🧵 “Statements from the Shadows” Activation Thread 🧵

Hey Shadow Agents - get ready to level up your style and your in-game status! We’re thrilled to unveil “Statements from the Shadows,” our staggered, community-driven Statement Hoodie drops, exclusively rewarding Challenge Coin Holders. 

Yesterday, we introduced our XP + Skill Point System. Today we're dropping the ALPHA on our first airdrop for holders. 

1st snapshot 📸 of coin holders when we mint out!

https://x.com/ryancsmith2222/status/1929368683559940601

1/12
What Is It?

Every 8 weeks, we’ll release a new “Statement Hoodie” set - a curated collection of artist-designed hoodies themed to one of our Shadow Universes. Each drop is both a fashion, personal, & cultural statement & a team for our next in-person/virtual activation.

2/12
Who Gets a Blank?

If you hold a Shadow Games Challenge Coin (all 113 of you!), you automatically get airdropped 🪂  1 “Blank Statement Hoodie” NFT for each upcoming set. 

Think of this blank as your single yes/no vote for that set’s production.❔✅

3/12
Vote Window

Once a set is announced, you have 7 days to cast your vote:
• Hit Yes to lock in your blank and support production.
• Do nothing (or actively burn) = a No vote (blank is forfeited).
Miss the deadline? Your blank auto-burns - no “banking” for future drops.

4/12
Threshold to Produce

Each set must reach 29 “Yes” votes (≈25% of 113) by Day 7. Why 29?
• Ensures there’s real demand.
• Keeps production lean & cost-effective (we won’t make a hoodie only 5 people want).
If ≥29 say “Yes,” we go into production. If not, that set is retired - blanks are burned, and we move on.

This is just as much an experiment in streetwear production as it is a cultural community experiment.

5/12
Digital Hoodie NFT

• All “Yes” voters automatically receive a Revealed Digital Hoodie NFT (free mint).
• If total Yes votes < 113, any unclaimed editions (113 − Yes count) open for a small public sale.
• Digital Hoodies come with custom art overlays, matching the IRL hoodie design and your Shadow style.

6/12
Physical Hoodie Run

• 113 units max per winning set.
• Each hoodie is NFC-chipped - scan to link that skin in your Shadow Agent’s on-chain profile.
• “Yes” voters reserve first dibs. Any remaining physical editions (113 − Yes) go on a 7-day open sale to the broader community ($200 USD each).

7/12
Team Activation Perk

Every time we host an IRL or virtual Shadow Games event, wearing that set’s hoodie either on your digital Shadow Agent if a virtual event or your physical self at a IRL event = Team “Yes.”
• Team “Yes” players get +10% XP in the next mini-quest (e.g., Crypto Caper).
• Exclusive access to behind-the-scenes livestreams, discounts on future drops, and surprise loot bags.
• If you missed voting but snag a leftover physical hoodie? You still get +5% XP (for Second-Tier “Late Bloomer” status).

8/12
6 Drops Over 12 Months

Ink & Iron in the Jungle  -  kicks off in time for our first IRL Shadow Summit 👀 

Echoes of the Dripverse  -  beat-driven streetwear vibes

Soundwaves & Shadows  -  music-themed collab

From the Vault - collectibles drive us all, a nostalgia driven ride through items found in Vault One

Gridlock Graffiti  -  urban art × neon crystals

Void Visions  -  mystical, surreal, cosmic 

Each set drops roughly every 8 weeks - so block your calendars, start planning your cosplay-worthy fits, and prepare to vote!

9/12
Step-by-Step: How to Participate

Hold a Challenge Coin. If you don’t hold one yet, you can still buy on secondary - 113 holders max or mint (roughly 30 left).

Watch for Set Announcements on Discord/Twitter/Discord.

Get airdropped your blank NFT with each set, upon Challenge Coin snapshot.

Vote “Yes” within 7 days if you love the design. Otherwise, your blank auto-burns.

Mint Your Digital Hoodie (free for Yes-votes).

Redeem Physical (unlock your NFC-enabled hoodie).

Wear & Show Up at the next event; roll with your team for XP and loot.

