What Are We Doing Here?

December 8, 2024

3–4 minutes

A Little Game History

Zero Sum games have been played for thousands of years. At the core concept, you play a game, you lose, someone else wins. The winner gets all the marbles and bragging rights, you get nothing. Nada. Zilch. (Warfare is also a zero sum game). The winner gets all. The looser gets nothing.

Zero Sum is the game. I want to change the game.

I want to create a gaming ecosystem where everyone benefits from participation. Developers, Players, Participants, we all benefit. Think of the gaming world as a Blockchain Ecosystem. Some games are decentralized (Chess, Poker, Pai-Gow) and operate independently of other games.

Others are centralized and controlled by strict hierarchy’s, command and control systems, and are strictly regulated, but still fun to participate in, to watch and maybe if your really, really good you can earn a living (Casinos, The National Football League, the Lottery, World Series of Poker). However the average person (the participant, the viewer, the spectator) do not draw value from their success. Has the NFL ever written you a check?

This is what I want to change. I want everyone to play games and have fun. And, I want everyone to benefit from their participation and support of the gaming ecosystem.

Crazy huh?

Not Really. In fact we have a basis for this already. In Game Theory we call this Win – Win. And, in fact you have seen it practiced everyday in real life.

Every business you walk into practices Win – Win. You go into a business, you buy their product (they win); you enjoy their product (you win); you enjoy their product so much you buy their stock (they win); you become a shareholder and are paid dividends (you win); you keep supporting said business, and you keep getting ever increasing dividends. Its a win – win scenario.

But can we do this with gaming?

I am going to use an analogy that we use in the blockchain world. Think of the games you know (and love) as the Layer Ones. They are great, they are robust, you love them and they work every single time. I don’t want to change the games you love. I want to add to the games you love.

My concept it too add a layer atop of these beloved games a Layer Two System. The Layer Two System allows everyone to participate and more importantly, earn something for their participation (that’s the key difference here). It is our ecosystem, and we collectively add to it.

How It Starts

I am now on a quest to develop a whole world based on my experiences of playing the greatest game ever developed, reading the greatest literature of all time, and following in the footsteps of the greatest imaginer of all time, Mr. Gary Gygax.

What you are seeing is my attempt to create an ecosystem that will reward all participants, building on something that I loved as a child. I want us all to benefit from its success.

To assist me in this process, I am building on my second love which is blockchain. We will be using preestablished blockchain layer(s) (this will support the layer two concept) that I think will assist me and (eventually you) in this endeavor. Much more will come out as I progress.

But, for now, lets stay on the Layer One and lets just play Dungeons and Dragons and have fun!