In this episode, hear an AI summary of the latest Star Atlas community event. Full video recordings can be found on the YouTube channel of Star Atlas TV at https://www.youtube.com/@staratlastv.
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Podcast Transcript
[00:00:00] Hi, this isn’t Matt with Intergalactic Herald. This is AI Matt. Welcome to my Star Atlas Recap of the latest Atlas Brew from the Star Atlas Community Team. The following summary of the Atlas Brew was AI generated so no guarantee it is 100% accurate because I am an AI after all. If you want to listen to the entire recording, please check out the YouTube channel of Star Atlas TV. Enjoy the summary.
[00:00:25] This episode, Atlas Brew #157, is Part 2 of a conversation about the current state and future possibilities of play-to-earn gaming. Special guest Michael Wagner joined the discussion. The previous brew discussed the state of play-to-earn and succeeding/failing games but didn’t delve deeply into the future. This conversation was framed as a “theory crafting type of conversation” covering philosophical topics and ideas about the future of Star Atlas.
[00:00:53] Before diving into the main topic, several noteworthy news items were shared:
[00:00:58] • Vantara UE5 Testing Program: Applications are open for Vantara, a special group of testers for the Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) game. Members will receive benefits like early access to features and opportunities to earn assets by contributing to development. The first term is six months, with performance reviews for continued participation. To apply, individuals should have time, be fluent in English, show interest in the UE5 product and bug stomping, and be active in the Discord server. The application period closes tomorrow at 12 PM Pacific Time. Selection will be strict due to significant interest. Testing has already accelerated UE5 development and provided valuable reports. They plan to select approximately 10 individuals, potentially more or less based on application quality.
[00:01:47] • Telegram Community Relaunch: The Star Atlas Telegram community is now live again. It was previously discontinued due to maintenance challenges and poor user experience but has improved. The community is welcome to join, though staying on Discord is also an option. A Titan giveaway was mentioned as a joke.
[00:02:06] • Ecom Forum: An economy forum is scheduled for tomorrow at the same time as the brew. The team will cover the state of the economy and various topics, answering community questions. It’s highlighted as the appropriate place to ask detailed questions about the economy.
[00:02:22] Updates from the DAO side were also discussed:
[00:02:25] • Passed PIPs: PIP #12, the Iris Bounty, passed, allocating a budget for organizing Star Atlas meetups around the world. Meeting the community in real life is seen as highly valuable for creating connections and rallying the community. PIP #14, aiming to deepen the theo integration (the AI bot) into Star Atlas, was nearing completion of its voting phase with high support.
[00:02:48] • Rejected PIP: PIP #13, which proposed council term limits, was rejected, marking the first PIP not to pass. Michael Wagner commented that, from his perspective, this type of procedural change might have been outside the current mandate of the DAO, which is primarily focused on leveraging the DAO treasury to grow the ecosystem. The DAO’s authority is currently relatively restricted, and its focus should be on using capital for third-party development, marketing, community events, and anything that positively impacts Star Atlas’s growth and visibility. Changes to the DAO’s legal framework or procedures are not the current stage of development.
[00:03:26] • Council Appreciation: Thanks were given to the first DAO council for their work in establishing frameworks. A welcome was extended to the second council, noted for their enthusiasm.
[00:03:37] • DAO Treasury & Ecosystem Growth: The DAO possesses a “phenomenal asset” in its treasury, funded by segregated revenue streams from gameplay activity. This capital is a huge resource to leverage. Proposals should aim to break the Star Atlas “echo chamber” by attracting new audiences. While projects returning capital to the DAO treasury (like the tool proposal intended) are positive, proposals that bring in new users or improve the quality of life for existing users are also incredibly valuable and should tap into the ecosystem fund without feeling obligated to repay monetarily. A larger digital society in Star Atlas leads to more GDP and transactional activity, resulting in more revenue (likened to taxation) captured by the DAO. The growth and funding potential of the DAO are considered immense.
