Hello OldFags & NewFags!
Over the last few weeks I have begun the architecture of a forthcoming event in which anyone may compete on OldFag.org. This event will comprise of what is essentially an elaborate treasure hunt using a plethora of in-game and real life deductive skills. There are no prerequisites to compete, although a general knowledge of several topics is recommended: - Computer Programming
- Cryptography / Mathematics
- Music
- History
- Research Skills
- Literature / Linguistics
- Foreign Culture
- Rhetorical Analysis
- Emerging Technologies
-
Economic Systems
The puzzle will likely transpire over a series of weeks, potentially even months, depending on how quickly each portion of the puzzle is solved. This will provide ample opportunity for players to pool their knowledge in order to solve each subsequent part. The puzzle will also require a decent amount of in game travel so I recommend grabbing an elytra from MortalVet’s shop if you do not have access to one.
As mentioned in the title, there will be a prize pool wherein the winner will receive an (at this time) undetermined amount of cryptocurrency, paid in either Ethereum or the Bitcoin equivalent of Ethereum at the time of completion.
Prize Pools:
There will be two separate prize pools in which players may compete. The puzzle will be the same for both pools but will not entitle the solver of one pool to the other pool’s rewards.
PAID PRIZE POOL: In order to compete within the paid prize pool, players must send an entry fee of $15 (USD) (in Ethereum) to a specified Ethereum address The address will be newly generated for this event, meaning all transactions can be publicly traced and all entries can be publicly verified. To avoid confusion I will require that all paid participants provide their public address to me, along with their in-game username, PRIOR to sending the entry fee. This data (Ethereum Transaction + Minecraft Username) will be stored publicly until the conclusion of the game at which time it will be destroyed. This will prevent multiple participants from claiming they paid an entry fee if only one did. If you have privacy concerns with posting your address, make a new one. The entry fee has been set at $15 to account for the high transaction fees Ethereum is experiencing right now while still providing a desirable amount of $$$ to the prize pool.
PAID PRIZE POOL REWARDS: The FIRST player to successfully solve the puzzle and provide answers to each section of the puzzle will win the Ethereum prize pool, less transaction fees. The winner must have an Ethereum address where they can receive the token(s) and allow me to publicly post the transaction ID so it may be publicly verified by other members of the community.
DEPENDING on participation I will personally contribute 1 Ethereum token to the prize pool. At the time of writing, 1 Eth = ~$350. All time high of Ethereum is over $1,400, so keep in mind that the “worth” of the prize pool can and will fluctuate either up or down between the start and finish of the game.
If none of that made sense to you, you don’t have $10 or you don’t know what a cryptocurrency is... You probably won’t be able to solve the puzzle. Nonetheless, I love my poor homies just as much, so there will also be an unpaid prize pool. FREE PRIZE POOL: The free prize pool will include in game items or collectibles provided by myself or other generous players. There’s is no requirement to donate to the in game prize pool, but it is strongly encouraged. Upon the launch of the game I will provide a means of collecting donations for the free prize pool. The free prize pool does not require you to provide any information to the organizers, unless you are the FIRST person to complete the puzzle, in which case I will contact you to ensure the puzzle was solved correctly. Depending on the number of items donated to the prize pool, I will extend rewards to the first 5-10 (maybe more) players who correctly solve the puzzle. The FIRST player to solve the puzzle in the free pool will receive the bulk of rewards, with each subsequent player receiving exponentially less.
The puzzle is INCOMPLETE at this time as I am still constructing some parts and ensuring everything works as intended with a sufficient level of difficulty. I am NOT taking any entry fees at this time, although I might proactively accept donations for the free prize pool.
CONTINGENCIES: 1. If participation in the paid pool is not high enough to incentivize players to compete (I’m hoping for a minimum of 15-30 players) ALL ENTRY FEES WILL BE REFUNDED to the address whence they came and we will move to in game prizes only.
- If the prize pool exceeds $1000 USD the winner allocation will change as follows: FIRST SOLVER: 60% Prize Pool SECOND SOLVER: 30% Prize Pool THIRD SOLVER: 10% Prize Pool
This will ensure the reward distribution is equitable with the number of contestants.
FAQ:
Q: “Does paying the entry fee guarantee me a prize?” A: No, it just qualifies you for the money if you are the first to solve the puzzle.
Q: “How do we know you aren’t just taking our money?” A: Cryptocurrency is the payment method of choice because it is publicly verifiable and anyone can view all transactions associated with an address. You can see exactly where your money went at all times. If you don’t trust code based monetary systems, don’t enter the paid prize pool.
Q: “Do I have to join by a certain date?” A: The paid pool will only accept entries between the time that the puzzle is launched and the time that the third part is solved. I will not specify how many parts long the puzzle is, but the first 3 puzzles will provide context for what will be required to complete the game. This will hopefully allow people to try the game and decide whether they are up for the challenge or not. This will also give ample time for newfags & players from other servers to join OldFag and begin competing in the paid pool once word spreads beyond the server. Additionally, this will prevent anyone from the free pool from solving the entire puzzle, then buying into the paid pool to get the $ reward. I will publicly announce when the third part has been completed and close paid entries. Any unsolicited payments received after the announcement will be treated as donations to the prize pool.
Q: “Did server admin set this up?” A: No, I have never spoken to John nor do I know much about him. He was not and will not be privy to any special information regarding the competition. If John / server admin does not approve of the competition it will be cancelled and all payments will be refunded. The solution may or may not be released depending on whether it can be moved to a different server if this happens. Free prize pool donations will either be returned to the donors or given away. Due to obvious “game advantage” concerns regarding administrators, no admins will be permitted to enter the paid prize pool. Sorry John :(
Q: “Are hacks allowed?” A: shut up.
Q: “Is using alts allowed?” A: I can’t STOP you from using alt accounts so obviously, yes. This said- I will carefully track who completes each part of the puzzle through a variety of methods to prevent someone from claiming multiple prizes using separate accounts.
That about wraps up things for now. I will be back in the Reddit sometime soon with an update on the launch of the puzzle. This post is intended as a general interest post so I can gauge what participation will look like. If nobody gives a shit I will discontinue the project on this server. Feel free to contact me with any questions. - EtherFold
[Discord: EtherFold#1196] [Twitter: @EtherFold] (www.twitter.com/etherfold)
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