My On-Chain Gaming Odyssey: A Personal Tale of Triumph and Defeat
Embarking on a quest to explore the enchanting realm of on-chain games
TL;DR
The rise of on-chain gaming has been one of the most exciting yet amorphous developments in the gaming industry in recent years. With its promise of true ownership, transparency, and player empowerment, on-chain gaming has the potential to revolutionize the way we play games.
Join me as I take you on a journey through the world of on-chain gaming, and share my personal experiences and learnings with this exciting new technology.
INTRODUCTION
I was obsessed with my Disney TV plug-and-play joystick. It was my ultimate source of joy. The controller was practically my babysitter when I was young.
This obsession drove me to core games like Tekken. Sadly, a PlayStation Portable was out of my reach, except for when my best friend Wassie brought her PSP over. Fighting Ancient Ogre, roundhouse kicking Jin, and somersaulting Eddie often led to us fighting over who'd go next — one of my fondest memories. Gaming not only gave me happiness but also brought me a friend.
We went from playing early text-based games that run on low-spec computers, to arcade cabinets. Then came the home consoles, providing a more intricate gameplay experience than all that came before it. The development of more advanced processors on personal computers and mobile devices further changed the trend, leading to the gaming experiences we enjoy today from console to PC to mobile. But there’s a new trend emerging that we need to pay attention to.
Two words: blockchain technology. Are these just the latest buzziest words or do they merit deeper analysis? One of the most famous blockchain games is Axie Infinity, a turn-based collectible card game. Developed by Vietnamese studio Sky Mavis, Axie Infinity peaked at over 2.5million daily active users in 2021. Though a 2.5M DAU is impressive, what makes it notable is how Axies redefined the gaming paradigm. Gaming is about to experience its next evolution.
BLOCKCHAIN GAMES ≠ ON-CHAIN GAMES
I have a personal relationship to Axies. I’m from the Philippines and everyone I knew was playing it: my friends, aunties, uncles, and even Bruce, my pet dog. But I was too busy to try it. Even if I had had the time, I probably wouldn't have played it because I’m not interested in turn-based card games, plus I don't think it's worth committing half my day playing a game I don’t like in exchange for money.
Though, what really piqued my interest is this emerging concept of on-chain games. On-chain games and blockchain games are not the same thing. Both types of games use blockchain technology, but on-chain games store all of their game state, data, and assets on the blockchain, while blockchain games only store some data or assets on the blockchain.
LOSING MY ON-CHAIN VIRGINITY
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the final playtest of Words3, a new on-chain PvP scrabble word game developed by Small Brain Games. The game is built on the Optimism blockchain, which is a layer 2 on top of Ethereum. I have always loved playing Scrabble and I am also highly curious about on-chain gaming. This eagerness was so strong that I willingly woke up at 7am on a Sunday to join the playtest.
Before the game began, the participants' wallets were pre-loaded with Lattice Testnet ETH. We were supposed to play only 1 round of the game, lasting 15 minutes, but we ended up playing 2 rounds because the game was fun.
Fortunately we played two rounds because I had some trouble setting up my crypto wallet for the first playtest. I had forgotten the wallet address I submitted, but the developers were very helpful and allowed me to submit a different wallet address at the last minute. While I take full responsibility for forgetting my wallet address, this experience reemphasizes the high barrier to entry for on-chain games, and blockchain games in general. Setting up a crypto wallet can be a daunting task for noobs, and pros.
I also had some difficulty navigating the game and understanding the controls during the first round. I spent the first five minutes trying to figure out how to zoom in and out of the screen, as the game did not provide any instructions. This was frustrating, because I can’t see the board to make strategic decisions. I understand that these control issues and the lack of instructions are commonplace in gaming, but I really expected the game to be extra attentive to user-friendliness, given the prevalent and known issues with user-experience that plagues blockchain games.
MY FIRST TIME WASN’T GREAT
This was my first time playing an online Scrabble-like game, and it was an unpleasant experience. The long wait times between turns were frustrating. Every time I made a move, I had to confirm and sign a transaction. This process took about 20 seconds to complete, which made the game feel slow and clunky. Now imagine having to wait for every player to go through the same process before it’s my turn again.
During one of my turns, the transaction took too long to finish that someone else placed their letters on top of mine. My transaction was canceled and I lost my opportunity to score with my letters. My excitement at the start declined as my brain's eagerness to construct words was hindered by the limitations of the blockchain. It was like being on a treadmill that was too slow for me to run at my full potential.
While I faced numerous challenges during the game, I ultimately enjoyed it. The fluctuating price of the letters based on demand added a unique layer of strategy to the game, which I eventually came to appreciate. I had to carefully consider my moves and make sure that I was getting the most value out of each transaction, which made the game more challenging and fulfilling.
Players must not only have a wide vocabulary of words, but they must also be strategic in choosing the letters with the cheapest price in order to score a high number of points. This adds an extra layer of complexity to the game and makes it more rewarding for players who are able to master it. I never thought my favorite word game could be more enjoyable when you assign a price to each letter and directly relate it to demand. And I know that these are true market-driven pricing and not artificially manufactured by the dev team.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
On-chain games usher in a new era of gaming, and redefine what it means to have a truly immersive and engaging experience. — plus knowing that fairness is guaranteed and verifiable.
As blockchain technology matures and the cost of gas decreases, we can expect to see more on-chain games that overcome the current obstacles of the industry. Maybe a couple of years from now, we’ll be playing a fully on-chain Scrabble with better UI and UX, instantaneous transactions, and a more intelligent pricing system. Or perhaps an on-chain Tekken, where the game logic, state changes, and assets are all stored on the blockchain, making them tamper-proof and transparent to all players. And with on-chain governance, the community of game developers and players can decide to nerf overpowered characters like Bob and Alisa.
CONCLUSION
Blockchain technology is still evolving, and there are many challenges that need to be addressed before it can reach its full potential. The cutting-edge PC games that we play today are the culmination of decades of innovation and development, from humble beginnings in arcade cabinets and home consoles to the ubiquitous mobile phones of today. The benefits of blockchain technology in games are vast, and I believe that they have the potential to revolutionize the way we play games.
In our next article, we will look into a clear and concise definition of on-chain gaming, as well as its different types and categories. We will also discuss some examples of on-chain games.
I will see you next time. Catch you on the chain.
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