STEPN to the Race with More Ways to Earn – Web3 NFT Game
Things are speeding up at the STEPN headquarters. Since our last conversation, the Web3 fitness game has polished a host of features and added fresh and exciting mechanics.
The STEPN GMT seesawed during the past months but is holding its ground at just below $2. The native token, GST (Green Satoshi token), hovers at the $3 mark.
Current players can kick it up a notch by minting their shoe via SME (shoe minting event.)
For new players, the cheapest pair of sneakers on the in-app market sets you back around 12.5 SOL. Worry not, though. A shoe rental option is coming into place later this year. This will allow newcomers to join the run at minimal cost and start earning until they purchase new sneakers.
STEPN is evolving fast and has garnered a lot of attention since its launch. Let’s talk about how you can earn with this app while staying in shape.
How to Earn in STEPN
STEPN provides a variety of ways for players to earn. You’ll need a pair of STEPN NFT sneakers to access these features. However, you don’t need to pay to use the app to track your steps.
Solo Mode
Nothing beats a good ol’ jog alone. Now, you can earn money while doing so. New players will find this a great way to kick things off and get used to the energy system.
Those who own one Common pair of sneakers start with 2 Energy points each day. Each Energy gives you 5 minutes of earned run time. That doesn’t mean you can only run for 10 minutes a day. The energy replenishes by 25% every 6 hours. A newbie will typically run and earn for 10 minutes and then five more minutes twelve hours later.
Owning more STEPN NFT sneakers grants users more Energy. The rarity of your sneakers also plays a part in defining how much you can run.
For example, if you own 3 Common pairs of sneakers, you’ll have 4 Energy. A Rare pair of sneakers gives 2 bonus Energy. So, owning just one pair of Rare sneakers will provide you with as much Energy as 3 Common pairs.
Marathon Mode
This is another exciting way to earn, which will become available in the future. If you feel you’re fast enough, join a Marathon and compete against other runners on the platform.
This event runs weekly and monthly and requires an entry fee, which will return to you upon completion. Top finishers receive STEPN NFT badges equivalent to specific amounts of GMT.
Trade on Marketplace
You can sell the gems and badges you earn through competitions on the marketplace.
Players also sell sneakers and shoeboxes, and you will find a much bigger store on Magic Eden than what they have inside the app.
Shoe Minting Event
This feature does not directly make you money, but it will pave the way for future returns by producing shoeboxes. It’s also known as “breeding.”
Users who own at least two pairs of STEPN NFT sneakers can spend tokens (GMT and GST) to mint a shoebox that may contain a higher-quality pair. The app refers to these sneakers as Vintages.
The cost of minting varies depending on the price of GST/GMT and the quality of your Vintages.
The quality of the minted sneakers also depends on the quality of the shoebox that contains them.
Users may monitor STEPN crypto prices and devise a suitable strategy for minting these shoeboxes.
For example, a pair of Uncommon and a pair of Rare sneakers have a 49% chance of minting a Rare shoebox, while two pairs of Rare sneakers have a 98% chance.
You’d think it’s always better to go for the second option, but a Rare shoebox only has a 70% chance of giving you a Rare pair of sneakers.
If the cost for the first option is six times less than the second, it may be worth it to go for it in most cases since 49% is still pretty good odds.
To mint a shoebox, click on the Mint tab of your sneakers.
Select another matching pair of shoes to start minting.
Here’s an example of how much it may cost to mint a shoebox. This pair of Vintages costs 1200 GMT using an Uncommon and a Rare.
That is quite a bit of money. What if we mix up the qualities and try to reduce our costs?
Using a Common and a Rare instead, we’ve cut our costs by a significant margin for minimally less chance to produce the same quality shoebox.
Other Things to Consider
STEPN is a game of optimization, so knowing how to manage your sneakers’ stats will help your progress.
Pay attention to Speed and Efficiency. There are four types of shoes, each with its range of Speed – walker, jogger, runner, and trainer. Walkers will have the lowest speed thresholds while Trainers allow you to walk, jog or run at any speed.
Optimally you want a pair of sneakers that has Speed, with which you can keep up. Running below the Speed of your shoes can result in up to 90% loss of your earnings. For example, if you can only run comfortably at 5km/h, you wouldn’t want shoes with a Speed range of 8 – 12km/h.
Efficiency determines your GST earning rate per minute. The higher your Efficiency, the more you can earn.
Other factors, such as Comfort, Luck, and Resilience, affect your shoes and earnings. Boosting those stats will give you an overall increase in performance.