A Steemy Update 11/27/17

Hey guys! It's been exactly 19 days since my last post, a bit too long, I know... unfortunately I got quite busy between the pre-Thanksgiving grind, the Thanksgiving grind (I worked over most of the holiday), and the post-Thanksgiving grind. I've also been super into my newest project.

Wait... another project. For the record, I am not alone; the recurring side project is so common for so many people that it has become a meme:

But this one is different.

Here is why I'll actually finish this one:
a) It is realistic... I have the frontend skills and the Bitcoin knowledge required
b) I have to, it is my final project for the coding bootcamp I am attending
c) So far, I've already worked on this project more consistently than any of my other side projects (17 of the last 21 days proof)
d) I am required to finish it, this is the FINAL project for the bootcamp I am attending (did I mention this yet?)

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So What is the Project?

Not wanting to hype up something that isn't yet finished (and allowing myself to pivot if need be) I won't go into the details of what I want to build. Instead, here is a brief overview of what I am building and a VIDEO of today's milestone.

Title: Lightning Spade
Synopsis: Lightning Spade is a Bitcoin based peer-to-peer poker game utilizing the Lightning Network to allow for peer-to-peer micro payments between players. Using a hub and spoke model, players will open a payment channel with the "house" who will be the hub, distributing payments according to the outcome of the game. The main advantage of using these payment channels over existing Bitcoin poker games is that players can enter and leave whenever they desire and retain full control over their Bitcoin; in many of today's Bitcoin games, the player is required to fund an account... thus they must trust their Bitcoins to a 3rd party and furthermore, must often provide some sort of real world identification to withdraw these coins. Also, the Lightning Network allows for these transactions to happen in real time and for the cost of nearly free. Exciting eh?!?

Today, I was able to connect two players to a "house" and simulate a round of cards. NOTE: each of these players has opened a separate payment channel with the "house."

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Conclusion

In the midst of the scaling debates and Bitcoin drama it is exciting to play around with the Lightning Network and see the potential of a second-layer scaling solution first hand. This project will most likely just be a proof of concept (what is the legality behind online Bitcoin gambling???), but when it is finished, I think it will be proof that Bitcoin has more mainstream potential than many people give it credit for. While I cannot promise any time interval of regularity, I will make sure to keep y'all posted about my milestones and breakthroughs with this project.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week! Cheers and Steem on!