Open Letter to Splinterlands Team
Open Letter to Splinterlands Team
Premise
On the recent Town Hall, Splinterlands Team announced/hinted a new product is in the works.
Based on my understanding,there are 2 names that we need to know:
- Invennium
Technology stack that will enable the traditional games to enter web3 ecosystem (NFT, token integration) - Arcade Colony
Name of platform where the games that utilize Invennium sit on.
Concern
I have bittersweet feeling regarding Invennium / Arcade Colony. So, I feel like I have to say it
From my understanding, GLS ecosystem is built under technology stack that became Invennium. So, basically GLS technology stack + additional feature that other games might need = Invennium. I don't know how much additional works are needed to extend the GLS functionality to address the need of all games (Invennium), instead of just 1 type of games. It all depend on the scope. Therefore, I have slight worry.
During layoff about half year ago, we were told back then that we won't step into new territory until we deliver the debt (products) that we have sold. And here we are, Invennium, Arcade Colony. And notice that we haven't delivered the products from half year ago. I know stuff is coming, but not yet. Our debt still not fully paid, not even close.
We were just talking about not spreading too thin just half year ago. Aren't we too greedy with what we want?
On, the flip side, I am excited about the prospect of the Invennium, I think it has huge potential.
Next, I have concern regarding the creation of new token. At this point, I am disappointed with creation of new token, new ecosystem. But before I say/assume things, I am currently waiting for the whitepaper of Arcade Colony / Invennium. I want to see how it benefit SPS / Splinterlands ecosystem. I know it is said that 'That is how we get eyes from outside splinterlands and still get paid'. But it's not enough.
The only thing I heard of is the airdrop of the said token. But how many %? We don't know. But we can see on GLS platform, we got 5%, and it is only for staked SPS. If we defend SPS price, and put it on LP, then shame on us, we get nothing.
So, before the release of the whitepaper, I just want to remind the team that our ecosystem is bleeding. And despite lots of people dumping everything, we also have lots of people who help defending the current ecosystem. Splinterlands team get funding from those people buying CL packs, TD packs, GLS packs, Promo card. We buy SPS, DEC, License, to help maintaining this ecosystem so it doesn't completely crash to the point of no return. And if Splinterlands use that funding to create new ecosystem, and say, hey we gonna give you 5% of that new token and on top of that only to SPS staker, please think more carefully.
At this point, this is the extent of concern I can point out. We will know more when whitepaper for Arcade Colony / Invennium is out.
Disclaimer
All of this concern is based on what is being hinted in the Splinterlands Official Discord. It doesn't mean the premise of my concern will be 100% accurate.
Why now?
I usually don't want to say things based on assumption. It is often better to analyze and have a mindset after official post , in this case, whitepaper, is out. However, in this case, it is important for this to be known before whitepaper is out, since it will be hard for whitepaper to be changed once it is officially released.
Thanks for sharing! - @azircon
first of all, thank you for posting. I think you will soon understand, this is much better place to put your ideas/larger conversation in place. This is a simple way to keep it archived, have a discussion, and raise awareness.
Thanks for the encouragement :)
soon you will get used to it. This is much better way to gather support, and share ideas than discord
Well Said
Welcome to Peakd @vugtis I may stop reading Mav Chat because there is to much noise in there. Great to see you posting important topics here.
Thanks! The trick is not too emotionally invested (Sometimes it's hard). And filter the important topics.
Thanks a lot for your post to let us know the messy happenings, I agree with you that the bleeding system must need some great concern about the benefit from this new addition to the ecosystem which is not being taken care of properly.
Glad you find this useful. I hope team member read it and take some consideration of the concern.
I am with you on this but as long as we keep bringing up any and all concerns before the whitepaper is out I trust it will be addressed by the team and we will work together toward a better future for the game.
Feel nice to you have your support. I hope the team take some time to read this.
This is why we need to start taking some of those marketplace fees and returning it into the value of the game. Even if it's just 1% at the moment. Taking 1% of the fees collected from all marketplaces each day and having it buy SPS or buy and burn SPS would bring some sense of value back into the game.
Yes agree with you regarding the need of giving back into the ecosystem. Actually burning those DEC from market fee will achieve same things because nearly no DEC is minted now. The current proposal is the first step towards that goal. But that's separate topic.
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Well said, Vugtis. I think the concerns are valid and it's good to have contradictory statements be addressed as it can be worrying when we're looking one way and the team might be looking the other way.
Yes, the reason for me to write this is simply to have their attention. My hope is for the team to consider this concern before publishing whitepaper because the impact might be huge and there will be no turning back.
Exactly! The team isn't perfect too and having feedback provided in as emotionally toned down as possible while being professional about it is the way to go. There will always be things that are outside their perspectives and having that voice be shared will help us all.
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Appreciate your thoughts, the team's first priority should be Splinterland's economy.
I understand what you're saying, but that's just not how projects work.
If Land 1.5 takes the coding/development team 8000 hours of work, but it takes the creative/design team 16000 hours of work... do you want the coders sitting around for 8000 hours, or do you want them working on something else like Invennium which could make the Splinterlands platform explode in a few years?
Different teams have different levels of work for each function.
Appreciate your thought. And I understand completely what you are saying. But, it's the same question when we decided to develop Runi, or TD, or GLS. What if it could make splinterlands explode.
We still have a lot of stuff not ready. So, it's not either land or Invennium. But it's either land, or, td, or gls, or invennium, or even other stuff. If we talk about that aspect, how about gameplay enhancement? That hasn't been worked yet, at all.
