GalaChain SDK: “The Price Perspective”

by Chris Roberts | Feb 12, 2024 | GalaChain

Just a short time ago we announced the initial public release of GalaChain’s Software Development Kit (SDK), giving developers everything they need to build on our L1 blockchain. Shortly after, we announced the initial release of the Gala Creator Portal, a user-friendly interface to guide developers through the process of creation, even allowing them to manage their collections and ecosystems.

Our live games are already using the Creator Portal to power up their games and manage web3 features like rewards, transactions, minting of NFTs and much more. Gala Music used the Creator Portal to build a self-service artist interface that allows musicians to submit and upload their content with no barriers. So many new projects are on their way to GalaChain that we can almost feel the earth shaking with their approach.

Today we’re sharing some of what we like to call “The Price Perspective,” courtesy of Archmage Adam Price, the fearless leader of our GalaChain team, and brave emcee of our company all-hands meetings. This guy knows blockchain, and we’ve been honored with his presence and expertise since the inception of Gala Games. So let’s get started.

Q&A with Adam Price

What is holding the mainstream public back in adoption of blockchain technology, and how is Gala prepared to solve those challenges?

I think there is going to be a tipping point in the near future. The mainstream public doesn’t really get the point of blockchain technology. And it isn’t helped by the fact that any attempt to learn more about it is met with either complicated technical jargon or the latest pump and dump meme coin. With the massive expansion of subscription based centralized web2 services and platforms, we are beginning to see it more and more. You don’t own what you pay for anymore. It can be taken from you at any time. You are being given permission to access that content for just as long as the overlords allow it. So to me, the only thing the general public really needs to know about blockchain technology is that you as a consumer are finally in control again. You and only you control what happens to the content you own.

Building easy to use apps, decreasing friction to adoption and making things secure for all is just an implementation detail and will improve with time.

Even in 2024, the word “blockchain” tends to repel the average developer. What is it that makes GalaChain more enticing to developers than other blockchains?

Most existing blockchain technology has an exceedingly steep learning curve. But GalaChain allows you to write smart contracts in TypeScript, a programming language that is much more familiar to the modern developer. TypeScript is descended from JavaScript, which is practically mandatory for modern web application development and continues to be the most used programming language for eleven years running. Compared to something like Solidity (for Ethereum smart contracts) or Rust (for Solana smart contracts), there are MANY more developers that know and are comfortable with TypeScript. StackOverflow’s 2023 Developer Survey shows this very clearly. JavaScript is the most commonly used language with 63% of respondents using it; TypeScript is in 5th place with 38%. Rust is at 13% and Solidity at 1.3%.

Our mission with GalaChain is to make this empowering web3 technology more accessible to all software developers. The more people building on the technology, the better for everyone.

Those of us who have been with Gala for a while know that “interoperability” is one of your favorite words. Care to tell us why?

Interoperability is the idea that technology, software or even entire products can work together, usually in synergistic ways. Interoperability is enabled by Standards. By establishing an explicit method of doing something or presenting a specific agreed upon interface for interaction, things tend to “Just Work” together, enabling more comprehensive possibilities.

A great example of the power of standards and interoperability in web3 are token standards such as ERC-20 and ERC-1155. Because they were adopted by the community as a whole, fungible and non fungible tokens are now a feature that any blockchain software can interoperate with and rely on. The modern web3 ecosystem would look very different without these standards. Even something as simple as a wallet that shows multiple tokens in a consistent way wouldn’t be possible.

Promoting and enabling interoperability and standards is how we all power up and achieve bigger and bigger goals because it isn’t possible to do as just one developer or one team. A rising tide lifts all boats!

Why is the GalaChain SDK so important for Gala?

This release of the GalaChain SDK marks the first time that truly anyone can begin building on GalaChain. No strings attached. It is the culmination of over 20 developer years of work that we’re making available to the world so they can build the next generation of kick ass blockchain tech. The GalaChain SDK contains everything you need in one easy to use package. Documentation, tools, an entire running instance of the chain itself. It works on every mainstream platform and offers a highly ergonomic developer experience with features like hot reloading so you can build and test on chain features quickly and easily. GalaChain is open for business!

Gala appears to become more decentralized with each update. How do you strike a balance between the chaotic freedom of total decentralization and the rigid control of a centralized core company?

I imagine it’s something like parenthood! You spend the formative years doing the best job you can to prepare what you’ve created for the “real world.” Before you know it, you aren’t in control anymore! You can try to provide advice or shepherd things in a certain direction, but you don’t have any direct authority. It will have its own life and make its own decisions and experiences. It’s frightening and stressful. But hugely rewarding, satisfying and exhilarating. Ultimately, all you can do is your best to set it up for success.

What are some developer resources that you haven’t been able to provide in the SDK but plan to in the future at some point?

Currently, the GalaChain SDK comes with everything you need to develop a GalaChain Smart Contract or a GalaChain integrated application, but the examples are pretty basic. In the future, I would like to provide many, many more examples of advanced capabilities that can be offered as part of the SDK. This would allow GalaChain developers to mix and match or build on those advanced capabilities to achieve bigger and better things.

Picturing a future with hundreds (or maybe thousands) of projects built within the Gala ecosystem by external developers, what is the plan for providing support?

We need you! While we are more than happy to spend time fostering this first wave of GalaChain early adopters, the real mark of success will be when the open GalaChain developer ecosystem itself is the primary means of getting support for developing on GalaChain. We have a GalaChain discord with over 400 members but I could see that growing to many thousands more, and becoming the hub of GalaChain development. With open source projects to learn from, seasoned GalaChain developers to bounce ideas off of and a robust SDK with all of the tools you need to get started in a familiar language and easy to use package, GalaChain Discord is the place to be.

Using the SDK, will external developers be able to build their own node networks that produce their own tokens within the GalaChain ecosystem?

Yes! Although not fully enabled by this first release of the GalaChain SDK, I do see this being possible in the future. No, I won’t say WEN!

What’s your favorite Gala game and why?

It has to be Common Ground World. I spent a lot of my early time at Gala working on the game. We were a small, scrappy team trying to do something that hadn’t ever been done before. When I look at it now, it’s almost unrecognizable. It looks and feels and plays SO GOOD. The CGW team has really done an amazing job with their stewardship in the intervening months and years.

Finally, there are rumors that your workspace is actually a mage tower located somewhere in the enchanted beyond. Can you tell us more about that?

Actually, due to the magical security measures built into the structure itself, even I am not capable of d̵i̴v̵u̷l̶g̴i̷n̸g̶ ̷i̴t̵s̸ ̷s̴e̷c̴r̷e̶t̸s̵.

Any attempts to elaborate further about its m̶̦̊̔a̵̙̾g̷͍̍͆i̵̯̞̾c̸̮͒a̶͔͊l̸̮͛̂ ̴̲̮̀̇s̸̼̩̈́̇y̶̩͌s̶̛͑ͅt̵̘̫̅è̴̺m̸͕͆̊s̷͔͂̅

will be prevented

b̵͖͆̍̔̈́̓̃̃̎͝ÿ̴̱͖̞̝̦́͂ ̴̙̰̯͇̩̠͍̟̠̉͠t̷̡͉̼͊̓͒̿̿͗͝͠͝ḫ̸̛̞̾̎̐̕è̵͖͐ f̷̛͇̝̣̭̰͇̫̺̟̈̒̎̓̈́̊̃̀̓̓̌̅͝͝͝ͅḁ̸̢̮̠̥̠̽̈́͗͂̽̾̈́̈̒̿̓̓̾̈́͝͝ͅḇ̷̫͈͌̿̀̍̉ṟ̵̢̮̖̦̠̯̒͂͛̌̋̓̍̒̑̉͗͂͜į̶̱̺͓͉̳̃̿̅̿̈́̏̐̍̌̇̀͛͝c̴̨̳̖̮͓͔̱͈̼͉͂̄̋͘͜ ̴̢̢̺̻͈̽͋̔̎͋̈́̓̐̓͗̈́̊̕͘̕̚o̸̡͚̹̣̭̯̠͔̐̊̔̃̓̔͝f̶̧̨̩̩̓͌̈́̾͗̓̊͝ ̶̨̠̩̝̾̌ř̴̛̻̩̟̓̓̈́̇̈́̓̀͛̈̆̿̿̚̕͠ę̶̢̢̜̱͇̰̜͉̖͓̱͈̀̓͋̔̃̊̊̿̀͐́̈́̀͂͜͝a̶̢̭̖͉̜̺̪͆̿̾͂̄̕l̷̦̝͔̀̐̉͋̈̄̿̒̊́̓̌̋͊̒i̷̡̡̗͇̟̣̘̪͊͗͂͋͊͘͜t̸̡̺̙̤͓͍͓̤̀͂̑̃̋͂̇́̚͜y̶̨̼̰͕̖͊̄̈́̌̅͛̓͋́̆͒͋̀ ̴͕̻̲̓̐̓i̵̤͖̻̦̤͎̣͔͖̻̻͕̠̜̺̫͙̎̑͂́͛̈́̎̄́̏̂̐̅̉̑͒̕ẗ̷̳͎̖̠͕͇̟̪̗̜͔̫͓̯͕́̽̎̆̿̓̽̎̉̉̏s̵̨̨͕͕̜̺̹̙̪͇̜̋̂̈́̓͒́́͠ė̴̜͉̘̟̬̆̾̓̎̄̎́͛̾̅̐̚l̵̮̩͙̟̻̓̽̌̂͂̑͌f̶̺̜̼̬̖͚̟͑́͛͗̌̊̊̊̓́͊͝͝.

GALA Giveback Event

by Chris Roberts | Feb 9, 2024 | Gala Games

You may think we’re pulling your chain, but this ain’t April Fools. For the next 48 hours, we’re hosting an amazing $GALA Giveback Event the likes of which you never thought possible.

Call it generosity. Call it crazy. Whatever you call it, we’re prepared to give you some $GALA when you use a credit card to make purchases from a special set of Mystery Boxes in the Gala Games store.

In case you don’t fully understand…

Buy a participating Mystery Box with a credit card.
Open the Box and find (in addition to the item) some $GALA inside.
Keep the item and do whatever you want with it.

Rules

Official Rules

This event lasts for 48 hours. For specific reminders of when the event ends, consult the Discord community.

Keep in mind:

Only purchases made with credit cards qualify.

Only participating Mystery Boxes qualify.

Each item comes in its own Mystery Box (We’ve blown the mystery this time), along with the $GALA.

Buy as many participating items as you want during the event and get $GALA every time.

Participating Items

The following items are found in the Gala Giveback Mystery Boxes

PokerGO Play

$24.99 – Uncommon Avatar Frame
$64.99 – Rare Avatar Frame

Common Ground World

$5 Mystery Box

Meow Match

$10 – Toyger

Last Expedition

$4.99 – Alice Mackeye “Ice” Skin

Dragon Strike

$4.99 – Marian

Why?

Sometimes we just like to give back. Don’t question–Just accept it and have fun out there!

Gala Games store

All In with PokerGO Play in 2024

by Chris Roberts | Feb 9, 2024 | PokerGO Play

Last year, we made a splash in the online poker world with the release of PokerGO Play, in partnership with the popular worldwide poker video content producer, PokerGO. The game’s title was even featured on live broadcasts and recorded replays of some of the most prestigious World Series of Poker events from 2023, where poker’s greatest stars battled it out at the tables for bracelets and massive cash prizes.

Teaming up with PokerGO and WSOP was a great way to enter the scene, showing our community just how serious we are about pioneering poker into its new web3 home through the player empowering abilities of our native blockchain. GalaChain makes it possible for the Gala entertainment ecosystem to continue growing in new directions and into fresh industries that have yet to experience the real power of web3 tech. One of these is casino style gaming, and we intend to change that.

First, it’s time to up the ante with some big upgrades to PokerGO Play. Don’t worry–we’re not doing anything that will upset the balance or strategy for poker. We wouldn’t dream of trying to reinvent a game that is so beloved throughout the world. So let’s get into the updates!

Update 1–Ending the Chip Reset

The first phase of PokerGO Play, since its release in app stores and on your browser through the Gala Games platform, has centered around a daily Chip reset mechanic that leveled the playing field every 24 hours by reducing every player’s Chips down to their base daily starting amount.

PokerGO Play uses a unique Sweepstakes style play, converting the Chips each player is able to gain in each 24-hour period into Sweepstakes drawing entries. Therefore, the number of Sweepstakes entries earned by each player was determined entirely by how high they could climb from their starting level in each distinct 24-hour period.

With this update, daily Chip Balance no longer reset for players.*

*24-hour Chip Take is still tallied

After listening closely to community feedback and leaning in on the expertise of our gaming economy team, we devised this update as a solution to several problems:

The Problems with Daily Chip Resets

Players want to play when they want to play.

Players should play when they feel like playing without worrying that their rewards will be less effective if play sessions are short, or if they fall further apart than a 24-hour period. If I sit down at a table and have a great run playing for 15 minutes before working a 12-hour shift, then come home tired and crash, I’ve pretty much forfeited my ability to come back and capitalize on the success of that good table run.

The daily reset cycle encourages players to sprint when they’re winning, and that doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle, especially with a game that should be casual and fun every time you sit down to play. We don’t want you to play out of obligation, and we want you enjoying every hand and every pot you play. On the other hand, if I’m loving the game for hours but getting cold cards, I’m liable to see the reset cycle as a reason to throw in the towel and try again tomorrow. We don’t like that scenario either. We want players to feel empowered to enjoy the game on their terms.

It sucks when your Chips disappear.

Okay, we understand that the Chips have no real money value and what really matters is how much you can grind out in each 24-hour period. Still, none of us like the feeling of waking up the next day and seeing that our formidable stack has legitimately disappeared. Without even realizing it, you might feel like you’re being punished on a daily basis. In fact, the more Chips you won the previous day, the more Chips you must wave goodbye to in the cold morning light. Y’all finally convinced us with your consistent feedback (thanks for that btw) what we should have recognized from day 1: That sucks.

Level Playing Field?

Poker was never supposed to be about a level playing field. It’s a game of skill, and one that rewards players for their determination, analytical prowess, boldness and growth as a player. The reasons that the same pros end up at the final tables of the WSOP year after year and event after event can be boiled down to a single word: Skills.

Poker is a game of skill that is made endlessly more complex by careful injections of luck. It’s a game of incomplete information, and your pocket aces aren’t guaranteed to hold up against other players who call your preflop raise. The randomness of the cards that fall create a constant dance of probability in every player’s mind. If you’re able to lead that dance with dexterity, you probably have what it takes.

Building a bankroll (for real cash players) or a Chip stack (for PokerGO Play players) ought to give you a competitive edge in the sense that you have more room to experiment with looser odds. How can you explore that deeper strategic level of the game if you’re getting leveled out every day and thrown into a pond with all the lucky break fish regardless of any of your performance the previous day?

Build Your Bankroll

With this update, you can now build your Chip Stack as big as you can manage. With great stack comes great responsibility, so don’t get careless or you’ll lose it all on your own.

We’ll even let you buy more Chips in the Gala Games store. They’ll be awarded directly to your in-game account, moving away from the Chip Marker system that was previously used.

By playing on your own terms and building a stack that fits your strategy, you’re better equipped to enjoy the subtleties of poker strategy, enhancing your skill and preparing you for higher stakes and greater rewards. Who knows? Maybe you’ll have a seat at one of those illustrious WSOP final tables one day, in front of a reporter on a break, thanking Gala Games for helping you learn everything you know about the game.

Your Chip stack will no longer disappear on a daily basis–that’s the good news. The bad news is that if you lose everything, you’re left without excuses😉

Update 2–Raking Chips

You poker players may get a clenched up feeling when you hear the word “rake,” but since these Chips have no value, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Basically, this rake has been added to balance out the fact that you’ll all be swimming in Chips from us doing away with the daily reset.

