpage might, put into visuals, what I had described to him verbally.
But it didn't give him any indication of what this game is about.

And even I started to wonder where was the visual draw into the game - how does the guy even know that it is a card game auto battler?

But that is just the beginning of the problems...

Play Now - No Cards

After you get told to "Enter a World of Magic" and Click the "PLAY NOW" irony button..

You get the BATTLE opportunity to see what the game is about right? ... right?

NOPE - you get told that you have NO CARDS.

Are we just playing with a NEWBIES feelings?

We wonder why people don't stick around? I wouldn't have lasted long within Splinterlands.

I know that I jumped in during CHAOS LEGION and I know that I had a fantastic time.
I jumped in. I bought the spellbook. I bought packs. I bought cards.

So, why the logjams?

You are telling a new player to "play the campaign and earn foundation cards" - WHY?
Why can't I play the game?

Why the convoluted path?

Then that got me thinking - why not have a few different paths?

But before that - Webpage improvement...

Webpage

Why isn't there footage of a battle running to demonstrate the actual game in motion?

Why isn't the webpage trying different methods/templates/splashes?

@stever82 mentioned on his recent show that Blaze is obviously getting people to take a look at the game. Yet, people are not sticking around and converting to the major KPI As per my previous Post

This to me is a clear indication that we need to utilise our TOOLS better.

1. Visually demonstrate the Game
2. Make trying the Game easier

Make trying the Game easier

I jumped into Splinterlands to play a TCG. I gladly bought a SPELLBOOK, packs & losses with glee.

If a person wants to play the CAMPAIGN then that should be a Pathway.
Or if a person wants to play FRONTIER then that is also a Pathway.

But I still feel that MODERN is the real meat upon the bones of Splinterlands.

Ok if I click BATTLE - why can't there already be some cards for me to use?
Who is losing if a person battles a BOT to try the game?

Did they steal anyone's cookie from the cookie jar?
I don't think so..

Let's let them BATTLE straight away! That is what the button says.
Let them earn what I refer to as GRINDING GLINT - accessible with a SPELLBOOK!

GRINDING GLINT

People's TIME is worth something.
How much GLINT is 5 minutes of someone's time worth?

I am not sure - but wouldn't u want to have somebody grinding in Splinterlands because they like the card game. Yet, they see this little GLINT rewards total increasing higher, rising slowly, getting a larger total over time... mmm questions occur. Appetites are made.

MARKETING ALONG THE WAY

While a newbie is trying the GHOST CARD mode (which cards & what level is always debatable) then that is when the Marketing arm can put up loading messages of love, support, knowledge & guidance..

"HEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT STAKING SPS CAN EARN YOU MORE REWARDS?"

"ALL YOU NEED IS A SPELLBOOK TO UNLOCK THOSE REWARDS" (refer also to my previous post for some ideas to make owning cards more robust).

LET THE GAME SELL THE GAME

I guess that is my whole point - we are making it harder, more suspicious, more complex, and less fun, than it really has to be.

Allow people to click the PLAY button and PLAY the game.

We have a whole lot of TERMINOLOGY that a new person has no knowledge of.
We again throw them into the FRAY of understanding TERMS - that's a classroom that I didn't want.

All that I wanted, as I add to most of my Splinterland's tales, was a LIVING LAVA. That card was my nemisis in BRONZE and I bought one to ensure that I too had SHIELD.