Proposal Name: ApeCoin Powered Tournament and Gaming Expansion for the AppliedPrimate MegaForce Sentinel Card Game - Ecosystem Fund Allocation
Proposal Category: AIP Ideas
Abstract:
AppliedPrimate is a well-established, highly regarded web3 project, utilizing IP rights from the MAYC mega mutants, mega kodas, BAYCs and other projects through puzzles, gaming, and extensive lore building. The project has engaged over 30k users on Discord, with 8k+ wallets connected for on-chain participation, generating over 4,000 ETH in secondary sales.
Our activations have taken place both online and IRL, having held live events with members of our community and invited guests in New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, London and Singapore – including an expansive scavenger hunt that was held at Apefest 2022 and culminated in our mutating the Mega Gold mega mutant on stage at the first evening of Apefest. In addition to Apefest ‘22, we’ve hosted activations at NFT London ‘22, NFT NYC ‘23, Apefest ‘23. Most recently, we were a launch partner for Yuga labs’ Made By Apes initiative, a co-sponsor of the F*ck It Saturday event in Miami, FL and Meetup At The Clubhouse event at NFT NYC ‘24, will be a part of Apefest ‘24 and we have a very successful track record of partnering with related projects to achieve mutually beneficial results.
AppliedPrimate Presentation Deck
In early August 2024 we launched the closed alpha test of the MegaForce Arena, a MegaForce Sentinel on-chain card game, which was built under advisement and consultation by Richard Garfield, the acclaimed creator of Magic: The Gathering (MTG). The game launched as a PVP game and we are looking to expand and evolve the 1v1 gaming experience with a Tournament module in concert with George Elias, the architect behind MTG’s extremely successful tournament structure.
Learn more about the game here: What is MegaForce Arena? | MegaForce Arena Card Game - FAQ
We seek ApeCoin Dao funds to create a co-branded tournament and other gaming enhancements that serve to provide entertainment and opportunity to existing and new ApeCoin holders while also onboarding members of our community and the broader gaming community into the Dao and the ApeCoin ecosystem not only through adoption and acquisition of the token but also through exposure and awareness of the governance and mechanics of the ApeCoin Dao.
Proposal:
Get AppliedPrimate onto ApeChain. Take our extensively developed, extremely balanced, highly replayable and addictive game mainstream. Fund a co-branded tournament to enhance ApeCoin adoption and engagement within the gaming community. Onboard the worldwide TCG community to ApeChain.
About Us:
Fragment Studios is an interactive media studio that was founded by PTM (@ptmNFT) that aims to leverage highly sought-after NFT IP to create innovative storytelling projects with unparalleled community ownership opportunities. AppliedPrimate is Fragment’s genesis project, utilizing interactive experiences, puzzles, and games to create compelling lore and engagement around the legendary Mega Mutant Apes of the Bored Ape Yacht Club ecosystem and the original IP of the MegaForce Sentinels.
Motivation
We seek ApeCoin DAO funds to take AppliedPrimate to the next level – through enabling us to penetrate the $10 billion dollar worldwide market that includes hundreds of millions of active players. We will cater to the existing web3 market by bringing our game onto ApeChain as a dApp. We will approach and entice the web2 market through physical presence and versions of our game which will be used as advertisement and an opportunity to educate and onboard into web3 and onto ApeChain. We will incentivize players and user acquisition. We will also establish an ongoing tournament structure powered by ApeCoin on ApeChain for the MegaForce Sentinel Card Game. This initiative aims to attract card game enthusiasts to web3, with ApeCoin serving as the primary token for tournament play and rewards, fostering increased adoption and utility of ApeCoin on ApeChain.
We present this proposal to request funding to create an ongoing tournament structure powered by ApeCoin for the AppliedPrimate MegaForce Sentinel Card Game. We’ve built and just released (in closed alpha to AP token holders) a card game in the AppliedPrimate narrative world which takes place in the extended Yugaverse and tells an origin story of the MAYC Mega Mutants, especially Mega Radioactive and Mega Gold. We have ambitious plans in the works to expand the scope of our storytelling through partnership and acquisition.
We developed our debut game under advisement with the legendary game designer Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic: the Gathering and other groundbreaking games that have changed gaming in remarkable ways and our game has already received rave reviews from the alpha testing community. We now want to create an ApeCoin-powered ongoing tournament on Apechain to bring card game enthusiasts into web3 to compete using our game.
The tournament will be co-branded ApeCoin and AppliedPrimate, and ApeCoin will be the primary token for tournament play including initial buy-in and power-ups, with attractive ApeCoin prizes for winners and participants to expand use cases and the user base of ApeCoin. We will also include the ApeCoin holder community as participants in our game by designing an exclusive ApeCoin-themed sentinel card that will be claimable for ApeCoin holders and other upcoming benefits.
