Testnet game: statistics & general review
To recap, the Gyroscope Protocol launched its testnet game in March 2021. Instead of only targeting a small group of highly technical users, this testnet was a game. As such, different levels introduced different concepts of the protocol — deploying liquidity, performing arbitrage, voting, and more.
Testnet users were guided to explore core elements of the protocol in a sandboxed environment. The goal was to add complexity incrementally & do so in a fun and accessible manner.
Now, that the — significantly matured — contracts are being audited and mainnet is around the corner, it is time to review the Gyroscope Testnet Game.
Participation in the Gyroscope Testnet Game
The entire crypto ecosystem has been seeing a lot of growth. Monthly active MetaMask users, for example, grew by a factor of roughly x21 year-over-year as of November 2021. However, it is difficult to judge to what extent this growth extends to testnet usage.
The typical function of a testnet is to introduce and test core functionality. As such, only highly technically skilled users would normally use a testnet. However, this conception is increasingly being shaken. Testnets can become a testing ground for new DeFi users or merge with mainnets.
Similarly, the Gyroscope Testnet Game adds another important role to testing the protocol: it builds the foundation for the Gyro DAO by creating a shared experience.
Progression through the testnet levels
Getting to the statistics — the below chart shows participation rates per testnet level. Each level consisted of multiple sub-tasks that are described in more granularity here. The retention rate describes how many participating addresses of the previous level carried on. The retention of participating addresses is impressively high, moving between 75% and 100%.
The below chart applies a different lens on the testnet levels and shows the count of addresses that successfully passed the respective number of levels.
Sybil challenges
In order to be both legitimate and successful, the system must be decentralised and community-driven with users being fairly represented in protocol decisions. Sybil protections are the very basic measure to make this happen.
The necessity for sybil protection is also clearly reflected in the chart below, showing the — currently still unweighted — Sybil challenge scores of addresses with a Sybil score >= 1.
While 3,324 users passed at least one Sybil challenge, about 80% of all addresses participating in the testnet did not pass a single Sybil challenge. This turnout indicates that most bots were successfully excluded and should make it obvious how Sybil resistance is also in your interest as an individual and real community member.
If you haven’t already participated in the Sybil challenges and see what kind of opportunity this represents, head over to the Testnet Game and pass one of the open challenges. Any user who participated in level 2.5 should be able to pass Sybil Challenge VI. Similarly, the indirect KYC options (via Goldfinch or Coinbase) should be available to almost all users.
Additional details on the Sybil score allocation will be shared when the weights have been decided.
Additional insights from the testnet game
There are two interesting questions with potential ramifications to the broader ecosystem: what are incentives of joining a testnet and what are learning opportunities and takeaways.
There are two incentives that can be singled out as being sustainable and valuable from a network perspective. Firstly, of all the people who volunteered their help in the Discord channel, about 10% mentioned that they would be particularly interested in Gyro as a means to learn more about crypto. Similarly, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that the Gyro testnet was the first exposure to crypto for many users.
Secondly, and somewhat related to the previous point is that Gyroscope seemed to have also been the place where several people who may have already observed the general space started becoming active volunteers and contributed in several different ways. These people in particular are building out their place in the Gyroscope network and community.
A main takeaway for the broader ecosystem could be to focus on Sybil resistance by conducting some ‘proof of personhood’. The methodology of Gyroscope’s ‘Sybil challenge’ (on-chain history + oauth log-ins + events + KYC) will be made available and shared with any interested projects.
Lastly, the focus of dividing complexity into modules is also something of potentially broader interest. It may help with communicating and explaining the protocol and coordinating work streams of community contributors.
About Gyroscope & what to do next
Gyroscope is a fully-backed stablecoin with algorithmic price bounding and all-weather reserves.
- Get ready for the founding froggers
- Take a look at the updated timeline
- Read the docs to learn more about Gyroscope
- Follow Gyroscope on Twitter @GyroStable
- Join the Discord and Forum to learn how to get involved
- Stay engaged & continue the game!
