Cardano NFT Integration in Death-Race Game, Project: Hermes

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Michael Yagi

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

myagi@ikigaitech.org

Additional applicants

Steven George

Stan Hayes

Anh Do

+ GENUN Games Team (subsidiary of Ikigai Technologies)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Uppercut has been in development by GENUN Games for two years, but we’d like to open-source the parts involving Cardano. We may add more, but we can safely say we will open-source:

• Documentation of backend services, account system flow, and wallet flow throughout the game
• Documentation on Cardano wallet integration into Unity game
• Smart contracts for Uppercut’s minting approach
• Sharing non-private off-chain data like account creation and game participation metrics.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Gaming

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

GENUN Games' innovative solution entails seamlessly onboarding users and linking their non-custodial Cardano wallets to our account system. "Early adopters" will receive an NFT token for exclusive access during the game's developmental phase. As our matchmaking backend matures, we will gradually onboard more Cardano enthusiasts in anticipation of our global release.

We have been a part of the community since Fund3 as part of Ikigai Technologies, and our approach to the gaming side has been to build a fun-first game with traditional game development experience while having NFTs and community/tokens in our design every step of the way. Because we aim to serve gamers without the distinction of web2 vs web3, Project: Hermes will engage all PC/console players looking for competitive death-race style game. With NFTs/Cardano powering our game behind the scenes, players will unlock new gaming experiences and communities as a cherry-on-top that serve to keep the player engaged and involved.

Presenting a sneak peek at Web3 Gaming Week, as esteemed speakers at Google Singapore, and Games Dubai Expo, we garnered praise from diverse gamers and publishers. As the sole Cardano representatives at these conferences, we now eagerly anticipate showcasing our booth at PAX West. With Catalyst and the Cardano community's support, we aim to demonstrate region-specific metrics on player and wallet adoption, playtime, NFT ownership, and more. We firmly believe that the most impactful Cardano dApp will be one that prioritizes delivering an exceptional game experience, bolstered by the power of Cardano.

Project: Hermes is a game where players assemble ships out of scraps in an effort to gain an edge in a death-race where anything goes in order to claim victory and fame. Some do it for the adrenaline, others for fame, and some for a shot at escaping poverty — and the majority to watch the ensuing chaos.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

The value this project brings to Cardano is increased visibility and users exposed to the ecosystem through NFTs and a successful, globally launched game. Initially during this project, a very limited number of users and accounts will be whitelisted to join early-adopter playtest. Once the project completes and confidence in the project is matured, the game will launch early access and begin bringing public users into the game and ecosystem. At that time, we’re expecting hundreds of thousands of users to play/test/adopt the game along with cosmetics and other NFT-related items.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

We will measure the success of our project by assessing its impact on the Cardano ecosystem, both in the short and long term. The following metrics, which encompass quantitative and qualitative aspects, will help us evaluate the benefits and growth:

• Number of accounts/wallets: Tracking the increase in users adopting Cardano wallets.
• Number of concurrent matches: Measuring the engagement and activity within the game.
• Number of NFTs produced/consumed: Monitoring the creation and utilization of NFTs.
• Most popular NFTs: Identifying the NFTs that resonate the most with users.
• Hours played of NFT holders vs non-holders: Comparing the gaming time between NFT holders and non-holders.
• Number of playtests: Evaluating the participation and feedback from playtesting sessions.
• Number of downloads: Quantifying the user acquisition through game downloads.
• Hours played per player (average + total): Assessing the overall engagement and gameplay duration.
• Global reach: Analyzing the geographical distribution and expansion of the user base.
• Number of social media impressions: Measuring the visibility and reach of our project.
• Community size (Discord, Twitter, Instagram): Gauging the growth of our community across various platforms.
• Threads/messages: Assessing the active discussions and interactions within the community.
• Price floor: Monitoring the minimum value of Uppercut NFTs in the market.
• 24-hour volume/month: Tracking the trading volume of Uppercut NFTs.
• Number of times used in the game: Measuring the utility and integration of NFTs within gameplay.
• Number of trades: Evaluating the liquidity and trading activity of Uppercut NFTs.
• Total market value of Uppercut NFTs: Assessing the overall value and market appreciation of the NFTs.