Specifications
Details on ApeCoin Integration:
- ApeCoin Primary Sponsor Branding: the “powered by ApeCoin” branding will be present in all tournament related branding and we will aim to mention ApeCoin often when we discuss anything related to the tournament.
- ApeCoin as Primary Tournament Token: We propose to incorporate ApeCoin as the primary in-game token for participating in tournaments, creating a direct use case and demand for the token within the gaming community.
- ApeCoin Prizes for Winners and Participants: To incentivize participation and foster a competitive environment, we will offer attractive ApeCoin amounts as prizes for tournament winners and participants. This will not only attract more players to the game but also drive increased adoption and usage of ApeCoin.
- ApeCoin integration into our lore: Our lore currently incorporates IP granted through NFT ownership including but not limited to MAYC Mega Mutants, BAYC apes, Otherside Kodas and we have partnered with Jenkins the Valet’s Writers Room, Goblintown, the Mutant Cartel, Myth Division, the Crazy Carl Collective, Yuga Labs and Animoca/Forj’s TasteMakerz. At the same time we have taken the inspiration from those granted IP-rights and created new IP that incorporates original ideas with the awareness of the web3 space. We would seek to position Apecoin into our narrative for additional promotional effect and community awareness.
- Special ApeCoin-Themed Sentinel Card: With the integration, ApeCoin holders will be able to claim a unique and exclusive ApeCoin-themed sentinel card for use within the MegaForce Sentinel game. These limited-edition cards will be a mark of distinction and prestige for ApeCoin holders, increasing the demand and value of the ApeCoin token. The card will also provide holders with a special playing card that can be used within the game and afford them an entry into standard and tournament play.
Rationale/Value Add
- Increased Token Utility: partnering to create the MegaForce Sentinel tournament structure will enhance the utility of the ApeCoin token in gaming, its stated core market, making it more versatile and valuable for holders by creating an additional use case and fostering distribution and spending of the token.
- Exposure and Outreach: The partnership with MegaForce Sentinel will expose ApeCoin to a large and engaged gaming community, potentially increasing its user base and overall awareness. Our game was designed under advisement and in consultation with Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic: The Gathering. We have an extensive marketing and promotional plan prepared for 2025 and beyond that will target fans of Richard and MTG from the web2 space and aim to bring them into web3 and introduce them to ApeCoin.
- Strengthened Community Engagement: The ApeCoin-themed sentinel card will create a strong sense of community pride and engagement among ApeCoin holders, fostering loyalty and retention.
- Economic Growth: The use of ApeCoin as the primary token for tournaments will create organic demand, resulting in a positive impact on its market value and long-term sustainability.
- Fragment $MEGA Token: As part of the Fragment Studios gaming universe we intend to issue a DN404 token: $MEGA. No less than 20% of the token supply will be airdropped to or claimable by the ApeCoin DAO Treasury, ApeCoin holders and across the following communities: ApeCoin, Mocaverse and AppliedPrimate.
Key Terms:
MegaForce Sentinel: The 10K PFP collection released by AppliedPrimate in April 2023. These tokens are the primary playing piece of the MegaForce Sentinel Game, a PvP card game designed by acclaimed game designer Christian Kudhal under advisement by Richard Garfield. Each Sentinel PFP bears a series of traits which correspond to a playing card for use in the game. Players can bring up to 10 Sentinels with them into each match and the cards spawned by those Sentinel traits are randomly selected and shuffled into a deck for use in the corresponding match against their opponent.
Tournament Play: Building on the initial success of Magic: The Gathering, Brand Manager George “Skaff” Elias created and devised a tournament structure of Pro tournament play that enabled MTG to expand to a series of competitive international leagues that culminate in an annual World Championship, with cash prizes awarded to top players.
Platforms and Technologies: Base, ApeChain, and may expand to other chains in the future, Vercel for hosting frontend UI, GoDaddy or Squarespace for domain hosting (TBD), smart contracts.
Timeline & Steps To Implement
Steps to Implement for AppliedPrimate MegaForce Sentinel Tournament
Proposal Passes and Grant Agreements Signed
- AppliedPrimate will sign a grant agreement with the ApeCoin Foundation to initiate the project.
Development of Tournament Architecture
- Begin the development of the tournament architecture using ApeCoin and the Apechain integration. This includes finalizing the game mechanics and the tournament module, with input from game design experts and advisors alongside feedback from alpha testers.
Brand and Marketing Initiatives
- Develop and launch a co-branded marketing campaign to promote the tournament. This includes website updates, promotional materials, publicity and outreach to both the ApeCoin and AppliedPrimate communities to gather sign-ups and increase awareness.
