LiveStock,

• Angular
• Express
• Socket.io

Back to the basics

Bitcoin emerged in 2009 when the global financial crisis had left a profound impact on society.

Can we somehow simplify the concept of blockchain so that it’s accessible to everyone?

The technology that underpins Bitcoin is called blockchain, which initially began as a way to offer an alternative to the traditional financial system. However, blockchain has gradually been adopted by the financial sector.

The Institute of Network Cultures (INC) is researching how cryptocurrency wallets can be designed to help more people understand the impact of blockchain technology. Their aim is to determine what constitutes good or bad wallet design.

Challenge

The blockchain and cryptocurrencies can be complex and difficult to understand. Because of its global influence it is important to make them accessible for discussion and use.

Potential users face many options for currencies, wallets, and services and require knowledge to avoid errors.

Outcome

By creating the research tool for the Institute of Network Cultures (INC) we facilitate a study on how cryptocurrency wallets can be designed to facilitate a broader understanding of the influence of blockchain technology and define what good or bad wallet design is.

Wallets for dummies

Individuals who own cryptocurrency can utilize digital wallets to access their funds. These applications streamline the process of purchasing digital currencies, but they may obscure the inner workings of blockchain technology.

Who creates these wallets, and what motivates their development?

Data collection

The research tool can monitor the actions of 2-5 participants in a 15-60 minute session, including trading strategies, wallet upgrades, and usage of miners.

This data will help the Institute of Network Cultures (INC) to evaluate wallet designs.

Learning through play

Livestock is a multiplayer research tool that utilizes the human brains' ability to subconsciously learn abstract and complex concepts.

While it may appear to be another Farmville-style game, it is actually based on the blockchain technology that supports cryptocurrencies.

LiveStock adds abstract blockchain concepts as layers to the game and simulates the blockchain market through the farm in a real-time multiplayer game.

Symbolism

In Livestock, core concepts of the blockchain are explained through symbolism.

For example, Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin are replaced by wool, milk and bacon, while sheep, cow and pig represent hardware mining rigs.

To get started in the crypto world, gold is used to represent fiat currency. Farm animals symbolize mine power on the blockchain. Wool, milk and bacon representing their respective currencies.

Graspable

As the LiveStock session progresses, increasingly complex blockchain concepts will be introduced, including Proof-of-Work algorithms, cryptocurrencies with varying volatilities, and soft- and hardware ledgers.

Users can explore and experience these concepts and their choices will impact the outcome of the session.

Competition

Healthy competition can spur creativity and encourage people to approach things from a different perspective.

In Livestock, players can choose to store their products in either an their barn (representing open wallets) or a more secure, vault (representing offline wallets).

The vault is password-protected and impervious to theft (blockchain hacks) but losing your password means losing access to your funds (similar as losing your private keys).

Market volatility

LiveStock generates a new market for each session to increase unpredictability. With wool being stable and inexpensive, and bacon being expensive and unstable.

Who doesn’t want that sweet ol’ bacon right?

Users can trade commodities or use animals to produce them.