Hello,

I have been researching about blockchains and stuff and it all seems like a big scam. It’s not sustainable and can be replaced by a simple database.

is there any legitimate use cases of blockchains or it is all just a big scam?

  • papertowels@mander.xyz
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    20 hours ago

    Gods unchained is a digital TCG that is the only good use of NFTs (and thus Blockchain) that I can think of.

    The idea of NFTs is you have a specific instance of a thing that you can trade around. NFT art is stupid, because at the end of the day it’s a jpg. However, with a digital TCG, each NFT can represent a singular copy of a digital trading card. It brings back the “trading” aspect of a digital TCG, made more convenient than physical cards due to digital transfers.

    • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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      12 hours ago

      No way. There are many ways to introduce artificial scarcity to digital goods, and no it is not a new or good use of the tech… Artificial scarcity is a huge part of all of the world’s problems.

      • papertowels@mander.xyz
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        7 hours ago

        Before we start blaming a digital trading card game for the sins of capitalism, let’s both acknowledge that “artificial scarcity” is built into games. Mario suffered “artificial scarcity” when he didn’t have a red mushroom at the ready. Anything that requires “unlocking” can be argued to be artifical scarcity. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter because these are aspects of a game and not real world resources.

        Every digital TCG - Hearthstone, mtg arena, etc. all already have artificial scarcity.

        This is just allowing for you, as a player, to actually have a semblance of ownership over the digital goods you obtain, independent of the company you purchased it from, which is far more than any other digital platform will allow for.

    • golli@sopuli.xyz
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      18 hours ago

      Could you elaborate a bit how blockchain enables something unique here? I see that it enables trade between users, but if a single company controls the game and I assume supply of new cards, does the blockchain aspect for trading really matter?

      Trading itself is basic and doesn’t need a blockchain. I guess with it you have it implemented in a public and tamper proof way, but that second part doesn’t seem to matter to me if the source is centralized.

      So what exactly is gained from this approach over just your average ingame auction house?

      • papertowels@mander.xyz
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        8 hours ago

        but that second part doesn’t seem to matter to me if the source is centralized.

        That’s the thing, it’s not centralized - in this game, for the first time ever in a digital TCG, if the company hosting it closes it’s doors, you still have something in your ownership that corresponds to your cards, opening up the possibility of others re-implementing everything.

        It ain’t much, and it’s a long shot, but for the first time ever it’s possible.

      • BussyGyatt@feddit.org
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        18 hours ago

        i feel like the only real ‘advantage’ here would be that the cards couldn’t be proxied which sounds like only an ‘advantage’ to the people on the rent-seeking end of the bargain.

          • papertowels@mander.xyz
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            5 hours ago

            If wotc closes down modo, you’re left SOL.

            Because transactions and ownership are not controlled by the hosting company, I believe there’s opportunity to keep the game going even after the company closes doors.

            Long shot, but it’s the first peek at “digital ownership” where you actually own something, independent of the company that gave it to you, they can easily be traded.