A week ago, I wrote an article entitled, Does Hive Have a Future? Perhaps ... but it will need an Alliance. In it, I argued, amongst other things, that Hiveians needed to start working together to achieve common strategic goals and that, if they did not, the inability to "concentrate force at the decisive point" would lead to the blockchain's demise.
The post did well, especially considering it was my first in a couple of years. There were good discussions in the comments section and a couple people published their own posts in response.
At the end of the post, I provided a hypothetical example (one that's almost ready to launch) to provide an idea of how Hive might "ally" with a "Great Power" NFT marketplace. I was, however, deliberately vague as I didn't want my specific idea to get poached.
My interaction with others, though, got me thinking about how I might provide something more tangible. While grocery shopping, I noticed the music playing in the background: "Walking in a Winter Wonderland." I am, amongst other things, a poet and satirist, and so when it dawned on me that "Splinterlands" had the same meter and rhythm as "Wonderland," my mind immediately set about composing alternative lyrics.
Listen to the video below to refresh the melodies of both the verse and chorus of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" and then sing the revised lyrics for "Rocking Out the Loot on Splinterlands" in your head, using the same melodies:
.
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Rocking Out the Loot on Splinterlands
All that bling, it’s got ya thinking,
Another glass, you’ve started drinking,
Must get in the fight, to monsters them smite,
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
Gone away, is your girlfriend,
Parting words, “You’re a dead-end,”
Could use a good shave, but crystals you crave,
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
[chorus]
Mana, melee, magic – you’re a gamesman,
On leaderboard you’ll take all others down,
As jungle king will others call you “Tarzan,”
For he who wins the Quest does wear the crown.
Later on, you’ll conspire,
Get back the girl, when points are higher,
All women forgive if in mansion they’ll live,
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
Play-to-Earn, are you listening,
Once in Gold, you’ll be whistling,
Though look you affright, your wallet delights,
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
Monsters slay, with it a potion,
Helps to play with it emotion,
Put coins in your purse, as swear and you curse,
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
[chorus]
Mana, melee, magic – you’re a gamesman,
On leaderboard you’ll take all others down,
As jungle king will others call you “Tarzan,”
For he who wins the Quest does wear the crown.
Don’t stop to bathe, it’s over-rated,
But once a week is all that’s fated,
Your legend a tome in QuillFire poem,
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
Rocking out the loot on Splinterlands.
Of all Hive-based projects, Splinterlands is, at the moment, getting the most traction and one of its Founders, @aggroed, was recently interviewed from the floor of the NASDAQ stock exchange. It would seem, then, that promoting Splinterlands might well constitute a "decisive point" upon which to "concentrate the blockchain's force."
Contest As Advertisement
There are two primary costs in advertising:
- Making the ad; and
. - Running it.
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Hiveians, if they work together, have the ability to drop those costs to zero while still orchestrating a very effective campaign.
Making the Ad
An explanation about what constitutes an effective advertisement is beyond the scope of this post but suffice it to say that what I'm proposing would accomplish just that. (I'm in advertising.)
The blockchain is comprised of creatives with varying artistic talents: poets; musicians; graphic artists and videographers. I've provided the lyrics -- it wouldn't take much for musicians and graphic artists to turn them into a high-quality (and hilarious) video with the potential to go viral.
The creation of such a video is the purpose of this Contest.
Running the Ad
Running an ad, in any venue, is about getting exposed to eyeballs. Most Hiveians have numerous social media accounts across a variety of social media sites: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram; etc. Post-promoting a video on such sites accomplishes the same thing (reach) as running an ad on television.
In Theory ...
In theory, theory and reality are the same. In reality, they're not.
In theory, all this ought to work wonderfully. Hiveians ought to recognize that bringing in new users is key to the blockchain's success and that promoting a humorous video about the blockchain's most popular dApp, a good way to further such end. Hence, everyone ought to participate in any way possible.
In reality, we all know better. In reality, the participation rate of any Hive contest is directly proportional to the size of its prize.
So, in order for this Contest to achieve its strategic aim, every whale on the blockchain (in addition to everyone else) would have to participate by providing 100%, 50% and 25% upvotes to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place Winners, respectively. If that were to occur, the amount of the Prizes would be sufficient to all-but-guarantee widespread participation.
Ironically, this wouldn't cost whales (or anyone else) a penny and, even more ironically, few seem to grasp how potentially potent is this fact. The ability to create and run costless ads is the military equivalent of possessing nuclear weapons. But the problem, as always, is the inability to get everyone to march in lockstep, even if only for a short time.
This, fellow Hiveians ... is the Achilles Heel of decentralization.
