The Nodemap: Node Ecosystem Growth and Development

The Nodemap: Node Ecosystem Growth and Development


It has been over a year since we introduced the first basic plans for the future of the Gala Games Node Ecosystem, and it is high time for a solid update. As we go into this update, it is important to note that software and ecosystem development is fraught with change. As you build something, you often find that it won’t work exactly as predicted or that there is some other critical component that is necessary. This often leads to delays, changes in scope, and shifts in trajectory as newer and better ways to solve problems present themselves. It is for this reason that we do not publish “road maps,” “whitepapers,” or specific developmental timelines. We recognize that this makes us different and some find it frustrating, but we will always work to build what is best for the whole ecosystem, and sometimes things are slightly different than what we initially planned.

Subject to Change

In the interest of making it perfectly clear, everything in this document is subject to change without notice as we build out the ecosystem. Ideas that once seemed like a great plan are sometimes revealed by time, further thinking, and greater expertise to be a poor plans. We will always build to support the ecosystem, games, gamers, and our outstanding community. We will ask the hard questions and make some tough calls, while putting topics to node votes when it concerns specific requirements for the node ecosystem, like the vote currently in progress on the node referral reward structure. This means that there may be changes to websites or articles without an accompanying official announcement.

Two Big Changes

The first change is the removal of “paid” and “free” nodes from the ecosystem map. Given that the long-term stability of the network depends on nodes being online essentially 24/7, we feel that both a “paid” (rental) and “free” model would not achieve the goals or minimum requirements of the network to function. In the future, nodes may have the ability to be leased or rented, but this is not something currently on the roadmap. In addition to the network stability issue of issuing rented or free nodes, it has also become clear that individual publishers coming to the network need to have the freedom to do things with their node structures that would not be supported by this model. The “paid” node model assumes a monolithic ecosystem, but the reality is that nodes for various games may not actually interface with the Founders Node Ecosystem at all, depending on legal considerations, technical limitations, or game requirements. This required a fundamental rethinking of the ecosystem in general.

This led to the second change: the introduction of “Game Specific Nodes” or “Game Specific Workloads” — These are nodes that serve a specific purpose in-game, such as the Town Star Node which will go to a governance vote later this week. These Node Licenses (which will be sold) serve specific purposes in-game. In the case of Town Star, they will eventually enable a user to run their town without leaving a browser window open. The potential rewards for these nodes will be limited to the specific game from which they are derived. They will never receive GALA or be afforded the benefits and privileges afforded to those who operate Founder’s Nodes. These may, at the discretion of the game developer, also be used to poll Game Specific Node operators about game changes, but will not have a “governance” function except where the game designer feels it would benefit the game. This structure allows the game developers to create their own smaller ecosystem which exists solely to support the requirements of their game, which is needed for the rapid onboarding into the broader Gala Games Ecosystem.

The Unique Power of Founder’s Nodes

What will not change is that Founder’s Nodes hold a place of utmost importance and honor in the ecosystem. We recognize that Founder’s Nodes are the core of the entire ecosystem, and we will always work to protect this position of honor. Founders Nodes will be the only nodes that receive GALA and NFTs for each game available on our platform. When new Game Specific Nodes are created and issued, a percentage of these will also be distributed to the operational node network in a random fashion similar to the way NFTs are distributed. However, as these nodes are not NFTs, they will be distributed as a redemption code via email to a selection of node operators active during the preceding 24 hours before the Node Licenses are officially made available for purchase.

There are further announcements regarding the Town Star Node, including an FAQ, which should answer many questions. There will also be VERY substantial updates to the node plan and ecosystem in the near future. Keep your eyes on this blog for updates, as well as in the Discord community! You never know when someone might post some leaky-leaks!

Join the Discussion in DISCORD

Node Governance Vote Going Live for Referral Rewards (part 2/4)

Node Governance Vote Going Live for Referral Rewards (part 2/4)


After running over the weekend, it is very clear what the wishes of the node community are in regards to points for operating nodes for more than 6 hours! We are very pleased to announce that the community has, by a significant margin, chosen to support rewarding one additional point for each six hours a node is online. As of writing, 8059 votes (64.3% of the votes cast) were recorded in favor of a single additional point for was six hours which a node supports the ecosystem. This will incentivize people to keep their nodes online over the long term to maximize rewards and create a more sustainable ecosystem. This change will take effect in the next major node build following the New Year.

