With the growth of new types of blockchain applications, particularly in the gaming space, much more computational power is required. The ideal source of this computational power are the untapped resources inside all of our consumer devices. Collectively, our idle devices will be able to create the world’s largest supercomputer and power the decentralized applications, services, and games of tomorrow – says Sam Snyder, co-founder and COO of Aura in Bithub.pl’s #SundayInterview.
Your flag product is GammaNow. What is it about?
Sam Snyder: GammaNow is a beautiful and simple way for gamers to earn rewards from their idle gaming rigs. We take great care to make sure GammaNow doesn’t interfere with system performance or users’ gaming experience. In exchange for providing the idle capacity of their computers, gamers are rewarded in Gamma Points. These points are not cryptocurrency, so there is no complex wallet setup or regulatory and taxation concerns. The typical process to setup and mine cryptocurrency is fifteen or more steps and takes a good deal of time to beginning earning cryptocurrencies to then exchange for cash that can be used for real goods and services–it’s a lot of hoops to jump through and it discourages many people from trying. Through the GammaNow application, we are able to simplify the experience to one step: users install our software to immediately start earning gaming rewards. Our overarching mission is to make interacting with blockchains and the cryptocurrency world as simple and user-friendly as possible.
You’re rewarding users with Gamma points. How can they use them? Will they be tradable on the exchanges?
SS: Gamma Points are not cryptocurrency tokens; they are similar to a points program users may be familiar with on their credit card or frequent flier miles. Gamma Points are redeemable through our web dashboard where users can purchase in-game content and other rewards with them. Gamma Points, unlike cryptocurrencies, do not fluctuate in value and do not carry with them the regulatory and tax burdens of cryptocurrencies. Our points system allows us to be more flexible with rewards and gamify the process of earning in-game content in ways that would not be possible if our users were earning cryptocurrency directly.
Did you have to reach out to many game companies to develop your product?
SS: Our Gamma Points are not being used in-game directly (only to be redeemed for current in-game credits). To start, we did not create special deals with gaming companies in the interest of getting off the ground quickly and bringing our product to market. Our goal was to first get our beta software out to our first set of testers to see how users interact with GammaNow and what types of rewards and experiences are most valuable. As we are collecting feedback from users, we are able to target specifically the best and most valuable rewards. We are currently in talks with game publishers and hardware manufacturers to establish more custom arrangements and partnerships.
You’re being described as a cheaper and faster alternative to Ethereum. What makes you so efficient?
SS: The Aura Platform blockchain-based ecosystem we are building is a faster solution than major blockchains because it decouples itself from the sequential block-based structure of current blockchains like Ethereum. On the Aura Platform, many transactions will run simultaneously and then be condensed into a single reference code and written to a block on the main Ethereum chain. In this way, we can fit millions of transactions within a single block to achieve much greater efficiency. With increases in efficiency and speed, costs will also drop drastically. These reductions in transaction costs and increases in speed are necessary to allow for the next generation of blockchain uses: decentralized applications and decentralized games.
GammaNow is not your only product. What more do you have in stock?
SS: In addition to GammaNow, we are building the Aura Platform, a blockchain based ecosystem optimized for the emerging decentralized games market. The Aura Platform will be powered by idle devices running the GammaNow software to deliver decentralized gaming content to players. With the growth of new types of blockchain applications, particularly in the gaming space, much more computational power is required. The ideal source of this computational power are the untapped resources inside all of our consumer devices. Collectively, our idle devices will be able to create the world’s largest supercomputer and power the decentralized applications, services, and games of tomorrow!
Interview by Przemyslaw Cwik
e-mail: p.cwik/at/bithub.pl