If At First You Don't Succeed ... Try, Try Again
This is not the first time I've sponsored a Hive contest, and hence, I have misgivings about whether there's any way to successfully cajole people into participating ... at scale. But if guarantees were required, I guess I wouldn't be in crypto.
And so ...
Contest Rules
- Contestants will create a cover of "Rocking Out the Loot on Splinterlands" set to the melody of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland."
. - Contestants may sing with musical accompaniment of their own making or to pre-recorded music for which they have usage rights. Or, if they can hold a tune, Contestants may sing the song without instrumentals. Any style or genre of music is acceptable. Contestants may include whatever video or graphics they deem appropriate.
. - Contestants will publish their cover videos on 3Speak and drop a link to it in the comments section of this post.
. - At this post's expiration, judges will determine the Top 3 entries. A follow-up post will be published to announce the Winners.
. - The Winners' posts shall receive no less than 100%, 50% and 25% upvotes, in order of their placement, from all Hive whales who don't want to find themselves included in a subsequent poem entitled, "Big Pricks, Small Dicks." All members of the Hive community are encouraged to vote in a similar manner so as to increase the size of the Prize Awards.
. - Contestants agree that their Contest submissions may be used by Splinterlands, without condition or restraint, for promotional purposes.
.
UPDATE: Contest entries will be accepted until 12:00 PM (midnight) EST on December 31, 2021 due to late-breaking activity.
Quill
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@aggroed, @theycallmedan, @yabapmatt, @gtg, @ocdb, @appreciator, @blocktrades, @blocktrades.com, @newsflash, @stoodkev, @smooth, @trafalger, @threespeak, @acidyo
Hello QuillFire! I'd like to enter the contest please. I couldn't sign up for 3Speak, so I had to upload this video onto a YT Channel that I don't use. Please consider my entry. Thank you so much for offering this contest; I think it's a marvelous idea and hopefully many people will get involved.
Here's my entry link: https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@rosiew/splinterlands-challenge-accepted
Music is non-copyrighted instrumental and that's me singing. Thanks!! Merry Christmas!
So, I just showed your video to a 78 year-old family member. By the end she was in tears and her first remark was, "Do you think she's single?"
I have DM'd my contact inside Splinterlands. I have a feeling their marketing people are going to wet their pants. If they don't, I shall write another set of lyrics ... one's they're are unlikely to find so humorous. My pen has an endless supply of ink.
There was one downside to your rendition ... listening to you sing made me realize just how horrendous of a singer I am. Whatever little hope I was harboring of becoming the next Elvis, just died.
BTW, I linked a Hive article in the comments section of your post. It explains how this whole Hive thing works. It's pretty confusing for beginners. If you have any questions, just type @ryzeonline into the comments section of any post and he'll come running. Speaking of which, Ryze, could you help Rosie open a 3Speak account?
Rosie, I want you to publish your post on 3Speak as well because you'll likely get a LOT more upvotes if you do. You do know that these upvotes represent real money, right? If this Contest manages to stir up the Hive whales, and I think it might, that could mean a lot of money in your pocket.
Quill
Ahhhh Quill. :) That's very precious of your family member to say. Please thank her, tell her that yes I am single (Ha!), and ask her if she knows "I'll Be Seeing You." It's one of my favorite songs to sing as it was a favorite song of my grandfather's from World War II. He was in General Patton's army, and he is by far one of my heroes. :)
Thank you very much for your support, Quill. It is so kind of you to share my singing with others. :) I just was having some fun. I'm not sure what's going on with 3Speak. It says the Hive username is already used, as if I've made an account on 3Speak but I don't have any knowledge of doing that. I'll go check again and see if I can find a way to post it there.
Thank you for the Hive article; I appreciate your help! And yes, I know upvotes represent real money. The money is so very helpful, but for me, it's the community that has truly saved me. They make me so happy; I'm blessed if I can give a little joy back to them with my singing your wonderful Splinterlands rendition. ;) You did a marvelous job! ;)
Thank you again for all the kind words!
Rosie, after I wrote that comment, I checked your blog. Obviously you know how exactly Hive works. Forgive the misunderstanding.
You deserve all the accolades I can shower upon you. You are a very gifted singer and I appreciate excellence (in anything) for its own sake.
BTW, when this Contest is over, I fully intend to coerce you into collaberating with me on something. I'm not sure what but I'll come up with something that exploits that voice. Lyrics are, after all, just poems.
Quill
Thank you, Quill and no worries! I'm not the kind of person that thinks I know everything; there's always something to learn.