10/12
Why We’re Doing This

• Community Control: You decide which designs see the light of day.
• Staggered Hype: No FOMO fatigue - fresh drops every two months.
• Fashion Meets Gameplay: IRL skirt meets on-chain perk.
• Artist Spotlight: Each drop highlights a different creator who resonates with a Shadow Universe’s aesthetic.
• Cultural Connections: We absolutely adore & love @jackbutcher's opepen experiment - we wanted to see what happened if we connected it to fashion drops & tied it to further gamified activations. Also statement tees are an integral part of the culture & we all know degens have a lot to say!

11/12
FAQ Highlights

• What if my Yes-vote gets canceled? If a set tallies <29 Yes-votes, that set is canceled. All blanks burn; no digital or physical production.
• Can I “change” my vote? No - once you click Yes, the blank locks and can’t be reversed.
• What if I don’t claim my Digital? Your window to claim runs from Day 8–15. After that, your edition is withheld and doesn’t free up for sale.
• What if I can’t attend IRL? Team perks and XP apply to virtual minigames (e.g., “Shadow Hunt”), too. There will be multiple activations and ways to earn XP throughout The Shadow Games.

12/12
Get Ready to Make a Statement

Dust off your Challenge Coins, rally your fellow Agents, and prepare to vote on your first set - Ink & Iron - dropping soon at our IRL event. This isn’t just a hoodie drop; it’s a community-powered, narrative-driven, swag-fueled adventure. 🔥

Stay glued to our channels for the Ink & Iron teaser, airdrop communications, and the official “Yes/No” vote link. Together, we’ll keep the Shadows - and the fun - ALIVE.

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/FElCyvA

🚨 Statements from the Shadows Activation Announcement 🚨

1/
🔥INTRODUCING: The Shadow Games XP + Skill Point System

Your Shadow Games Challenge Coins just got a whole lot more powerful.

Here’s how holding, stacking, & burning your Coins will shape your onchain journey 🧵👇

2/
🎮 First, every Coin you own earns XP based on how early it was minted.

Formula:
XP = (114 - Token ID) × Number of Coins You Own

That means early + loyal = stacked with XP.
Token ID #1 with 10 Coins? That’s 1130 XP off the bat.💥

3/
🔐 Then we convert that XP into Skill Points:

1 Skill Point = every 113 XP earned
(rounded down)

So your loyalty doesn’t just give you bragging rights—it gives you real game power.

4/
🌌 These Skill Points unlock a dynamic RPG-style skill tree coming soon.

Each point you earn = a new way to shape your Shadow Agent:

Stealth?

Strategy?

Speed?

And each skill may give you unique advantages in different universes.

5/
🔥 But here’s where it gets spicy:

At a specified time, you’ll burn your Challenge Coins…

And in return, you’ll mint a Fused Shadow Agent with all your XP and Skill Points attached.

Your Coin becomes your legacy. Oh & don't forget the physical coin you'll unlock!

6/
The higher your XP at the time of fusion:

The rarer your agent

The more powerful your starting skills

The more exclusive content you’ll unlock in The Shadow Games

You’re not just minting coins.
You’re building your character, unlocking exclusive experiences & rewards.

7/
👥 Partners and universes will craft quests and rewards tailored to specific skills and XP levels.

Imagine a stealth-based crypto heist in The Chainscape.
Or a strategy-only battle royale in The Grid.
Or an IRL activation unlocked by your XP.

Your build will matter.

8/
TL;DR
✅ Earlier token = more XP
✅ More Coins = loyalty multiplier
✅ 113 XP = 1 Skill Point
✅ Fuse Coins into a playable character
✅ Higher XP = rarer character + more options
✅ Skill Tree = built for activation-specific strategy

9/
Want into the secret, encrypted chat for Shadow Agents, DM @ryancsmith2222 with the following 3 things & he'll let you in.

1. Secret Phrase (Hint: It can be found on your Challenge Coins ✊)
2. TokenID
3. Wallet Address holding your Challenge Coin

10/
This is just the beginning.

It’s an evolving character system, built for a multi-verse of games, quests, & rewards to level up & enrich your life..

Start building your agent.

Mint your Challenge Coins now if you don't already have them.
→ https://www.newstalgic.xyz/shadow-games-challenge-coins

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/9wlRO67

Shadow Games XP + Skill Point System

Why you should mint The Shadow Games Challenge Coins 🪙 🎮 🌀 👥

This isn’t “just another NFT.”

It’s a portal into 13 universes, a playable identity, and a new kind of digital experience.

Let me break it down. 👇🧵 

1/
We built @newstalgicxyz to bring fun back to the internet.
Play. Story. Discovery.
Things we lost in the algorithm sludge.
The Shadow Games is our answer: part RPG, part engagement rewards platform, part onboarding discovery journey, part cultural playground, part rebellion.

2/
It starts with the Shadow Games Challenge Coin:
🪙 A physical, NFC-chipped collectible
🗝 A digital key into 13 Shadow Universes - unlock every expansion & activation we ever do
🧙 Unlocks exclusive quests, IRL activations (first one at ApeFest), & a playable Shadow Agent

3/
Each coin = membership.
There are only 113 OG coins from the Shadow Agents home world, The Shadow Void. These will be the rarest characters in the Shadowverse.
These are your passport to all activations across all 13 worlds - each with its own vibe, art, soundtrack & secrets.

4/
You don’t need to be a gamer.
You just need a love of story, culture, and doing dope shit with the homies.
You're already participating in community, engaging in th eco & leveling up IRL, we want you to have a digital way to flex that participation & get rewarded for it.

5/
These aren’t just PFPs.
Yes, your character will look dope (see the following leaks).
But this is an evolving digital identity you’ll level up through gameplay, collaboration, and individual + collaborative quests - both online & IRL.

6/
Future traits, equippables, backgrounds & art will be done in collaboration with famous artists on ApeChain &beyond and will give each universe its own flare as the community explores activations tied to that universe's cultural identity (Sports, Food, Music, Art, etc.)

But Ryan, I want to participate in full body Friday - oh, don't worry we got you 😉 & the versioning won't stop there as we want you to use these assets in a variety of places & ways. Shadow streaming avatars, anyone?

7/ Oh & the 113 Shadow Game Challenge Coin minters, they get characters from the Shadow Void home world - the rarest and most unique looking characters that'll ever exist - already leveled up with gear & XP to find success in The Shadow Games.

8/
Minting gets you:
✅ A limited edition OG coin (physical + digital)
✅ An exclusive, playable Shadow Agent character
✅ Access to IRL activations & future drops
✅ First access to quests, stories, and Shadowverse rewards

9/
All the legends have already hopped through the portal!! 
@cryptojeweler @CarquetE @ApeChainHUB @dany @MindMakesMatter @Reaper_NFT @HodlrCollective @luigi08001 @BOObotcher @TheDonDiablo777 @GanjaKazooki @theruggerdev @NGBxShpend @0xQuit @CliveOnchain @RidazLp2 @imjameshall @theehustlehouse @Eddie_ShoBiz @beijingdou @1hesager & so many more... what are you waiting on?!

https://x.com/ryancsmith2222/status/1925612141177958840

10/
We’re building an interoperable, culture-layered metagame powered by story, music, and identity.

Think: Steam store or Abstract Global wallet meets Into the Spiderverse, Ready Player One, and Saturday cartoons - but with ownership, identity, learning, community, & real rewards.

11/
Still early? Yes.
Still indie? Hell yes.
Still building? Every damn day.
But this mint is your chance to get in on the ground floor of something playful, soulful, and scalable.

12/
If you’ve been looking for more than hype, more than noise…
If you’re ready to play again- 
To explore, connect, and build a universe-
Mint a coin.
Claim your character.
Enter The Shadow Games.

🌀 🎮🪙👥

https://x.com/ryancsmith2222/status/1924301795108479283

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/WtHJVmW

Shadow Games Challenge Coins Mint Thread

1/ GMonday indeed! Cam nailed it - “Special Council” was a misnomer. This is BD Council: pure business development, zero PC BS. We need deal-makers, ecosystem builders, & APE boosters. 

Here’s why you should vote @ryancsmith2222 for BD Council with @apecoin & @ApeChainHUB 🧵👇

https://x.com/HeadofApe/status/1927080274585592079

2/ Proven Deal-Maker:

• Scaled enterprise cyber partnerships from $2 M → $30 M ARR in a single year on a net new product line
• Brokered the STAPLE × ApeChain NY activation with @jeffstaple
• Built a powerhouse network w/ @stapleverse: @RENGA_inc, @DirtyRobotWorks, @gmoneyNFT, @9dccxyz, @ZaidKirdsey, @Crocs, @DALEKSPACEMONKY, @rhymezlikedimez… and more
• Grew 2023’s fastest OSS security community

3/ ApeChain Insider but not a cabal member (in web3 since '21 but no affiliation with past political drama in DAO):

• Crafted the interactive ApeChain ecosystem map
• Hosted weekly The Gift of Gob Spaces with top projects
• Published the Daily ApeCoin/ApeChain Update every day since mid-Dec
• Engaged relentlessly in DAO & community channels - shipping insights, tracking metrics, iterating in real time

https://x.com/ryancsmith2222/status/1926834671943336032

4/ High-ROI BD Playbook:

• Target white-space app-layer verticals (eComm, fashion, social, gaming, etc.) to drive DAU, revenue, CAC ↓, CLTV ↑
• Fuel builders with grants, bounties, hackathons, API support & SDKs
• Prototype delivered: App-Layer Accelerator for Shadows + YugaID - now imagine that at 10× scale instead of marketing activations focused on brand, not content + user acquisition growth

5/ Culture × Code:

From designing gamified on-chain quests to rallying global builders, I bridge dev teams, creatives, and communities - delivering on-brand, on-chain experiences that stick.

6/ No Hype, Just Growth:

BD Council isn’t about governance memos or PR stunts - it’s about real deals, real utility, real growth. I’m not preaching transparency - I’m living it in your channels and closing partnerships that make ApeChain badass.

7/ Cam said it: “Either our ecosystem grows or it dies.” 

I’m running to be one of the killers in this fight - no clowns, just cold, hard growth for @apecoin & @ApeChainHUB. 🦍

🎯 Execution > Everything. Vote @ryancsmith2222 for BD Council. Let’s make APE unstoppable.

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/U2bhuiY

APE BD Council: Vote @ryancsmith2222

1/
In a world of infinite blockchains and scattered communities, one question echoes louder each day:

What if discovery didn’t feel like a chore… but like a game?

🕹️ Enter: @newstalgicxyz & The Shadow Games

🧵

2/
We’re not building another protocol.
We’re building a playable portal into everything web3 could be.

🎮 A cross-chain, cross-culture, cross-reality game
🧭 That makes discovery fun
🧠 And finally makes web3 make sense

3/
👥 Who are we?

Newstalgic Studios is an experience studio born in the shadows—built by devs, storytellers, and community architects tired of watching the web drift into chaos.

We believe in three things:
— Play
— Culture
— On-chain identity

4/
🎮 What’s The Shadow Games?

A game where your character evolves across 13 worlds, each powered by different cultural forces:
→ Music
→ Streetwear
→ Gaming
→ Food
→ Luxury
→ More

5/
Start with a base digital character.
Complete story-driven quests.
Earn gear, loot, traits (as collectibles).
Evolve your identity.
Unlock new experiences.

Each quest isn’t just a mission - 
It’s a bridge to a new app, ecosystem, or community.

6/
🌐 Why does this matter?

Because onboarding in web3 is broken:
- Every chain is its own island
- Projects fight for attention
- Users get stuck
- Discovery feels like homework
- Retention is impossible as liquidity shifts between attention cycles

7/
So we asked:
What if onboarding was actually fun?

Not a tutorial.
A story.
A heist.
A challenge.
A game.

That’s what The Shadow Games unlock.

8/
✨ Our vision?

Build the Gamified App Store of web3:
- Projects embed into themed quests
- Players discover apps by playing
- Communities earn loot, XP, rep
- All powered by interoperable identity on @ApeChainHUB & powered by @apecoin 

9/
And we’re not building this alone.

From daily updates to lore drops, this world is co-created with you:
- Artists
- Builders
- Collectors
- Curious minds

This isn’t just our project.
It’s your portal.

10/
🔮 First up: Crypto Caper

A detective-style mission set in our Crypto-themed world.

Solve puzzles.
Snag loot.
Evolve your character.
Explore new chains + apps along the way.

Launching soon…

11/
This is how we reclaim the narrative.
This is how we rebuild web3 culture.
This is how we bring fun back to the frontier.

Play the Game. Enter the Shadows.

Welcome to @newstalgicxyz.
—

🕹️ RT to join the rebellion.

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/zzpEL8e

Introducing Newstalgic Studios & The Shadow Games

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
1/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
2/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
3/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
4/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
5/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
6/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
7/

The Shadows Series 👣 👤
Book 1: The Shadow Games
Chapter 1: THE AWAKENING 
8/

FULL CHAPTER (will eventually be consolidating this all to the new site for the project soon): https://www.ryancsmith.xyz/blog/the-shadow-games-chapter-1-the-awakening

The Awakening

🧵 ApeChain & @apecoin Builders — Let’s talk product-market fit.

The future of crypto isn’t in more “number go up” games — it’s in building real apps that people actually want to use. The catch? They shouldn’t even know they’re using crypto.

Here are 10 app ideas across gaming, social, finance, e-commerce, and more that could THRIVE on ApeChain — without ever mentioning “blockchain,” “NFT,” or “gas fees.” 

Let’s dive in: 👇

1. Loot to Earn (Gaming)

Fortnite meets DeFi, minus the wallet headaches.

Create an FPS or battle royale where players loot gear and skins that are provably scarce and tradable — but they’re not called NFTs, they’re just “limited edition.”

• Earned items can be listed in a secondary marketplace, and trading is gasless via ApeChain.
• Leaderboards tied to asset ownership, encouraging strategic play. 

👉 The player just thinks they’re unlocking cool skins as they play. The blockchain handles ownership under the hood.

2. Digital Savings Bonds (Finance)

A savings account that doesn’t suck.

Create a modern savings app where users can lock up funds and earn fixed interest over time — backed by on-chain yield strategies.

• Users deposit USD (or stablecoins), and the app converts and stakes it into ApeChain-based protocols for a guaranteed rate. The user is issued an digital savings bond (an NFT they don't even know is one).
• Funds are liquid after the term ends, with early withdrawals penalized (just like a real bond).
• Interest is composable and could be paid in APE or stablecoins. 

👉 User thinks they’re just earning passive income — the app handles all the staking and yield mechanics behind the scenes.

3. Social Status Index (Social)

Clout meets on-chain rep.

 Create a “Karma” score tied to on-chain activity.

• Participation in governance, voting, and trading earns you status points.
• Social feed where users flex their “on-chain rep” with badges and tiers. 
• While KAITO tracks topic engagement across the social graph & Ethos relies on social reviews & reputation across the soical graph this offers a new twist based on activity and true community participation.

👉 Think LinkedIn meets Reddit Karma — but tradable and provable on ApeChain.

4. Collect-to-Influence (Social)

TikTok meets Web3, but they don’t know it’s Web3.

Create a content platform where users “collect” limited-edition clips from creators.

• Collecting gives you access to behind-the-scenes content and allows you to vote on future posts.
• ApeChain handles ownership; users just know they have a “limited edition pass.” 

👉 Fans feel like insiders — no MetaMask required.

5. Dynamic Pricing Platform (E-Commerce)

Amazon with a twist.

A Shopify-like platform where product pricing is dynamic and tied to on-chain demand.

• Discounts are offered based on real-time purchase volume and staking.
• ApeChain smart contracts manage supply and demand mechanics. 

👉 The customer just thinks they’re getting “flash sales.” ApeChain makes the magic happen.

6. ApeMiles (Lifestyle)

Airline loyalty program, but better.

Create a travel app where users earn “ApeMiles” for flights, stays, and Uber rides.

• Miles are tokenized on ApeChain and tradable for flight upgrades and hotel discounts.
• Staking miles reduces redemption costs — introducing DeFi mechanics without ever saying “DeFi.” 

👉 They think it’s just a better loyalty program. We know it’s tokenized magic.

7. Rent-to-Own Sneaker Platform (Fashion)

StockX, but cooler.

Platform where users “rent” limited-edition sneakers.

• Payments accumulate toward ownership; if they hit a threshold, they keep the kicks.
• Sneakers are represented as NFTs, but the user never hears that word. 

👉 “Buy Now, Pay Later” meets “Own Now, Trade Later.”

8. AI-Powered Fantasy Sports (Gaming)

DraftKings, but powered by AI and on-chain data.

Create a fantasy sports platform where lineups and outcomes are determined by real-time AI-powered predictions.

• On-chain player stats, lineups as dynamic NFTs.
• Prize pools automatically handled via smart contracts. 

👉 “You win, you get paid.” They don’t need to know about the blockchain part.

9. Permissionless IP Exchange (Creative)

Licensing for the culture.

Create a platform where IP holders (musicians, artists, creators) can offer “public remix rights.”

• Builders pay to license IP, but rights are managed via smart contracts.
• Royalties handled on ApeChain — but the user just clicks “Buy.” 

👉 A sound marketplace for remix culture without the lawyers.

10. Predict-the-Weather Market (Social + Finance)

Bet on the weather, but smarter.

Create a prediction market where users can bet on future weather patterns. Especially as the US enters a world of deregulation & is privatizing more and more industries, crypto has the power to create new markets to solve some critical problems that are key to the health and public safety apparatus of the nation.

• Use AI + on-chain oracles to track outcomes.
• Winning predictions get payouts in APE. 

👉 Users think they’re just playing a weather game — in reality, they’re interacting with a DeFi-powered market.

🔑 Why This Matters

👉 Most people don’t care about crypto.
👉 They care about better, faster, cheaper experiences.
👉 ApeChain can offer all of that — if we stop trying to “educate” people and just make great products.

The future isn’t onboarding people into “crypto.”

The future is making crypto-powered products so seamless, they don’t even know they’re using it.

Builders — which of these are you launching? 👇

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/lm85uXb

Building Real Apps for ApeChain

Shadow NFTs saw a soft rollout at ETH Denver this week during @apecoin's ApeDEN event! 

In typical @0xQuit style, he presented a Twitter 🧵  to outline this tech. See it 👇. 

https://x.com/0xQuit/status/1895270826796294557

I submitted an entry to ApeChain's Builder Challenge based on Shadows & was a finalist. 

This 🧵 details that project! Let's dive into Crypto Caper: The Shadow Chase - an omnichain detective game🕵️ 

First, why even build this - what was the purpose of the project?

I wanted to honor the intention of the build challenge: showcase the capabilities of ApeChain & more specifically, Shadows.

I thought I could achieve this by showcasing how ApeChain's native technologies such as cheap & fast transactions, omnichain support through Shadows, and strong gaming ecosystem could be an onboarding vehicle for the ApeChain & broader crypto ecosystem.

People gravitate to exchanging their attention in our current app economy for financial return (gambling, investing, savings), personal wellness (health & fitness, self-improvement), fun (gaming & entertainment), I need a product (eCommerce), etc. I think crypto companies need to think about how the apps they are building deliver value across these areas if we're truly going to onboard the broader crypto ecosystem to our L2s & "normies" to the ecosystem overall.

Therefore, I wanted to focus on creating a game because well if we're not having fun, then I really don't know what we're doing with our lives.

So what's the game? It's Crypto Caper: The Shadow Chase. 

The inspiration comes from Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, an old video game that tested our problem solving skills in our youth. 

I created this idea & started building a text-based puzzler adventure for the modern era, but with a nostalgic twist. 

You are a young detective trying to make their break in a new world in which you've woken up after being in cryosleep! Your first case is to catch a skilled crypto thief as they hop across blockchains. 

As you explores those "regions" of this new world you will uncover clues - those clues will be your key to catching this thief and helping solve the crypto caper!

This is how the game would work! 

Upon registering for the platform (ideally integrated with @privy_io & @yugalabs YugaID for simplicity of onboarding normies), you would be issued a Clue Book Passport (Shadowed across participating EVMs) - this would act as your ticket to navigate the great big world of this mysterious future place you have landed but also be your proof of investigation & give you the ability to move through different stages of the game at the appropriate time. 

You will be responsible for completing different regional quests starting in the ApeChain ecosystem and then eventually expanding to other chains such as Abstract. Upon completing quests, solving puzzles or learning challenges, demonstrating particular skillsets or knowledge, you will be granted access to the next clue. A badge (actually a shadowed Clue NFT) will be added to your Detective's Passport proving that you've completed those activations and own that clue. Aggregate clues, track the thief, and ultimately submit a final "solve" when you're ready. If you're right, you will have caught the thief and received a final certificate of congratulations for solving the mystery! 

This will allow you to level up your detective chops in hopes of becoming the greatest detective of all time by helping solve future mysteries (seasonal content, sponsored campaigns, new storylines, lore and skins). And as Quit asked, yes you could have a co-op element of this game where you work together in a clan to solve these mysteries. But initially, the game would start with a single player campaign.

So what's the game's architecture and how does it leverage ApeChain and Shadows to achieve the above? 

First, you'd need your smart contracts. For this, we probably need two main smart contracts. 

The first needs to be for Cross-Chain Clue Verification: As a digital detective, you’ll earn “clue NFTs” as you progress. These aren’t your average tokens—they serve as verifiable credentials that prove your success in decrypting each region’s educational content. Thanks to NFT Shadows, every clue is automatically verified, no matter which chain it was minted on. Whether you’re on Ethereum, ApeChain or another network, your progress is permanently locked in across ecosystems. An ERC721-compatible contract where each token represents a clue or badge works for this part. Integrated with NFT Shadows, this contract ensures that each NFT’s state—whether locked or unlocked—updates in real time as you progress in the game.

Secondly, you need the Game Contract to control the games logic. This is the heart of the investigation. It handles player registration, quest progression, and clue issuance. It interacts with NFT Shadows contracts to verify cross-chain credentials and uses Beacon-based callbacks for high-stakes operations. 

Next, you'd have your off-chain components that handle all the campaigns, learning quizzes, quests, etc. 

• Learning Content & Quest Storage: Educational content and quizzes might be hosted off-chain (using IPFS or a decentralized storage solution) and referenced in your contracts. This keeps the blockchain lean and the learning content accessible. You would create a similar method of hosting and storing community & project designed quests.

• Event Listeners & Subgraphs: A lightweight backend or subgraph aggregates player progress in real time. This not only powers an interactive leaderboard but also provides data for insightful analytics.

Lastly, you'd have your front-end detective dashboard, otherwise known as the game's UI that obfuscates all this fancy blockchain tech and provides the user with an engaging and fun puzzler-adventurer experience that has storytelling, humor, and so much more. This could be built out in React or another web framework. There's code samples of what this could roughly look like in my personal blog on the subject.

Here's a fun idea I threw together of what one of the clues could look like in the game related to ApeChain - this is obviously just a fancy wireframe and nothing more than a prototype example so don't take any heed of the UI. 

This clue would be a lesson in one of ApeChain's greatest features - native yield. It would teach you how to find out how to check how much yield you've earned with the wallet you have connected to the platform. By learning about this feature and prove your knowledge by solving the clue you'd be issued the next clue by the game contract! 

What excites me about this gamified approach to blockchain onboarding & learning is the ability to for this to be a platform or permissionless protocol for the whole ecosystem to leverage. In the meantime, it also presents the opportunity to build a pretty cool product and possibly company! 

Whether it be through custom branded or designed quests which could lead to enterprise revenue streams, consumer app partnerships looking to leverage it for their onboarding funnels, and/or branded quests that lead to IRL & digital product drops. 

We will start by building the game's main quest, storyling and initial campaign ourselves, the opportunities to expand this in the future are quite interesting!

So what's next for this project? 

We are going to seize the moment Shadows has presented us to build fun shit that hopefully capitalizes on the explosion of strong community growth within a fragmented L2 ecosystem to build an engaging consumer crypto gaming experience. But it doesn't stop here. We want to continue to build consumer experiences that introduce them to new tech in ways that feel familiar and nostalgic. 

On that note, I'll just tease that this project has taken over my consciousness more than expected after this weekend and i'm looking forward to getting it in front of the Banana Bill team to go over some of the new ideas I've built out since Friday 😅 

If this product intersted you, even remotely, send a DM; I'd love to chat about it further and see how you can get involved in the community. 

