Funding for a MaidSafe project

Marketing
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I have designed some pretty detailed concepts to make a new kind of massively multiplayer online game that makes use of MaidSafe. It offers operational costs reductions, a new business model, and a new gameplay philosophy that I believe will be very attractive. I also believe it’s success would create a lot of interest in MaidSafe, helping this project grow in popularity and SafeCoin in value.

I’ve already found a partner who has some good game ideas himself and contacts with interested investors. We’re of course also thinking about additional or alternative sources of funding, like perhaps a Kickstarter to get funds from the gaming community, or perhaps some kind of IPO in the MaidSafe/Crypto-community.

However, we’re wary to release the detailed concepts to the public at such an early stage. At the same time, we wouldn’t be very convincing in a Kickstarter if we wouldn’t explain why our plan is going to work. Initially we could do with a relatively small amount of funding, for say the coming six months. After that a demo proof of concept could be presented for crowdfunding purposes. We would have enough of a head-start to neutralize the risk of someone taking off with the ideas I worked hard on and beating us to it.

I’m quite interested in any advice in this matter. Do you have any alternative ideas on how we could get funding in a safe manner, or any ideas on how to reward supporters/investors without harming our personal and the game’s interests?

Thanks for your thoughts!

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A system like Counterparty can maybe be helpful for this. You show (a bit of) your plan to people, create 1 million of you own coins and provide them on the exchange for a fixed price in BTC. Another way is using a vendor machine. This is what the SWARM-folks did. You were given 1 address in BTC and received coins back in your Counterwallet. Don’t know if it’s anything like that you’re looking for?

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We’d much prefer plugging into the main MaidSafe network and using SafeCoin, rather than setting up our own currency. In addition, since this is a game, if you’d use an in-game crypto-currency and pre-sell that currency, you have a skewed game economy from the start, which is kinda off-putting entertainment wise. SafeCoin is also pre-sold of course, but most of those holders are probably not gamers.

A game is a bit of a different beast compared to a crypto-currency. Most of the things you might offer investors are things that only have value to those who are interested in the game itself. Things like early access or in-game items. One other thing I have thought of, is maybe selling token shares, but then I think we’d need some kind of automated system that distributes income automatically proportionally to the share holders. Especially since SafeCoin income isn’t transparent, you’d want to decentralize this.

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You are probably misunderstanding how crowdsourcing works.
When one crowdfunds via Kickstarter, he doesn’t sell magic tokens, but promises in return for fiat.
Crypto crowdsourcing gets BTC* instead of fiat and - unlike Kickstarter - promises something in return. What exactly is up to the person trying to raise funds.

(* or MAID, if you insist, but why?)

Furthermore, with Smart Contracts crypto platforms also provide ways to easily - based on crowdsourcing results - organize community voting and other things that can benefit stakeholders.

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As a MMORPG Veteran, I’m happy you’re starting a game project for the SAFE Network. I think entertainment is the easiest way to encourage adoption.

As a F2P (Free to Play) supporter, I’m unavoidably biased, but here’s my thoughts for what it’s worth.

P2W (Pay to Win) is an ugly stain in the gaming industry. But developers still need funding. Usually, they go to investors who want a guaranteed return. This creates a situation where the developer must get more revenue than the original loan. Most often, they resort to expensive cash shop items, early access, special benefits, etc… and it usually ends with a P2W atmosphere.

Game Features is another way to go. I saw a kickstarter project that needed XXX dollars to get the basic game started, then showed a list of features with smaller amounts to get it done. This gave supporters the option which features they wanted most.

This part is going off the reservation so I’ll put it separately.

In-Game Crowd Funding

How does in-game crowd funding work?

It’s a cash-shop that applies globally. Current cash shops only benefit a single player. This creates a division in player experience as well as P2W atmosphere. Solution? Let’s strip out the individual.

We present “new features” as a cash shop item.

Want player housing? XXXX Safecoins needed.
Want new mounts? XXXX Safecoins needed.
Want new monsters? XXXX Safecoins needed.

Basically, you will have never-ending crowd source funding.

This reduces the initial loan needed from investors. Long term, players support and guide development. Personally, I get way more excited inside a game, wanting to have a new mount or seeing a new monster, or new zone, than being outside a game. Since everyone benefits globally, there is no P2W atmosphere. I think players would constantly check the global cash shop to see which new features have been funded. Impatient ones would add more Safecoin to speed it up.

What about lack of instant gratification?

It goes against mainstream game mentality. But this is the way I see it. A P2W player follows a very short lifespan. They buy up stuff, beat on other players, then get bored, and quit. This new model changes the incentive structure from individual to community. And history has shown, strong communities extend a games lifespan.

I hope this has been helpful.

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Just a quick question, as I am interested in the above model and noodling a bit …thinking about other applications. Is it possible to link a player’s Safecoin wallet to the virtual game world - can it be accessed from within the game, or not? What is the best work around if not?
Just thinking If the vault code and network code are separate now, then couldn’t the vault/wallet speak directly to the app or even reside on it somehow and still speak to the network? If this is a stupid question, just say so, i have no idea…lol

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Thank you all for the replies, they are helpful. I’m happy to be able to share that we just started a partnership with an investor who trusts us personally, strongly believes in the presented concept, and has a lot to offer us besides financial support. We can immediately start assembling a team of 5-7 developers, so it looks like this is going to be a reality!

We will keep looking into potential beneficial ways to involve the gaming and crypto communities at some point, so your suggestions will definitely be considered.

Should definitely be possible. It’s more about doing it in a “trust-less” way, but that is also possible. For this game we’re probably not going to integrate the wallet into the game, it’s not necessary for our concept.

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Yes, that’s what I meant, trustlessly…thanks for the reply, it gives me something to think about. Great news on your investor, that’s brilliant, good luck to you and I wish you every success.
A further question would be could wallets talk to each other within a hypothetical game/virtual world scenario - could you buy/sell and trade etc using safecoin within the app. (I appreciate it’s not in your game but just picking your coder brains).
Cheers

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Yes, this will all be possible.

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Wow, thanks…that’s amazing…my mind’s beginning to join together some dots here I think, the things this could make possible could be more than “game -changing” so to speak. Thanks a lot, much appreciated.

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Congratulations @Seneca, that’s brilliant news… :smile: I can’t wait!

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Hi @Seneca

I’m really happy for you, that you found a investor and are ready to launch a game on Maidsafe, great news.

The kickstarter part that you mention got me thinking. That it would also be a good start if somebody started (please dear programmer read this and make it so) an kickstarter app that everybody can use to raise funds. Personally I think that something like www.selfstarter.us will do the job. The only thing that’s needed is a link to a SAFEcoin wallet or whatever other cryptocurreny you want to use (Bitcoin will actually be enough, because people can use shapeshift.io to pay with other coins).

What will also be needed is that the goal amount can also be set in a fiat price instead of cryptocurrency only. At least to me that’s logic. To my knowledge every Bitcoin crowdfunding site is asking the goal amount in bitcoin. Well what if I have a offer that is only a specific price? Basically I’m just juggling with bitcoin’s volatility at the moment. To be real honest there is a solution to this problem. How about sending bitcoins to bitreserve.org or coinapult.com and have it turn/lock to dollars? But that’s probably my stupid idea how to enjoy a stable price on a cryptocurrency powered crowdfunding platform.

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What platforms will this game be for? And what kind of setting will it be? Futuristic like Swtor or fantasy like wow or elder scrolls? And can anyone get involved? Another way to contribute I think is direct game development, not just money or code but things like art and writing as well. Imagine having people write their own stories and have it be integrated into the game or create their own concepts for monsters, races and characters and have that then taken up by artists and then in turn integrated into the game.

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Let me know if you are looking for free labor in the form of interns. I can send friends who are computer science majors from my uni your way. They are major gamers and would probably love to get in on such a revolutionary concept. Internships are always a plus.

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