By tracking these metrics, we aim to demonstrate the adoption and exposure of NFTs on Cardano, showcasing the positive impact of our project on the ecosystem.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

We have a comprehensive plan to share the outputs and results of our project over a reasonable timescale, ensuring broad dissemination and engagement. Here are our planned channels and activities:

• Twitter: Regular updates shared through official project accounts, including participation in events like "Cardano over Coffee."
• Newsletter: Publication on Ikigai Medium, reaching our community and subscribers with in-depth project insights.
• Discord: Leveraging both the Grabbit and GENUN Discord communities to foster discussions and share project progress.
• Early supporter playtest: Engaging early adopters in exclusive playtesting sessions to gather feedback and generate buzz.
• Streams: Hosting GENUN Game Streams, where we showcase gameplay, discuss project developments, and interact with the audience.
• Podcasts: Collaborating with industry podcasts to share our journey, project impact, and future opportunities.
• Klick.gg: Participation in gaming nights on Klick.gg, showcasing our game to a wider gaming community.

These efforts will enable us to reach a diverse audience, including Cardano enthusiasts, gaming communities, and industry stakeholders. We will actively utilize the results generated from the project in further research and development activities, incorporating user feedback and insights to enhance future iterations of the game.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

We possess the necessary capabilities to deliver this project with a high level of trust and accountability. Our existing capabilities and experiences include:

• 12+ developers from AAA experience from GENUN Games (subsidiary of Ikigai Technologies):
• previous studios: 2K, Microsoft, Firewalk, Rockstar, Epic Games, 343, Treyarch, GEC, Hyperbeard, Blizzard, Riot Games, Capcom
• shipped title experience: Call of Duty: franchise, Halo: Infinite, Fortnite, GTA franchise, Titanfall 2, Hearthstone, Starwars: Jedi Fallen Order, Robo Recall, NBA: Supercard, Street Fighter 5, League of Legends
• Assisting in IOHK's Crypto Bison Cardano integration: We have actively contributed to the integration of Cardano into the Crypto Bison project led by IOHK, showcasing our technical expertise and understanding of the Cardano ecosystem.
• Grabbit team for Cardano smart contract: Our involvement with the Grabbit team in developing Cardano smart contracts demonstrates our proficiency in building secure and reliable solutions on the Cardano blockchain.
• Open-source contributions to Blockfrost: We have made valuable contributions to the open-source Blockfrost infrastructure, further demonstrating our commitment to transparency and collaborative development within the Cardano community.
• Open-source liquidity bootstrapping contract: Our development and release of an open-source liquidity bootstrapping contract, specifically the price discovery event contract, showcases our dedication to fostering a fair and transparent ecosystem for all stakeholders.

These capabilities, coupled with our extensive experience in blockchain development, gaming, and community engagement, position us as a trusted and reliable team to manage funds properly. We prioritize financial responsibility and have established processes and procedures in place to ensure secure fund management throughout the project's lifecycle.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The goal of this project is to create a global matchmaking service, account system backend, and NFT minting support for the game Uppercut. Thousands of players will be able to matchmake/play and mint NFTs (cosmetics & additional content) simultaneously. To start, we will allow only a subset of early adopters/backers to sign up and play. Once the services are created, account systems in place, and these pieces are integrated with the game client, the game will be launched globally to the broader public.

• Development milestones: Achieving key project milestones showcases progress and feasibility.
• Signups: Tracking Cardano and overall user registrations to measure interest and adoption.
• Game data: Monitoring games played, from playtests to open matchmaking, reveals user engagement and NFT utilization.
• Playtests: Gathering feedback, validating mechanics, and iterating on game design with early adopters/backers.
• Tournaments/events: Hosting competitive events to gauge user participation and community engagement.
• Impressions: Assessing project impact through channel-generated impressions and convention booth interest.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

1. Project kickoff. Initial creation of account system. Creation of Google form for early adopter signup. (30 days)
2. Begin creation of backend services and servers. Automate server builds and deployments through CI/CD. Deploy both Hub and Match servers to the hosting backend. Verify and test server implementation. (30 days)
3. Complete creation of backend services and servers. Begin Integration of backend services with the game client. (30 days)
4. Complete Integration of backend services with the game client. Begin implementation of wallet & NFT integration into client Begin UI/UX design of wallet and backend services in game. (30 days)
5. Automation of account system sign up flow. Complete implementation of wallet & NFT integration into client. Complete UI/UX Design of wallet and backend services in game. (30 days)
6. Automation of account system sign up flow. Complete implementation of wallet & NFT integration into client. Complete UI/UX Design of wallet and backend services in game. (30 days)

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1:

• Creation of the initial account system which players will signup through and link their Cardano wallets to. The early adopter user will fill out a Google form, inserting key pieces of information, including their Wallet ID.
• Initially, we will manually add these users into our account database if necessary
• As a result of this work, users will be able to sign up into our account system and as early adopters, can receive an NFT token in their wallet to allow them access to play our game early.

