It has been some time since I started collecting STARDUST for cosmetic upgrades in @risingstargame. Although there have been few competitions, the cosmetic upgrades in the game are mostly superficial. That is not to say that they do not have a value. There are games that bring in 9 figure revenue out cosmetic sales. There is a serious demand and the demand seems to go up as more players join a game. Most people tend to be social creatures with a desire to show off. I'm not among that crowd. I need to see more that a simple social signal to get involved.
Bribing The Boss
I have been bribing through automated HIVE payments. This was the primary method I collected the 300 STARDUST listed above. I have written about the process before and I even faced some initial issues with setting up the recurring payments with HIVE. Everything seems fixed now and users should find a smooth experience. Always keep in mind that there are multiple options to conduct the same blockchain operation. This is a perk of decentralization. There is only one HIVE ledger. There are many front ends and wallets for it with different features.
Special Mission Unlocked Via Cosmetics
See that SUB Mask which should look very familiar to long time users of HIVE. @stickupboys have had hundreds of millions of views for their GIFs. They even make music and sell some of them as NFTs. You can start checking them out here.
Bought SUB Mask and Started The Mission
This gameplay utility is the reason I got into SUB Mask. I wanted to try out the Mission and earn a few extra cosmetics. These are Soulbound assets and I have not seen anything indicating a change. Simple activities done during the game can earn STARDUST. It is not necessary to spend 5,000 STARBITS for each STARDUST if you are willing to wait and be patient.
A Brief Look at Cosmetics
20 Missions should get me to complete the collection. It will be a single set of cosmetics with a unified theme based on two small time celebrities who have done a great deal of work to make HIVE better. Not all cosmetics can be simply bought. The ones that require more work should have better respect (and hopefully few extra gameplay perks). Even an extra chance to earn some consumable items such as Pizza Slices could be great.
Those who are willing to spend a million STARBITS can even protest @risingstargame as a hater. I think most likely these will be used ironically. It is hard to predict how decentralized communities will act. People are not always rational entities.
Rewards Gained So Far
SUB Trousers only required a few Missions. Probabilities are not guarantees. My recent Booster Pack opening is an excellent example of that. I may complete the SUB cosmetic collection soon or I may have to wait for a bit longer. I expect to finish up with this "Its a Stick Up" Mission before we reach 2025.
Raves Can Have Instant Rewards
If you participate in any Rave, you can earn at least 0.001 HIVE as a Reward. These earnings cover much of the funds I use to bribe The Boss. On top of that, there are times where Ravers come and I get to click on the the Dancers. This is 1 STARDUST earned per day combined with a 10% chance to earn instant STARBITS Rewards.
There are many nooks and crannies in @risingstargame that can be explored over time. It is a game that can keep users engaged for some time. These small gameplay related education that is related to blockchain operations can be an effective way to educate some niches of users about HIVE and overall cryptosphere.