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Hi Guys,
So after playing for 2 weeks i thought i would just give a post on how this newcomer is finding his way into the world of Splinterlands and my first venture into P2E games.
This game has become my new obsession. The learning curve for this game and economy is astronomical, iv spent as much time watching streams and videos as i have playing the game itself.
Iv got to add thanks to 2 people in particular for there assistance through their videos and streams in giving me alot of help in the basics of playing the game and they are Luke Plays to Earn 
Iv watched hours of their streams and iv even been lucky enough to win free giveaways !
It seems that iv come into the game at a time of great change after watching the Townhall that was released regarding the move towards the removal of Bots in the game to the change in the way that the economy is moving more towards SPS based and less DEC for future evolution of Splinterlands.
The first part of that statement has more of a direct affect on me as a new player then the second.
Iv not been playing long enough for a change towards SPS over DEC for purchases etc to allow me to make a comparison, but the removal of Bots does make a huge difference to newcomers like myself.
When i joined the game i really didnt know anything about P2E and i just thought it reminded me of the Final Fantasy game Triple Triad and was worth a look.
I really wasnt planning on investing much if anything into the game but for the spellbook so i could possible win some crypto and have some fun on the way. That thought lasted less than 2 hours.. As soon as i started playing i was hooked and looking on the market for better cards.
My plan was to use the starter cards and maybe buy 1 or 2 stronger cards to help me along.
So off went into the market and then discovered you can rent and earn rent from your buys. After watching more videos and learning about marketplace and from playing the game and losing almost every match i decided to invest in a few lower level cards to rent out to help fund buying higher level cards.
Within 2 weeks all has changed, the Townhall has now said that sometime soon to reduce the number of Bots in the game that there will be a reward penalty for any starter cards used in that match.
This has to be a double edged sword for new players.
Absolutely it will reduce the amount of Bots in the game who are just farming DEC and making it very difficult to progress through Bronze and are also in Silver, but at the same time for new players it will no longer be possible to play for free and pick up some crumbs of crypto.
Now dont get me wrong i was here for just that very reason but within hours decided that i wanted to get involved more deeply into the game and after watching streams and videos realised that this is a game of vast potential and worth my time and money,so im happy to invest and have done so,and i reinvest all DEC and SPS back into the game by staking any returns.
The other affect that is happening is the marketplace is also reacting to this news as myself and im sure most recently new players are now buying all the starter cards so that they can avoid any penalties, which is driving the cost to start in the game more expensive as low level cards are rising .Whereas i was spending money to buy cards so i can gain CP to reach higher levels i now spend to buy copies of the starter cards to avoid future penalties.
OK, this wont stop me from putting more money into the game but i, like im sure most new players, take a cautious approach when starting a new game,and may think twice about joining.
The flip side of this is that Splinterlands is more than just a game,its also an NFT market,with some very valuable assets, this move to reduce Bots will no doubt keep more Crypto within the game instead of being farmed and cashed out as real players generally use any gains to reinvest in more and better cards.
This has to increase the longevity of the game and create opportunities for long time returns on assets, which i hope to take advantage of.
My hopeful future investments 😅
Well thank you for reading this far and please feel free to comment, and upvote if you think worthy,or repost elsewhere if you think it fits in with a discussion.
Thanks again, sc0tsman
