The future of web3 gaming industry is not what you think (3/4)

Gaming is widely considered the frontrunner for blockchain’s practical application and its role in popularizing web3. GameFi, with its remarkable growth and necessary adjustments during the last bull market, aims to transform how we engage with games. Undoubtedly, blockchain has the power to profoundly impact the gaming industry by offering meaningful enhancements. In the article series titled “The future of web3 gaming industry is not what you think,” I explore the future of web3 gaming and propose community-driven approaches that have the potential to revolutionize the gaming industry.

In the first part of this series, I explore the factors that must be considered when introducing meaningful innovations to the blockchain gaming sector, with a focus on decentralizing creative work within game development, like in game design or visual design. Part 2 of the series examines the 6 stages of the design thinking process and explores various approaches to decentralizing each stage.

Moving on to part 3, I will analyze the types of creative work involved in the 6 stages of the design thinking process and examine their direct implications for developers working on web3 games. I will examine the range of tasks associated with various individuals involved in a creative project and how to solve them, with a particular emphasis on those occupying creative leadership positions. This comprehensive analysis sets to provide valuable insights into effectively decentralizing creative productions and offer practical guidance applicable to creative work across different sectors of the entertainment industries.

Afterwards, in the last part of the article series, I will provide a practical demonstration based on my own project, CrowdControl, showcasing how game development can be decentralized. This hands-on example will effectively tie together all the previous parts of the article series, offering a comprehensive and cohesive perspective on the potential future of the web3 gaming industry.

Decentralising creative leadership roles

For the sake of simplification, I will use the name “creative director” to summarize creative leadership positions in this article. While I don’t believe that every creative work is the same, there are significant similarities in terms of leadership tasks and skills.

Before diving into the specifics of task allocation in a decentralized game development environment, it is important to examine the rationale behind decentralizing decision-making and leadership roles, which I will refer to as the “aggregated creative director”.

Potential advantages of decentralizing leadership roles

• Increased diversity and inclusivity: Decentralizing creative leadership positions allows for a more diverse range of perspectives, experiences, and ideas to be incorporated into the project. This can lead to richer and more innovative creative outcomes. Decentralization also enables the aggregated creative director to stay more attuned to market trends, as each leader can bring their unique perspectives and insights. This could allow for quicker adjustments to creative strategies and aligning the project with emerging market demands.
• Empowerment of individual contributors: By distributing creative leadership responsibilities, individual contributors aka players have the opportunity to take ownership and make meaningful contributions to the project. This can boost morale, motivation, and engagement of the players, as it allows actual players to express their creative ideas and contribute directly to the project’s direction. It fosters a sense of ownership and encourages creative autonomy, leading to more innovative outcomes.
• Enhanced collaboration, cooperation and collective intelligence: Decentralization encourages collaborative decision-making and fosters a culture of shared responsibility. With aggregated creative leadership, different strengths and expertise could be leveraged, leading to better problem-solving and decision-making processes. Decentralization encourages collaboration and cooperation among players, as they work together to achieve common project goals. It nurtures a culture of shared knowledge, learning, and mutual support.
• Reduced hierarchy and bureaucracy: Decentralization minimizes hierarchical structures and bureaucratic processes, enabling faster and more agile creative workflows. This could result in streamlined communication, quicker iterations, and faster project delivery. This would close the gap between game developers and player feedback.
• Flexibility and faster decision-making: Decentralized creative leadership could allow for more flexibility in response to changing project needs. With creative leadership distributed among multiple individuals, decisions can be made more swiftly without being bottlenecked by a single decision-maker. This facilitates a faster pace of work and promotes agile creative processes.
• Risk mitigation, enhanced resilience and continuity: Having aggregated leadership decisions reduces the risk associated with relying on a single individual’s vision or decision-making. Decentralization spreads the responsibility and potential risks across a broader set of leaders, increasing the project’s resilience. In the event of a change or departure of a creative leader, decentralization ensures that the project’s creative vision and momentum are not overly disrupted. Other leaders can step in and contnue driving the project forward, maintaining its continuity.
• Increased innovation, healthy competition and creativity: Decentralization promotes a culture of experimentation, exploration, and innovation. With diverse creative leaders contributing their unique perspectives, the project is more likely to generate fresh and unconventional ideas, driving creativity and innovation forward. Having multiple creative leaders fosters a healthy sense of competition, pushing each leader to bring their best ideas forward. This competitive environment can spur creativity and result in higher-quality creative outputs.
• Encouragement of leadership development: Decentralization offers opportunities for players to step into creative leadership roles, fostering their professional growth and development. This can lead to a stronger talent pipeline and succession planning within the creative project. By offering opportunities for players to be part of the creative leadership, decentralization attracts and retains top talent within the project. The prospect of taking on leadership responsibilities can serve as a strong motivator and incentive for skilled players to contribute their expertise.
• Adaptability to remote and distributed teams: Decentralization aligns well with remote and distributed work setups, as it facilitates collaboration and decision-making across geographically dispersed teams. It enables seamless coordination and engagement regardless of physical location. This ecosystem can thrive through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and continuous learning.

