Have any existing games particularly influenced the idea (that I could read up on)?
Many games have been on our radar. Several but not all of them have been linked in our Slacks "influences" channel. If you use this invite link, you can check them out there.
Aside from the crypto element, how might it be similar or different from Second Life for example?
Differences would be in the organizational form, where Second Life is run by a company, has many simultaneously existing worlds in the same game and is essentially in that sense a monopolized multi-verse.
Further, in Second Life death is not a reality and even damage only occur in specific zones. The risks are very limited in that sense and for the same reason the opportunities to simulate life.
In our proposed basics of the game/simulation however, death comes at a tangible cost. It may be limited and finite as well, as it is not in fact real life death, but it stings none the less to lose both your valuable property and initial payment. This we think would help create an aversion affect similar (although certainly not equal) to a real loss of ones life, as well as disincentive some of the sabotage that has been seen in previous experiments predating our project.
When I say "our" project from here on, note that I mean not only the signers/co signers of the initial post, but all current and future contributors to the project in whatever form it may take.
I see... I didn't know Second Life wasn't one shared world, and that you couldn't lose your investment by dying. Have you any thoughts about optimal values for the initial payment? I realise it might be a bit early to be considering that, but am interested.
Nothing set in stone so far. It would have to be a sum that hurt to lose for most people, but also one that wasn't too large. Regardless, if not other conditions were constructed, a person with a lot of money could buy their way in.
Thankfully, there already are other conditions in the proposed system and the real losses would in most cases be higher than the initial sum thanks to player initiated "life staking" in game, which would produce both psychological and economic attachments the loss of which would be capable of acting as yet another deterrent for both current and potential players.
Hopefully, if we can design it well, sabotaging the game results in enough both money and opportunity lost that it would seem unattractive for the most part.