Episode 83: A Tales Conversation

Episode 83: A Tales Conversation

Welcome back to the People's Guild for a second episode this week as we head into the holidays. Another favorite guest of ours stops by for a visit in this one as we sit down with fellow content creator and analyst extraordinaire, @synist3r.

It's always great getting to chat with Tales and this proves no exception as we cover a ton of ground from across both Praetoria and GLG.

Enjoy the show & happy holidays to everyone out there! Safe travels and we'll see you in the new year!

Crypto, Gaming, and Land Investment Discussions

The meeting revolved around the team's shared interest in crypto and gaming, with a guest named Tales sharing their insights and experiences. The conversation also included discussions about the team's involvement in the Wild Northeast region and the leaderboard aspect of their game. Tales shared their strategy for the game, focusing on balancing farming research and sustaining research points. They emphasized the importance of understanding the costs and potential returns of investing in land within the business context of the game. Bjangles predicted the arrival of Land 2.0 by summer 2024, a view that was met with skepticism from others. The team also discussed the complexity level between different versions of their project, with Tales noting that version 2.0 was significantly more complex than version 1.5.

Project Timeline Doubts and User Experience Prioritization

Tales expressed doubts about the project's timeline, predicting a delay of six to seven months. They emphasized the need to manage expectations and plan accordingly. The team discussed previous delays and the lack of urgency surrounding the project. They also prioritized new user experience and land for the upcoming year. However, the discussion concluded without a clear indication of where the team would start implementing tweaks. Tales also highlighted the challenges faced by new users in Splinterlands and suggested the need for a dedicated team to focus on the new user experience. They also mentioned the potential for players to develop their own mini-games outside of the blockchain that could later be integrated into the main game.

DEC Token Handling Discussion
The team discussed the handling of DEC tokens gained from the Rebellion sale. Hepthorn raised the question of whether to treat the DEC as burned or hold onto it. Tales expressed financial instability concerns and proposed retaining the DEC as a potential loan for game running. Both agreed on the negative impact of burning DEC on its price. Tales suggested a controlled swap from DEC to SPS over time. The team emphasized careful use of terminology, as "burning" had led to misunderstandings. They agreed that the game could continue to implement sinks to remove DEC from the ecosystem, but a one-time revenue share like Rebellion should not be treated the same way.

Rebellion Pack Sales Performance

Bjangles, Tales, and Hepthorn discussed the sales performance of their product, the Rebellion packs. Bjangles reported the selling over 550k packs, with a goal to reach 1.5 million, while Tales expressed their plans to purchase an additional 1,500 to 2,000 packs in the coming months. They also explored strategies for maxing out card levels, the impact of new components on the game, and the introduction of a new mechanic, Conflicts. They speculated on its potential impact on the airdrop system and rental markets. A question was raised by Hepthorn about the benefits of stating packs versus opening them, leaving the strategy open pending the outcome of the first few conflicts.

Rebellion Pack Opening Strategy Debated

Tales, Hepthorn, and Bjangles discussed the strategy of opening Rebellion packs rather than holding onto them. Tales argued that opening the packs is more fun and could potentially yield valuable cards like gold foil legendaries, which could significantly increase conflict points. They suggested that even if a pack contains a gold foil legendary, it's better to use it for conflict points than to hold onto it. Hepthorn agreed, sharing that they initially thought about selling their gold foil legendary for more Rebellion cards. The group also discussed how even individuals who bought a large number of packs wouldn't have a full set of legendary gold foils.

Rebellion Card Game Strategy Discussion

The conversation focused on the significance of specific cards in the Rebellion card game. Tales and Hepthorn highlighted Grimbardun Smith, Mantroth, and a cane as key cards. They also discussed the potential of Dr. Blight’s card, noting its past value and the possibility of its demand increasing with a larger player base. The conversation concluded with an acknowledgement that card value largely depends on player needs and the game's competitive environment. Tales emphasized the importance of the "True Strike" ability, particularly in the absence of Kitty, as it provides an advantage in speed and agility. Bjangles and Hepthorn agreed with Tales' points, sharing their experiences and observations about the impact of Kitty's absence in the game.

Game Balance and Rebellion Impact Discussion

The team discussed the balance and potential of various cards in their game. They expressed concern over the perceived loss of utility of the Dallan card and explored the strengths and weaknesses of other cards such as Pelacor Deceiver, Wlka, Fenmoor Haunt, and Captain Fellblade. The conversation highlighted the potential of sneak attacks and Fellblade's ability to disrupt common strategies. Hepthorn suggested increasing the level of Fellblade as a solution to certain gameplay issues. Bjangles called out a potential new approach to gameplay, suggesting the application of two tactics to one monster each instead of focusing on one tactic entirely. The team also discussed the impact of the Rebellion in their community and the tactics and monsters in their gameplay.

Card Leveling and Tokenomics Discussion

The team discussed the leveling system of a game, specifically regarding the value of increasing card levels. They agreed that for budget-conscious players, it often doesn't make financial sense to increase a card beyond a certain level, as the benefits often don't justify the cost. The team also expressed support for Spinterland's decision not to adjust card stats after a set's release, with the exception of correcting obvious balance issues.

Game Launch, Rewards, and Proposal Discussions

Tales announced that GLG has been live since December, but the information was not widely known. They shared concerns about the game's low rewards value and playability issues. Despite these issues, Tales highlighted the responsiveness of the support team. They also discussed a failed proposal related to the game and criticized a proposal to reduce pack prices and reserve a large number of packs for marketing and rewards. Tales voiced their concern that these decisions would negatively impact the asset values of cards and packs in the game.

Game Performance and Future Uncertainty

The participants discussed the mixed reception and criticisms of a game, with concerns raised about lack of player engagement, marketing, and content. They also expressed uncertainty about the game's future, particularly regarding seasonal resets and unclear game mechanics. The need for better communication with the game developers and potential marketing strategies to attract more players were also suggested. The team also briefly discussed the disappointing performance of another game, GLG, and its potential for salvation. Towards the end, it was announced that their podcast, The People's Guild, is going on a break for the next couple of weeks and will return in early 2024 with a new season.

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