IIP-44

IMPLEMENTED

Simple Summary

This IIP presents a structured pathway for the inception, evaluation, and development of game proposals. It is aimed at harnessing the collective intelligence and creative power of the Illuvium community, ensuring democratic participation and optimizing the success potential of new ventures.

Abstract

This IIP has 3 key Components. In the overview section there is a suggested lay out of the key deliverables for 1 and 2:

• Pre Planning Genre Research Documentation: sets the guidelines for Illuvium Labs to prepare an extensive genre market research report to provide the IMC with the most up to date information on industry trends, current studio capabilities, and many more factors for each genre upon request.
• Genre Analysis Document: Sets Guidelines for Illuvium Labs to create a public facing document that will compile the information in the market research report and provide the DAO publicly a high level understanding of which genres will benefit the DAO and have the highest chance of success.
• Game Pitch Process Flow: This IIP lays out how the new game pitch selection process would be established. Explaining key steps such as submission, required documentation, evaluation, and ultimately how they will be selected and placed in the pipeline of work.

Overview

1.) Pre Planning Genre Research Documentation

a.) Market Analysis Document

Purpose:

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current gaming market, potential growth areas, and where Illuvium can gain a competitive advantage.

Contents:

• Genre Popularity Analysis
• List of top game genres in terms of revenue and player base.
• Trend analysis for each genre over the past 5 years.
• Projected Popularity
• Player Base Segmentation
• Detailed segmentation of players: age, monetization interests, platform, gender, region,
• Overlay current player base to see potential for cross-selling or upselling.
• Web3 and Gaming
• Analysis of the saturation of genres in the WEB3 space.
• Opportunities and challenges in the intersection of WEB3 and gaming.
• Competition Analysis
• Detailed breakdown of top games in each genre, their player base size, and revenue.DLC launch dates, major updates, and expansion packs for top competitors.
• • Providing region reports could provide further insights into governance decision making.
• Impact of current ip on the market
• Creating games of similar genre that have already been developed.

b.) Internal Capability Assessment Document

Purpose:

To understand illuvium’s current strengths, weaknesses, and what gaps exist in venturing into a new genre.

Contents:

• Team's Experience Profile
• Breakdown of the team's overall experience by game genre.
• List of past projects and achievements.
• Resource Allocation
• Available resources vs. what's needed for each genre.
• Recruitment Analysis
• Cost and timeline for recruiting essential/key personnel for different genres.
• Outsourcing costs
• Developer Motivation
• Devs are driven to work on X genre

c.) IP Value Proposition Document

Purpose:

To analyze the potential benefits of illuvium’s Intellectual Property by diversifying into a new genre.

Contents:

• Genre & IP Synergy Analysis
• How each genre can add value to or leverage your existing IP.
• Social Gaming Elements Evaluation
• Analysis of multiplayer, co-op, and MMO elements. Potential for integrating these into your games.

d.) Development Timeline Document

Purpose:

To lay out the estimated timeline and milestones for developing a game in the new genre.

Contents:

• Genre-wise Development Estimates
• Detailed timelines for pre-production, production, and post-production phases for each genre.
• Major Milestones
• Alpha, beta testing, and launch dates.
• Marketing and promotion milestones.

e.) Financial Projections Document

Purpose:

To estimate the potential revenue, costs, and profitability of venturing into a new genre.

Contents:

• Genre-wise Revenue Projections
• Based on market size, player base, and historic trends.
• Cost Projections
• Development, marketing, post-launch support, and other associated costs.
• ROI Estimates
• General timelines for a game in that genre
• Break-even analysis for each genre
• Expected profitability and revenue growth.

f.) Asset Reuse & Integration Document

Purpose:

To assess the potential of current assets for reuse or adaptation within a new genre, ensuring both resource efficiency and brand consistency.

