The idea of separating game logic from WEB3 is the way to go. I dislike the idea of validating every game mechanic on the blockchain, as it creates a tremendous amount of overhead that doesn't add much (if any) value. While blockchain can validate data, there's a significant amount of data that doesn't need validation.

The real asset of WEB3 in gaming lies in its tokens and the potential to convert assets into NFTs. It makes sense to focus on using that aspect exclusively.

You can use Hive as your primary currency, but you might also want to consider implementing in-game currencies. For instance, players could use Hive to purchase an in-game currency, which is then converted from one form to another. For example, one dollar worth of Hive could get you 500 gold. With 300 gold, you could buy a soul, and once you have three souls, you could use them to upgrade an item's rarity. If the upgrade fails, you receive a gem fragment. Collecting five gem fragments allows you to create a gem, which can be used at a shady merchant to gamble for a new item with potentially improved quality or stats.

I just made up this basic example, but you've likely encountered similar mechanics in games. These types of intermediate currencies are a sneaky tactic that many games use to create a psychological distance between players and their money. By introducing multiple conversions, it becomes harder for players to calculate the value of each step, which reduces the pain of spending.

In traditional games, I'm not a fan of this approach due to ethical concerns. However, in WEB3 games, I'm more in favor of it because of the "Play to Earn" vs. "Play for Fun" discussion. The reality is that WEB3 players often enter games with a "Play to Earn" mindset, which negatively impacts their fun expectations from the start. It's up to the game to make players forget about the "earn" aspect while playing, which is quite challenging.

You definitely don't want these in-game currencies to be on the blockchain, as that would make it easier for players to calculate each value, thereby reducing the fun aspect in favor of the earning aspect once again.

Interesting reads:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26644787_Game_design_as_marketing_How_game_mechanics_create_demand_for_virtual_goods
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263568020_Game_design_as_marketing_How_game_mechanics_create_demand_for_virtual_goods

The second article discusses these mechanics more directly I think (since it's behind a paywall I can't skim through the article. I might ask my wife later if she can access the article)

Edit: just my own theory to be clear. I haven't seen any research that confirms this