Keystone Foundation Litepaper

Keystone Foundation Litepaper

The Keystone Foundation is a not for profit organization and developer of Keystone Protocol: the first of its kind suite of protocols and tools which enable true social virality on chain. Keystone Protocol enables network effects of each ecosystem persona by unlocking the promise and incentives of blockchain technology.

The Keystone Foundation is a not for profit organization and developer of Keystone Protocol: the first of its kind suite of protocols and tools which enable true social virality on chain. Keystone Protocol enables network effects of each ecosystem persona by unlocking the promise and incentives of blockchain technology.

VISION OF KEYSTONE

Keystone Protocol -  Single Node to Multi-Node

Keystone Protocol -  Single Node to Multi-Node

The Keystone Protocol is a powerful reverberation of a single message or action, amplified by a community through social networks, creating widespread awareness and engagement; this dynamic ensures that those who most effectively propagate and support the message are rewarded with the greatest benefits and rewards. The value of their effort returns to them.

Traditional social networking platforms start with a single node, the platform itself.  Others who adopt the platform, themselves become nodes on that network. Exponential growth of a traditional social platform comes when each additional node on the networks grows its own subnetwork with additional nodes. However, all of the value creation of this exponential network effect returns to and is controlled by the platform creator.  This is a single-node, centralized network. We aim to change this control.

Keystones Protocol is the first decentralized social networking platform, made possible by the promise of blockchain. Gamers on the Keystone Protocol own their networks.  As owners, they are rewarded for growing their networks- and the rewards are governed by mathematics, not committees, on chain-KeyFi. KeyFi is the framework that governs the protocol’s decentralized, multi-node incentivization structure to ensure that all participants are transparently rewarded for their efforts in a meaningful way.

An echo begins with a single sound that propagates outward in search of reflective surfaces which return the waves to the sender multiple times- more reflective surfaces? The Echo protocol gives all gamers ownership of their echos.  The value of their effort returns to them.


Traditional social networking platforms start with a single node, the platform itself.  Others who adopt the platform, themselves become nodes on that network.  Exponential growth of a traditional social platform comes when each additional node on the networks grows its own subnetwork with additional nodes.  However, all of the value creation of this exponential network effect returns to and is controlled by the platform creator.  This is a single-node, centralized network. We aim to change this control.


Keystones Echo Protocol is the first decentralized social networking platform, made possible by the promise of blockchain.  Gamers on the Keystone protocol own their networks.  As owners, they are rewarded for growing their networks- and the rewards are governed by mathematics, not committees, on chain-EchoFi.  EchoFi is the framework that governs the protocol’s decentralized, multi-node incentivization structure to ensure that all participants are transparently rewarded for their efforts in a meaningful way.

socialized player acquisition

Designed specifically for gaming projects, Keystone Protocol revolutionizes traditional user acquisition methodologies.  Instead of paying centralized ad networks and affiliates to deliver a specific message to prospective users, Keystone Protocol allows the users themselves to own and grow their own networks. Keystone Protocol achieves this by allowing its user base to take ownership of the call to action, customize it to connect with their own audience, and then share those capabilities with each new member of the network, both achieving decentralization and maximizing growth capabilities. In an era where community and social presence is the prevalent success criteria for continued acquisition, Keystone Protocol provides a simple, effective workflow to incentivize, empower, and reward its growing contributor base, ultimately allowing for gaming projects to decentralize their user acquisition strategy and cost.

Designed specifically for gaming projects, Keystone Protocol revolutionizes traditional user acquisition methodologies.  Instead of paying centralized ad networks and affiliates to deliver a specific message to prospective users, Keystone Protocol allows the users themselves to own and grow their own networks. Keystone Protocol achieves this by allowing its user base to take ownership of the call to action, customize it to connect with their own audience, and then share those capabilities with each new member of the network, both achieving decentralization and maximizing growth capabilities. In an era where community and social presence is the prevalent success criteria for continued acquisition, Keystone Protocol provides a simple, effective workflow to incentivize, empower, and reward its growing contributor base, ultimately allowing for gaming projects to decentralize their user acquisition strategy and cost.

KEYSTONE PROTOCOL MECHANICS

Keystone Protocol is designed specifically to optimize for viral social incentives by giving everyone, regardless of personal preference, the opportunity to have an ownership stake in the game economy. Keystone targets four main personas, each of whom has the freedom to adopt any of the protocol’s behaviors to leverage their unique incentives, maximize economic output, and generate multiple streams of rewards.

