šInvitation to the first PBFT Playertest on Testnet (with rewards!)
As previously announced in NCIP-13, Nine Chronicles is gearing up to begin the actual transition to a proof-of-stake (PoS) system for 2023. To ensure this transition's smooth implementation, we invite you to participate in the first PBFT Playertest on Testnet in January 2023.
[ Background ]
PoS and PBFT
If you are familiar with blockchain technology, you may have heard of ātestnetās, but not be as familiar with the terms, such as, āProof-of-Stakeā (PoS) and PBFT (Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance).
PoS is a method of ensuring āthe right to create blocks based on ownership.ā PBFT (Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance) is the foundation of PoS and can be thought of as a simpler way of verifying transactions than Proof-of-Work (PoW). However, implementing PBFT requires significant changes to the core network, which can result in bugs.
We decided to begin the implementation of PBFT, which is the foundation of our project. While this will not fully decentralize the block creation process, many potential issues still need to be addressed.
āWe donāt want to wait to fix these problems.ā
What to Expect
PBFT is essentially a consensus problem for blockchain nodes (e.g., NineChronicles.Headless) regarding which blocks to validate. In other words, itās better for many players who donāt run these nodes directly not to be aware of the changes.
Therefore, we are initiating this test trial via the helping hands of experienced players of the mainnet to see if the testnet would provide the same or at least a similar gaming experience.
Why Playtesting is Important
Some of you may be wondering why playtesting is necessary for a change on the blockchain node, especially if itās just a test to confirm that nothing has changed.
However, after running the node for Nine Chronicles for many years, we have noticed that the way Nine Chronicles is played has a significant impact on the overall block/transaction synchronization. This includes not only the transmission of transactions but also the delivery of RPC node play history.
Why are actual gamers targeted in this test?
Typically, actual gamers are not required for such tests. There are many ābotsā or automated programs and tools that are also created for this purpose. And in some parts of the test network, we also use these tools for basic verification.
However, we believed that it would be challenging to determine whether the overall gaming experience is maintained just based on the functioning process of each component in Nine Chronicles, which consists of various elements. While the ābotā we created is suitable for checking the amount of delay and errors, it is difficult to write and does not interpret the results.
Lastly, while this is not a functional reason, we view Nine Chronicles as a game developed by the community. Quality assurance and testing are also crucial development processes.
[ How to Participate? ]
Any gameplay on the testnet will not affect or be reflected on the game progress on the mainnet.
Procedure
A separate Link (below) will be provided to download the testnet client. This testnet client is different from the testnet for the Rune testnet. This time previous gameplay data (snapshot of block 5,623,822) will be provided for better testing. However, as usual, everything that happens on the testnet will remain on the testnet.
Test Client Download:
https://bit.ly/PBFTClientDownload
Test Period:
- Jan 3rd ~ Jan 17th 2023
Test Version:
- You can still use the same Nine Chronicles account to login
- Player data based on a snapshot from block 5,623,822 (v100340) will be provided
Reward
This test is to verify how natural play is affected on the PBFT network. And we are asking for help from the players. Therefore, we do have some rewards for players who have participated ardently. However, if you play in a way that does not align with this purpose (e.g., generating many transactions mechanically in a short period of time), rewards may be restricted.
- There will be a user survey toward the end of the testing period.
- Complete the survey and get the chance to receive 100 NCG
- Our team will be selecting
- There are no specific restrictions on gameplay but generate at least 10 transactions per day. (No, you donāt have to play āevery-single- dayā, but be reasonable. š)