Contents:

• Asset Inventory
• Asset Catalog: A comprehensive list of all assets available, including character models, game mechanics, environments, soundtracks, narratives, etc.
• Asset Evaluation
• Genre Compatibility: Identify which genres each asset can naturally fit into.
• Modification Potential: Determine if an asset can be modified to suit the new genre or if it’s better to create new ones.
• Integration Strategies
• Genre Matching: Assess how existing assets can be blended into prospective genres, ensuring seamless integration.
• Narrative Extensions: Opportunities to expand current narratives or lore into the new game, offering a unified gaming universe for players.
• Mechanical Transference: Investigate game mechanics that can be repurposed or modified for the new genre.
• Financial Implications
• Cost Savings Analysis: Calculate potential savings from reusing assets as opposed to creating new ones from scratch.
• Investment Analysis: Determine any costs associated with modifying existing assets for the new genre.
• Looking back to other games, content updates

g.) Blockchain Integration Strategy Document

Purpose:

To outline the potential avenues, benefits, and challenges of integrating blockchain technology into the gaming ecosystem.

Contents:

• Integration Opportunities
• Tokenization of Assets: Convert in-game items into tokens, giving them tangible value outside the game.
• Smart Contracts: Utilize for in-game mechanics like trades, missions, or events, ensuring fairness.
• Decentralized Gaming: Highlight the benefits of a decentralized gaming ecosystem and potential integration points.
• Blockchain gaming Feasibility:is possible to integrate Web3 gaming in said genre and specifically is there a way to ensure Our Core NFTs will be incorporated in said genr(i.e Illuvials, fuel, and other universe NFTs ).
• Cross-game Synergies
• Asset Portability: Leverage blockchain to allow assets to be used across different games, enhancing player loyalty and engagement.
• Shared Gaming Universe: Explore the idea of different games sharing a blockchain-based universe where actions in one game might impact another.
• Challenges & Solutions
• Scalability Issues: Address concerns about potential bottlenecks or performance issues.
• Transaction Costs: Offer solutions to the potential high gas fees associated with blockchain transactions.
• Security: Discuss ways to ensure the blockchain integration remains secure from hacks or unauthorized access.
• Financial Implications
• Cost Analysis: Break down the initial and ongoing costs associated with blockchain integration.
• Revenue Streams: Highlight potential new revenue avenues opened up by the blockchain, such as the sale of tokenized assets.

2.) Genre Analysis Document

a.) Genre Categories

List all potential game genres considered vertically in the first column. This might include: RPG, FPS, MMORPG, Adventure, Racing, Horror, Simulation, Sports, etc.

b.) Evaluation Criteria

Here are potential criteria the team could use to evaluate each genre along with any information included in the Market research Documentation:

• Market Size: Estimated number of players or revenue generated by games in this genre.
• Asset Reusability: The feasibility and impact of reusing current assets in this genre.
• Blockchain and code reuasability: Will we have to start coding from scratch or will it seamlessly cross over.
• Blockchain Integration Potential: How well the genre can integrate with blockchain features like tokenization, smart contracts, etc.
• Development Timeline: Estimated time to develop a game in this genre.
• IP Enhancement: The potential of the genre to add value to your studio's Intellectual Property.
• Competition: Degree of saturation and competition in the market for this genre.
• Team's Experience: The current expertise your team has in this genre.
• ROI Potential: Estimated return on investment for developing a game in this genre.
• Player Base Overlap: Potential overlap with your current player base, indicating chances of cross-selling or up-selling.

c.) Genre status

Once the preplanning documentations and genre information have been collected, genres can be placed in 5 categories. Each of these categories represents the feasibility of developing a game in the specified genre. Some genres do not garner the support of the team or have other stringent factors and will fall in the Black category, while other genres tick all the boxes and fall in the Green category as a result. Red, orange and Yellow are intermediate categories where the proposals are more and more feasible to be built. A game genre falls in a specific category if even one of their respective statements is true. For example: A game genre that garners the support of the team, can be developed with the current team members but costs an insurmountable amount of money falls in the category Black.