Types of tasks in the 6 stage design process and the role of creative directors

In part 2 I outlined the function of each stage in game development processes and compared how a decentralized approach would compare to the traditional “centralized” approach. Now let’s take a closer look at the particular key tasks involved in each stage. Which tasks would change hands, and which new responsibilities could emerge?

Working tasks can be broken down into different categories based on criteria like nature, priority, responsibility, complexity or dependencies. We can also distinguish between different types of tasks: Incidental tasks, coordinated tasks and planned tasks. Incidental tasks are spontaneous single-case tasks and usually simple in their execution. In comparison, even if a coordinated task were incidental, they are more complex and involve multiple responsible parties to work on it. Then there are planned tasks, which are usually part of a higher-level process and require detailed planning because of their complexity, dependencies and overarching importance to reach certain project goals. Here is a list of different tasks one might encounter in a planned work project:

Initiation Tasks: These tasks are usually performed at the beginning of a project and include defining the project, gathering requirements, and securing approvals or funding.

Planning Tasks: These tasks involve setting goals, creating timelines, allocating resources, and developing a project plan.

Execution Tasks: These are the tasks involved in the actual implementation of the project. They may include:

• Development Tasks: Involving the creation or development of products, services, or in other words results.
• Operational Tasks: Including routine tasks necessary for running operations smoothly.
• Communication Tasks: Ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and engaged.
• Collaboration Tasks: Facilitating teamwork and collaboration among team members.
• Quality Assurance Tasks: Checking the quality of the work done and ensuring it meets the required standards.

Administrative Tasks: These tasks include paperwork, documentation, and other organizational tasks that support the project but are not directly tied to producing deliverables.

Research and Analysis Tasks: These tasks involve collecting information and analyzing it to make more informed decisions throughout the project.

Problem-Solving Tasks: Addressing and resolving issues that arise during the course of the project.

Resource Management Tasks: These tasks involve managing and allocating resources such as manpower, materials, and budget for the project.

Monitoring and Control Tasks: These tasks are about tracking the performance of the project, ensuring that it stays on schedule and within budget. They also involve identifying and mitigating risks.

Closing Tasks: These are tasks performed at the end of a project, such as finalizing deliverables, obtaining formal acceptance from stakeholders, and conducting a post-project review.

Now let’s take a look at the tasks throughout the 6 design stages and identify the aspects that still fall within the realm of the creative director in a decentralized gaming production; which new tasks emerge for them; and which creative tasks would be handed over to the crowd.

Stage 1 — Empathise + Research

Understand the users, their needs and the purpose of the design.

At the beginning of the design process, the first stage entails initiation tasks and research and analysis tasks. In a traditional game production, the creative director would typically be involved in all aspects of initiation. However, in a decentralized game development process, the role of the creative director may vary depending on the micro and macro environment. While the creative director would still focus on tasks related to the overall business environment and game development, such as game mechanics and user experience, their responsibilities on a micro level might shift towards engaging the user community and facilitating their input in the research process.

In a decentralized setting, the creative director would need to create a system that enables direct expression of user preferences, idea exchange, and voting on desired features while conducting research for the project. This approach empowers the community and allows their insights to shape the direction of the game. Additionally, execution tasks, such as operational, communication, and collaboration tasks, play a significant role in the initial stage of the design process.

The development team, led by executive positions and department leads, initiates the project by conducting research and interviews with the target audience to understand their gaming behavior and market trends. These initiation tasks, along with research and analysis, set the foundation for the project. The creative director’s involvement in these tasks may vary in a decentralized game development process, depending on the specific circumstances. However, they remain crucial in ensuring the overall success and alignment of the project with the intended objectives.

Let’s see how we are approaching this at CrowdControl.

On a macro level, the role of our creative directors remains significant in a decentralized game development environment. They are responsible for design tasks that encompass the overall business environment, such as product design. This includes researching and developing the game itself, including game mechanics and user experience. We ensure that the game aligns with the intended vision and objectives, taking into account market trends and player preferences.