Milestone 2:

• Begin creation of Backend services including hosting of dedicated servers and global connectivity will be implemented.
• This includes developing implementation for server types required for playing the game:
• Hub server - Players will initially connect to this server. Features such as:
• User logins/accounts
• Matchmaking
• Player customization
• Wallet view
• Match server - When two players who are matchmaking are determined to match against each other, a match server will be instantiated and players will begin play through this second server type. All game-related interactions will be managed by this server type.
• Automation of game server builds through CI/CD pipelines and deployment to dedicated servers.
• This includes all types of servers to support the game
• As a result of this work, game servers will be created and deployed through automation. Paving the way for the next milestone, which enables connectivity with the game client.

Milestone 3:

• Complete the creation of backend services and dedicated servers implementation. This includes testing and validation to ensure servers are stable and reliable going forward.
• Begin implementation of backend services with the game client. Allowing the game client to make all necessary calls to/from the backend services to interact with accounts and dedicated servers. These services include:
• User Login
• Finding a match / matchmaking
• MMR
• A result of this milestone, as dedicated servers will be completed and game client interaction with these services will begin.

Milestone 4:

• Complete integration of backend services into the game client. Including what was previously mentioned in Milestone 3 but also:
• Leaderboards
• Player statistics recording and retaining
• Telemetry
• Begin implementation of wallet-based services. Enabling NFT and token discovery in the game client specifically for Cardano wallets.
• Begin UI/UX design of wallet and backend services in game
• UI Mockups for how the wallet will show in game
• Conduct first play test with early adopters
• As a result of this work, the game client will have backend services integrated and early adopters/players will be able to begin matchmaking and using account-based services.

Milestone 5:

• This milestone is dedicated to improving the initial account signup flow and system.
• Automation will be implemented to enable a seamless account signup process.
• Complete wallet & NFT integration into the game client. This includes:
• Players can view their wallets, NFTs, and Tokens in-game
• Receive NFTs and/or tokens through the game, and added to their wallet.
• An additional focus will be on making Cardano wallet linking as easy as possible.
• Completed UI/UX design of wallet and backend services in game
• UI Mockups are exported to consumable file formats for use in-game
• Game client integrates wallet UI views and any other related content
• As a result of this milestone, wallet services will be completely integrated into the game. Allowing the client to view wallets, NFTs, and tokens seamlessly. Also, the onboarding experience will be fast, flexible, and allow users to get to the game as quickly as possible.

Milestone 6:

• Validation and testing of all implementation will be conducted in this Milestone. Ensuring a stable platform and backend will be critical to ensure the adoption of the game.
• All outputs and documentation will be recorded during this phase.
• How we will bring non-crypto users to Cardano
• Documentation on building a game on Cardano
• Community playtest to promote and encourage adoption of the game. Increasing visibility of both the game and the Cardano ecosystem.
• As a result of this milestone, all milestones should be completed along with documentation and all outputs recorded and shared.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Note: This grant subsidizes our development as we have full-time AAA developers primarily based in USA.

• Personnel (~94k)
• Shared equivalent of 1 core primary developer salary (1 full time developer split between 3) from:
• Jason Dempsey
• Steven George
• Stan Hayes
• Norio Kitamura
• Dev Ops (1 developer)
• Jeff Uong
• Shared equivalent of 1 core smart contract salary (1 full time developer split between 3) from:
• Philip DiSarro
• Sam Delaney
• Jonathan Rodriguez
• Project Management
• Anh Do
• Michael Yagi
• Community Manager
• Dylan Auerbach
• UX/UI
• Alexsei Seleznev
• Jiwon Kim
• Tooling (~1k)
• Infrastructure costing
• AWS
• Third party programs
• community clash wars and e-sports tournaments (~5k)

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

In determining costs for this project, we consider the average industry wage, the number of developers needed, and the project's estimated duration. Additionally, as a legal entity, we comply with federal pay regulations and follow proper hiring processes with HR involvement. This ensures that our compensation practices align with legal requirements and promotes fair pay within our organization.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept