OctoWars - Online Trading Card Game, Core Card Combat System

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Aljosa Mohorovic

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

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

7

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

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We will develop an entertaining gameplay-first experience with deep lore and a focus on community-centered features that will compete with the largest entries in the online card game genre.

[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?

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

We plan to fully open-source all Cardano related code which can be useful to others trying to build a similar product.

We intend to properly document and ensure a full audit of the code before open-source code is published.

The part which will be proprietary is anything directly related to the OctoWars brand and parts required to properly operate the OctoWars world.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

The problem:

Despite the natural benefits blockchain integration provides for video games, especially card games which place maximum importance on the user’s ownership of cards, blockchain-based games currently have difficulty competing in the broader gaming market.

Our approach:

We will develop a true online trading card game experience that will rival the largest games in the genre, with a deep interactive world filled with massive multiplayer social elements similar to those found in roleplaying games. 

With social elements in the forefront, and a complex alien world with its own lore, history and mythology in the background, OctoWars aims to inspire a sense of awe and adventure few games can match. 

In addition, careful balancing and ground-up redesign of how trading card games play will offer a highly competitive experience expanded upon with player guilds and tournaments, complemented by a cooperative boss raid system tied to an explorable world map, creating an experience which transcends the relatively compact genre of card games. 

This is all possible thanks to blockchain-based technology, allowing us to provide players with true ownership over their own cards and certain other assets in the game world. An open market will make it possible for players to freely trade or sell their in-game belongings.

Engagement and impact:

The target audience is primarily PC gamers, especially those with an interest in card games. The expected audience is expanded by board gamers and members of the Cardano ecosystem who may find interest in branching

This Proposal:

If this proposal is granted the requested funding we will bring the TCG (combat mode) part of the game online in a prototype form with a goal of being playable.

More about the project:

The complete ruleset for the game is available in the form of a manual:

OctoWars Manual - Public Version.docx

A primarily visual showcase of the game’s identity is available in the form of a presentation:

OctoWars Presentation.pptx

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

Our project aims to compete with other popular entries in the genre of online card games, all while using blockchain technology to provide true ownership over in-game assets (primarily cards) to players.

This way, we will attract gamers who were previously uninterested in Cardano.

By requiring all players to own a crypto wallet, we will directly introduce our playerbase to the Cardano ecosystem. Our focus on social gameplay elements will create another sub-community within the Cardano ecosystem, not only increasing the number of people in the ecosystem, but also opening it up further to gamers who might not already have blockchain related interests.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

We, as a company, primarily build digital products for clients.

It is our daily activity to estimate and deliver products within a budget.

[Project Milestones] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Deck building

Based on cards available (Core & Free set) the players need to be able to build the deck(s) to enter combat.

Combat - Creatures

Implement gameplay which is based only on creatures and their attach/health.

Combat - Spells

Implement in-game spells to enable more advanced strategies.

Combat - full functionality

Implement full combat functionality, prototype should be fully playable at this point.

Bug fixes and UI/UX improvements

We plan a bare bones UI for the prototype but we do want to enable a good UX in line with this UI.

Any bugs preventing normal gameplay should be fixed at this point.

User testing

Organized testing with multiple players with different deck strategies will provide feedback required for next steps.

Next phase

Documented output of this prototype and planning for the next phase is required to finalize this milestone.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

The project team is split into a team leader, the game design team, R&D prototyping, the development team, the art team, and visual design team.

The team leader approves and oversees all major decisions. 

The game design team has designed the core gameplay and all of its additional systems, as well as the world of OctoWars. The game design team communicates with all other teams in order to keep the vision of the project as clear as possible and the flow of development true to the original goals. 

The R&D prototyping team is tasked with making our proof of concept tools and gameplay, as well as being tasked with other technological tests.

The development team is tasked with building the full game and all parts of it. The current goal is to first build the finalized version of the card combat part of the game, which is what the funding would allow for.

The art team is tasked with finishing all of the illustrations required for the card pool, as well as creating the graphics for all of the elements required for the optimal gameplay experience, as well as additional cosmetics for player customization.

The visual design team is tasked with upkeeping a strict visual identity for the project, while also adapting it to the necessities of each upcoming expansion to the game. 

Team members (most which are working long term on the project; excluding short term external help)

Aljosa Mohorovic

Ivan Cosic

Karlo Siketic

Mirela Ivankovic Bielen

Ante Kegalj

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

The plan is to allocate funds on a monthly basis:

Development: 55%

Design: 20%

Testing: 15%

Documentation/reporting: 10%

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

Our project represents an advertisement of the Cardano ecosystem to the gaming market, via its use of blockchain technology and requirement of a wallet in order to play.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund 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