STEPN: A Starter’s Guide!

STEPN has easily been one of the most talked-about titles in our articles. Whether it is the impressive new mechanic or the new niche that the metaverse seems to have unlocked, there is always something new coming up. Although we would love to take credit for the increased google searches about STEPN and aspects relating to it, this article would serve as a starter guide for people interested in the metaverse. We feel that there is a need for people to have a guide established. Game guides, just like game reviews and other information, allow potential investors and users to acquaint themselves better with the title. Anything that takes away barriers to entry is of deep interest to us, and so we will write about it.

How Does STEPN Work?

Very recently, we wrote an elaborate guide about how STEPN works. Less recently, we wrote about STEPN being one of the biggest games on display in 2022. We made countless arguments talking about how important the M2E concept is for the crypto gaming industry. Especially since the more conventional mining methods have been resulting in a lot of bad press for the crypto realm. We also linked the importance of the M2E concept with health benefits and possibly a future where people could earn from simple acts of self-improvement and kindness. All these factors can help rehabilitate the image of the crypto realm and help reach the demand potential that it has.

In our previous article about STEPN, we talked about How STEPN works. We feel that it could prove useful to take a few pages from that book for our article today. As that article was rich with many tips/tricks and important guidelines that could fit the needs of an amateur trying the metaverse for the first time. 

Market Progress

To start with, STEPN is one of the few adaptations of an M2E concept in the market. Essentially, the M2E concept brings together game-fi and social-fi elements of the crypto realm. It works to create a community of NFT enthusiasts that want to live and breathe fitness as well as gain on their investment. Although this idea is very unique and rich in potential, the $GMT and $GST tokens have had some turbulent times recently. We feel that much of this can be attributed to the loss of demand for crypto assets in general.

This can partly be accredited to the lack of private investments in the global economy due to inadequate savings. The space is having to face the brunt, of what seems to be troubling times for the global economy. For those major reasons and some other minor reasons, the title has suffered a little in terms of token demand and nominal market value. But, as this serves as bad news for many, it also serves as good news for many others as they feel this is the time when they should include the $SOL token and in-game tokens to their token portfolio. 

Now that we have established the position of STEPN and built a little on what we think about the project, let’s move on to the actual agenda at hand. Let us help people start with STEPN for the first time. 

The NFT base

To get any level of grasp over the STEPN metaverse, we need to talk about the metaverse’s NFT base first. The NFT base from STEPN features Sneakers. Yes, Sneakers! Sneakers that you will virtually wear and then go about your “stepping”. Of course, just like all other NFTs in the market, the sneakers come in different shapes and sizes. Which are code for different market values and different attributes. This means that the metaverse offers different criteria to “discriminate” between its NFT sneakers. 

This is a brief description of the many ways in which these NFT sneakers differ from each other.

1. The Type of Sneaker:
   

   There are four main types of sneakers. There are Walkers, Joggers, Runners, and Trainers. But we feel that describing each type would extend beyond the purview of this article, so here is a link for you to check out if you’re interested to know. These types come at different prices, different rarities, and other different attributes. 

2. SEA: Sneakers’ Efficiency Attribute:
   

   Every Sneaker has its efficiency attribute. This attribute differs with price/type/value. The higher the efficiency attribute, the higher the payoff. That is a general understanding. All Sneakers earn $GST for level progression from level 1 to level 29. After Level 29, all sneakers start earning their payoffs in $GMT. 

3. SCA: Sneakers’ Comfort Attribute:
   

   Just like the efficiency attribute, the comfort attribute is going to be directly proportional to payout. However, the advantage that the SCA has against the SEA, is that the higher the comfort, the higher the payoff of the $GMT token. 

4. Speed of Movement:
   

   We are sure this is the most self-explanatory factor in the lineup. The runners and trainers would offer the highest speeds. Which could easily make a case for them to be valued higher than the other types. So, the speed of movement is another really important factor in determining the payoff level.