And by the way, I AM ON 3Speak now, but I can't get the video to upload properly (keeps giving me this error message: Error Code: 102630), but if I can figure it out, I'm happy to upload it there! And sure, I'll do a collaboration with you; sounds fun! :)
Rosie, for strategic reasons, keep trying to upload to 3Speak between now and Dec. 20. But know that anyone who cannot successfully upload their videos to 3Speak will not be disqualified. The alternative, YouTube (or any other video platform) is fine.
Quill
Wow, @rosiew , fantastic rendition of @quillfire 's lyrics here! Woo! And I'm happy to help with Hive, with 3Speak, or anything else, just let me know.
I also had multiple issues with my 3Speak sign-up and first-post, I believe they were mainly related to hive keychain, resource credits, and/or account-age, so those things may be at play in your case as well. :) 🙏
Hey mate.
As it turns out, Rosie knows as much about Hive as you and I combined. Somehow, I managed to mangle her words into misunderstanding. Anyway, she now has a 3speak account but, the last we spoke, is still struggling to post. If people can't post to 3Speak, obviously I won't disqualify them. So, to anyone else experiencing such a problem, just post to YouTube (or whatever other video platform you prefer) and drop your links.
Respecting Rosie's rendition, she's a friggin' rockstar.
Rosie The Rockstar ... it has a nice ring, doesn't it?
And that got me thinking ... since Hive is likely to put us all in early graves, how might I re-write these lyrics to accomodate Rosie's earlier arrival?
Quill
Haha, well good for her! The more people knowing the ins-and-outs Hive, the better, I imagine. YouTube is a good backup plan, especially when we get quality talent like Rosie The Rockstar, lol.
"If there's a hive blockchain heaven / Well you know it's price is over a grand, grand, grand!"
;) 🙏
Nice. 😅
Quill
😁
Hello @quillfire here's my entry for this contest https://peakd.com/hive-181335/@navre/kvtzrvkm Hope I am not too late ^_^
A wonderful rendition, Ervan.
And no, you are not too late ... the Contest's Submission Deadline was extended to Decemember 31, 2021.
Quill
thank you for the voted, Hope you enjoy it 😁
wow this is great @hkinuvaime
sing a song
Wow. Id love to.
Thank you as well.
Quill
Thank you.
Quill
Hi! @quillfire this is my entry but I accidentally turned on the auto title thats why it turned out like that. This is my first time to use 3speak. Tv and hoping to use it in the future 😊
Lets continue to Rock the loots on Splinterlands! 😎😁
Trina, this is a beautiful rendition!
Thank you so much for your entry. I will reblog it immediatedly.
Quill
Thank you! I love singing and this post inspired me. Haha if only i have read it earlier i could have prepared for a better audio video presentation.
No problem. What's being judged is the singing ... and you sang beautifully.
Quill
Thank you 😊
@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 67/87) Liquid rewards.
As usual, Denise ... you are too generous.
Thank you. 🙏
Quill
Hello, @quillfire... This is my entry for your contest, I hope youlike it.😀
https://peakd.com/hive-181335/@manujune/cacluwuw
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!
You are destined for fame and fortune.
Quill
OMG! I'm happy you liked It.🤩🥳
Just seeing this.
Its a nice lyrics you have there lol. 😂
I could give it a try.
It appears no one posted a link here tho.
Not yet but I know of at least one person who's working on it.
As poem recitations and song renditions take time to create, submissions don't usually occur until just before the end of the Contest.
Get in there ... the more the merrier.
Quill
EDIT: It's now a lot more than one.
Oh Great
I ll do that.
Thanks..
Hello Sir.. Here my entry for this contest.
https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@jaydr/ipkpqbzk
Swoosh ... Jaydr shows everyone how it's done!
Jaydr ... is The Man!
This is exactly how Elvis got started. Alright, maybe not exactly ... but close. (Enough).
Great job, mate. 🍻
Quill
Thanks @quillfire
I had super fun
The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the person sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.
Thanks PoshToken. 🍻
Quill
I want to join but I don't know how to sing nor play instruments. Would it be okay to make a post, make a lyric about splinterlands, provide an optional tune (like... "Sing this in Joy to the world Tune")? In other words, make kind of the same as what you did.
Hey mate.
So, what you propose wouldn't work for my Contest -- BUT, I highly encourage you to do precisely what you describe for a contest of your own.
But, here's the thing: I'm QuillFire and I'm a damnably arrogant bastard (as all good poets must be) and everyone knows it. (To ascertain the veracity of said assertion, let's call in @dswigle & @prydefoltz to render opinion. Now, stand back, because ... I promise you ... Pryde, who one day I will teach how to write poetry, is about to render opinion like opinion has never been rendered before.)
My charm, much like Merlot, is an acquired taste. (BTW, these ladies are amongst my best friends on Hive ... but, I enjoy tormenting them and they, I. It's complicated.)
Anyway, here's what you do.
You throw down. You call me out as if Hive were the OK Corral (watch this video ... you'd be Johnny Ringo and I, Doc Holiday.)
.
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As PT Barnum once quipped, "If you want to draw a crowd, start a fight."
Over the years, I've pissed off a lot of Whales & Witnesses with my "Compensation Must Be Commensurate With Quality" diatribes, made all the more insufferable due to their impeccable diction. And so, there are now a number of the aforesaid who would love to see someone give me a good ass-kicking.
Write right ... and you could get filthy rich.
Quill
OMG! Pryde is going to kick you from here to kingdom come. Just saying. 😁
Hello lovely ... Indeed, I can shoot straight if I don't have to shoot too far.
So in the words of Gordon Downie .... @quillfire, I will give you ten bucks and a head start.
I know ... and I'm having second thoughts about baiting the bear. You know, it's strange ... she's so nice to everyone else.
What do you think the chances are she won't see it? Maybe, as if by Divine Intervention, her Notifications will suddenly stop working. It could happen.
Quill
You've never been everyone else. Why start now?
Oh shit. The Notifications are still working.
Quill
Hello? I thought you were my Huckleberry?
Denise, you are simply not a credible gunslinger. You're a peacemaker ... and hence the whole Ambassador thing (read the comments in your latest post).
Quill
Haha! But, I can shoot! :) Wanna see?
Og, og, og, and og:)
@quillfire is a fellow Canuck; let's see if he gets the reference:)
By the way ... I ain't drinking no f'ckin Merlot.
Pryde, contrary to popular belief, Ol' Quill is actually quite hip. Indeed, I recently explained to those less hip than myself what "gm" meant.
"OG" is similarly dependent upon the generation of the person using it.
To older people rolling their eyes in disbelief about youthful soul-searching, it means "Oh God," as in, "Oh God, I can't believe these ding-a-lings are confused about their gender."
To Millennials, terrified of being associated with anything that might be construed as "maleness," it means, "Omnes Gallinas," Latin for "all hens" ... as in, "There isn't a rooster amongst us ... honest, we're all hens."
Quill
Haha ... it is all about context. (She shakes her head in disappointment) .... OG.
It's a Canadian classic. I can't believe you missed it:)
PS ... live and let live; OG OG OG
The first part of your post really spoke to me. In the tribe I belong CTP, we all work together for common goals. In this way, we are always helping each other to be the best that we can be.
Excellent.
Now, mate ... here's what you do: publish a post in CTP in which you regale your fellows about a poet named QuillFire who has spent years trying to inspire Hivians (and before them, Steemians) to work together ... as if they were One. And tell them that QuillFire, though having failed, makes no apologies ... for long before he was a poet, he was a soldier.
In said post, throw down the gauntlet: DARE them to sing this song as you yourself will sing it.
I can't sing either, but I can write ... and I have written. Mate, the world does not work if there is not honor amongst soldiers. I did my thing ... now you must do yours. I suggest you invest in a bottle of rum.
This Contest may, or may not, spotlight a magnificent singer -- and in the process turn them into a superstar. But that's OK ... because that's not the objective of the Contest. My words were comedic: I am both a poet and a satirist. My words were not designed to reduce you to tears of sorrow (poet), they were designed to reduce you to tears of merriment (satirist). They were designed to get everyone to laugh at the most comedic thing in the universe ... themselves.
So, if you cannot sing well ... sing so terribly that it becomes sublime in its terribleness.
Just tell others ... "Quill made me do it."
.
Quill
FYI: There is a guy inside of Splinterlands who is making this song a cause. For the moment, I will not name him for if this Contest goes nowhere, I don't want him to be punished. Mind you, if it works ... I shall write an ode that would be envied by presidents, prime ministers, princes and kings.
@aggroed @theycallmedan
Awesome I will, also I started following you. We have that in common I spent 16 years as a US Marine 😀
Hi everyone!
Hope I am not too late, Quillfire. Here is my last minute entry. Shoutout to all Filipino Streamers! Had some fun with this one, feel free to laugh! 3speak is taking forever to upload so if its ok, I have uploaded it on my youtube page and placed the link here, pardon the crappy edits, my voice, and my existence. I will edit this post once 3speak has encoded the video. For now here is the link to my entry! Thankssssss
EDIT: Here is the link to the post for my entry: https://ecency.com/lovinghive/@quillfire/song-contest-rocking-out-the-loot-in-splinterlands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTItKnRAjAwI LOVE IT!!! 😂😂😂
You're not too late ... in fact, I've extended the Submission Deadline to Dec. 31, 2021.
https://ecency.com/splinterlands/@quillfire/singing-contest-rocking-out-the
And, if you're having problems posting to 3Speak, YouTube is fine.
