ProposalsProposal 276
ProposalsProposal 276
We're proposing to build a mobile platformer game with 700 levels in which we introduce players to nounish concepts and educate them on Nouns DAO and adjacent extensions while playing through fun and engaging maps. While the total budget required to complete the game development is $200,000, we are seeking funding of $90,000 for the alpha version, which will include an early access release. The alpha version is expected to take 6 months to complete, followed by an additional 6 months until the final release. Once the alpha version is released, we will require the remaining budget to complete the development of the game.
Click on the image to view the proposed game design.
The single-player mode is a platformer game.
In this mode the player controls their noun to reach its destination - to be minted and sent to auction at Nouns DAO.
There is a unique level for each noun minted, designed with various obstacles and challenges.
We as a nounish family are waiting every day to see what the next noun will look like and how much the winning bid is at the auction for the previous noun, but we don't know anything about each noun’s background story. We don't know what a noun has been through before it gets minted! This concept was the inspiration for this game.
Some stages of the game are designed to indirectly teach players about the Nounish culture and the NounsDAO mechanism. Players will be enticed to go through these stages in order to obtain valuable rewards, and in the process, they will come across learning opportunities to grasp these concepts. We believe that direct teaching of these concepts might not be engaging for players, so we aim to make the learning experience more fun and interactive through gameplay.
Click on the picture below to see the video👇
The player controls their noun throughout each level in a 3D playground. Nouns can run, jump, grab, climb, dive + more to overcome the obstacles until the final point is reached and the noun goes through the gate to get minted.
There is ether on the path that the player must collect to meet the goal. The goal amount of ether is set based on how much that noun sold for at auction.
After completing each level, the player is awarded three stars. The first star is just for completing the level and the second one is awarded if the count of collected ether has reached the winning bid amount and the last star is awarded based on the time spent completing the level.
For example: The first level is about Noun 1 being minted and the player will have to guide the noun through the course while collecting enough ether to meet the winning bid on that noun, while trying to do it in the fastest time possible.
Click on the pictures below to watch an example of the Noun 1 & 2 levels of the game 👇
In this mode of the game, players enter a battle royal like Fall Guys and compete with one another.
Each session starts with 40 players and three matches are held in each session. At the end of each match, only half of the players walk it through, then at the end of the third match, the final player wins the match.
The game and environment design is nounish and each level/match has its own unique theme based on nounish extensions such as lil nouns, Gnars DAO, Alps DAO, and many others where spectators are members of these communities.
In multiplayer mode, we’ll hold monthly in-game events relevant to DAO news, events, and popular holidays.
We aim to differentiate our game from competitors by improving the user experience and providing creative ideas, attractive maps, and Nouns that engage players in exciting challenges. Ultimately, our focus is on delivering a flawless and engaging game experience, and continuously improving it to create a supportive and enjoyable experience for players. After the full release of the game, we plan to hold various competitions, ranging from seasonal events to in-game events and those related to important events in the NounsDAO community. By offering special Nouns-related prizes, our goal is to create more challenges for players and familiarize them with DAOs and NFTs. Additionally, we can hold custom events upon the request of NounsDAO. We aim to reach 25,000 downloads in the first month after the game's release, and strive to achieve a steady growth rate of 5% in monthly downloads. We intend to encourage players to engage in the single-player mode and invite their friends to play the multiplayer mode. We incentivize players to invite their friends to play the game by offering rewards. Additionally, we create private clones for players to have a space to discuss the game.
Mobile games are easily available to everyone with a smartphone these days and have a wide audience range.
Given the importance of the Nouns DAO community to our game, we have decided to leverage the collaboration with its members by inviting them to contribute ideas, feedback, and even resources to the game. This action will help foster a sense of ownership and strengthen the connection between our game and the community, ultimately ensuring its success. In addition to inviting Nouns DAO members to collaborate on the game, we have decided to launch a Discord channel to share the game's production stages with the Nouns community. This channel will serve as a communication space for receiving ideas, feedback, and criticism from Nouns community members, as well as a place to showcase the game's development stages and updates to them. By doing so, we can listen to user feedback more effectively and make the best decisions for the game in sync with the community.
