Please describe your proposed solution.

Cardano has many firsts that distinguish it from any other cryptocurrency, and Cardano’s NFT Ecosystem can innovate some more firsts for Cardano. That is where we propose to build the “Build-an-NFT” model of distribution.

The “Build-an-NFT” functionality allows for unique NFTs to be built by the user on the project’s website. This new minting/building functionality would be a great movement away from the grab-bag systems that we have come to expect within the ecosystem and provide new ways of distributing NFTs that are more natural for users.

Examples, as can be seen in the images below, would be the ability to pick which parts are on your NFT. In the example of Flooftopia, it would be the ability to choose the parts (head, nose, mouth, ears, etc), size of the parts, their positioning, and their colors or patterns.

This “Build-an-NFT” functionality would see application within the Cardano NFT Gaming Ecosystem and many other ecosystems as it is developed further.

Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

The “Build-an-NFT” functionality will be a great development to allow for further advancements with current and future dApps, and it will provide further integrations through providing new and currently unavailable methods of NFT development.

Overall, this development will provide more options to the ecosystem on minting functionalities, and it will provide the next step in NFT development that other projects and dApps can integrate or build upon!

What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

While there are natural risks in developing a new functionality, we have mitigated these risks through careful planning and development with seasoned experts in the Cardano and coding industries. Though, the main challenge with delivering this functionality is the metadata limitations for NFTs, but our team is nearing completion of that challenge.

Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

-- Q3 of 2022 –

Release the testnet version of “Build-an-NFT” functionality

Release the mainnet version of “Build-an-NFT” functionality

Begin monitoring of KPI and other metrics.

-- Q4 of 2022 –

Have a streamlined “Build-an-NFT” functionality that can be implemented easily by other projects.

Provide additional functionalities as requested by other projects.

-- Q1-2 of 2023 –

Continue to monitor metrics and keep code up-to-date.

Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Coding/Implementation: ~$13,500 (~135 hours @ $100/hr)

• This include frontend integration, backend integration, and minting functionalities.

Marketing: $1500

Total: $15,000

Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

Coding: Dirk worked for Ubisoft, founded two gaming studios as a Dev Lead, and is currently working as a Technical Architect. He is the go-to guy, well-versed in everything tech-related, with 20 years of experience!

(LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirk-potulski-71313428/))

Marketing: Conward is behind the marketing of this new functionality! He has been within the Cardano Ecosystem for 3 years, and is the host of The Cardano Convo Podcast. After noticing the redundancy of the current CNFT minting functionalities, he began putting together the concept for the “Build-an-NFT” functionality!

(LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conwardswift/))

With years of NFT, coding, and business experience primed to build it. We know that the “Build-an-NFT” functionality would be a game changer or, at a minimum, provide new user experiences and be a stepping stone for dApps to develop or integrate into future projects.

If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

It is unlikely that we would need to seek additional funding in the future as this proposal has a pretty clear end point.

Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

We will be able to measure the progress of the development of our project by how close we are able to keep to the timeline, and when we have the functionality ready to launch on the first project (Flooftopia). Then we will be able to collect the KPI (example: 1-10 scales of ease of use, preference over the current ‘random generation’ model, etc.)

We'd be measuring:

• The increase in number or percent of projects that utilize the “Build-an-NFT” functionality.
• The success of projects that use “Build-an-NFT” functionality compared to those who use random generation (the usual 10,000 model).
• KPIs and user feedback on level of preference for the “Build-an-NFT” model.

We would communicate these outcomes once the method is built and ready for deployment. This would be done first through a project called “Flooftopia”, and then, we’d be able to begin collecting data on preferences for this functionality.

What does success for this project look like?

Success would be the introduction of the “Build-an-NFT” functionality on Flooftopia (first project that it will be available on) being extraordinarily well-received. Then the continued implementation of this functionalities on other projects or high demand to implement this functionality on other projects. Finally, having the product reach its final iteration where other projects would be able to take it and edit it as they would need in order to use it.

Of course, having great KPIs, as listed above, would be further indicative of the success of the “Build-an-NFT” functionality with dApps and the greater public.

Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This is a new proposal on Project Catalyst.