- Iterative Development and Deployment
- Smart Contract Development: Start by establishing the requirements for the tournament’s smart contracts and submit the code for audit. This will be the foundation for tournament play and prize distribution.
- Smart Contract Audits: Ensure all smart contracts are audited before deployment to guarantee security and functionality.
- Backend and Frontend Development: Proceed with the development of necessary backend solutions and user interfaces, ensuring they are integrated with ApeCoin and the blockchain.
- Exclusive ApeCoin-Themed Sentinel Card Development: Design and integrate the exclusive card within the game, making it claimable for ApeCoin holders.
Community Engagement and Updates
- Keep the community engaged through regular updates on development progress, upcoming events, and beta testing opportunities. This will be conducted via social media, community forums, and direct communications.
Milestone 1: Grant Agreement Signed and Project Kick-off
- Estimated Timeline: 1 month
Milestone 2: Complete Smart Contract Development and Initial Audits
- Estimated Timeline: 3 months
Milestone 3: Launch Marketing Campaign and Community Engagement Initiatives
- Estimated Timeline: 2 months concurrent with development milestones
Milestone 4: Final Testing and Launch of Tournament Module
- Estimated Timeline: 2 months following development and audits
Milestone 5: Rollout Exclusive ApeCoin-Themed Sentinel Cards
- Estimated Timeline: 1 month post-tournament launch
Milestone 6: A roadshow to the top TCG conventions worldwide: Gen Con, PAX, Essen Spiel, San Diego Comic-Con & UK Games Expo & ongoing appearances and engagements at relevant web3 events
- Estimated Timeline: 9 months
Total Estimated Time: 18 months
Overall Cost:
We are seeking a funding grant of TBD USD paid in APE to cover the following expenses:
- Tournament Architecture, Development and Apechain Integration (est. 50%): We will work with our team of internal developers and our development partners to create, implement, and maintain the programming needed to properly run the tournaments and distribute prizes on-chain, deliver value to holders, etc.
- Branding, Design and Artwork (est. 10%): Commissioning skilled artists and animators to create captivating ApeCoin-themed sentinel cards and integrating ApeCoin branding into the tournament brand and visual identity. Working with an agency to brand the MegaForce Sentinel Card Game on ApeChain for best results in the web3 market and the web2 TCG market that currently boasts hundreds of millions of users and over 6 billion dollars in worldwide revenue annually.
- Marketing and Promotion (est. 15%): Allocating significant resources to market the game, tournaments and the ApeChain dApp to a broad gaming audience through PR, Content Strategy and social Media Strategy/Management.
- Tournament Prizes (est. 10%): Setting aside ApeCoin amounts as tournament prizes to attract players and encourage participation.
- Roadshow & Sponsorships (est. 15%): work with event planners and coordinators to create a MegaForce & ApeChain co-branded experience, sponsorships & exposure designed to reach the TCG market and educate and onboard them.
Detailed Cost Breakdown and Allocations by Ape Foundation:
TBD allocated to developers for dedicated engineering resources for 9 months to develop Tournament Architecture, Game and Web app Development, Smart Contract development, and Apechain Integration (50%):
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Project Manager (1)
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Smart Contract Developers (2)
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Frontend Developers (2)
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Backend Developers (2)
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QA Engineers (2)
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Tournament Live Support Engineer (1)
TBD Allocated to Fragment Studios for Tournament Operations over 18 months (50%)
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Project Manager (1)
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Design/Creative (2)
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Writer (1)
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Animations
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2D/3D Video assets
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Branding/Advertising/Marketing
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Social Media Manager (1)
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Community Manager (1)
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Event Director (1)
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Community Tournament Moderator (1)
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Tournament Architecture Design Consultant (1)
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MegaForce Gaming Exhibitions
Total Cost: TBD - to be paid in $APE
Conclusion:
An ApeCoin partnership for the MegaForce Sentinel On Chain Card Game represents a remarkable opportunity to expand the utility and value of our token. By using our casual card game and advisory relationship with Richard Garfield and George Elias, one of the masterminds behind the MTG organized play strategy, to market to gamers who might currently not be interested in web3 gaming we can expand not only the holder base of ApeCoin but the audience of web3 gaming in general.
Further, by offering exclusive ApeCoin-themed sentinel cards and establishing ApeCoin as the primary token for tournaments, we can create a mutually beneficial relationship with MegaForce Sentinels while providing tangible benefits to ApeCoin holders. With your support and funding, we are confident that this project will unlock new growth avenues and contribute significantly to the long-term success of ApeCoin.
We kindly request the ApeCoin DAO Community to consider this proposal and grant the requested funding of TBD for the successful execution of this strategic integration.
Thank you for your time and consideration.