Summary
The Crypto Unicorns Evolution Tool is a game analytics tool that seeks to provide users with strategic data and deep insights into the evolution mechanics of the game. The Evolution Tool will be developed by the team behind BreederDAO’s Playcore (an analytics and content aggregator for blockchain gaming).
Motivation
Through close collaboration with Laguna Games, the Playcore team previously had the chance to create a fully-functional Breeding Tool for the Crypto Unicorn (CU) ecosystem that allowed users to analyze and delve deeper into one of the game’s core mechanics—breeding.
The next logical step then after the Breeding Tool is the proposed “Evolution Tool” which, among others, aims to provide new users with a good understanding of the flow of Crypto Unicorns’ breeding mechanics (i.e., from Breeding → Hatching → Evolution).
Unicorn Lifecycle (source: Crypto Unicorns Whitepaper V2)
Playcore, a product under BreederDAO’s ecosystem, is applying for a grant that would support the development of the Evolution Tool.
The data and information will be directly sourced from the Crypto Unicorns team for the development of the tool. As the genes of each Unicorn define a distinctive skill set that makes them highly proficient in various battle loops such as jousting and racing, the Evolution Tool, together with the Breeding Tool, will help the gamers come up with the best decisions and strategies.
Details
The Evolution Tool will take in and process the following data inputs: (1) baby unicorn’s ID and (2) evolution booster intended to be used. Once the necessary information is provided, the tool will then generate the following output (upgrades): the baby unicorn’s name, class, number of mythic parts, gene display (original), stats and the potential gene upgrade results.
Evolution Tool Design Mockup
The Evolution Tool will be displayed and can be accessed on Playcore’s website, under Crypto Unicorns’ game page at PlayCore by BreederDAO .
Development of the tool will start as soon as the grant is approved, and is estimated to have a cumulative development time of 1-1.5 months. This includes design iterations with Laguna Games, actual development period, and logic and functionality testing.
Aside from the simplified user experience that such tools provide, the Playcore team also works directly with Laguna Games and thus, any changes and updates will be implemented to ensure that the tool the community is using is up-to-date and available. Iterations pass through review of both the Playcore team and the Crypto Unicorns team before sign-off. As the game evolves, we can ensure that the collaboration between the teams will keep up with the pace of developments to improve such tools for the community.
Grant Amount (Revised)
The development of the evolution tool is proposed to have a one time allocation of 400,000 RBW (estimated 9,700 USD), which will be disbursed at the end of the month following the release of the tool to the community. This amount will be used to support the following:
- The Development of the initial stable version of the Evolution tool and
- The constant updates (for any game changes) and maintenance for the tool for a span of six months (The duration is to ensure that the community will be able to reassess if such a tool is still useful to maintain given further changes in the game).
Important note on the revision of the grant amount:
We sincerely thank the community for its constructive feedback and comments. The Playcore took them into consideration in recalibrating the grant request to what we believed was fair and reasonable given the value that the Evolution Tool will be able to provide to the Crypto Unicorns ecosystem.
Accordingly, we are revising the initial grant proposal of 1,250,000 RBW (estimated 30,000 USD or 10,000 USD per month, over the course of three months) by altering the proposed product features and reducing the requested grant amount to the aforementioned amount of 400,000 RBW.
For purposes of clarification, the rationale behind the initial amount are the following:
- Larger scope of work. The initial coverage of the proposal intended for the original three month duration was to cover the (1) development of the initial ready version of the evolution tool, (2) the UX/UI improvements and logic updates for the existing breeding tool and the new evolution tool, and (3) further analytics dashboard development for in-game analytics. We recognize that the team has not clearly stated these in the initial proposal, as these will require further pre-work for clarification.
- Average developer salary and initial project duration. Estimated average backend developer salary ($90,652 annually / $7,554 monthly) plus estimated average frontend developer salary ($77,741 annually / $6,478 monthly) totals more than >13,000 USD per month. With an initial project duration of three months, the total of 10,000 USD * 3 months = 30,000 USD was deemed a reasonable and discounted estimate. This is exclusive of costs relating to infrastructure upkeep, project management costs, testing, and other intangible costs.
We took the time to fully consider the community’s sentiments and deemed it appropriate and fair to scale down the proposal to the development of the stable initial version of the Evolution Tool and constant updating and maintenance only, and to reserve the proposals for the UX/UI improvement of the tools and analytics dashboards in separate proposals (as necessary) to empower the community to decide on these matters separately.
We’ve also consulted with our internal game experts for the estimated development time of one month (or up to 1.5 months for safe measure) for a stable version of the tool, considering its less complex logic as compared to breeding (which took two months of iterations with Laguna Games, including logic changes and clarifications, design feedback, testing, etc.).
With this adjusted rate, we hope the community finds the new proposed amount as fair and commensurate with the resources needed to develop a useful tool for the community (plus its maintenance and updates, as necessary).
Conclusion
Once the Governance Council initially approves this proposal for the community vote, the following will be the choices:
- Approve Evolution Tool Development Grant
- Reject Evolution Tool Development Grant
The grant will support the Playcore team’s efforts to develop a useful, efficient and seamless tool for the Crypto Unicorns’ community.
This proposal is also timely as this new strategic tool will complement the timing of the community’s decision on the direction of the Team RPG game, the expected release of another jousting season, the launch of other mini-games and, of course, the continuous progress of Crypto Unicorn’s land gameplay.
The grant will help enable the Playcore team to support the Crypto Unicorns ecosystem by developing analytical tools that are free, intuitive, and accessible. We hope that this will empower and encourage the Crypto Unicorns community to always make informed, optimized and efficient game decisions.
The ultimate goal of Playcore is to aid Web3 gamers in making data-driven decisions to better their gameplay and experience. We are committed to improving your experience in tandem with the CU team and the community and are looking forward to the approval and passing of this proposal.