Hi everyone!
I’ve turned an idea into an initial, live-testable beta version.
Before I present the idea, let me outline the (well-known) challenges first:
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It’s hard to introduce regular fiat-minded people to Polkadot;
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Those who are interested have to wade through pages of documentation, watch endless explainer videos, sift through tons of community posts, etc.;
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They first have to find the relevant information in the first place;
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The technical jargon looks like hieroglyphics to normies.
Conclusion: The barrier of “understanding Polkadot” is too much effort for most people — hence: no participation, no investment.
Now to the idea:
- The core thought was: "We need a tool that delivers
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all information relevant to understanding Polkadot,
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in one place,
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in a structured, progressive order,
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in a playful way, and
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in plain language."
In short: learning Polkadot should be fun.
- At the same time, the tool should lead to:
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DOT/KSM being purchased and
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staked,
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increased participation in governance, and
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greater awareness of Polkadot.
My approach for such a tool:
Polkadot Sensei: a gamified, interactive education tool.
Innovation: The game is linked to the player’s wallet. To complete all levels, the player must fulfill on-chain requirements (OCR) throughout the course of the game. In the current test version (v0.1.0-beta), the following OCR are implemented, for example:
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Level 4: Hold 50 DOT / 10 KSM (players can sign in with Polkadot and Kusama wallets)
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Level 6: Stake 300 DOT / 50 KSM
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Level 10: Cast 3 conviction votes in OpenGov
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Level 15: Set your on-chain identity
The player can only proceed to the next level once the respective requirement is met.
Of course, the OCR are not hardcoded and can be adjusted at any time.
Look & Feel / Character: Manga character → broad audience (approx. ages 16–40).
Story: The player progresses from white belt to Sensei (inspired by karate).
Incentive: A leaderboard displays the top players → anyone who wants to be among the best (and many do, if psychology research is to be believed) must:
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have extensive knowledge about Polkadot;
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complete real on-chain quests;
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share their progress on social media.
Gameplay:
After signing in with a Polkadot or Kusama wallet, the player enters the level overview (Dojo).
There, they must complete various quests in sequence:
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Lessons: Here the player acquires the knowledge needed to complete the levels.
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Levels: Here the acquired knowledge is tested (theory).
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OCR (On-Chain Requirements): Here the learned knowledge is put into practice on-chain (hands-on).
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CEA (Community Engagement Actions): After completing a category (e.g. white belt), the player can share their progress. Important: they CAN, they don’t HAVE to. However, they receive fewer points if they don’t — which brings us back to the topic of psychology.
Image: Level Overview (Level 04) → OCR not fulfilled
Image: Level Overview (Level 15) → all OCR fulfilled
Quest unlocking is conditional (Level 2 only unlocks once Level 1 has been successfully completed, etc.).
Via the “On-Chain Profile” menu item, the player can access relevant information about their wallet.
Status Quo
The game is currently in beta and can be played — to test the game mechanics — at: Polkadot Sensei.
!!! The lesson and level contents are placeholders / sample questions !!!
What’s still needed to finish?
1: 15 complete lessons
The lessons are designed to stimulate the brain through:
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Telling stories
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Visualizing
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Using attention-grabbing tactics: page layout, non-standard examples, puzzles, jokes, and other means.
Very much in the style of these book series that specialize in making technical knowledge accessible to non-technical readers:
Schroedinger programmiert … (unfortunately only available in German)
Creating such lessons means: a lot of work. That’s why a referendum is planned for this next step.
2: 15 exam levels with 20–25 questions each, derived from the lessons.
But first: testing!
I would be very grateful if you could thoroughly test the game in its current state and share your feedback with me.
Feedback on the following would be especially helpful:
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UX
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Is everything self-explanatory?
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Are there any bugs in the gameplay?
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Do you like the look and feel?
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Does the data retrieval in “On-Chain Profile” work? → found in the hamburger menu
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What changes / improvements / additions would be worthwhile?
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And of course the fundamental question: does it make sense to pursue this idea in this way?
Thank you very much in advance for testing and for your feedback!
Links
Game: Polkadot Sensei
Leaderboard: Leaderboard
Developer: vonFlandern
). The plan is to have a proper start screen with an animation of the manga character “Jiyu no Toshi” (自由の闘士 = freedom fighter), which will explain in a beginner-friendly way why the wallet connection is needed and that it’s essentially just a public address (no signatures/transactions in the game!).