The early access version will be released after 6 months and then it will take 6 months more until the final release.
You've seen and love our work with the nounish music videos we've created, let's make a game with even more impact!
The NFTs purchased through our crowdfunding campaign will be useable within the game as character skins, attachments, and other in-game items. This provides a unique and exciting opportunity for our supporters to be part of the game's development and to have a tangible stake in its success.
Additionally, these NFTs can be traded on secondary markets, creating a potential revenue stream for our supporters and adding to the game's overall ecosystem. We believe that this innovative use of NFTs in crowdfunding will not only benefit our game's development, but also provide a new way for people to support and engage with the project.
The Genius Slackers team is an independent producer of video games. The company was founded in 2016 by Arash Negahban and Saeed Abbasi.
We're an experienced video game development team that created the psychological horror game "What Happened," which won the Chainsaw Award for its fantastic story. Following that success, we worked on various outsource projects.
Now, we are proud to announce our second in-house game project, Nounish Playground. This project is a testament to our determination and our commitment to creating exceptional games. We are confident that Nounish Playground will be a success for us.
You've seen and love our work with the nounish music videos we've created, let's make a game with even more impact!
Click on the picture below to see the music video👇
Production Team Areas of Expertise
This budget covers 12 months of production to deliver a game with 700 levels plus a solid marketing plan.
To make this game economically viable, we will use some existing assets created by the community by directing all technical designs to be compatible with the Nouns 3D project and implementing audio made with the Noun Sounds PLAYground, ultimately saving a lot on costs for a game like this.
The budget required for the early access release is $90,000. Once the early access is released after 6 months, we will require the remaining budget to complete the development of the game.
In the proposal, we outline a unique approach to game development that incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as NFTs and influencer marketing to generate buzz and revenue. By leveraging these strategies, our game will not only provide players with a fun and engaging experience, but it will also introduce them to the exciting world of Nouns DAO and cryptocurrency.
Through our ASO, paid ads, and referral incentives, we aim to reach a wide audience and drive downloads. Our monetization plan includes in-app purchases, battle passes, brand partnerships, and innovative NFT-based crowdfunding that will allow supporters to contribute to the game's development while receiving exclusive in-game items and benefits.
With all of the game's content being open-source and available to the public, we are committed to continually updating and expanding the game over time. By voting for our proposal, you are supporting a game that is not only entertaining and engaging but also pushing the boundaries of gaming and crypto.
With Unreal Engine 5, we have access to a variety of powerful web3 plugins that enable us to seamlessly integrate blockchain and NFT features into our upcoming mobile platformer game. We're excited to leverage the engine's capabilities to create an immersive and innovative gaming experience for our players.
We will be able to measure success in a number of ways including, but not limited to:
My thesis as a delegate is: “Nouns has a unique role in the ecosystem as a gathering place around public goods.”
My analysis of funding requests is:
This game, while potentially enjoyable art, is not a public good. It is not CC0 or freely licensed, and it can't be easily remixed by other Nouns supporters.
It is a business that may be successful and sustainable in its own right. That is excellent! There are many great venues for funding this, from venture capital to grants programs within the games industry to crowdfunding. The authors themselves point to crowdfunding as a potential option for fundraising for this game. But since there are many potential funding sources outside of Nouns, I don't believe that Nouns should find this.
As a result, I don't believe that this proposal is something that Nouns is uniquely suited to fund. I agree with Jihad that retroactive funding could be appropriate if this benefits Nouns, but I don't believe that Nouns should kickstart this. I would also reconsider this if the game were freely licensed and provided a building block for others to make Nounish games too. As it stands, other funding venues are likely more appropriate.
