Blockchainizing the Digital Arcades

Commending Good Crypto Galleries and Gaming Projects

No one really needs to know what a good crypto gallery is, or a good crypto gaming project is... but once you do know, such tech innovations sure do open up a whole new world of opportunities! Both for entertainment purposes as well as for collecting digital art, an impressive amount of development is happening. Crypto-galleries and crypto-gaming platforms are part of a growing international ecosystem that uses cryptocurrency to quickly pay for things like digital art or game items. Indeed, it's not that you need to know this, but many are already having fun with it as well as building unique businesses around it. Perhaps you should too.

Art-Arcade Atmosphere is rare digital art by Joe Chiappetta available on MakersPlace, a fine crypto-art gallery.

Every complex ecosystem comes with many diverse and rapidly operating parts. It is a fragile balance. Think of one button in a video game arcade. Remove that button from the game, and game play is ruined. Besides, not many could wire that button back into the game effectively. Now add such sensitivity to the complexity of all the games in an arcade. On top of that, add a diversity of players, with all the unpredictability that comes with human nature. It's a whole universe of intricate pieces in a delicate balance, yet producing an unforgettable (and usually pretty cool) atmosphere.

Such balance of ecosystem parts is also the case with art and gaming on the blockchain. Many of today's collectors want their collection to be mobile, rare, transferable, valuable, auction-able, visible, highly promoted, secure... and the list goes on. Blockchains like Counterparty, Ethereum, and EOS provide key features for such an ecosystem. The cryptocurrencies that fuel these networks add to the mystique of "Hey look at me; I'm using weird, futuristic internet money." Yet beyond this gut-level appeal, there is a depth of true innovation going on underneath the hood.

Developing a cryptocurrency application that serves as a marketplace for rare digital art and gaming items is one thing--and a significant thing it is. Designing this marketplace to also be user-friendly, fast, respectable, compliant, and secure is quite another thing. Attracting engaged community members and customers is yet another thing: as is forging great partnerships, and of course, funding the project until it becomes self-sustaining.

The list of essential project components that lead to success is no small ensemble. There's also retaining customers and partners, moderating those who violate the project's terms of service, scheduling public events, managing team members and bounty programs, building cross-blockchain payment systems as well as payment systems for those wanting to pay in traditional currency, educating new customers, maintaining government compliance as laws change... and the list keeps going on and on.

Reflecting upon these moving parts, I must commend a number of projects for tackling these elements with perseverance. While there are more than these 3 that are worthy of attention, I focus on these because I have the most personal experience with their products, team members, and community.

• EverdreamSoft Crystal Suite operates Spells of Genesis, one of the oldest (and still great) blockchain games, as well as a diverse rare digital art gallery with wide gamer appeal.
• MakersPlace is a most user-friendly and versatile rare digital art gallery, also doing innovative things to gamify the collecting of art.
• pixEOS operates 7 active blockchain games, with a rare digital art gallery in the works.

Has each project mastered every aspect of the points I highlighted? No... not yet. However, each project listed here does have real working products now. They also have a vision aligned with those above-mentioned points, as well as implementation and/or plans to back it up. As alluded to earlier, I can say these things with confidence since I am active in all of these communities, and a grateful user/artist/collector on each of their respective platforms.

So keep "blockchainizing" the arcades of today. Keep building in a delicate balance where none have built before. Keep creating a future that those who come later will thank you for.

Joe Chiappetta
http://SillyDaddy.net