17 Ice and Fire (1/2)
The currency on 8th Station was measured by gourds. They were then divided into two types; the one received from monetary recharging was called golden gourds, currently at a ratio of 1000:1 to the actual HuaXia currency, HXB. Any other currency obtained were called silver gourds.
Both types of gourds can be used to purchase gifts for the streamer, with the same effect, they can allow streamers to increase their points. The points are the basis for gaining popularity, as well as the foundation for various PK activities and events on the website. The only difference between the gifts purchased by golden gourds is that they can be converted into revenue for the streamer and withdrawn as cash, while silver gourds cannot.
The gift points sent by golden gourds and silver gourds are the same—1 HXB equaled 10 points—once the points accumulate, the streamer's level also rises, and the higher the level, the more privileges they can obtain.
UP1 required 0 points.
UP2 required 50 points.
UP3 required 200 points.
UP4 required 470 points.
UP5 required 920 points.
...
UP10 required a total of 18,060 points.
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UP20 required a total of 602,810 points.
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UP30, required a total of 11,883,810 points.
...
8th Station's UP levels went up to 40, requiring a total of 147,013,810 points. If those points all came from gifts bought with golden gourds, it would be equal to about 14.7 million HXB.
As for the income made from gifts, 8th Station and the streamer split it 50/50. Basically, if one's UP level could reach 40, they would earn over 7 million HXB, before tax.
Of course, silver gourds are useful as well.
So far, only eight streamers on 8th Station have reached the maximum level, with five currently awaiting to receive this reward.
There was a large variety of gifts to select from on 8th station, among them the most popular being 'spicy dough sticks' for 100 gourds, 'cool' popsicles for 200 gourds, a 'flag' emote, the emote '233' for 233 gourds, '520 heart emoji', '666' emoji for 666 gourds, a frying pan for 1000 gourds, 'Ice Cola' emoji, 2000 gourd support towel, 3000 support glow stick; 5000 gourd butterfly cutie, 9999 gourd pangolin emote; 1000,000 money cherub, 450,000 gourd Center spot halo, 'colorful gourd vines' emote, and a 10.24 million for 'laughing while enemies destroyed your ships' emote.
Starting from 450,000 and above, each gift would trigger a pop-up ad and a lottery. This was the most lucrative way to milk followers.
When Meng Fan used 8th Station before, he had whaled quite a large amount of money as well, hence why one mass text can attract loads of uncertain friends to support his channel, as many of them were streamers themselves.
Before Meng Fan lifted his pen to draw, his stream already had almost 100 people, and the value of their gifts totaling over 300,000 gourds. He had attained over 3000 points, and his UP level was raised to 6.
”Thank you, kind folks! I am in a studio, so I can't talk, so stuff like showing my face, isn't gonna happen today.”
Meng Fan stuck a caption in his announcement bar and began to draw.
Meng Fan had already drawn almost 70 illustrations for the novel ”Floating Dream in a Millenium”, so most of the roles had already been established, and more than enough to meet the required number of drafts for submission. All he needed to do was to adjust some components and add some details, and since these were original illustrations, it was not easy to reveal it to the public—Even though if he kept it to himself, nobody would really connect it to Xiao Ti's work— Thus, he decided not to live stream the illustrations for the novel.
Characters, well-known anime characters; if he could speedily draw these popular characters, it would undoubtedly be the fastest way to retain his viewers.
Who to draw?
Meng Fan's mind suddenly produced several classic 'high profile' anime characters.
”Got it.”
Meng Fan quickly extracted from his head the character he wanted to draw, as it was also someone he frequently drew.
”Not talking or showing your face, at least play some music for us!”
”Meng Boss you're like a sculpture, so stiff hahaha!”
...
Only 100 people online, however, live comments plastered the screen, mostly from his acquaintances, sending gifts and troll comments.
There were also people who accidentally entered, curious as to what kind of a god this new streamer was, for it was his first broadcast yet he received so many gifts.
”He's starting to draw, not using a software or a tablet.”
”No Sh*t, how can someone use the software while broadcasting from their phone?”
”Holy cow, he is so fast!”
”This speed seemed like he was randomly drawing, Meng Boss are you playing us, are you really an art student?”
”Fatty Meng really is from art school, some guys from our chatroom met him when they were visiting Hang Zhou.”
The people in the live comments began to chat.
”There's a profile, he's not just randomly drawing!”
”This speed 666!”
”It's a woman!”
”Long hair!”
”These eyes are too beautiful!”
”His drawing skill is great!”
”Features are visible, anyone knows who it is yet?”