On Socrates, fostering open, unbiased discussion is our main mission. An element of this is introducing a unique rewards-based ecosystem that incentivises interactions through a series of prizes. One of these is the ‘Discussion Prize” that can be earned by those that vote on an answer to any question. This innovative prize is designed to not only encourage participation but also to celebrate the diversity of voices and perspectives. That is, once the question ends, we crafted three distinct stages. We believe that every user, regardless of their opinion, should have a chance to be acknowledged and rewarded for their active engagement in our discussions.
Now, let’s dive into the inner workings of the Discussion Prize! We’ve got three exciting aspects to explore:
- The Discussion Prize Stages: Who can participate and earn the prize?
- Pooling the Prize: How are the stages divided?
- For the Winners: How are the prizes divided within each stage?
The Discussion Prize Stages: Who can participate and earn the prize?
Both common and trending questions have a Discussion Prize. Within each of these stages, the criteria for being recognised as a “winner” of the Discussion Prize are deliberately different with results calculated once the question closes. This strategic approach is aligned with our core mission: to ensure that prizes are not exclusive to those who provide correct answers but are accessible to a broader range of participants.
Stage 1: Pre-Stage — the first mover advantage
In the Pre-Stage, which involves 20 participants, anyone who selects the final most popular answer (the option with the highest overall votes) becomes eligible for a prize. For example, let’s say you are the 10th user to vote on the question, and you chose option A. When the question concludes, if option A has the highest vote rate, congratulations! You are now eligible to claim the prize. The primary goal here is to promote the “first mover advantage,” encouraging individuals to potentially earn rewards for participating in the question early on, allowing individuals to freely express their thoughts on any topic of interest, regardless of whether the question becomes a trending topic.
The first 20 participants cannot see the percentage of total votes for each answer. Only after more than 20 people have voted, our platform will reveal this voting percentage. We should also point out that we do allow users to change their answers before the question ends. However, we are more interested in seeing users exercise their independent thinking and discourage users from altering their choices based on the decisions of others. Therefore, when we refer to the first 20 users in this context, we mean the initial 20 users who do not make any changes to their selections.
Those who engage early and accurately predict the outcome have a better chance of earning the Discussion Prize during this phase. The total prize pool for Stage 1 is distributed amongst the eligible winners, but the exact amount and the number of winners will only be determined when each question reaches its validity date.
Stage 2: Voting Stage — promoting independent thinking
During the Voting Stage, we exclude those that participated in the Pre-Stage as well as the Closing Stage (final 10% of question participants before it closes) to focus on the core group. As we surpass 20 people voting and more people join in, we reveal the total number of people that have voted for each answer at that point. This means that the differences between answer options become clearer. However, we encourage users not to blindly follow the most popular choice. Therefore, anyone who, at the time of their selection, chooses an option with a lower vote percentage than the outcome is eligible for Stage 2 rewards.
Here’s a straightforward example to illustrate how it works: Imagine you’re a participant in Stage 2, and you decide to go with option B. When you made your choice, option B had 30% of the total number of votes, whilst option A had 70%. However, by the end of the discussion, option B has increased to a total of 35% of all votes. Despite option A having more supporters overall, you are still eligible to earn rewards in this stage because your choice, option B, had a higher support rate compared to the time you voted.
Furthermore, we offer some flexibility in the criteria. If the vote percentage for your chosen option is within 5% flexibility the final percentage (e.g. your choice is at 50% while the final vote settles at 47.5%), you remain eligible to participate in the prize distribution(50% -50%*5%).
Last Stage: Closing Stage — reflecting public opinion
In the Closing Stage, those eligible for the prize consist of the final 10% of individuals that vote on an answer to the question. To qualify for a prize, your chosen option at the time of answering must have a lower percentage of the total votes compared to when the question closes. For example, you decided to choose option B which had 40% of the total number of votes when you answered, whilst option A had 60%. Despite starting with a lower share of the vote, option B gained popularity during the discussion and ended up with 45% of the total vote, so you are eligible for the Closing Stage of the Discussion Prize. The concept of the closing stage is similar to that of the Voting Stage, but does not have the flexibility of a 5% reduction in voting percentage in order to be eligible.
Pooling the Prize: How are the stages divided?
As no one knows the final number of participants or the final voting rates for different options, the stages and therefore eligibility for prizes are not decided until the question closes. The number of participants varies in each stage. The Voting Stage typically has the most participants, while the Closing Stage has the least. Consequently, the largest portion of the Discussion Prize prize pool goes to winners of the Voting Stage, as it has the most competition. In contrast, the Closing Stage has a smaller proportion of the prize pool, and while there may be more winners (since the voting rate will be visible meaning an individual’s voting decision may be influenced), the distribution per person is lower. For example, in a question with 100 participants, the Discussion Prize distribution ratio is 20% for Pre-Stage (20/100), 70% for Voting Stage(100-(20/100)-500*10%), and 10% for Closing stage (100*10%).
Adaptation for questions with fewer participants:
It’s essential to highlight that every question holds its unique value. To ensure that all questions receive attention and prevent users from exclusively focusing on trending topics, we tailor the prize distribution logic for questions with fewer participants.
For instance, in a question with only 105 participants, the first 100 participants are still selected based on the Pre-Stage logic, while the remaining 5 participants are chosen following Closing Stage logic. In cases such as this, there is no Voting Stage prize pool. When questions have less than 100 participants, all participants are considered for the total Discussion Prize based on the Pre-stage logic. This approach emphasises that every question, regardless of the number of participants, offers an opportunity for active engagement and rewards thoughtful contributions.
For the winners: How are the prizes divided within each stage?
Each stage’s prize distribution may be divided differently amongst those that are eligible for the prize based on the Pens that they own and use to interact in the question. Therefore, we assign different weightings for prize distribution based on earning coefficients.
Table of earning coefficients:
Pioneer Pen Level 1 — 1 ; Pioneer Pen Level 2–11 ;Pioneer Pen Level 3–36 ;NFT Genesis Pen Level 1–40 ;
Prize earners holding multiple Pens will have their earning coefficients together. For example, if someone holds 2 NFT Genesis Pens and one Level 3 Pioneer Pen, their earning coefficient would be 116 (40 * 2 + 36).
A user’s total earning coefficient influences each stage. Here’s an example: Suppose the total Discussion Prize for a particular question is 1000 points, and the Pre-Stage has been allocated 200 points. In this stage, there are 2 winners (out of the 100 Pre-Stage participants). The first winner has an earning coefficient of 108, while the second winner has an earning coefficient of 36. In this case, the 200 points will be distributed as follows: the first winner receives 200 * (108 / (108 + 36)) =150 points, and the second winner receives 200 * (36 / (108 + 36)) = 50 points.
These different weightings based on earning coefficients are a crucial aspect of our Discussion Prize distribution system. They reflect the idea that each participant’s contribution is unique and valued differently, depending on their level of engagement and involvement in the platform. This approach encourages users to maintain their active involvement in discussions over time, fostering a culture of ongoing participation.
In summary, our Discussion Prize system is designed to promote open, unbiased discussions and celebrate a wide range of perspectives. We’ve taken you through the three stages, explained how prizes are allocated, and highlighted the role of earning coefficients in encouraging ongoing engagement.
By joining us, you can be a part of a thriving community of diverse ideas and enriching conversations.
Don’t hesitate — jump in and be a part of the Discussion Prize experience today!
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