Please describe your proposed solution.
Our goal with this project is to develop an engaging AR pets entertainment experience that will have the ability to reach audiences beyond the traditional, hardcore gaming market or blockchain gaming, and onboard a very large number of users to Cardano and NFTs.
Make the process so easy and seamless so that it appeals to users who don’t even know they are using blockchain tech.
The focus of the first stage of production, is the world-building and prototyping stage and recruiting the right team of world-class talent to do so.
We have broken up the first stage of production into 4 main pillars and submitted them as 3 separate Fund 9 proposals.
Prototyping & Tokenomics
<https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/422707>
World Building - Art & Assets
<https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/422762>
Development (This Proposal)
<https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/422724>
For clarity the entire project is presented in all of the proposals, but the relevant information for each one is highlighted and the budget for each part of the project is separately presented.
We plan to make the AR app a free download on all major platforms.
The free version will feature a virtual pet with a few basic traits to choose from. All basic functionality will also be available at no cost.
However, connecting your Trybbles NFT holding Cardano wallet to it will grant the player with new functionality and cosmetic options (skins) for his pet bot, based on the traits of the NFT(s) he/she is holding.
We aim to move beyond breeding and fighting, which seem to be the current focus and limit of blockchain games. These were good starting points but there is a whole universe of other, yet unexplored, game mechanics that can be adapted and enriched by DLT.
The AR experience will be grounded in a rich universe we have developed over multiple years.
During the first 18 months, we had previously worked on the project (2009-2010) we have completed much of the backstory and have written an extensive script for what was to be a AAA quality adventure game. A wide range of concept art was also created to support the world (see the attached images for examples). In fact, the NFT series that we have released is based on that concept art.
However, the work needs to be adapted to fit the new direction in which we intend to take the project.
We view the AR experience as seamlessly interwoven with our main storyline.
For example, in our main storyline Trybbles are robotic pets built as caretakers and companions to the one-man crew of deep space exploration vessels.
The AR experience would be presented as a virtual replica of the robotic pets, designed specifically to allow Earthborn children to experience their companionship and to gather data that would be fed in the neural networks of the bot.
To accomplish this, the AR Trybbles we are aiming to create will have to give the impression of a living being that has a will and life of its own, that goes on beyond the active interaction session. One way we are planning to achieve this is by constructing a set of refined, subtle and adaptable animations.
We plan on developing the experience in Unreal Engine, as it’s a game engine that we have experience with, produces incredibly high quality results and has a vast ecosystem of resources and support material.
Scope:
Our aim with this Catalyst proposal is to build a solid foundation for our medium and long-term vision for the project.
The most fundamental component of this is recruiting the right team for the job.
Once that is achieved our efforts will turn to world-building and game prototyping for the next few months, with a focus on four main pillars:
1. Completing and adapting the world-building and character development - writing & concept art
2. Game mechanics prototyping
3. First phase of development (both blockchain and game development)
4. Tokenomics & NFT distribution models
As part of this effort we are also looking at ways the player/user might generate new NFTs.
For now, potential directions we are exploring are based on upgrading through gameplay and/or collecting.
The purpose of this Catalyst proposal is not only to hopefully secure the funds needed to lay the foundations of a potentially successful fictional universe, but also to serve as a way of introducing our project to a wider audience and to perhaps serve as a launchpad for further funding opportunities. All that while also being a great way of gathering constructive feedback.
We intend to use the Catalyst process and funds to validate the project and to build solid foundations that will allow us to freely experiment and iterate, and ultimately deliver the best results.
Why Trybbles?
Trybbles already has a proven track record of popularity, with over 4000 NFTs minted by the community since the launch of the project in June 2021. We have a relatively large organic following on Twitter & a Discord community of members actively invested in the project.
Approach
On the blockchain infrastructure, we have the ability to create a new paradigm of digital interactions, one based on provable, trackable ownership & contributions, and start laying a small part of the foundations of what can become a future open and inclusive metaverse.
But while doing so we also have the opportunity to reevaluate and rebuild how our legacy social constructs function, particularly those related to corporate governance, equitable compensation, and the relationships between the entities in an organisation.
We plan to experiment with new approaches, both in our relationship with our community and our potential future team.
For our community, we have already introduced the Trybbles Club based on NFT Key, a Cardano NFT authenticator service that grants special access to holders of Trybbles NFTs. Based on NFT validation we have already organised several community events, such as the Rewards Collection (October 2021 - January 2022) and most recently the Trybbles Claim Event (June 2022). In addition, we see multiple ways in which this could evolve in the future.
It is likely that we will continue to develop the Trybbles universe for the foreseeable future in some form with or without Catalyst funding, however being funded would enable us to dramatically scale up our efforts, at a much faster pace and move the project into the development of interactive entertainment products built on top of the Cardano blockchain.
A game that features NFTs needs to be, first and foremost a fun and engaging experience. NFTs should be treated as "infrastructure" elements, that enable new game mechanics and not be treated as the main focus of the game. That's why what's currently on the market, even the most popular titles, feel more like showcases for NFTs, rather than actual games.
Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.
Our goal is to create a highly relatable AR pets entertainment experience geared towards mass market adoption. Build the experience on top of Cardano, powered by NFTs and a backend dapp, based on smart contracts.
The Trybbles AR Pets seeks to increase the adoption of Cardano, in a fun and engaging way that’s easily relatable and marketable to a very broad audience.
Our hope is to demonstrate and make clear the value that digital ownership enabled by blockchain can bring, through a concept that anyone can understand and connect with: owning your digital pet, part of an immersive, unique and engaging fictional world.
This addresses the fundament of this challenge:
What dapps, products and integrations can be implemented to bring impactful use cases to Cardano ecosystem that help drive more adoption?
In addition, we are also seeking to enrich the Cardano ecosystem and create a lively and impactful experience, as such we are also addressing one of the key definitions of success for this challenge.
Increasing the number of dapps and products available for the community to use that help to enrich the ecosystem with new use cases.
What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?
The biggest risks we identify at this stage are difficulties in finding and recruiting the right people for the team.
Given that recruitment of highly skilled individuals is a fluid, dynamic process, based on circumstance, chance, and a large number of unquantifiable variables it is nearly impossible to make an exact, honest estimate.
The worst-case scenario that could come about as a result of this risk is a delay in the project timeline, but we don’t see that as ultimately jeopardising the project’s success.
The time we allocated for this process is 3 months (for the entire scope of the project, not just this proposal). We feel that, currently, it represents a good average between the shortest and the longest timeframe required to complete this step.