Ahoy
It will be impossible to mention everything, so I encourage everyone to ask me as many questions as possible. It would also be very appreciated if colton wouldn’t dodge this conversation again. Also, it may be considered more than one subject, but its kinda related so I chose to include it.
The issue hasn’t been resolved, and to me it looks like it’s been quietly swept under the rug. Digging through old chats and documents just to prove that I was part of something and helped shape it, isn’t exactly how I want to spend my time (also didnt think id have to do this). It’s frustrating, disheartening, and definitely not something I ever looked forward to doing. But here we are.
I feel really cringey about having to do this, but i feel like speaking publicly about it is definitely the right thing to do and i kinda hope that it will be resolved or at least acknowledged.
And it’s probably also important to share this, both for the sake of transparency and in the hope that it might help others navigate similar situations in the ecosystem.
If anyone needs/requests the exact dates, im sure i can provide them
Was developing a card game (regen vs degen) at MMM. Was talking to colton about maybe doing the art someday (while we were doing the first paid playtests for it) and we were talking about onboarding kinley so we could work on it together (couldn’t onboard anyone at the time since i was new myself). When the new leadership took over the game was canceled, (was told that it did not make sense, also budgetary reasons may have been mentioned - not sure about this second part) even though it got only positive responses before. Informed kinley that the project has been put on hold, at which point he stopped responding to me.
At some point after that, there was a post where the community was asking about the card game. Informed colton of the situation, he said he was already working on something. In the next grants round he applied for funding with infinite garden, which was kinda weird, but i didnt think much of it since i was supportive of the project and we collaborated before and after that.
Somewhere in between zuzalu happened, where colton informed me that he talked to certain people and it looked like the project would get a guaranteed boost in the next grants round. (dont want to make wild accusations, since I cannot find the text anymore, but there is a possibility that some screenshots still exist, which i will try to provide)
In the next citizens round, colton applied with ace, where the project got i think over 10k from the community and another 25k from gitcoin directly (please correct me if im wrong). Going to mention that at the time it was still just midjourney prompts with names attached to them and no gameplay. The production cost before and after this point was a midjourney subscription, a photoshop subscription and whatever the printing costs were.
Think that after that the project applied for another grants round (but please correct me if im wrong on this one)
Later at eth denver the project sold out at 0.1 eth a deck. colton gave a speech and forgot to mention my involvement, the fact that he and his brother were playtesting my cards, where we started talking about collaborating on the project, etc.
I voice my displeasure about the situation (again was actively working on the project basically since its inception) at which point a months long conversation started. One of the things mentioned is that i cant be compensated for my time cause the project isn’t doing well financially, so since i supported the project both financially and by working on it, i am wondering where all the money went. Again the project got over 30k in funding from gitcoin. The production cost was a midjourney sub, a photoshop sub and whatever the printing costs were. After the printing the project sold out at 0.1 eth per deck (so just need the number of decks printed to calculate the profits).
After months of conversation and excuses he informed me that the project now went open source (so everyone, including me can make a card game now… this honestly funny at this point).
Making a forum post now after raging on twitter a few months ago. Definitely didnt mention everything, this shit is really tiring to write, but i hope we can unpack this together along the way. Again ask me as many questions as possible please.
Questions/requests i have for now:
Colton:
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Would ask the all the videos from the “community sessions” to be released (colton said he was recording them)
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Did we start to talk about making a card game in 2021/2022?
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Would ask when and why exactly it was decided that you didnt want to work together on a card game anymore?
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What happened to kinleys old twitter profile?
The dao:
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I was supportive of the project myself, but still wondering why the dao decided to fund the project for an additional 25k, specially with all the layoffs happening in certain workstreams at the time
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Will say that it was weird that the card game that was already being developed inhouse was canceled, but later the same people supported a suggestion for a card game - please keep in mind that there was a clear interest for it and that it got only positive feedback until its cancelation. Also the card game suggestion were 60 midjourney prompts with names attached to them and no time put into gameplay
And if you consider the communities feedback and the fact that the decks sold out at 0.1 eth per deck, it could have potentially been a nice additional revenue stream for the DAO. - more of a statement i guess
Regarding the audio file:
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There is a text file that i wrote to colton a few weeks prior that i can release if anyone wishes (would be to make it fair or whatever - will probably do so sooner or later anyway)
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The audio came after months of discussion and after he tried to end the conversation with a more firm and decisive tone without addressing the issues
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If anyone feels uncomfortable listening to it i can provide a transcript, also if anyone wants to address anything else that is said and does not have a timestamp please feel free to do so
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After that came a few more weeks of staling after which i was informed that the project went open source
Questions regarding the audio file:
1:01 - it is said that i wasnt hired in a professional capacity cause my specific skillset was not needed at the time.
We were still working on the project since it started, and that is a convenient thing to say after going no contact when the project sold out.
1:15 - I have to say that the roles and/or my involvement wasnt directly discussed and there certainly werent any contracts, but i didnt think i would be excluded. We did talk about making a card game together since 2021, the problems, gatekeeping, etc., started once the cards were in their hands (pun intended). Also have to say that it was confusing at major milestones and that i found myself questioning whats happening and having to reaffirm my participation.
2:00
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What amount of money was funneled back to gitcoin? And when?
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What amount was used for the printing (would also need the number of printed decks to calculate how much the profits on the first run where i participated)
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Which company bills? (production cost up until then were a photoshop sub, a midjourney sub, and maybe i missed something, unless you count staying months abroad as a company bill).
Please keep in mind that he received funding for infinite garden (not sure of the amount, pls check or correct me if im wrong), later for ace, after that ace sold out at eth denver.
He said the project is low after just spending a month in japan (where more decks were sold and where the project had 3 meter tall inflatable plush figurines on display) - His statements do not seem realistic
2:15 - I was interested in the details but when i asked about the number of decks printed and where the money went the question wasnt answered (and later, as i said to him, i may be wrong about the profits, would just need the number of printed decks to calculate)
2:30 - I dont know what colton was talking about with the other people he invited. To me, it looks like he created the “community sessions” precisely so he could claim what is being said in this part of the clip.
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If the other contributors dont wish to be credited thats their right i guess
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Provided way more card concepts that the ones that were used at the end (as i said to colton, if the designs were not sufficient, i could have redone them), and can also confidently say that i worked more hours than the other contributors (except coltons little brother kinley - would still need to unpack some things here though)
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About the community driven project and not being able to credit people
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How hard is it to include a sentence on a webpage and/or mention someone while giving a speech?
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So the community builds cards and then you sell them back to the community?
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Public credit was impractical for everyone that was involved…what do i even say here?
3:10 - Yes i did. Colton and kinley were 2 of the first paid playtesters, where we started discussing collaboration (the game needed better art, a gameplay overhaul, possible name change, etc…)
3:30 - Not sure which card set is meant here (if its infinite garden, yes you worked on it on your own after i told kinley that the original project has been put on hold. As im sure colton remembers though, we did start to talk again before the project applied for a grant.
3:40 - The citizens round was before eth denver, after eth denver on a call he said that people were interested in the art and not in the game (sadly not recorded, but there were a lot of contradictions).
4:20 - Cant just end the conversation (going public was a response to him writing a message that was supposed to “conclude the discussions on this matter”. Also, if he wanted to support me in any way he could, he could have just credited me fairly.
There is a lot more to talk about, but lets start with the things written. Can expand on anything, can provide screenshots of multiple conversations, found a video from one of the early meetings and still have to repair my phone to get some screenshots i made before some things got deleted.
Not asking anyone to pick sides, but i find it really disappointing that it looks like the situation has been basically swept under the rug. The investigation (or lack thereof), felt more like an attempt to silence me. The whole conversation felt really dismissive.
Would like to emphasize to everyone to make people sign NDAs, record all your conversations, get everything in writing from day one and not trust people who call you friend. Basically, if i knew that their endgame was to push me out of the project, i would have just continued working on my own and applied for a grant myself once midjourney came out.
Also if anyone believes that i’m just an entitled asshole or jealous, please feel free to let me know.
Sorry for any typos and if anything is unclear please let me know
Questions for me please.