However, on a micro level, the directors’ tasks may shift towards engaging with the user community. In this role, the we focus on researching specific trends for game assets by directly involving users in the process. This can be facilitated through a system that enables users to express their preferences, exchange ideas, and vote on their wishes as aggregated creative directors. By leveraging this system, we would no longer need to identify the desired game content independently. Instead, we can rely on the user community to seek out features they desire, such as a control deck for our trading card game.

To successfully fulfill this role, we design a system that encourages and facilitates user input throughout the research and development process. This involves creating platforms or mechanisms that allow users to actively participate, express their creative ideas, and contribute directly to the direction of the game. By keeping the design of such a system in mind, we can ensure that user input is integrated effectively into the research phase. This approach empowers the user community and enables the creative director to tap into their collective knowledge and preferences, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and user-centric game design process.

Stage 2 — Define

Clearly outline the problems identified and summarize the findings of the first step.

During the define stage of the design process, planning tasks take center stage, and the creative director, in collaboration with the development team, plays a crucial role in shaping the project. Together, they work to clearly define the project’s scope, objectives, key features, core mechanisms, and potential challenges. This process ensures a shared understanding and sets the foundation for the project’s success.

In a decentralized setting, the creative director’s responsibilities remain consistent. They work closely with the development team to break down and bundle the individual creative tasks required for user asset creation. This involves organizing and structuring the various components necessary to bring the project to life. Furthermore, the creative directors collaborate with a system designers to create a user data input interface that streamlines the process and ensures users stay on track. By removing obstacles and providing clear guidelines, this interface will later facilitate the smooth delivery of assets within the decentralized game development environment.

Operational, communication, and collaboration tasks are also vital during the define stage. The creative directors lead the effort to establish effective communication channels within the team, enabling seamless coordination and cooperation. They ensure that team members are aligned with the project’s goals and that the necessary resources are allocated appropriately. This stage requires a balance between planning and execution, as the creative director oversees the operational aspects, ensuring the project progresses according to the defined scope and objectives.

The creative director’s involvement during the define stage is instrumental in setting the project up for success. By taking charge of planning tasks, breaking down creative tasks, designing user input interfaces, and facilitating effective communication and collaboration, they lay the groundwork for the smooth execution of the project in a decentralized game development environment.

Let’s see how we are approaching this at CrowdControl.

When we embarked on designing the cards for our trading card game, our first step was to define the game mechanic components that would contribute to an enjoyable gameplay experience. We carefully considered which aspects would be affected by auto-balancing mechanisms and which ones would be customizable through user data input. This led us to contemplate the implementation of a card creator feature that would allow users to input their own data for in-game asset creation. However, questions arose regarding the design of the user interface for this card creator. How should it be structured to enable intuitive user data input?

Once the game design phase was complete, our attention turned to the visual design of the cards. We needed to determine the information to be displayed on each card and prioritize the presentation of this information effectively. This involved making decisions about the layout, typography, and graphical elements to create an appealing and informative card design. The creative director played a crucial role in defining these goals and ensuring that the visual design aligned with the overall vision for the game.

In the process of tackling these challenges, the creative director assesses the required skill sets and evaluated potential talents who could excel in executing the tasks. As our game development process becomes more decentralized, the distribution of these tasks is facilitated by a system rather than relying solely on the decision of one person. This allows for a broader involvement of talented individuals, ensuring that the right expertise is allocated to each specific task. By embracing decentralization, we are tapping into the collective potential and creative abilities of a diverse group to enrich the development process.

Stage 3 — Brainstorm

Generate a range of ideas without judging their feasibility.

The Brainstorm stage of the design process consists mainly of a mix of planning, execution and problem-solving tasks. The individually assigned creatives will use their skills and expertise in finding the best solutions for solving the previously defined problems. The creative directors supervise this step of the way and provide meaningful guidance. At this stage, we can differentiate between the macro and micro environment of the design. When setting up the initial project, on the macro level, the creative directors will brainstorm ways to systemize and create blueprints which facilitate the idea generation of for in-game content like game mechanics, story, characters, artwork. The evaluation of the blueprints happens on the expert suggestions of department leads and user feedback. On the micro environment level, users will then brainstorm content within the given frameworks. The evaluation of the user-generated content will happen through community voting processes.

Let’s see how we are approaching this at CrowdControl.

At the beginning of our game development process we explored many different game mechanics for our trading card game. The goal was to create something unique, fun to play, with the potential complexity of Magic the Gathering but with the accessibility of Hearthstone. During this brainstorming process, the directors and experts of the departments gave input and created a vision about how the process and interface could look like when decentralizing it in the future. This is how the card creator came to life. On the micro level, the community then uses the card creator to generate in-game content, cards for the trading card game.