Personas
Amplifiers - Ownership of aggregated economic output in return for growing the ecosystem
Gamers - Rewards for playing and winning 
Creators - True ownership and monetization of UGC
Curators - Discover, boost, and participate in activity on the best content

Echo is designed specifically to optimize for viral social incentives by giving everyone, regardless of personal preference, the opportunity to have an ownership stake in the game economy.  Keystone targets four main personas, each of whom has the freedom to adopt any of the protocol’s behaviors to leverage their unique incentives, maximize economic output, and generate multiple streams of rewards.

Personas

Amplifiers- Ownership of aggregated economic output in return for growing the ecosystem

Gamers- Rewards for playing and winning 

Creators- True ownership and monetization of UGC

Curators- Discover, amplify, and participate in activity on the best content

Keystone Protocol is designed specifically to optimize for viral social incentives by giving everyone, regardless of personal preference, the opportunity to have an ownership stake in the game economy. Keystone targets four main personas, each of whom has the freedom to adopt any of the protocol’s behaviors to leverage their unique incentives, maximize economic output, and generate multiple streams of rewards.

Personas
Amplifiers - Ownership of aggregated economic output in return for growing the ecosystem
Gamers - Rewards for playing and winning 
Creators - True ownership and monetization of UGC
Curators - Discover, boost, and participate in activity on the best content

NODE FRAMEWORK – keyFI

The backbone of Keystone Protocol is its incentivization of virality. 

The backbone of Keystone Protocol is its incentivization of virality. 

All participants can choose to monetize their social networks by hosting nodes. Node owners evangelize the benefits of the gaming ecosystem to their communities. They can commission Curators to find the best content in a given game to host on their nodes. UGC Creators can collaborate with curators and node owners to maintain and grow the economic output on each node. The symbiotic relationships between each persona creates a virtuous, viral loop of economic production which is owned and controlled by the participants themselves.

All participants can choose to monetize their social networks by hosting nodes. Node owners evangelize the benefits of the gaming ecosystem to their communities. They can commission Curators to find the best content in a given game to host on their nodes. UGC Creators can collaborate with curators and node owners to maintain and grow the economic output on each node. The symbiotic relationships between each persona creates a virtuous, viral loop of economic production which is owned and controlled by the participants themselves.

KEYS TOKEN

$KEYS is the mechanism by which social networks are propagated across the ecosystem of games by providing its communities with utility and governance at the Keystone Foundation level. 

$KEYS is the mechanism by which social networks are propagated across the ecosystem of games by providing its communities with utility and governance at the Keystone Foundation level. 

UTILITY

  • $KEYS allows for decentralized governance of changes to Keystone Protocol and the addition of new games to the Foundation’s ecosystem. 

  • Within each of the Foundation’s gaming projects, the personas use $KEYS as a medium of exchange to trade and as a means to unlock token-gated content and experiences

  • Foundation personas earn $KEYS through expanding the social network of gamers, creation and curation of UGC, and gameplay.

  • $KEYS allows for decentralized governance of changes to Keystone Protocol and the addition of new games to the Foundation’s ecosystem. 

  • Within each of the Foundation’s gaming projects, the personas use $KEYS as a medium of exchange to trade and as a means to unlock token-gated content and experiences

  • Foundation personas earn $KEYS through expanding the social network of gamers, creation and curation of UGC, and gameplay.

KEYSTONE tokenomics

$keys allocation

UNLOCK SCHEDULE & TIMING

*Although community reward are unlocked, these rewards will only be released to the community based on an asymptotic function to ensure that community rewards are provided during the long-term operation of the platform. Ecosystem Fund and Community Rewards unlock schedules subject to change. Any changes to the investor or public distribution allocation will either be sourced from or returned to the Ecosystem Fund.

**Community Rewards emissions schedule will be a function of features coming online.

*Although community reward are unlocked, these rewards will only be released to the community based on an asymptotic function to ensure that community rewards are provided during the long-term operation of the platform. Ecosystem Fund and Community Rewards unlock schedules subject to change. Any changes to the investor or public distribution allocation will either be sourced from or returned to the Ecosystem Fund.