Black category

There are limitations that make this genre unviable:

• The studio is against building a game in this genre
• We would have to raise an amount of money that is not currently possible
• We are not sure how to even get the talent to make a game

Red Category

While not impossible, there are clear issues with the genre:

• The studio is not motivated by this genre
• We would need a significant amount of money (X-X)
• We would need to contract out a new studio for this game

Orange Category

There are definite points of concern to realize the genre:

• The studio is not significantly motivated by this genre
• We would need to raise a moderate amount of money to ensure development (X-X)
• We would need to hire a substantial amount of new talent to complete the game

Yellow Category

The genre has the team’s support but:

• We would need to raise a small amount of money to ensure development (X-X)
• We would need a few key hires to build the game

Green Category

The genre ticks all the boxes and makes for a viable next avenue of development:

• The team is motivated by this genre
• Developing the game is within our current budget
• We currently have the capabilities to develop the game.

3.) Game Pitch Process Flow

The way the DAO collects and evaluates proposals must be thorough and all encompassing. We aim to leverage our massive community for both ideation and selection process to best decide the future. It is important in a DAO that we are ensuring every stakeholder within has the opportunity to contribute. Before jumping into the process flow here are some definitions:

Definitions

• Illuvium Game Pitch (IGP) - A formal proposal submission for a specific game that includes the following (Templates and specific requirements will be provided by Epoch 9):
• • Illuvium Game Pitch Proposal (IGPP), White paper on concept
  • • This is akin to an IIP and will be submitted to snapshot and voted on similarly if support is gained.
  • Pitch deck
  • Game Evaluation SpreadSheet
  • • A subjective ranking report of key market research categories of the game pitch. These will be presented to the public and can be used as talking points for members of the DAO to support or debate metrics provided
  • A General Questionnaire Form
  • • This will include various questions around the pitch as well as accepting terms and conditions around the submission of sponsored pitch
• Pitch Review Board (PRB) - A special hearing where the IMC, select committee, and Studio team members will hear out IGP’s and will provide judgment on all pitches that have gained sufficient community sentiment. These meetings will be called at a select time(s) in the game development evolution where the team is close to being able to work on new IP. These meetings will be determined and initiated by an IMC Vote requiring a supermajority support.
• Illuvium Pitch Jam (IPJ) - A major hackathon-like event announced by the IMC when it is time to craft, collect, and review IGP’s. Once announced, anyone who sponsors a new IGP can be opted to be placed in the IPJ pool instead of a regular Illuvium Game Pitch Forum. They will follow a different review process as denoted below compared to ongoing pitches that are sponsored throughout the year. Sponsors who participate in the event may have the opportunity to earn rewards based on the success of their proposal. These events can be highly marketable and can be another way to bring attention to the DAO.
• • Rewards could include: POAP, Cosmetic, Promotional, and various game NFTs, ILV or ETH, and potentially more.
  • These events would be announced with a minimum of a 1 month leadway and will be followed by a Pitch Review Board. In this announcement an updated Genre Analysis Document will be provided to the DAO to help direct the community towards brainstorming what has the highest chance of being selected and provide the best opportunity for illuvium. Also acting as a guideline for the IMC/committee during the review board.

The proposed process will be split into two submission categories to ensure we are actively hearing out game pitches throughout the year as well as highly concentrated events that will motivate the entire community and possibly other studios within the industry to participate and innovate the next generation of top Tier illuvium IP.

Ongoing Pitch Intake Process

1. New Forum is made “Illuvium Game Pitches” within the discord and/or the eventual governance website. Where community, team members, and/or external organizations can submit a proposal.
2. The Illuvium Community Council then vets that all documentation is complete and meets requirements.
3. Once approved The Sponsor(s) can then request a town hall to pitch the IGP to the community. The Governance Admin(if established) will work with Community management and the sponsor to find a date and time within a minimum of 7 days for the town hall.
4. • They would have X mins Present, X mins Q and A
4. The proposal would then need to receive over X support over x days
5. The pitch Proposal would then be voted on at the Illuvium community council
6. • If it passes Illuvium Community Council it will be placed in a holding pool till a Pitch Review Board is called.
   • If it is rejected the sponsor can not submit a proposal of the same genre for the next three months.