I appreciate the aspirations of proliferating Nouns in this prop, but I question the reach of a game like this and think the timeline + cost are not a good value for the DAO.
One of the biggest lessons that the web3 community should have learned after the hype of 2021/2022 is that developing video games is a challenging task — and beyond the challenges of development, marketing them to stand out in the crowded field of mobile games is yet another challenge. While I appreciate the effort and initiative behind this proposal, I'm skeptical about its ability to make a significant impact.
However, beyond all of that the REAL deal-breaker for me is the proposed monetization strategies. In-app purchases and crowdfunding mechanics may work for some games, but I believe they miss the mark for the Nouns community. If the goal is to proliferate the Nouns meme, a DAO-funded game should be free to play, and the focus should be on creating an engaging, memorable experience that leaves players wanting to learn more about Nouns, not spending a few dollars on micro-transactions.
It's important to remember that successful games with an emphasis on multiplayer are built on communities and sustained by passionate players. If the proposed game fails to create an experience that resonates with the a wider audience, it has no real purpose. Ultimately, I think it's important for the Nouns community to continue experimenting and exploring with projects of this nature, but we need to ensure that they align with the DAO's goals before gaining funding.
appreciate the efforts from this team but dont have high conviction in ROI/success on the proposal in current state
it is already hard enough to build a fun & compelling gameplay loop without integrating an educational aspect and this product would be competing with best in class for products for users entertainment time
some concerns with monetization plans, in-game currency / microtransaction strategies are not detailed and if done wrong can provide a poor experience for new users first exposure to nouns coming in via paid ads. pay to play power ups can impact competitive integrity and i dont expect users to pay for anything that only enhances the single player experience.
gamers have specific expectations + high quality bar in mind when a product offers a Battle Pass and having new game modes behind a pay wall doesn't seem appropriate for a new ip/indie product trying to break into the space
no mention of AI, is it AI available in multiplayer? without reaching critical mass in multiple regions I would assume that there won't be a constant stream of players to fill out 40 person matches
The art is fun but I'm not drawn to the idea of teaching players about Nouns DAO in a game. Using Nouns art and resources is all the DAO connection I need.
IMO this is only worth it if we're aiming for an audience bigger than Nouns DAO. My only requirement is that the game needs to be fun and compelling, and an MVP of game play would go a long way there.
I would support something simple and multiplayer, like https://lolbeans.io/
I like this; it's certainly hard to get a game right, but Arash and co are experienced and successful game developers, and I'm a fan of the media they've created so far for Nouns. If successful I think this prop could be a really big win!
Gone back and forth on this one. In general, I think games are fun and a great mechanism for proliferation.
On the other hand, games are hard, bad games could be bad for the brand, and I don't really see any concrete plans for distribution here (just saying "ads" and "influencers" isn't the best imo).
I'm voting against this prop, but would support a smaller pilot or retroactive funding for a game using nounish branding that has already proven to be enjoyable (retro funding wouldn't be dependent on pre-existing distribution).
Games can serve as a powerful means of expanding the reach of Nouns by engaging entirely new audiences. We will never make a game if we are worried about their difficulty to create. Nouns should fund audacious ideas. This project, led by a respected community member with a deep understanding of game development and Nouns, represents a relatively low-risk endeavor to develop a game.
I love Arash's work and have been a supporter of his game idea for a long time. I'd love to see this experiment play out - we should try games if we can and have the skilled people to achieve it without it being a crazy high budget like many games would be.
yeah games are hard. but this is a relatively low bet. worth a shot with initial release.
feel similarly to brennen & krel. I loved the music videos but would need to see a glimpse of a game that could actually be fun to play to support this. would be happy to fund a smaller pilot.
Games are good, cost staggered and success based, the early release Alpha has to merit more funding for us to vote spending more funds.