**Community Rewards emissions schedule will be a function of features coming online.

$KEYS UNLOCK SCHEDULE

COMMUNITY REWARDS POOL

A significant portion of the Foundation’s tokenomics is reserved for Persona rewards to ensure a strong community of economic participants.

A significant portion of the Foundation’s tokenomics is reserved for Persona rewards to ensure a strong community of economic participants.

EMISSIONS

A significant portion of the Foundation’s tokenomics is reserved for Persona rewards to ensure a strong community of economic participants.

A significant portion of the Foundation’s tokenomics is reserved for Persona rewards to ensure a strong community of economic participants.

KEystone protocol ECONOMY MECHANICS

All participants in the Keystone Network have an ownership stake in the virtuous cycle of economic activity they produce. The Foundation provides the tools and capital which allow game studios to develop AAA experiences for their communities. The social network is the engine that makes the game economy function. The Keystone Protocol ensures that each constituent remains in balance through redistribution mechanisms.

All participants in the Keystone Network have an ownership stake in the virtuous cycle of economic activity they produce. The Foundation provides the tools and capital which allow game studios to develop AAA experiences for their communities. The social network is the engine that makes the game economy function. The Keystone Protocol ensures that each constituent remains in balance through redistribution mechanisms.

PROTOCOL ECONOMY

As new gaming projects are selected by the Foundation and its social network to adopt the protocol, the Ecosystem fund will provide grants and expertise needed to grow their economies. A portion of the economic activity of each game will be contributed back to the Fund to ensure future games can be added.

As new gaming projects are selected by the Foundation and its social network to adopt the protocol, the Ecosystem fund will provide grants and expertise needed to grow their economies. A portion of the economic activity of each game will be contributed back to the Fund to ensure future games can be added.

game economy

As the personas interact with Keystone Protocol enabled games, either through gameplay, creation, curation, or governance, the Community Rewards Pool will emit $KEYS in balance with the economic activity created. As reward tokens are circulated back into the gaming network, a portion will be recycled to the community treasury to ensure there is a balanced supply of tokens for future emissions.

As the personas interact with Keystone Protocol enabled games, either through gameplay, creation, curation, or governance, the Community Rewards Pool will emit $KEYS in balance with the economic activity created. As reward tokens are circulated back into the gaming network, a portion will be recycled to the community treasury to ensure there is a balanced supply of tokens for future emissions.

treasury balancing

The Foundation and its community retain resources and mechanisms to ensure there is long term balance between the Ecosystem and Community treasuries. The Foundation can keep its ecosystem treasuries in balance through the reallocation of recycled tokens and open market activities.

The Foundation and its community retain resources and mechanisms to ensure there is long term balance between the Ecosystem and Community treasuries. The Foundation can keep its ecosystem treasuries in balance through the reallocation of recycled tokens and open market activities.

gameplay economic contribution

At the protocol economy level, each game on Keystone Protocol will have faucets and sinks for the $KEYS token. The Foundation’s goal is to provide a balanced economy of games whereby each game contributes and benefits from its own economic activity and success. As such, each constituent Game on the Keystone Protocol has incentives to produce and receive a balanced share of its own economic activity at the PROTOCOL level.

At the protocol economy level, each game on Keystone Protocol will have faucets and sinks for the $KEYS token. The Foundation’s goal is to provide a balanced economy of games whereby each game contributes and benefits from its own economic activity and success. As such, each constituent Game on the Keystone Protocol has incentives to produce and receive a balanced share of its own economic activity at the PROTOCOL level.

At the game economy level, each Persona will produce and receive a balanced share of his own economic activity. Whether by playing, creating, curating, or using network effects to drive additional players and economic activity to a given game.

At the game economy level, each Persona will produce and receive a balanced share of his own economic activity. Whether by playing, creating, curating, or using network effects to drive additional players and economic activity to a given game.

FIRST GAME

The first game to build on the Keystone Protocol is Champions Ascension, an arena style RPG that combines pulse-pounding, skill-based competitive multiplayer action with a deep, strategic progression layer set within a brutal fantasy setting where glory in battle is the ultimate path to fame and fortune.

The first game to build on the Keystone Protocol is Champions Ascension, an arena style RPG that combines pulse-pounding, skill-based competitive multiplayer action with a deep, strategic progression layer set within a brutal fantasy setting where glory in battle is the ultimate path to fame and fortune.