Well now that we have described the NFT base and the majority of its properties, let’s talk about how this is going to key in with amateurs and their gameplay. This game does not differentiate players based on their skill level. This game differentiates you based on how much ground you cover (quite literally), and how fast you cover that ground. 

How To Get Started

Before we move on to some key mechanics and guidelines that every new player in the metaverse needs to understand, let’s first deal with how to gain entry into the metaverse.
In a very straightforward series of actions, anyone starting their journey in this metaverse, simply need to get the app, either from the play store or the Appstore and make their account on it. Upon signing in through your email address, you will have to go through a process of verification. 

Once that is done, you will have to create a new wallet for your account. This will be done through the application. A 12-digit recovery password will be created that we would advise you to store safely. Once you are inside the metaverse, you are to transfer some $SOL balance into your wallet. For this, you will have to connect your $SOL account to your wallet. We also recommend keeping some $SOL in your wallet as gas money. 

VIOLA! Now you have some dough in your wallet, which means you can go right ahead and get the sneaker from the market. We recommend getting something that won’t be too costly and will also allow you to warm your game sense up. To get an idea of whether the sneaker is even fitting or not 😉.

Some Key Mechanics

The first key mechanic that every starter in this metaverse needs to be well acquainted with, is the concept of energy. You have an expendable amount of energy. This energy needs to be utilized efficiently. Your energy refills at the rate of 25% in 6 hours in solo mode. And the metaverse will not allow any sort of “stepping” before energy is more than 25%. It is important to use this energy wisely and sparingly. Most early starters are not able to create proper routines and so they are not able to maximize their $GST earnings. 

There is another unique feature in the metaverse that can see when a user/stepper is “moonwalking”. This is when the metaverse is facing connectivity issues or the stepper is moving in a vehicle. The system can recognize that movement, and so that movement is excluded from the earnings of that “stepping” session. This feature offers a good and foolproof method that helps the metaverse maintain its integrity. 

With time, the addition of new game modes is expected. Including a “background” mode rewarding users with almost free to earn $GST. The other mode, the model that has been the talk of the town for some time now, is the “Marathon” mode. This method would allow “steppers” more features and more interesting rewards. With these new modes, some newer mechanics are expected to arrive as well. 

Tokenomics

Let us move on to some of the tokenomics that you need to know as a starter in the metaverse. The metaverse relies on two main tokens. The unlimited $GST (Green Satoshi Token) and the limited, slightly more exclusive $GMT (Green Metaverse Token), with a supply of Six Million.

The model to use during the start, would focus more on activity rather than NFT investment. We recommend moving on to trading NFT sneakers once you have a clearer idea of what differentiates sneakers. The practice and experience can only polish acumen further, right? 

To understand better the distribution/burning/earning patterns of GST and GMT. Here is a link for you to read up on. This is a link that would take you directly to the official token lite paper of STEPN. We are sure that this will allow a better understanding of the ecosystem on the whole. 

Conclusion

Although we have designed this article for the people that find themselves new to the ecosystem of STEPN, the metaverse has done a good job of keeping barriers to entry as low as possible. This means that it is relatively easy and hassle-free for newer, and less experienced “Steppers” to gain momentum. Unlike many other titles in the market, STEPN wants to make sure that there is as much equity in the system as possible. It is good to know that despite the general higher profits raised through the “whale culture”, there are titles like STEPN trying to make the playing field as level as possible. 

It is going to be intriguing to see this title when it has officially launched its newer game modes. Those game modes will allow the metaverse to reach its true potential. Maybe then, we can see more titles in the market with a clearer corporate social responsibility than most. 

The truth is, it was difficult to design and write this article. As STEPN doesn’t differentiate gameplay from the perspective of a starter, in comparison to that of a veteran. The rules are laid down for both. Whoever can put the hours in, the work in, and the effort in, will find the advantage, whether they started a year ago, or yesterday.