Taken from my newsletter Active Governance: https://paragraph.xyz/@thebower/UF6pmJQChyRthUTsBfq7
I really like the idea of a nounish game and I support this project. It can be a great way to get the community participating in activities together and to onboard new people.
However I think it should start even smaller, with a one level alpha perhaps and a much smaller budget. That way the community can test it out and we will be able to gauge the reception and impact of the game. From there the DAO could more confidently fund a bigger proposal for a fully fledged game.
games are hard. i'd rather see if you can come up with something fun that the community can rally behind.
Arash has been working on this concept within the Nouns ecosystem for many months now. He has taken feedback to refine the idea and has taken time to learn about nounish culture. If you haven't seen them, check out all the animated music videos and gifs he has made to familiarize himself with the art vibe and build his reputation here. With his agency's experience in building successful mobile games, I think he is the perfect candidate to take Nouns' first foray into this sphere and I wish him luck.
Just doesn't seem fun and building fun and meaningful video games is hard. Why not just build a small level we can all try out and wait for people to get excited and then post a prop for a full game?
We're proposing to build a mobile platformer game with 700 levels in which we introduce players to nounish concepts and educate them on Nouns DAO and adjacent extensions while playing through fun and engaging maps. While the total budget required to complete the game development is $200,000, we are seeking funding of $90,000 for the alpha version, which will include an early access release. The alpha version is expected to take 6 months to complete, followed by an additional 6 months until the final release. Once the alpha version is released, we will require the remaining budget to complete the development of the game.
Click on the image to view the proposed game design.
The single-player mode is a platformer game.
In this mode the player controls their noun to reach its destination - to be minted and sent to auction at Nouns DAO.
There is a unique level for each noun minted, designed with various obstacles and challenges.
We as a nounish family are waiting every day to see what the next noun will look like and how much the winning bid is at the auction for the previous noun, but we don't know anything about each noun’s background story. We don't know what a noun has been through before it gets minted! This concept was the inspiration for this game.
Some stages of the game are designed to indirectly teach players about the Nounish culture and the NounsDAO mechanism. Players will be enticed to go through these stages in order to obtain valuable rewards, and in the process, they will come across learning opportunities to grasp these concepts. We believe that direct teaching of these concepts might not be engaging for players, so we aim to make the learning experience more fun and interactive through gameplay.
Click on the picture below to see the video👇
The player controls their noun throughout each level in a 3D playground. Nouns can run, jump, grab, climb, dive + more to overcome the obstacles until the final point is reached and the noun goes through the gate to get minted.
There is ether on the path that the player must collect to meet the goal. The goal amount of ether is set based on how much that noun sold for at auction.
After completing each level, the player is awarded three stars. The first star is just for completing the level and the second one is awarded if the count of collected ether has reached the winning bid amount and the last star is awarded based on the time spent completing the level.
For example: The first level is about Noun 1 being minted and the player will have to guide the noun through the course while collecting enough ether to meet the winning bid on that noun, while trying to do it in the fastest time possible.
Click on the pictures below to watch an example of the Noun 1 & 2 levels of the game 👇
In this mode of the game, players enter a battle royal like Fall Guys and compete with one another.
Each session starts with 40 players and three matches are held in each session. At the end of each match, only half of the players walk it through, then at the end of the third match, the final player wins the match.
The game and environment design is nounish and each level/match has its own unique theme based on nounish extensions such as lil nouns, Gnars DAO, Alps DAO, and many others where spectators are members of these communities.
In multiplayer mode, we’ll hold monthly in-game events relevant to DAO news, events, and popular holidays.