NOTE: Chip rake and house share numbers are entirely subject to change as needed, but these are the starting figures.

In “Cash style” games, 2% of every pot will be taken by the house.

In SNG Tourneys, a portion of the table’s prize pool will be consumed by the house upon payout to the winner.

In 6-person SNGs, a 10% house share is deducted from the total prize pool.

In 9-person SNGs, a 16% house share is deducted.

This is merely a measure to prevent inflation over time. Our economists have spoken, and you can trust them on this.

This rake will also make a lot more sense with a massively updated reward structure that we’re not quite ready to release to the public. We’re still working out the final details, but you can expect that update to come within the next month or so. We think you’ll love it!

Update 3–Daily Bonus Chips for Owners

If you bust out of Chips, you don’t have to buy more. You can always wait for the next day’s login bonus, and if you own an Avatar Frame, you’ll get an enhanced login bonus.

Daily Login Bonus

If you’re risking it all and busting out on a regular basis, you’ll want to get familiar with the daily login bonus. This is when your Chip stack will get a crucial infusion, allowing you to keep on grinding to build that bankroll!

The more consecutive days you login, the greater daily login bonus you’ll get:

Day 1 = 5000 Chips

Day 2 = 7500 Chips

Day 3 = 12,500 Chips

Day 4 = 12,500 Chips

Day 5 = 17,500 Chips

Day 6 = 25,000 Chips

As you can see, it pays (literally) to play every day. You can do a lot with 25,000 extra Chips, so be sure to keep that play streak going!

Avatar Frame Bonus

Previously, owners of Avatar Frames could enjoy a larger stack of starting Chips than free players, along with the ability to level up their Frame for even more Starting Chips.

Owners of unique PokerGO Play Frame NFTs will still get an additional daily bonus, but instead, it will simply be added to their Chip balance directly as a daily login bonus.

Hit the Tables

The new update is live, and it’s time to start building the biggest bankroll you can with PokerGO Play. Don’t forget to share your high hands and bad beats on social media and brag about your conquests in Discord!

Play Now

Last Expedition: Reset and New Rewards

by Chris Roberts | Feb 9, 2024 | Last Expedition

Attention Hunters! Strap in and prep your best loadouts, because we’re about to embark on a thrilling journey towards rewards.

It’s almost time to move forward with a major update. In preparation for an array of exciting future endeavors, we’re wiping the current leaderboards. While some of you more accomplished Hunters may feel daunted by this, we’re confident that you’ll regain all that clout and more in no time. On top of that, we’ve got some exciting rewards for your bold efforts in Aura extractions past.

Fear not, for this is just the beginning of something extraordinary!

We’re archiving all the previous leaderboard data, and to show our appreciation for your outstanding victories, you’ll get rewards to remind you of your triumphs and help you on the road ahead!

These rewards will manifest as LE Minerals, LE Fragment Chunks, and LE Mineral Chunks, with fixed amounts of each awarded per win on your account.

Very soon these rewards will play crucial roles in the Last Expedition meta crafting system!

Start accumulating these rewards now, Hunters, as they’ll serve you well in the adventures that lie ahead. Get ready to forge your path to greatness!

Anyone can download and play on PC now through the link below. No Early Access token is required, so get out there!

Play Last Expedition

It’s GalaChain Hackathon Time!

by Chris Roberts | Feb 9, 2024 | GalaChain

Get ready, developers, because the GalaChain Hackathon is just 3 days away! It’s time to unleash your creativity, push the boundaries of GalaChain’s web3 technology, and build something amazing. Here’s what you need to know:

This Hackathon runs for precisely 48 hours, from 8am PT on February 12th to 8am PT on February 14th.

The Rules

Be kind and respectful to your fellow developers.
No warranties on the software (it’s still in development!).
Standard GalaChain Discord and EULA rules apply.
Two judges, Jakub Dzikowski and Jeff Eganhouse, will lead the official evaluation, but the entire GalaChain team will have their say!

The Prizes

Every participant receives an Epic participation NFT. Winning teams get Legendary NFTs in addition to the participation NFT. Bragging rights included!