Starting today, a new node governance vote will commence and run for approximately 24 hours

Question: How much of a one-time referral bonus do you believe is fair for referring a node purchaser to the Gala Node Ecosystem?

  • 0 points — You get nothing extra for referring a new node operator
  • 5 points — You get something, but less than the current structure
  • 10 points — You receive a bonus in points which is similar to the current structure
  • 15 points — You believe that one-time referrals are essential to growing the ecosystem

This is a very important question for the “one time referral bonus” structure.

Tomorrow, another vote will take place:

Question: How much of an ongoing referral bonus do you believe is fair for referring a node purchaser to the Gala Node Ecosystem?

…followed by the final vote on Wednesday on the following questions:

Question: If the node operators elect to continue the long-term ongoing referral bonuses, how many levels deep should this bonus extend?

So, get your nodes online and be ready to participate in the voting!

FASTR — A Proposal

FASTR — A Proposal


As part of the Gala Games strategy to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the blockchain space while also supporting grassroots indie game development studios, we are happy to present for your consideration the next game to join our ecosystem: FASTR!

Over the past weeks, many of you have had the opportunity to play FASTR, teaming up against one another and experiencing a truly early-alpha experience.

Project Name: FASTR

Game Developer: Melbourne Interactive Studios (MI Studios)

Genre: 5v5 Tactical First Person Shooter

Node Drop Mechanism: Up to 8.5% of all NFTs/Tokens Dropped to Node Operators based on the number of nodes online (More Nodes = Heavier Drops)

While no token is currently planned, in the event that a token is developed for FASTR, Node Operators would also receive a drop of this native token. In this event, there would also be a pool set aside for the future development of game specific nodes, though this will in no way impact the Founder’s Node reward pool in a negative way.

Release Date: Alpha early access release estimated to be early Q2–2022

Description: Welcome to FASTR, choose your operator and jump into objective based tactical action. FASTR is aiming to be the first competitive first person shooter available on the Gala Games Network. Each operator offers new ways to play and approach the battlefield with communication and teamwork as the key to a successful mission. Tap into your arsenal and handle a wide range of weapons and attachments to rain hellfire on your foes! FASTR features beautifully rendered maps with immersive and interactive elements, built from both painstakingly handcrafted assets and real world photogrammetry.

Part of the warehouse beta test map from FASTR
New Freight map (in development).

Conservatorship Funding

FASTR will become the first game put up for vote to be funded from the Gala Games Conservatorship funds. This process will be done by Founder’s Node owners using consensus voting that will determine if funds can be released to the developers.

Regardless of the outcome, the significance of this vote will help pave the way for grassroot indie game development studios to receive funding to complete their games all while being done in a decentralized manner.

Potential Voting Options

Question: Should FASTR be funded $1m USD from the Gala Games $100m Game Development Fund and be given an opportunity to be included in the Gala Games Ecosystem?

  • YES — A vote for funding FASTR and including it in the Gala Games Ecosystem
  • NO — A vote against funding and including FASTR in the Gala Games Ecosystem
  • ABSTAIN — A vote showing no preference

To Vote: Open your Gala Game Node Software (PC/Mac) and click on the “Voting” tab

Voting Duration: The Node Vote will run from 12pm PT on Sunday, October 31st 2021 until 11:59 AM PT on Monday, November 1st 2021.

Requirement to Pass: Simple Majority of Votes Cast

Node 2.0 Pre-Proposal: A Revision (aka Power to the People)

Node 2.0 Pre-Proposal: A Revision (aka Power to the People)


In the time since the Pre-Proposal on Node Rewards was released, there has been a great deal of discussion in our Discord and in person about exactly how to best structure the network so that it is resilient, highly functional, and serves the needs of the games that are coming to the Gala Games platform. While a great deal of calculation went into the initial proposal, we were contacted by quite a few people who said that their ability to produce content in support of the network would be negatively impacted by the structure of the pre-proposal. We decided that the best thing to do was present the full array of choices to the node network and allow YOU, the node operators, to choose how the rewards structure will work.

The one thing which is non-negotiable is that the IPFS version of the nodes is going to be required for the future growth of the network. This means that the nodes will have somewhat higher requirements but can still easily be operated on a home computer without special hardware requirements beyond what a basic computer would have.

