Bitcoin (+Games)

[Nyhm]

Just wanted to see if anyone here is into Bitcoin. I'm totally enthralled with the technology.

I think Bitcoin has a lot of potential for the gaming market, but it's still very new. It might be a while before players (end users) embrace Bitcoin. I'm actually offering Bitcoin membership for my game, but I've only had one Bitocoin customer so far. The biggest gaming presence in the realm of Bitcoin seems to be gambling.

Other references:

• BitCoinJ: A Java Bitcoin library
• bitcointalk.org: The Bitcoin community
• Bitcoin Game List: I made this site (for fun and profit ... well, just fun so far ... maybe I should have more ads!)

I'd love to hear what others here think about Bitcoin.

[princec]

Considering using them as ingame currency in future projects. Or maybe just magic beans. Not sure.

Cas

[sproingie]

The primary purpose of bitcoin seems to be either to talk about bitcoin or as a conversation-starter for angry self-righteous "fiat money is doomed" cranks.  The "banking infrastructure" around bitcoin is either "stuff it in your virtual mattress" or "hand it over to liars, thieves, and con men". 

And for an economic analysis:  http://blog.ezyang.com/2011/06/bitcoin-is-not-decentralized/

Don't waste your time.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Cero]

bitcoin has a long story, interesting read

however its long dead now

[Danny02]

yeah it big problem is that it does not scale(from a technical point of view)

[theagentd]

1. Integrate BitCoin mining into game.
2. Run on all clients in the background.
3. Send found coins to server.
4. PROFIT!

[Nyhm]

1. Integrate BitCoin mining into game.
2. Run on all clients in the background.
3. Send found coins to server.
4. PROFIT!

We're on the same wavelength - I went right for that, too. I think there are those doing it. However, after spending some time researching and toying around with Bitcoin, the mining concept (while technically a brilliant proof-of-work system) is not really the interesting part to me.

Nonetheless, there are those who are banking on it. This might be vaporware, but here's what CoinLab proposes:

• Distribute mining software to players
• Coins generated by a player go to CoinLab, but credit the player's account
• Player can spend credits on in-game upgrades for game companies that support the scheme
• Game companies presumably get some cut of the coin profit

The clever part is that end-users (the players) don't have to know a thing about what they're running, just that it cranks away and they get free game credits.

[xsvenson]

...

The clever part is that end-users (the players) don't have to know a thing about what they're running, just that it cranks away and they get free game credits.

This part could be a problem ... I might be dead wrong, but this could even be a legal problem.
Unless, in the EULA (or anything equivalent) there is written that "we are running a mining operation in Your back garden, don't worry, we'll keep the gold but You'll get free stuff from our shop"... or something.

[Nyhm]

I'm not saying CoinLab is hiding anything from the players, just that the players don't have to give a hoot about Bitcoin. The game credit they get could very well be more worthwhile to them than any small amount of bitcoin they could directly mine for themselves. The scheme may work for CoinLab if they can deploy it on a large enough scale, even if the actual monetary value generated by each individual player is small.

(By the way, great sig, xsvenson.)

[ReBirth]

What is this? soem way to earn penny from a game?