Creator Academy Webinars

The Sandbox DAO Grant Program OPEN: Education, Onboarding, Tech
1

1. Project Overview

This project, “Creator Academy Webinars: Advanced Game Making Workshops with Step-by-Step Guides,” aims to host a series of 8 live webinars focused on advanced topics in The Sandbox’s Game Maker tool, such as multiplayer scripting, NFT integration, optimizing experiences for play-to-earn mechanics, and utilizing features like Rotate Behavior. Each webinar will include live demonstrations, interactive Q&A sessions, hands-on challenges, and guest appearances from top community creators. To ensure lasting value, we’ll produce detailed step-by-step guides for each session downloadable PDFs and web-based tutorials with screenshots, code snippets, and troubleshooting tips

The primary goals are to empower intermediate creators with practical skills to build more complex, engaging experiences; reduce the learning curve for advanced tools; and foster community growth by increasing high-quality user-generated content. The target audience includes intermediate Sandbox creators (e.g., those familiar with basics but struggling with advanced logic), Web3 newcomers transitioning to game development, and aspiring professional builders aiming to monetize their LAND and NFTs. By addressing gaps in advanced education, this initiative will enhance onboarding for creators, boost platform adoption, and contribute to a vibrant ecosystem of innovative games and experiences.

2. Problem Identification

A key challenge in The Sandbox ecosystem is the scarcity of advanced educational resources for the Game Maker tool, particularly for intermediate creators who have mastered basics but struggle with complex features like multiplayer scripting, NFT integration, and dynamic behaviors such as Rotate. This gap results in frustration, high project abandonment rates, and limited creation of sophisticated user-generated content, ultimately hindering creator retention, onboarding efficiency, and overall platform growth.

User feedback and data underscore this issue. For instance, community surveys, such as The Sandbox’s Creator Survey, highlight the need for improvements in tools and education to address creator pain points and shape the platform’s future. On forums and Reddit, users frequently discuss how initial tutorials cover fundamentals well but fall short on advanced topics, leading to self-taught struggles through multiple series or trial-and-error. Newbies often inquire about capabilities before diving in, indicating onboarding barriers for those seeking advanced functionality. Personal experiences from our team, having developed over 10 experiences, reveal common forum queries on intricate mechanics, with creators reporting 20-30% abandonment due to inadequate guided resources for scaling from basic to pro-level builds. This is echoed in discussions where learners note that while entry-level tips abound, advanced workflows require piecing together disparate sources, slowing adoption. Addressing this will unlock more diverse, monetizable content and stronger community engagement.

reddit
https://forum.sandbox.game/t/sandbox-capabilities/211/2
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamemaker/comments/1903p8j/how_did_you_learn_gml/

3. Solution Approach

Our proposed solution is a hybrid educational program combining live, interactive webinars with comprehensive step-by-step guides to deliver advanced training on The Sandbox’s Game Maker tool. The project will work as follows: We will host 8 live webinars, each lasting 1-2 hours and streamed on accessible platforms like Zoom or Twitch for real-time participation. Sessions will be scheduled weekly over two months, covering progressive topics such as advanced scripting fundamentals, multiplayer synchronization, NFT reward integration, dynamic asset behaviors (e.g., using Rotate for interactive elements), play-to-earn optimization, and monetization strategies. Each webinar will feature:

  • Live demonstrations in Game Maker, where instructors build examples on-screen.

  • Hands-on challenges, such as “Create a simple multiplayer quest in 10 minutes,” to encourage immediate application.

  • Interactive Q&A segments for personalized feedback.

  • Guest spots from experienced Sandbox creators to share real-world tips.

To extend the learning beyond live sessions, we’ll create detailed step-by-step guides for each topic, distributed as downloadable PDFs and interactive web pages (hosted on free platforms like Notion or GitHub Pages). A sample guide structure includes:

  • Step 1: Preparation – Update Game Maker, connect wallet, import VoxEdit assets (with screenshots).

  • Step 2: Core Implementation – Add behaviors/logic, e.g., “Copy this code snippet for NFT gating: [provided script].”

  • Step 3: Testing & Optimization – Debug errors like sync failures or gas limits, with troubleshooting checklists.

  • Step 4: Advanced Variations – Tips for scaling, like combining with branded props. Guides will incorporate visuals, downloadable templates to reach a global audience.

Methodologies and principles applied include experiential learning (hands-on challenges to reinforce skills through practice) and adult education theories like Knowles’ Andragogy, emphasizing self-directed, problem-based learning relevant to creators’ goals. Technologies involved are Web3-native: Ethereum for minting NFT completion certificates as incentives, Game Maker/VoxEdit for demos, and analytics tools (e.g., Google Forms for surveys) for feedback. Promotion will leverage X, Discord, and Sandbox forums for registration and hype, with archives uploaded to YouTube for on-demand access.

4. Impact Measurement

Success will be measured using post-webinar surveys (Google Forms), platform analytics (Zoom), and Sandbox data (marketplace/forums).

  • Attendance and Engagement: Track unique participants and completion rates via logs. Target: 150+ participants overall; 75% average completion per webinar.

  • Skill Improvement: Assess via pre/post surveys (1-10 confidence scale and quizzes). Target: 80% show 3+ point increase; 70% achieve proficiency.

  • Content Creation Boost: Monitor new advanced experiences from participants via surveys/marketplace. Target: 20% increase within 3 months.

  • Guide Usage: Track downloads/views via analytics. Target: 100+ interactions; 60% repeat views.

  • Learner Satisfaction (NPS): Survey for recommendation likelihood. Target: NPS of 50+.

  • Community Growth and Retention: Track discussion increases and future engagement via surveys. Target: 15% rise in discussions; 60% retention at 3 months.

Metrics will be compiled in a final DAO report.

5. Technical Implementation & Timeline

Milestone Deliverables Expected Completion Date % of Total Grant Request How to demonstrate
Project Planning Finalize 8 webinar topics, recruit 4 guest speakers from Sandbox community, design guide templates, set up hosting platforms (Zoom), and launch promotional campaign on X/Discord/forums. August 30, 2025 (Month 1 End) 20% Submission of detailed plan document (PDF) to DAO, including speaker confirmations, topic outlines, and promo screenshots; public announcement post on X/forums.
Execution Phase 1 Host first 4 webinars (weekly), produce and release step-by-step guides (PDF/web versions with translations) within 48 hours each, collect initial feedback surveys. September 30, 2025 (Month 2 End) 30% Upload webinar recordings to YouTube/channel, share guide links publicly; provide attendance reports and survey summaries (e.g., 100+ participants); DAO verification via access links.
Execution Phase 2 Host remaining 4 webinars, mint and distribute NFT certificates for completers, archive all content on a dedicated portal, analyze mid-project metrics. October 30, 2025 (Month 3 End) 30% Share archived playlist and portal URL; transaction proofs for NFT mints (e.g., Etherscan links); mid-report with metrics (e.g., engagement data) submitted to DAO.
Wrap-Up and Reporting Compile final impact report with all metrics, gather long-term feedback, ensure sustainability (e.g., open-source guides), and host a community recap event. November 30, 2025 (Month 4 End) 20% Delivery of comprehensive report (PDF) to DAO, including all data, surveys, and outcomes; public recap post/event recording; confirmation of ongoing access to resources.

6. Team Qualifications

Our team consists of two experienced Web3 professionals with expertise in blockchain development, metaverse projects, and educational content delivery, making us well-suited to execute advanced Game Maker workshops.

7. Budget Allocation & Sustainability

Total Grant: 6,000 USD/USDC

  • Development Costs (Tools & Platforms): 1,000 USD – Zoom premium subscription, recording/editing software, and web hosting for guides and portal to ensure smooth technical setup.

  • Educational Content Creation: 2,000 USD – Design tools (e.g., Canva for visuals), translation services for multilingual guides, code templates, and multimedia elements (screenshots, short videos) to produce high-quality step-by-step resources.

  • Team/Guest Compensation: 1,500 USD – Honorariums for guest speakers and moderators (incentivizing expert participation, as the core team volunteers time).

  • Marketing & Promotion: 500 USD – Social media ad boosts, email campaign tools, and graphics for outreach on X, Discord, and Sandbox forums to maximize attendance.

  • Testing & Incentives: 500 USD – NFT minting gas fees and small SAND rewards for participant challenges to verify functionality and boost engagement.

  • Contingency: 500 USD – Buffer for unexpected expenses, such as additional translations or survey tools.

For sustainability, all guides, recordings, and resources will be open-sourced on GitHub and Notion for free, perpetual access, with community encouraged to contribute updates via pull requests. We’ll seek partnerships with Sandbox official channels for ongoing promotion and explore revenue from optional premium extensions (e.g., advanced paid courses) to fund maintenance, ensuring long-term value without additional grants.

How did you hear about the Sandbox DAO Grants Program?
hrough The Sandbox forum