Illuvium Pitch Jam Process

1. An Illuvium Pitch Jam is announced and suggested Genre analysis Document is provided to the public.
2. Sponsors would have a minimum of 1 month to submit proposals to the IPJ pool that would not be publicly visible at first.
3. • Illuvium Community Council would vet proposals.
3. Once the deadline is reached there would be a 24hour period where any last minute submissions would be reviewed by ICC as well as sort them by Genre
4. All submissions would then be revealed, opening the Forums for discussion, debate, and voting. There would be a 2 week period where only a select number of games with greatest community support per genre and/or Genre status would advance.
5. • During IPJ announcement the IMC will defined these parameters
5. Winners of select categories would then have a pitch contest for both the community and IMC/Committee.
6. The IMC/Committee would then select 1 or several winner(s) that would win in the Illuvium Pitch Jam. These games would then be placed in the holding pool for the Game Review Board. Placements for the other games would also be determined and any rewards would be distributed accordingly.

Game Review Board

1. All games currently in the Holding pool would provide an extended pitch to the Review Board.
2. The IMC would then have a period of time(x Days) consulting the viability with the committees and the studio. The studio may request an extension to do Prototyping and testing to get a better understanding of the scope of such a project.
3. After that period the team would present findings and suggestions for such a game to the IMC. A super majority is required to approve the eventual build of said game. The game would then be added to the end of the production queue.
4. • In the event that there are several games in the queue and a stakeholder feels that the order should be different There will be a process in which the community can propose a change to the queue up until the team has announced they have officially started.

Special considerations

1. In the following two situations sponsors can provide additional information if they are wanting to develop the game using the Illuvim Brand, requesting a position on the team to build sponsored game and/or other special considerations such as NDAs and partnership terms and conditions.
2. • External organizations Studios: These partnerships can be potentially hard to navigate. It should be expected that all terms and conditions will not be publicly available, but we should not limit the potential growth of illuvium by forcing all the details in the open. Due to this nature, it is suggested these pitches are not submitted in the illuvium Pitch Jam path as they may have to compete with more visible community driven ideas.
   • Sponsors who request the opportunity to be the creative director(or hold a different role within illuvium labs) or have other requirements of the game they pitched will be able to state that in the questionnaire and Illuvium labs will reach out separately.
2. Any public information from the pitch that is presented is required to be their own work. The sponsor will not have any rights to the IP they present. Official terms and Conditions will have to be accepted in the questionnaire that is vetted by Illuvium Legal team.

Appendix A: Illuvium Game Pitch Proposal(IGPP)

This document will include key concepts and deliverables of the game pitch.

Appendix B: Pitch Deck

Would provide information on pitch expectations and requirements

Appendix C: Game Evaluation Spreadsheet

This is a subjective scoring sheet that will provide a place for the sponsor to explain why it rates high in key categories. These will provide good conversation points in the Forums

Evaluation Criteria

Here is some of the criteria a sponsor may evaluate for their pitch:

• Market Size: Estimated number of players or revenue generated by games in this genre.
• Asset Reusability: The feasibility and impact of reusing current assets from illuvium.
• Blockchain Integration Potential: How well the game can integrate with blockchain features like tokenization, smart contracts, etc.
• IP Enhancement: The potential of the genre to add value to your studio's Intellectual Property. = Competition: Degree of saturation and competition in the market for this genre.
• Innovation: A rating based on innovative mechanics that have not been seen in similar games of the genre
• Epoch 9 council will set up exact requirements and sponsors may add additional categories they feel would be worth showcasing and explaining

Conclusion

Once this IIP is approved the IMC would have the authority to request Pre-Planning Genre Research and Genre analysis documents when they feel it is time to start considering the next game. The DAO as a whole will understand how to pitch new game ideas and have a clear picture of the future and how illuvium will expand its IP.