Quill
So Wolf ... you need to publish a contest entry post.
If you place in the Top 3, people need to be able to upvote your post ... that's how the Prize money is delivered. Even if you don't place in the Top 3, you could undoubtedly earn substantial sums just from normal post upvotes.
Quill
Copy that! I will do so! :)
Here's the link to my post @quillfire!
https://ecency.com/hive-13323/@damienwolf/taking-on-the-splinterlands-singing
Congratulations @quillfire! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 5000 comments.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
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STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!
Thanks @hivebuzz. Always nice to get a shout-out.
Quill
You're welcome @quillfire, nice motivation! 😊🌹👍
BTW, it would be much appreciated if you support our proposal on Peakd, ecency,
https://peakd.com/me/proposals/199
Thank you!
Just gave you another vote. Guys, keep up the great work.
Quill
Love the Lyrics!
As I'm sure I will love your singing of them.
Due to late-breaking activity, I've extended the Submission Deadline to 12:00 midnight EST on December 20 ... so there's still lots of time to channel your inner Whitney Houston. Moreover, the lyrics (and accompanying video) provide the potential for hilarity if sung by a girl(s). 🍻
Quill
Hi @quillfire I noticed you followed my account. Are you Canadian?
Yes, originally from Halifax, although I now live in Florida.
Quill
Awesome.. you are now displaying the Canadians on Hive badge that you can see on your account on peakd.com
@quillfire, this comment has been manually curated with LUV
Well, thank you for the love, Luv. 🍻
Quill
So far, I've agreed completely with each post I've read from you, this one included. Your idea to 'create a prize pool' through whale-upvotes (and others) is brilliant. (Though I wonder how many whales will a) hear of it, and b) participate,) I guess we'll see. :)
My main question is that this contest appears to cater mainly to those of a 'musical persuasion', and I'm not sure about Hive's population of 'active musicians.' If too little, might it limit the effectiveness, scale, and reach of the contest? But maybe there's more than enough, I don't really have data on it.
Either way, as I said, I agree with your points, commend this endeavor, and wish it great success! :) 🙏
I like this part the best because I have a doubt on posts that says "The rewards on this post will be given as prizes." Like it's best if the winners get directly rewarded and not through anyone else.
I know it's just me but I kinda don't believe those kind of contests.
That's understandable. Most things in life require us to trust and give them a try, or else avoid them altogether. :) 🙏
Well, believe this ... Splinterlands appears to be on board. They've retweeted the post on Twitter, re-blogged it on Hive and posted it on Instagram. And, apparently, a number of them think it's "awesome" (a quote from the DM they sent me.)
While not a guarantee of lucrative rewards for the Winners, it is at least an indication that parties with big upvotes are watching and waiting.
So go find a guitar and start yodeling.
Quill
A very positive sign. :)
Looking forward for that subsequent poem and contest. I bet the lyric must be a blast and I have the hunch that for my twisted sense of humor, that second contest might be easier than this to participate with a remote possibility to earn some of those succulent 100%, 50% and 25% upvotes from these whales.
Well, I dunno. That's just my impression! Hence, I'll wait for your opinion to half-ass know if my hunch is even accurate & feasible. };)
Por, your hunch is entirely incorrect.
You, more than anyone I've ever met, were born to sing "Rocking Out the Loot on Splinterlands." It is your Destiny.
Indeed, there's a part of the song which is practically a dedication to you:
😉 It doesn't need to be fancy (or even particularly good), it simply needs to be entertaining.
Here's a rendition of the original that sounds suspiciously like ... Elvis!
If you could do Elvis, I could turn that into a "conspiracy theory" so fast it would make your head spin. And Por, there's money in conspiracy.
When opportunity comes knocking ...
Oh! opportunity! That make sense indeed... in this specific context. };)
But I have to warn you that I've killed annoying flies from the distance just using the dreadful & out of tune singing of my voice when a few of them had been left inadvertently locked with me in the bathroom while I was more off guard sitting on my throne already in the middle of my royal chores.
And according to what you have described in the quote uncovering part of the story of my childhood and undercover intelligence-related activities. I can almost assure you that I will be more successful in that next "Big Pricks, Small Dicks" poem and contest, if you just turn it into a dance contest rather than a singing contest. Regardless if I have to imitate the voluptuous dance steps of my father Elvis while he sang or any other steps a little bit funkier. :D
Cheers! :)
😂🍻