Eric Koziel: Gaming and Web3 - [Web3 Breakdowns, EP.69]

This is Eric Golden and my guest today is Eric Koziel, better known as Omnigamer in the gaming world. I was debating Web3 gaming as a use case, and my good friend told me that Eric knows more about gaming than anyone he has ever met, and I think he lives up to the billing in this conversation. Eric has worked in gaming and cybersecurity since 2012 and is now a game designer at Azra, a Web3 gaming studio.

We start this conversation with a tour through the fascinating world of speed gaming before moving into the intersection of gaming and Web3, covering topics like balance between players, speculators, and collectors, the hostility of traditional gamers and Eric's thoughts on play to win. Please enjoy my conversation with Eric Koziel, Omnigamer.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 

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Show Notes

(00:01:44) - (First question) - An explanation of speed-running in gaming

(00:04:59) - The mechanics of speed-running and choosing an appropriate game

(00:07:43) - Finding games with limited pre-existing knowledge to start the process 

(00:12:11) - Reverse-engineering games to gather data

(00:13:58) - How individuals take pride in the process despite it being a public pursuit

(00:15:41) - The balance between maintaining a game’s integrity and exploiting its shortcomings

(00:17:22) - The participation ratio of hard core gamers versus trained software engineers

(00:18:42) - Finding patterns in programmed randomness, often linear congruential generators

(00:21:19) - An example of risk versus reward when improbable situations happen in games

(00:22:27) - Speed-running in modern gaming

(00:23:00) - Easter eggs,developer errors, and unintentional use of game tools

(00:24:59) - The adversarial relationship between the designer and the player

(00:28:19) - The negative reaction to web3 gaming from the traditional gaming industry

(00:32:55) - Comparing and contrasting the goals of gamers and crypto enthusiasts

(00:33:57) - How the Pokémon franchise has catered to speculators, players, and collectors simultaneously

(00:37:50) - Determining Web3 asset value and the current need for in-game asset ownership for a better experience 

(00:42:10) - How gamers should aim to extract value from time invested in games, based on economies of scale

(00:44:20) - The added complexity for developers with real-world economics in Web 3 games

(00:50:28) - How developers balance exclusivity and inclusivity to maximize returns

(00:52:07) - What he’s most excited to build over the next six months and six years

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