There are essentially four different levers on which node operators will be able to vote:

Question: If every six hours results in one point in the daily distribution, how much should each subsequent six hours of stable connectivity be worth?

  • 0 points — You get nothing extra for providing more services (Maximum points in any 24 period for one node: 1 point)
  • .5 points — You get something, but not as much as you received for the initial six hours of uptime (Maximum points in any 24 period for one node: 2.5 points)
  • 1 point — Six hours is six hours and a node operator should be rewarded for each six hours they are supporting the network. (Maximum points in any 24 period for one node: 4 points)
  • 1.5 points — Node operators should be incentivized to continue providing stable connections beyond the initial minimum. (Maximum points in any 24 period for one node: 5.5 points)

Question: How much of a one-time referral bonus do you believe is fair for referring a node purchaser to the Gala Node Ecosystem?

  • 0 points — You get nothing extra for referring a new node operator
  • 5 points — You get something, but less than the current structure
  • 10 points — You receive a bonus in points which is similar to the current structure
  • 15 points — You believe that one-time referrals are essential to growing the ecosystem

Question: How much of an ongoing referral bonus do you believe is fair for referring a node purchaser to the Gala Node Ecosystem?

(Note: these figures are expressed as a % of the rewards received by a node operator)

  • 0% — You get nothing extra for referring a new node operator
  • 5% — You get something, but less than the current structure
  • 10% — You receive a bonus in points which is similar to the current structure
  • 15% — You believe that ongoing referral bonuses are essential to growing the ecosystem

Question: If the node operators elect to continue the long-term ongoing referral bonuses, how many levels deep should this bonus extend?

  • 1 level (Less than they extend currently — to direct referrals only)
  • 2 levels (The same distance as they currently extend — to referrals of referrals)
  • 3 levels (One more level than they currently extend — to referrals of referrals of referrals)

There may be several more options, but these are the basic points node operators will be able to vote on. These options are currently being explored by our statistics and economics teams. Prior to a vote, a more in-depth post will be shared with the community showing these findings and sharing some backtracked analytics to see what the network would look like with these various settings in play. We will also actively engage with the community to learn their thoughts on the broader issues, hosting several AMAs and panels of community members to discuss these options. Stay tuned for a lot more news, debate, and discussion on these points!


There is a LOT more coming for the Gala Games ecosystem, so make sure to keep in touch, watch the Discord (http://galagames.chat) and get ready for more interesting news! Follow Gala Games on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or in our Discord!

Into the Galaverse

Into the Galaverse


Anyone who has been around the Gala Games ecosystem for more than a few days has undoubtedly heard of the big event the company is planning in Las Vegas for December 11th, 12th and 13th… Into the Galaverse.

GALAVERSE WEBSITE

About the Galaverse

Gala Games is leaving the conventional aspects of the convention behind, creating something incredible and unique with this epic in-person event. There will be a variety of worlds to explore, creatively built from the concepts of your favorite Gala Games titles. There will be early access releases, VIP entertainment, wining and dining and more. You’ll get the latest news of exciting things to come and even some sneak peaks of things further down the road. There will be gifts and prizes. Most importantly, this is your opportunity to personally meet members of the Gala Games team.

Galaverse Tickets

Passes will be sold starting on Sunday, October 10th. They will be sold through the Gala Games store as blockchain NFTs in 3 different rarities.

These NFT passes will not have any future utility outside of representing admission to a day of the into the galaverse event, but they will always belong to you as a unique collectible reminder of the incredible time you had at the first Galaverse event.

Passes will be sold on a per-day basis, with a limited quantity available for each day and rarity. While we will not yet reveal the prices for these tickets, the availability of each rarity is listed below.

Epic — 660 tickets (330 Saturday, 330 Sunday)
Legendary — 60 Tickets (30 Saturday, 30 Sunday)
Ancient —20 Tickets (10 Saturday, 10Sunday)

Each of these single day tickets also comes with a live stream access pass to Monday’s virtual event.

Node Dropped Tickets

As with every new NFT introduced into the Gala Games ecosystem, a portion of these tickets will be dropped to lucky node operators. We understand that every node operator who receives a dropped ticket may not be able to join us in Las Vegas this December, but we sincerely hope that you can. These tickets will not be valid for secondary market sales.

30 Rare Tickets will be dropped to node operators.

We can’t wait to see you in Las Vegas on December 11th and 12th!

GALAVERSE WEBSITE