[00:04:26] The core of the conversation focused on the future of play-to-earn and the Star Atlas “Cybernation”:
[00:04:32] • Vision for Star Atlas in 5-10 Years:
[00:04:35] o In approximately 5 years, the aim is for the Star Atlas roadmap to be largely feature complete, creating an ultra-high-fidelity, immersive space adventure MMO experience. This core game experience is the primary attraction.
[00:04:49] o Looking 5 to 10 years ahead, there is a strong aspiration for Star Atlas to genuinely change the world. It could provide ways for individuals in less fortunate economies to earn money through the digital economy, potentially more than in their local economies. The internet has already blended global interaction, and the economy is seen as following a similar path.
[00:05:11] o Star Atlas could become a globally competitive economy, potentially even acknowledged by governments as a means for trade. This could involve trading attention, algorithms, or compute power.
[00:05:22] o The vision is for Star Atlas to be the first instance where people can choose where they belong in the metaverse, not bound by physical birthplace. It offers a chosen identity, culture, and a blockchain-based system of rules transcending physical borders.
[00:05:37] o The potential user base is seen as far exceeding traditional games, potentially reaching millions of daily active users or participants. This includes not just players but participants in a new digital society.
[00:05:50] • Melting Barriers Between Real World and Metaverse:
[00:05:53] o The sense of identity and belonging within the Star Atlas community already transcends physical location for some.
[00:06:00] o Future possibilities include buying physical goods from within the game and having them delivered to your door.
[00:06:07] o Experiences could become deeply immersive, blending sensory input (sight, sound, smell, taste) with gameplay like exploring space or engaging in combat, allowing real friends to share these experiences.
[00:06:20] • Replication of Traditional Finance:
[00:06:22] o Many concepts from traditional finance are feasible within Star Atlas.
[00:06:27] o Examples include securitization (group funding), war bonds issued by in-game entities to fund activities with potential payouts, mortgages for in-game property, the existing fleet rental system as a form of integrated finance, and future banking services allowing players to earn yield on deposited assets, similar to real-world banking.
[00:06:47] o Other possibilities include in-game insurance and betting (e.g., on faction wars). The view is that anything that makes sense financially in the physical world can transfer to the digital.
[00:06:59] • The Job Market and Careers:
[00:07:01] o As Star Atlas becomes more complex, specialization will increase, naturally generating jobs within the game economy. Examples include roles in mining, refining, and other aspects of production.
[00:07:13] o The grand vision is an “infinite numbers of careers” driven by player demand, allowing individuals to find their niche and participate in the economy. Development layers will expand these possibilities limitlessly.
[00:07:26] o These in-game jobs can be designed to be fun and engaging, going beyond traditional notions of labor.
[00:07:33] o The job market in Star Atlas could potentially change the physical world. An example given was organizations like Atlas Grace expanding in places like Cambodia, providing in-game work opportunities and potentially making the country a hub for Star Atlas workers, benefiting the national economy. This is seen as realistic in the near future, unlike the unsustainability of the Axi economy in the Philippines.
[00:07:57] • Technology Obfuscation vs. Education:
[00:08:00] o Unlike some web3 games that hide the underlying technology, Star Atlas aims to educate users about the benefits of decentralized ecosystems, crypto, and blockchain over time.
[00:08:12] o While simplifying onboarding is important (like a free-to-play option), it’s considered a disservice not to inform users about the benefits of truly owning their assets and understanding the technology, enabling them to extract value and utilize it outside the game. Star Atlas believes this approach, betting on education and a better financial system, gives it deeper meaning.
[00:08:33] • Proliferation of Labor Markets: This is a critical development expected to occur through specialization in digital economies. Examples include in-game roles like customer service agents, salespersons, or skilled pilots hired by digital corporations. This is already happening and will scale with web3 technology.
[00:08:53] In closing remarks, there was a brief humorous mention of discussing topics like insurance in the hybrid zone. Hinting at upcoming developments, it was mentioned there are “massive projects in development” and a potentially large town hall expected around July (give or take 4-6), suggesting significant releases mid-year.
