Here are 10 tips every new Splinterlands player should know about blockchain gaming (as it has some differences compared with "regular" gaming). With this difference in mind, we created an article to get you up to date with the game and ecosystem in less than 5 minutes!
1. Not Your Keys, Not Your Crypto
In blockchain games, there is a saying, "not your keys, not your crypto." Keys are passwords that authorize transactions. Make sure you never share your keys with anyone and safely store them so you can still find them later.
2. Understand the Dangers of the Internet and Discord
In Discord and the internet, peer-to-peer sellers, friendly people that send you a personal message, and even people with a name you recognize aren't always who they seem to be. The internet is anonymous, and chatrooms like Discord are no exception.
In Discord, people can pretend to be Support Agents. They may try to make you click a dangerous link or try to get your keys and other sensitive information from you. Make sure to get familiar with recognizing real Splinterlands Staff in Discord before you trust anyone.
In short, except for Splinterlands Leaders (red names) and Splinterlands Team Members (green names), all Splinterlands staff have a diamond in front of their names. Blue names and diamonds are Support members, and Orange are Moderators.
Splinterlands Staff in Discord (or E-mail) will never PM you, ask you to press links, or ask you for personal or sensitive information. They will only ask for relevant details via the ticket system after you request support.
3. We are Here to Help and Teach You
Of course, Splinterlands Support loves answering your questions via these articles, the ticket system, or Discord. So, there's no need to take risks because we are always willing to help and explain everything to you. The founders of Splinterlands have a strong will to teach the world about the beauty and benefits of crypto and blockchain.
4. In Case of Doubt, Start with a Small Transaction
Almost any transaction within Splinterlands is a blockchain transaction. If you make a blockchain transaction without asking for help and have doubts, first make a small transaction. Then if it fails, you only pay a small amount of "learning money" instead of losing everything.
5. Don't Post Your Keys in a Memo on a HIVE Transaction
Hive transactions allow you to add memos to a transaction. All transactions on any blockchain are visible to anyone (it's part of the decentralized roots of blockchain technology). Some people have made the mistake of publicly showing their keys to the rest of the world this way, leading to stolen assets.
6. Invest Wisely
The crypto world is known to be over-positive about returns on investment, and people have FOMO (= Fear Of Missing Out). In reality, crypto can lose vast amounts of its value quickly. So, try holding yourself back from becoming over-enthusiastic, especially when you are still learning about crypto. Don't spend a lot of money unless you know you aren't going to miss it if you lose it all, and only invest if you understand what you are doing. Crypto has created countless millionaires, but there are just as many stories of people who made significant losses with this super-dynamic form of investing. Splinterlands is fun and can also be profitable in the bronze and silver leagues, just as in the higher leagues!
7. Try to Apply Some Basic Digital Security
Ideally, apply all these guidelines and more. But since not everyone is a security expert, try to use as many of the security recommendations in the security article as possible and try to learn more about it. Every little bit helps!
8. 3rd Party Websites
Anyone can build a website and use the Splinterlands APIs. However, these are some of the best-trusted 3rd party websites:
- https://peakmonsters.com/ - Arguably the best shopping and renting website with additional opportunities and a smooth interface.
- https://www.splintercards.com/ - A very structured and informative website with a wide variety of Splinterlands information.
- https://www.splintertalk.io/ - Earn money writing Splinterlands articles or get some valuable new information.
9. Be The First to Know Weekly Updates
Town Hall meetings are weekly meetings where Splinterlands' leaders update the users about the latest changes and upcoming plans. You can watch these shows live on Youtube or Twitch or listen to them on the Discord audio channel.
You can also ask questions directly to the leaders of this 100+ employee company in Discord channel #TownHall. You can also leave your question there during the week to get it selected for the next show.
If you cannot attend the live stream, Town Hall can be viewed as a video on Youtube or Twitch after the live show.
Town Hall Summaries are written every week to get up to date in a few minutes. And with every release, a note explains any new technical updates.
10. Get to Know the Game
When getting to know Splinterlands or the blockchain game of your choice, it is essential to understand how to play the game and what comes with it. Splinterlands is played on the Hive blockchain, and you can earn SPS by playing ranked battles and DEC by burning cards. A variety of cryptocurrencies are available for use and trade in-game, as well as staking and liquidity pool reward options. When selecting a play-to-earn game, know the ins and outs before your selection. With Splinterlands, we offer the tools and information you need before you invest.