Shardeum Launches Incentivized Testnet Stage 3

We are thrilled to announce Stage 3 of our Atomium Incentivized Testnet went live on October 1st, 2024. This follows the successful completion of the first two stages, which saw participation from over 540,000 users, including 11,000+ validators, and facilitated more than 5 million transactions.

Stage 3 is expected to run for 3–4 weeks, longer than the previous stages, reflecting the advancements the testnet has made so far. Your continued participation is crucial in helping us fine-tune and further stabilize the network, ensuring we are ready for mainnet. This blog will outline the activities in stage 3 and what you can expect moving forward.

The stage 3 quest campaign will give users the chance to extensively stress test a broader range of on-chain activities and validator functionalities. In return, you can potentially earn rewards including SHM airdrops, XP, NFTs, and more. Please note that rewards can only be earned through quest tasks listed on the official testnet campaign page.

Key details of Incentivized Testnet Stage 3:

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Atomium Stage 3 Launch Date: October 1st, 2024 at 12 PM UTC

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Campaign Duration: 3-4 weeks approximately

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Which network functions are stress tested? P2P transfer/on-chain functionality and Validator network (including slashing feature)

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Potential rewards include: SHM airdrops, NFT, XP, Badges, Surprise Rewards/Offers from our partners1. Stage 3 On-Chain Tasks

1. Stage 3 On-Chain Tasks

The stage 3 quest campaign will feature familiar on-chain tasks from stages 1 and 2, sub-divided into five levels. This campaign will involve a broader range of tasks under increased network load enabling users to earn more XP points, helping you climb the leaderboard and boosting chances of securing rewards. Further, this offers a fresh opportunity for users who missed the earlier stages to participate. Let’s take a quick look at the tasks in each of the five levels in stage 3:

Level 1: Referral Program

Similar to our Stage 1 and 2 quest campaigns, you have the opportunity to boost your XP by referring friends in stage 3. To participate in the referral program, you must first complete all on-chain tasks in Level 3. Upon completion, you’ll become eligible to refer others. Detailed instructions for referring can be found on the referral page of the quest campaign.

In this level, users can participate in simple social tasks such as following Shardeum on X/Twitter, joining Shardeum’s Telegram group, subscribing to newsletter among others. After completing the tasks, you must verify the status on the quest page to mark them as completed. Please be aware that users who engaged in these tasks during stage 1 and 2 are required to complete them again in order to earn points from this level/stage.

Level 3: Unlock Referral Rewards Challenge

Level 3 will introduce you to an engaging challenge. Note, referral points for Level 1 will be awarded based on completion of this level.

Level 4: Voting and Quiz Games

Users can participate in quiz-cum-voting games, similar to what was available in Stage 2.

Note:

New voting and quiz games will be released gradually on the quest page throughout the stage 3 campaign
There will be daily limits on SHM transfers and game attempts. Be sure to check the quest tool on a daily basis for updates on new games and expanded limits to boost your XP and advance your leaderboard ranking

Level 5: Tower Challenge, Wordle Games, and Unlimited SHM Transfers

Final On-Chain Task: A Community Favorite! Based on your feedback, the Tower Challenge and Wordle games were highlights of the stage 2 quest campaign, which will available in stage 3 as well. Additionally, we may introduce a new quest allowing unlimited SHM transfers, giving you the chance to help us test the network’s performance under increased load.

Note:

New tower challenge and wordle games will be released gradually on the quest page throughout the stage 3 campaign
There will be daily limits on SHM transfers and game attempts. Be sure to check the quest tool on a daily basis for updates on new games and expanded limits to boost your XP and advance your leaderboard ranking

2. Stage 3 Validator Tasks

Like the stage 2 quest campaign, users can run nodes in return for potential rewards in stage 3 of the testnet. You can setup nodes using your own machine or via VPS and stake minimum test SHM. You should make sure to keep your node running throughout the end of the stage 3 campaign. Strict adherence to the hardware, slashing and other requirements listed on the validator campaign page is essential for validators to qualify for rewards.

The scope of validator tasks in stage 3 will be expanded to include slashing component. This simulates mechanisms that will be active on the mainnet, allowing us to test the functionality in advance. On account of slashing, please be aware that your XP points will be penalized if your node violates/fails to meet any of the following criteria.

Your node must not exit prematurely while in active validation status.
Your node must sync in a timely manner.
If your node is marked as lost by the network’s helper nodes, your node must respond, and resolve the issue within one cycle to successfully refute the status

3. Leaderboard

The leaderboard for on-chain tasks refreshes every 24 hours, allowing you to check your daily XP points and rank.

The validator task leaderboard, along with the combined leaderboard for all levels/stages, will be available a few days after the conclusion of the stage 3 campaign.

Note: The stage 2 validator leaderboard is now live! You can check your points and ranking here.