So, it's about priority. But actually my worry is not isolated on that part. It's more like is it the right time to focus on this other stuff? Meaning how is that correlated to Splinterlands community? How we are benefited from this endeavor. And that brings me to 2nd part, which is actually the main focus. Using the resources and funding from splinterland community, to create new token, it's better be very beneficial to our current community.
Right... but those are all different teams or companies doing those different things. Land is being worked on by various departments of the Splinterlands team, TD is being worked on by a different commpany, GLS is being worked on by a different company (I believe) and Invennium would be a partnership by GLS/Splinterlands to establish a framework for future games. Runi was just Matt and a couple of designers I thought, and Runi, in my opinion brought good exposure to Splinterlands to the outside crypto world, has been fun gameplay with a totally unique card (ie, mine looks different to everyone elses) and will be interesting in Land.
I understand you want Splinterlands to focus on one or two things... but what would you suggest the teams/departments do that have completed their component on those one or two things? Should the coders be fired and rehired for each function while they wait for creative to finish their bits?
Should the coders and the designers be fired while the testers are testing the new functionality?
Or does it make sense for Splinterlands to have a number of functions/games on the go all at once to make sure all the teams are busy and productive?
I think you missed my point. You focused on how I want team to spread their resources, which is not the main point. But for the sake of answering your question, those separate team needs funding too. And I don't think we lack things to be worked on to the point we need to fired the idle team. In my previous comment I said if we have only 2 things, probably you are right. We have about 4-5 things. I don't think we would have idle dev even if we don't do Invennium. We have things that is not touched simply because we lack resources.
But, I hope we don't prolong that discussion because again, that is not the main point, and it's pointless to talk about. My main point is that how we spread those resources to the development that benefit current splinterlands ecosystem. I have explained multiple times that my main concern is regarding the new token. Regarding that, you can reread my original post and comment to you.
Do you have information on the new token to be created? I'm looking around and am not super sure what it is that you're referring to...
Unfortunately I don't have details except what Aggy casually chatted in mavs channel that the new product have separate token and will do airdrop for sps holder. That's the whole reason I am making this post. I think it will be too late once whitepaper is out.
You can DM me on discord and I can provide the link where he talked about it.
Ah, I see. I missed that.
I'll see if I can find anyone with a screenshot of it... otherwise I'll DM you. Thanks!
I believe that separate token is this (at least, this is how I understand it, but I've been known to be wrong):
Say that Vugtis creates a game on the Invennium platform. To support that game, he creates VugCoin and VugTime, and VugUSD. Vugcoin would then be airdropped to SPS holders.
So each game has its own tokens built on the GLS platform, and SPS holders are airdropped them.
It's not a new token for Splinterlands but a new utility for SPS.
Hi, thanks for reading and give a feedback. Interesting thought. This is indeed different from what I imagined. From what you are saying, it seems like any new games (created by 3rd party, not Splinterlands team) that is created on Invennium have to airdrop a portion of their token to SPS holder, so I can agree that is additional utility for sps.
But my assumption right now, there will be another token similar to GLX, which is a token for Arcade Colony platform where all the games created with Invennium reside, which tokenomics, utility is unknown. And the platform will be maintained by splinterlands. And in order to receive revenue/reward, we need to have this new token, which we need to acquire somehow in some way.
So, if only certain % of these new token is given to staked-sps holder via airdrop, I don't it serves enough justice to the main Splinterlands ecosystem.
There are many way people support Splinterlands, that enable Splinterlands to start this business beside staking SPS:
So, ONLY 5-10% airdrop is definitely not enough justice imo.
Additional to airdrop, I'd suggest High percentage of profit being funneled back to splinterlands via SPS buyback and burn mechanism which will help the entire ecosystem, not just sps staker.
FWIW, I think GLX tokenomics has the same problem, GLX ecosystem in no way directly support SPS (Main Splinterlands) ecosystem. Only small portion is given back and only to sps-staker. Let's say GLX ecosystem thrive and SPS ecosystem doesn't. SPS doesn't get anything out of it. Imagine how those supporters from points no 1 and 2 feels.
With that said, all of those stuff I said are just based on assumption. Time to get back to reality. Which is why I said in my post we need to wait for the official whitepaper.
The concept and build of Invennium was actually brought up during that Emergency Town Hall where the layoffs were addressed. Invennium was intended to be another revenue stream for Steem Monsters during what they anticipated would be a bearish time and given that Chaos Legion packs would reach an end at some point, this was their enterprise play. This was part of their deliverables.
Huzzah! Vugtis on Hive!
I also have concerns with all the new products being discussed when there is still a great game that needs help to be more attractive to new players and new play modes to be completed (land), not to mention Soulkeep and GLG. Let's not get distracted from the prime focus, though I can understand if there is additional support needed that the current Splinterlands infrastructure is not able to provide through the selling of game assets.
I understand and okay if they need additional support, but I need to see how it will give back to main SPL ecosystem. What they did to GLS doesn't reflect that. And I think it will be a mistake if they do the same thing to Arcade Colony token. After all, who are the one supporting the company and the ecosystem? It's you, me, and many other who are currently bleeding in this ecosystem.
Hi @vugtis 6 months on are you still of the same opinion or are things moving in the right direction. Would be interested to hear your views.
Not sure if you read/listen to Matt during restructuring few months ago. But, there are few points that are related to my post:
Talking specifically about this post, I can say so far we are moving in the right direction. To the point that it's as if they read this letter and addressed my concern directly. I hope they did it sooner, but hey, it's better late than never.
Hi Vugtis,
You're a power user on Splinterlands, if you can please check my post and let me know your thougths regarding BOT users on the game:
https://hive.blog/splinterlands/@tanguero/splinterlands-policy-to-protect-us-from-bot-users-on-battles