Episode 96: An iProto Conversation

Episode 96: An iProto Conversation

Welcome back to the People's Guild. The bus makes its way up north in Canada for this one as we sit down with another one of the great, contributing community members in @iproto.

He is one of the founding members over at @archmage.app and part one of the most successful guild groups in all of Praetoria, @shield-of-glory.

We cover the genesis of Archmage, the ethos around operating in the bot-provision industry, what to expect, and hope for, with the latest addition to the team.

As an aside and on very related note, iProto has put together this proposal (dated Nov. 2023) outlining how automation can potentially be a feature of the game instead of a problem: https://hackmd.io/@IProto/HJIL6wGBp

Enjoy the show!

iProto's Guest Talk and Business Ethics

Bjangles introduced iProto as a guest for the People's Guild and discussed recent developments with Push and Shove and Aqualis, including their approval for a project on the BSC. The conversation then shifted to iProto's involvement in the Splinterlands community, their development of Archmage, and their partnership with Splex. The team also discussed the ethics of their business, particularly in relation to bots and tokens, and responded to discussions about potentially banning bots.

Addressing Player Concerns and Balancing

iProto expressed concerns about the negative impact of removing bots from the game on new players' experiences. Hepthorn acknowledged these concerns, shared their experience with the archmage beta token, and discussed the challenges of playing against max level decks. iProto and Bjangles echoed similar feedback regarding the glint rewards and the need for a higher incentive to climb to an appropriate rating. As a solution, iProto proposed removing SPS from the ranked list and creating new modes with a higher buy-in or entry fee to balance the game's extremes.

Game Reward System and Ranked System Changes

The team discussed potential changes to the game's reward system, with iProto proposing a new approach of adding a barrier of ownership to prevent exploitation. Bjangles suggested a seasonal format with an initial payment for competition, while Hepthorn questioned the sufficiency of the current staked SPS requirements. The team also discussed recent changes to the ranked system, with iProto comparing the approach to software development and voicing concerns about the potential negative impact of frequent changes. They anticipated a town hall meeting in the near future where they hoped potential solutions to address recent feedback might be offered.

Game Matchmaking System and Pack Sales

Hepthorn raised concerns about the fairness of the game's matchmaking system, particularly the potential advantage of higher-level decks. Bjangles shared his personal experience and proposed that using a limited number of high-level cards could offer a better return on investment. iProto agreed with Bjangles' assessment but highlighted potential issues, such as smaller player pools and the need for countermeasures against the same accounts repeatedly appearing. The team also discussed the future implications of these ideas, including declining sales of packs due to high card costs and the need to incentivize people to buy packs through limited events. The potential of improving the user experience through an editor process was also highlighted, with a focus on ensuring the final product is fun to use.

Liquidity Bots Rollout at Archmage

iProto shared the news of introducing liquidity bots at Archmage for modern, with the first matches expected to be played in the coming week. The team planned to initially roll out the service to 100 accounts, providing special cards and energy vouchers, with a balance strategy for new accounts and energy needs. The team's focus was on building a strong foundation for the current players and adjusting as needed, with the growth into higher ratings to be evaluated later. Questions regarding the rating parameters for the bots were raised but not answered in the transcript.

Improving Tactics, Performance Indicators, and Fairness

iProto, Bjangles, and hepthorn discussed the effectiveness of their current tactics and spell selection in their game, and the need for adjusting their strategy to improve the player experience. They also explored the development of new performance indicators and the potential for leveraging bots for data collection and analysis. Lastly, they deliberated on the introduction of new senators, promotional cards, and the anticipation of new splinters arising from these changes, while emphasizing the importance of fairness and adherence to rules.

Task Delegation, Game Issues, and Seminars

Bjangles, Hepthorn, and iProto discussed delegating tasks to free up the team for development. They also discussed issues with the game, including character-related problems and low match liquidity, with plans for an automation solution. The team deliberated on the naming conventions and abilities of new bots, agreeing this would be a topic for future discussions. They also expressed concerns about the current state of the seminars and the upcoming launch of a new promotional offering. Lastly, they touched upon potential role changes within the company and the progress of various team projects.

Game Improvements and Cheating Detection

Bjangles, hepthorn, and iProto discussed potential improvements to their game, including the introduction of a "battle helper" feature and a bot to optimize gameplay. They also explored the possibility of a system to detect cheating, with iProto confirming that they already have some bot detection capabilities and that this feature was a potential possibility. The team agreed to continue investigating these issues, with Bjangles suggesting that accounts using bots could lose their rewards and be banned from the league.

Team Enhancement, Bots, and Cheating Prevention

Bjangles, iProto, and hepthorn focused on enhancing their team by addressing issues related to bots and battle helpers. They explored potential behaviors to track and discussed the financial implications of their actions. The team also debated the possibility of cheating in online gaming and the potential measures to prevent it, including the implementation of invasive methods like screen sharing and browser extensions. However, they acknowledged concerns about privacy and user experience, agreeing that these measures should be carefully considered, especially for high-stakes areas like tournaments.

Countering Bots and Battle Helpers in Game

Bjangles and iProto discussed potential strategies to counter the advantage of bots and battle helpers in their game. They debated the trade-offs of making the game more complex, with iProto expressing concerns about disincentivizing new players and reducing consistency and enjoyment for advanced players. Bjangles proposed the use of new rules and historical data to level the playing field, while iProto suggested reducing the search space for the game and utilizing real-time data. Both agreed on the potential benefits of combining strategies and creating unpredictable elements to counter bots' strategies. Bjangles expressed hope for more effective tactics and the potential of items and spells to level the playing field, urging for continued research and exploration.

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