Lastly, I'd like to thank @apecoin & the entire ApeChain and Yuga team that I met at the event - @0xQuit @imjameshall @CapetainTrippy @HodlrCollective @Waabam_eth @_PPMan_  @CliveApechain @spicytinaa. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone and will never forgive myself but the entire two days of ApeDen was a vibe! ApeChain team, tech & community are ON TOP and the energy was palpable!

Can't wait for the next IRL meetup but until then let's go build the future on ApeChain ⚒️ 

https://x.com/apecoin/status/1895529401351364971

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/CxNb2XH

Shadow NFTs and Crypto Caper: The Shadow Chase

On last week's "The Gift of Gob" we had the pleasure of having guests @KingpickIe & @HudsonGroupNFT from @DENGSonApe on. 

Here's a 🧵 breaking down that engaging conversation...

We are, first & foremost, about supporting the ApeChain creators that make the ecosystem click!

KP breaks down their love of pickles, olives & where the name of King Pickle comes from.

DENGS is obviously built on a meme; memes can be short lived - KP & I chat about how they plan to keep the project fresh & inspired by the meme but not dependent on the meme continuing to stay in the cultural zeitgeist.

Hudson got their flowers for everything they do for Dengs, ApeChain & the space, in general!

Next, we gobbed about Pixel Dengs, value dilution in collections, & a bit about their philosophy around working with other artists & dropping new art to their community.

The @apecoin SPOTLIGHT has been a lot of fun this month for collectors & projects alike. We chatted with Dengs about their community's participation & how they're helping organize that activity!

Dengs has been out barely 3 weeks and they've continued to deliver amazing value out the gate with additional activations, drops, & partnerships - can they keep up the pace? Do they need to? How do you balance attention cycles & short vs long term value. This clip dives in!

We jammed about the Ocular Scan smart contract feature and some of their thinking behind putting that in the contract the way they did, without a UI on top of it. @imjameshall from @GobsOnApe gets a shout out!

Hudson gets into what's coming for him and his initiatives such as WinPad

One of the great things about what's happening ON APECHAIN is how all of the creators are supporting each other - one example is Spaces host helping Hudson sell out his mint!

Lean on the friends you have in the space! Find the yin to your yang and support & protect each other. Community is about supporting each other through good and bad times.

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully-1xxs81jzp-typefully.vercel.app/ryancsmith2222/Gipr5VA

The Gift of Gob: Episode 02 - Dengs on Ape, King Pickle, & Hudson Group

Time for Part 2 of the 🧵 on insights from this week's episode of The Gift of Gob with @imjameshall of @GobsOnApe. 

First, let's dive into why James got into crypto

Next, we both reminisced about collectibles pre-NFTs & why collectors are inherently driven to NFTs and web3.

Traits, what makes it and what doesn't - this probably plagues most creators; in this clip James discusses some of those topics & his favorite traits in Gobs

Next I asked James what he's excited about in 2025; resoundingly it was -

1) Raising up the ApeChain community 
2) Making crypto more accessible

What was your "crypto fixes this moment" - in this clip James and I discuss ours!

ApeChain projects are leaders when it comes to putting tools in their communities hands that empower the community to create UGC - whether it's @GeezOnApe with their poses and memes, @yarts_onchain with their image editor, or the Gobs GM customizer & SVG lookbook, the tools are in the community's hands to spread the gospel of the projects and ApeChain

Shout-out to all the founders out there doing their thing and pursuing their passion & vision - whether it goes to zero or not - just because they think it's innovative & cool.

@CryptoGarga & @GordonGoner are obvious examples of this but there are many more through the industry!

Last, but certainly not least, shout-out to all our SOs that are rocks for us & support us participating in this wild and crazy industry.

In particular, my SO ( @bymaTM ), BOO's SO ( @jcorptm ) & James' wife for all they do to keep us grounded in this crazy life we live! 

Missed Part 1 of this 🧵 ?
Check it out 👇

https://x.com/ryancsmith2222/status/1884446010296152536

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/ryancsmith2222/9YsSKcx