“Rewarding Players with Blockchain: Exploring the Benefits of Modern Gaming”, a conversation with…
“Rewarding Players with Blockchain: Exploring the Benefits of Modern Gaming”, a conversation with Star Atlas & Realm.art
I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Santiago Accomo, Community Director at Star Atlas & Matthew Larby, Founder / CEO at Realm.art in which we delved into the topics of community building in modern gaming.
You can watch the full video here, but for convenience, the following article summarizes the main points.
Star Atlas and Realm are two modern gaming projects that emphasize community involvement in building their gaming universes. Both projects recognize that building a strong community is crucial to creating a successful and engaging gaming experience.
The early days of building a community can be daunting, and it’s challenging to have people understand and care about your vision. However, both Star Atlas and Realm believe that opening channels of communication with the users can help build a connection with the product, leading to long-term growth.
To involve their community in the development of the games, Star Atlas opened their intellectual property to allow users to start creating things using the IP, using the lore, and using the characters in Star Atlas. They just need to reach an agreement with Star Atlas, which is pretty simple. Star Atlas also hosts regular events where they talk about deep gaming topics related to Star Atlas, and the community gives feedback, which they use to improve their product.
Similarly, Realm has created a centralized universe where people can use their creator tools to create virtual spaces for free, add in NPCs, and tell their own stories. They have a central lore around the virtual world, and the vision is to incorporate users into the development of their games.
Building a modern gaming community is challenging, but it is also rewarding as it offers players a sense of ownership and belonging in the gaming experience. However, there are challenges in co-building a gaming experience as communities may have different interests and priorities, which may conflict with the ones set by the developers. It requires a plan and a community development strategy that integrates the community’s voice into the product’s development, leading to long-term growth and success for the modern gaming project., How Modern Gaming Empowers Players and Builds Community
Creating a community with different interests
At the end of the day, the primary concern is to create a game that is fun to play. The Star Atlas community provides a comfortable way for like-minded people to connect with others who share the same interests. They offer different projects that cater to the preferences of the users, such as governance and economics within the DAO itself. They have channels for gaming, general chat, off-topic, economics, and governance in Discord. People can find their place in the community and connect with those who share similar interests. At Star Atlas, creating a community with different interests caters to the needs of all its members, and everyone feels welcome.
Building a community from scratch can be challenging, but it’s worth it. Starting with just 500 members, Star Atlas has now grown to over 192,000. In the beginning, the community faced doubts both internally and externally, which they overcame by launching campaigns that resonated with people. One such campaign was the Rebirth campaign, which featured a poster telling the lore of Star Atlas and the creation of the game. Collaboration with different artists, like Deadmau5 and Blondish, helped make the project more appealing. One of the secrets to building a strong community is involving them in the development process. Star Atlas allows its community to vote on things like the first pet in the game and host events like the Atlas Brew on Wednesdays, discussing deep gaming topics related to their game. They take community feedback and incorporate it into their development process.
However, there can be friction when it comes to striking a balance between what the community wants and what is technically feasible. Navigating this transition from a traditional gaming company to modern gaming, where the community is more involved, is essential.
Modern Gaming: Empowering Players and Building Communities
Modern gaming has been revolutionizing the world of gaming by empowering players through ownership and a sense of voice. Instead of dictating what players should do, modern gaming offers them two options, making them feel empowered. There is a psychological aspect to this, and it has helped gaming communities thrive. Modern gaming is not just about giving options; feedback loops, governance, community building, and education are also essential components. Though traditional gaming is not fully archaic, modern gaming has proven its legitimacy, and investors are investing heavily in it. The ecosystem is changing, and gamers need to communicate the voice, change the narrative, and spread the news of the benefits of modern gaming.
Word of Mouth and Progress
Spreading the news and educating the masses about modern gaming is a significant challenge. There is a lot of negativity in the media about modern gaming, which all our communities are actively trying to dispel. However, progress is being made, and word of mouth is proving effective. Traditional gamers want to see progress, and when they see progress, they get drawn in. Communities play a vital role in helping new people in the space feel comfortable and learn how to be part of this future. Guilds, especially, help players dive deep and ask any questions they have while offering encouragement in a friendly environment.
Realm. Art & Hybrid Mobile Games with Classic Incentivization Mechanisms
Mobile gaming has also been instrumental in making modern gaming accessible to a broader audience. Hybrid mobile games that combine hyper-casual elements with competitive games like racing could be a bridge to traditional gaming that brings people into modern gaming without friction. Well-designed mobile games that leverage incentivization mechanisms like share, invite, and referrals could be a significant growth driver. The push campaigns and personalized rewards could encourage players to continue playing and spread the word.
In Realm.art players are rewarded with in-game assets as they progress through the levels. When the players accumulate a certain value in these assets, they must create a wallet to extract their value by downloading it from the App Store and connecting it to the blockchain contract. The game does not expect players to use blockchain technology for everything; it’s necessary only for transferring value or voting securely. Additionally, the platform uses DAT Marketplace to maintain limited in-app purchases in the game. The gaming platform mainly focuses on game marketing to attract players and provide a fun and engaging experience while rewarding them with in-game assets.
Advice for Building Communities in Web3: Lessons Learned
Building communities in the modern gaming space can be challenging, especially with the noise and hype around NFTs and cryptocurrencies. However, two experienced game developers, Matt and Santi, have shared valuable insights. Here are the highlights:
One major takeaway is to focus on the vision and values of your community, rather than just the hype and buzzwords.
Another key point is to be close to your community, spend time with them, and listen to their feedback. They also suggest avoiding the temptation to chase quick profits and instead focusing on building real relationships with your community members.
In addition, planning and thinking about the marketing and distribution strategy of your project is crucial, and it’s essential to avoid getting caught up in the hype of Hopium (Thanks Matt!).
Finally, the language and messaging around your project should prioritize the fun parts of the game, such as characters and gameplay, rather than the back-end technology. By following these principles, you can build a strong, committed community that will help take your project to the next level., Focusing on the People: Building Strong Communities in the Blockchain Gaming World.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to attracting traditional gamers who hate blockchain technology, it’s all about showcasing your progress, demonstrating that you have a great team behind you, and taking the time to educate them. A great team can help you build a credible image for your game, and it’s easier to attract new gamers when you make them understand that you care about the game and they will have fun playing it.
In terms of building communities, it’s essential to listen to your gamers and focus on what they say. With the help of communication pipelines and by building strong relationships, you can create a great gaming experience for everyone., How a Gaming Platform Uses Blockchain to Reward Players
In conclusion, modern gaming has emerged as a significant force to reckon with. It empowers players, builds communities, and offers an immersive experience. The ecosystem is changing, and the industry is moving towards a modern gaming future. With a friendly and welcoming environment, progress, personalization, and incentivization, modern gaming is here to stay.
For information about Realm, you can find them on all social media platforms or visit their website, realm.art.
Star Atlas is available at staratlas.com, and you can also follow them on Twitter or join their Discord community.
This stream and content are sponsored by Blockstars. If you’re interested in learning more about Blockstars, visit their website at Blockstars.gg.
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