Stage 4 — Concept + Prototype

Develop approaches and create prototypes, sketches and concepts based on the ideas with the highest potential.

The concept and prototype stage is a critical phase that encompasses execution, problem-solving, and resource management tasks. Under the guidance of the creative directors, the development team takes the lead in building the minimum viable product (MVP) and refining the blueprints that emerged as the most promising from the previous stage. This macro-level effort focuses on bringing the vision to life and creating a solid foundation for the game.

Simultaneously, at the micro level, users actively participate in the creation of in-game content using the provided blueprints. These blueprints serve as a framework for users to unleash their creativity and contribute to the game’s richness. The creative directors play a vital role by providing guidelines and best practices, ensuring that users have the necessary support and resources to craft their own unique contributions.

In addition to content creation, another important aspect of this stage is the development of a user data input interface blueprint. This blueprint serves as a roadmap for seamlessly integrating user-generated content into the game. By designing an intuitive and user-friendly interface, the creative directors ensure a smooth and efficient process for incorporating user creations, enhancing the overall experience for both creators and players.

The concept and prototype stage is a collaborative effort that combines the expertise of the development team, the creativity of the users, and the guidance of the creative directors. Together, they work towards refining the game’s concept, building the MVP, and establishing a foundation that enables user participation and content integration. This stage lays the groundwork for an engaging and dynamic gaming experience that reflects the collective efforts and contributions of the entire community.

Let’s see how we are approaching this at CrowdControl.

In our trading card game, we have dedicated significant effort to designing and determining the game mechanics that contribute to an enjoyable gaming experience. Through extensive play testing and iterations, we have carefully crafted a diverse array of cards with various types, classes, mechanics, and stats. This meticulous process ensures that each card offers unique strategic possibilities and enhances the overall gameplay dynamics.

To foster user engagement and creativity, we have developed a card creator as a blueprint within our game experience. This innovative feature empowers users to generate their own individual in-game assets. By providing a user-friendly interface and intuitive tools, we enable players to express their creativity and contribute to the ever-expanding universe of our trading card game. The card creator serves as a powerful platform for user-generated content, allowing players to shape and personalize their gameplay experience.

Additionally, we have designed a comprehensive blueprint for the visual aspects of the cards. The card layout is structured in a way that enables seamless replacement of different visual designs for the card frame. This flexibility allows for diverse aesthetics and themes to be incorporated, enriching the visual appeal of the game. Whether it’s vibrant artwork, intricate designs, or thematic variations, the design blueprint ensures that each card’s visual elements can be easily customized to suit individual preferences and artistic styles.

By combining well-designed game mechanics, user-generated visual design through the card creator, we create a dynamic and immersive trading card game. This holistic approach encourages player creativity, enhances gameplay variety, and provides a captivating experience for both creators and players alike. Our commitment to innovation and customization allows us to continually evolve and refine our game, ensuring that it remains engaging, enjoyable, and captivating to a wide range of players.

Stage 5 — Combine + Test

As part of the iterative design process, steps 4 and 5 are repeated until a state is reached where the design meets the needs, problems and purpose defined at the beginning of the design process.

The combine and test stage is an iterative process that encompasses execution, problem-solving, resource management, monitoring, and control tasks. Creative directors oversee this stage, ensuring the integration of individual blueprint pieces into a cohesive user journey. This stage involves testing and evaluation, with a focus on seamless integration of user-generated content into the game environment.

During the combine and test stage, the team combines all the individual blueprint pieces developed in the previous stage to create a unified user journey. This macro-level effort involves integrating various elements and ensuring they work together harmoniously. Under the supervision of creative directors, the team sets up systems to test the integration of user-generated content into the game environment. This allows for a seamless incorporation of approved content into the overall game experience.

Continuous monitoring and adjustment of stats, based on performance and voting mechanisms, are integral to maintaining the quality of the decision-making process. This ensures that the game remains engaging and enjoyable for players. The creative directors play a key role in overseeing the testing phase and making necessary adjustments based on the insights gained.

Let’s see how we are approaching this at CrowdControl.

In our trading card game, we prioritize a seamless integration of game development experience and gameplay itself. To achieve this, we provide creation interfaces for users to generate their own in-game content, empowering them with intuitive tools to unleash their creativity.

User-generated content holds significant value in our game development process. Through a council voting system, user-created assets undergo evaluation and approval. This decentralized decision-making approach ensures community involvement and allows the most deserving creations to become part of the official game.

Testing of assets is a continuous process in our development cycle. Through rigorous evaluation, we assess the performance and impact of user-generated assets within the game environment. Data-driven adjustments, such as stat and mechanic tweaks, based on feedback and performance, ensure a continuous balancing process by the players themselves. We prioritize transparency by providing users with relevant monitoring information. This empowers informed decision-making within the voting process, ensuring that votes are based on comprehensive insights.

At a macro level, our flagship product, the CrowdControl trading card game, features modular and adaptable game mechanics. This versatility allows our mechanics to be utilized and integrated into various game types, promoting cross-game compatibility and expanding their potential.

Our strategic initiatives foster a vibrant and collaborative ecosystem, where players actively shape the game’s content and mechanics as aggregated creative directors. Through user-generated assets, continuous testing, and adaptable game mechanics, we strive to deliver an ever-evolving gameplay experience that reflects the collective creativity and preferences of our player community.

Stage 6 — Implement

Produce the final design and launch it in the intended real-world environment. The creative vision is materialised and translated into the user experience.

The implement stage of the design process is where the creative vision comes to life as the design is launched in the real-world environment. This stage involves execution, monitoring, control, and closing tasks to ensure a successful implementation. Creative directors play a crucial role in overseeing this stage, which includes finalizing game mechanics, creating and integrating assets, testing, debugging, and optimizing performance.

In a decentralized setting, the implementation stage takes on additional dimensions. On a macro level, it involves launching the mainnet and the official game client, setting the foundation for the decentralized game development process. On a micro level, specific user-generated in-game assets are minted and seamlessly implemented into the official game and continuously adjusted through our automated vote-to-balancing mechanisms.

Detailed tracking and documentation of performance data are paramount during implementation. This allows for comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of the game’s performance, enabling the crowd to make data-driven decisions. By analyzing performance data, the players aka the aggregated creative directors can continuously improve and refine the game, ensuring it remains enjoyable and engaging.

Furthermore, the implementation stage in a decentralized environment offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of decentralized game development. By observing the performance and reception of user-generated assets, the team gains a deeper understanding of the impact and value of decentralized decision-making processes. This knowledge contributes to refining the decentralized game development approach and informs future iterations of the design process.

Let’s see how we are approaching this at CrowdControl.

On a macro level, the implementation stage revolves around the launch of the mainnet and the official game client. These pivotal milestones mark the realization of our vision, enabling players to embark on their gaming journey. By establishing a robust technical framework, our aim is to provide a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience for all.

On a micro level, we meticulously mint and seamlessly integrate specific user-generated in-game assets into the official game. These contributions, crafted by our creative community, infuse the gameplay with a wealth of diversity and creativity. By incorporating user-generated content, we enhance the game’s fun factor, offering players an immersive and engaging experience.

Extensive efforts are dedicated to tracking and documenting performance data, ensuring that the game is not just enjoyable, but also finely tuned to captivate players. Through thorough analysis and monitoring, we gain valuable insights into player behavior and preferences. This data-driven approach allows us to continuously optimize the game, delivering an experience that brings joy and excitement to our players.

Our commitment to decentralized game development stems from our desire to maximize player enjoyment and involvement. By empowering the community to participate in content creation and decision-making as aggregated creative directors, we foster a sense of ownership and engagement.

Ultimately, our primary focus during the implementation stage is to create a game that brings a smile to players’ faces. We strive to craft a captivating and immersive world, where players can escape, explore, and have fun. Through attention to detail and a player-centric mindset, we aim to make every moment in our game an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

In this article I have broken down the 6 stages of the design process into different types of creative tasks and how these tasks could be re-distributed from creative directors to decentralized player-focused design decisions. By redefining the role of creative directors and leveraging the power of decentralization, the gaming industry can revolutionize the way games are designed and developed. Engaging the community, fostering collaboration, and embracing innovative approaches to creative leadership will shape the future of web3 gaming, leading to more inclusive, diverse, and immersive gaming experiences. In the fourth and last part of this article series, I will show a practical example of blueprint design at CrowdControl.

About Crowd Control

Hi! I’m Anna. As the co-founder and creative lead of CrowdControl — a community-owned trading card game on — I am responsible in exploring how blockchain can truly innovate the gaming industry. Instead of only recreating existing games on the blockchain, we at CrowdControl want to change the way game development works, create maximum fun through player engagement and immersion, and give the power of content creation and game balancing to the people. Find out more about us on our website and join our community on Discord.