We aim to differentiate our game from competitors by improving the user experience and providing creative ideas, attractive maps, and Nouns that engage players in exciting challenges. Ultimately, our focus is on delivering a flawless and engaging game experience, and continuously improving it to create a supportive and enjoyable experience for players. After the full release of the game, we plan to hold various competitions, ranging from seasonal events to in-game events and those related to important events in the NounsDAO community. By offering special Nouns-related prizes, our goal is to create more challenges for players and familiarize them with DAOs and NFTs. Additionally, we can hold custom events upon the request of NounsDAO. We aim to reach 25,000 downloads in the first month after the game's release, and strive to achieve a steady growth rate of 5% in monthly downloads. We intend to encourage players to engage in the single-player mode and invite their friends to play the multiplayer mode. We incentivize players to invite their friends to play the game by offering rewards. Additionally, we create private clones for players to have a space to discuss the game.
Mobile games are easily available to everyone with a smartphone these days and have a wide audience range.
Given the importance of the Nouns DAO community to our game, we have decided to leverage the collaboration with its members by inviting them to contribute ideas, feedback, and even resources to the game. This action will help foster a sense of ownership and strengthen the connection between our game and the community, ultimately ensuring its success. In addition to inviting Nouns DAO members to collaborate on the game, we have decided to launch a Discord channel to share the game's production stages with the Nouns community. This channel will serve as a communication space for receiving ideas, feedback, and criticism from Nouns community members, as well as a place to showcase the game's development stages and updates to them. By doing so, we can listen to user feedback more effectively and make the best decisions for the game in sync with the community.
The early access version will be released after 6 months and then it will take 6 months more until the final release.
You've seen and love our work with the nounish music videos we've created, let's make a game with even more impact!
The NFTs purchased through our crowdfunding campaign will be useable within the game as character skins, attachments, and other in-game items. This provides a unique and exciting opportunity for our supporters to be part of the game's development and to have a tangible stake in its success.
Additionally, these NFTs can be traded on secondary markets, creating a potential revenue stream for our supporters and adding to the game's overall ecosystem. We believe that this innovative use of NFTs in crowdfunding will not only benefit our game's development, but also provide a new way for people to support and engage with the project.
The Genius Slackers team is an independent producer of video games. The company was founded in 2016 by Arash Negahban and Saeed Abbasi.
We're an experienced video game development team that created the psychological horror game "What Happened," which won the Chainsaw Award for its fantastic story. Following that success, we worked on various outsource projects.
Now, we are proud to announce our second in-house game project, Nounish Playground. This project is a testament to our determination and our commitment to creating exceptional games. We are confident that Nounish Playground will be a success for us.
You've seen and love our work with the nounish music videos we've created, let's make a game with even more impact!
Click on the picture below to see the music video👇
Production Team Areas of Expertise
This budget covers 12 months of production to deliver a game with 700 levels plus a solid marketing plan.
To make this game economically viable, we will use some existing assets created by the community by directing all technical designs to be compatible with the Nouns 3D project and implementing audio made with the Noun Sounds PLAYground, ultimately saving a lot on costs for a game like this.
The budget required for the early access release is $90,000. Once the early access is released after 6 months, we will require the remaining budget to complete the development of the game.
In the proposal, we outline a unique approach to game development that incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as NFTs and influencer marketing to generate buzz and revenue. By leveraging these strategies, our game will not only provide players with a fun and engaging experience, but it will also introduce them to the exciting world of Nouns DAO and cryptocurrency.
Through our ASO, paid ads, and referral incentives, we aim to reach a wide audience and drive downloads. Our monetization plan includes in-app purchases, battle passes, brand partnerships, and innovative NFT-based crowdfunding that will allow supporters to contribute to the game's development while receiving exclusive in-game items and benefits.
With all of the game's content being open-source and available to the public, we are committed to continually updating and expanding the game over time. By voting for our proposal, you are supporting a game that is not only entertaining and engaging but also pushing the boundaries of gaming and crypto.
With Unreal Engine 5, we have access to a variety of powerful web3 plugins that enable us to seamlessly integrate blockchain and NFT features into our upcoming mobile platformer game. We're excited to leverage the engine's capabilities to create an immersive and innovative gaming experience for our players.
We will be able to measure success in a number of ways including, but not limited to:
