MarsColony: Navigating Our Challenges, Mapping Our Future

DAO and Governance
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Dear MarsColony Community,

Our journey with MarsColony has been filled with learnings, growth, and moments that tested our resilience. But as with any venture, these challenges have only paved the way for better opportunities and a brighter future.

First Opportunity for Growth:

While our initial trust in The Harmony Bridge brought unforeseen obstacles, with the breach leading to a setback in our treasury, it also prompted us to re-evaluate and fortify our security protocols. This experience, though tough, reinforced our commitment to the project and made us more agile.

Second Learning Curve:

November 2022 marked a turning point with the departure of our CTO and co-founder. Rather than viewing it as a setback, I saw it as an opportunity to re-strategize. Prioritizing the project’s health, I momentarily halted my compensation to preserve our resources. The next step was clear: to find a visionary tech lead and revamp our development approach. By May, our path was clearer, and our goals aligned, allowing me to resume my compensation, which now efficiently includes server costs.

Third Turning Point:

Late 2022 saw us welcoming a new tech team with the hope of infusing fresh energy and expertise into MarsColony. While our synergies didn’t align as hoped, the experience was invaluable. It sharpened our focus on ensuring seamless collaboration and fine-tuning our recruitment strategies.

Financial Overview:

Transparency is key. We hold $57k in our Polygon treasury, including MATIC and USDC. While funds are limited, they are a testament to our adaptability and commitment to steering MarsColony in the right direction.

Charting Our Path Forward:

MarsColony’s journey has been eventful, but every twist and turn has only fueled our passion. With each challenge, we’ve returned to the drawing board, innovated, and strategized with renewed vigor. Now, we’re excited to present three potential pathways encapsulating our learnings, ambition, and the future we envision for MarsColony.

Strategy #1: Hard Pivot into Layer 2 Network

By selecting this route, we’ll be making a deliberate decision to halt the game’s development and instead fully embrace the creation of our own layer 2 Ethereum network, akin to platforms like Optimism and Base. Once the network is ready, we plan to initiate a comprehensive Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, which will help us gauge the market’s receptivity before we go all in.

What this means:

  • We stop the game development.
  • Instead of just being a part of an ecosystem, MarsColony stakeholders (landlords) would now own a slice of this new L2 network. A specific portion of an upcoming airdrop will be dedicated to MarsColony landlords, reinforcing their value and stake in our growth journey.

Strategy #2: Pivot into Layer 2 Network with MarsColony as a Flagship Product

Here, MarsColony doesn’t just shift to a new Layer 2 platform; it becomes a primary Dapp, resonating with the stories of creators and DAOs. It’s not just a tech move; it’s a reimagining of our brand and purpose.

In simpler terms:

  1. We launch the L2 just like in Strategy #1.
  2. We then reintroduce MarsColony, but now as a leading Dapp on this new L2 platform, with a community-driven leadership team at the helm.
  3. While our core team takes care of the L2 governance, the MarsColony community gets 100% ownership and control over the new and improved MarsColony.

Strategy#3: Stay the Course with Game-fi

By choosing this, we remain on our current trajectory. However, the gaming world is vast and competitive, and with limited funds, it’s a tough space to create something truly unique and outstanding.

What this implies:

  • The remaining funds will be safeguarded in the treasury and will be dedicated solely to the ongoing development of MarsColony’s game.
  • The onus of this approach is on strong community involvement. We’ll heavily rely on our community’s input and collaboration to scout, evaluate, and oversee development partners.

Each strategy presents its unique potential and challenges. As always, the future of MarsColony isn’t just in our hands but is a shared vision with our community.

Next steps
Having laid out these strategies, we now turn to our greatest asset: you, our community.

Engage in Dialogue:
Delve into these strategies, converse, and share your feedback. We value every perspective.

Propose Solutions:
If you envision a different path for MarsColony, let us know. Together, we might discover even better routes forward.

Community-Wide Voting:
After our collective brainstorming, we’ll initiate a community vote, ensuring every voice counts.

In conclusion, each challenge has only deepened our resolve. With your active participation, MarsColony is poised to not only navigate these challenges but to thrive.

1 Like
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To clarify options #1 and #2 and to explain rationale behind launching a network.

Introducing Our New Network Transition:

Current Landscape:

  • Trend: The trend is gravitating towards ‘App chains’. They amplify Ethereum’s capabilities, leveraging its security and offering reduced fees courtesy of compressed block space.
  • Marscolony’s Journey: While our focus was on Harmony, its stagnation made us to consider migrating Marscolony to a more progressive network.

The Opportunity:

  • Legacy: As a top-tier project on Harmony previously, we’re keen to tap on the Harmony community. Bringing them to our new network can help us rebuild the community.

Benefits:

  • For Harmony & Other Protocols: Our vision aims to support those users who suffered from previous losses in protocols ( like Harmony horizon bridge loss). We propose they should govern this fresh network, allocating them tokens based on their prior losses.
  • For Marscolony: Our landowners on Harmony and Polygon will receive an additional token allocation, proportional to their investments.

Execution & Cost:

  • Launching a Layer 2 network on OP stack.

Our roadmap includes:

  • Initiating a Testnet. [ validate execution hypothesis]
  • Propelling a GTM campaign, offering a free NFT claim to give right in network tokens.
  • Based on the turnout, we might seek VC funding .
  • Security Audits
  • Deploying Marscolony to new network
  • Main net launch (early 2024)

Network’s Ethos:

  • We aspire to empower creators and developers, introducing diverse revenue streams for them, like on-chain ads and a share from minting fees.

Optimistic Scenario:

  • Our GTM could potentially bring the entire Harmony and other protocol users under the banner of our new network. This can give users/traffic to Marscolony.
  • Expect significantly lower transaction fees with new network vs polygon.
  • Marscolony’s stakeholders become network token bearers.
  • The Harmony project will seamlessly transition to this new chain, ensuring the preservation of the game’s state and all its assets. Setting the stage for future growth, with the community (CoP) taking the lead.
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I vote to stay on Harmony. is that an option. Why does everyone want their own blockchain. Gas fees?

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yes @buttheadus.crazy.one, staying on Harmony is an option #3. Also, you can add your own proposal here.

2 Likes
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I think we go with strategy #1
Embracing a Layer 2 Ethereum network can potentially enhance scalability and reduce transaction costs.
Stakeholders become part of a new network, potentially increasing their value.

It is all a risk but at least we gave it a go, I don’t think we have the funds to take on top tear companies if they enter the market as strategy #2 suggests and strategy #3 is a slow death unless Elon jumps in.

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Thanks for your feedback.