Champions Ascension chose to incorporate the Keystone Protocol because of its novel monetary player & game-centric attributes as well as its unique social +UGC tenants that act as the heart of the player experience.

Rough House Games, the studio developing Champions Ascension is no stranger to cutting edge technology. The founding team, Chris Dewolfe and Aber Whitcomb, have worked together for more than 20 years, etching their names in social media history when they founded and subsequently sold MySpace, the first and largest social media platform in the early 2000’s. At its height, MySpace was the most trafficked site in the United States, streamed more music than any other online destination online, created the first wave of social media talent, invented “the like” button and became the launching pad for Youtube.

Champions Ascension chose to incorporate the Keystone Protocol because of its novel monetary player & game-centric attributes as well as its unique social +UGC tenants that act as the heart of the player experience.

Rough House Games, the studio developing Champions Ascension is no stranger to cutting edge technology. The founding team, Chris Dewolfe and Aber Whitcomb, have worked together for more than 20 years, etching their names in social media history when they founded and subsequently sold MySpace, the first and largest social media platform in the early 2000’s. At its height, MySpace was the most trafficked site in the United States, streamed more music than any other online destination online, created the first wave of social media talent, invented “the like” button and became the launching pad for Youtube.

By 2010, DeWolfe and Whitcomb left MySpace to start Jam City, a global powerhouse in mobile gaming that developed dozens of top hit games featured across the App Store and Google Play. Jam City continues to thrive, with over 3 billion mobile game downloads and over $5 billion dollars in revenues while they were at the helm of the organization.

By January of 2023 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz (A16z), Coinbase Ventures, UTA Ventures and Crush Music Ventures, the team focused on developing a world class game studio that leaned into the inevitable web3 future to pioneer the next generation of game experiences. This studio is Rough House Games.

By 2010, DeWolfe and Whitcomb left MySpace to start Jam City, a global powerhouse in mobile gaming that developed dozens of top hit games featured across the App Store and Google Play. Jam City continues to thrive, with over 3 billion mobile game downloads and over $5 billion dollars in revenues while they were at the helm of the organization.


By January of 2023 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz (A16z), Coinbase Ventures, UTA Ventures and Crush Music Ventures, the team focused on developing a world class game studio that leaned into the inevitable web3 future to pioneer the next generation of game experiences. This studio is Rough House Games.

“Keystone's Protocol is the connective tissue that coalesces all of the benefits of web3 technologies we were looking to weave into Champions. When we started MySpace, we focused on developing a social graph that created your 1st digital identity. Years later, we saw mobile as the next frontier as everyone had a console in their pocket. With Jam City, we took our experience in social media to develop immersive games with viral loops that became the benchmark in successful and long standing live game ops. Which brings us to today, the Keystone Protocol brings a new approach to virality, monetization, digital ownership by empowering creators (in our case, a AAA style game) to tap into millions of potential players and web3 enthusiasts. Creating games is an artform that we’ve perfected over the years and the Keystone Protocol seamlessly fits with how we envision games thriving in this new blockchain ecosystem,” said Chris DeWolfe CEO/Founder of Rough House Games.

“Keystone's Protocol is the connective tissue that coalesces all of the benefits of web3 technologies we were looking to weave into Champions. When we started MySpace, we focused on developing a social graph that created your 1st digital identity. Years later, we saw mobile as the next frontier as everyone had a console in their pocket. With Jam City, we took our experience in social media to develop immersive games with viral loops that became the benchmark in successful and long standing live game ops. Which brings us to today, the Keystone Protocol brings a new approach to virality, monetization, digital ownership by empowering creators (in our case, a AAA style game) to tap into millions of potential players and web3 enthusiasts. Creating games is an artform that we’ve perfected over the years and the Keystone Protocol seamlessly fits with how we envision games thriving in this new blockchain ecosystem,” said Chris DeWolfe CEO/Founder of Rough House Games.

governance

The Keystone Foundation and its Keystone Protocol each have a governance layer. The Keystone Protocol itself will have its own governance layer which decentralizes many functions and decisions to the community of $KEYS holders.  The community will be able to submit various proposals to the Community Council. Initially, the Community Council will be appointed by the Foundation Board of Directors to terms of varying length. The members will be selected based on their ability to interact and communicate closely with the $KEYS community. As terms expire, $KEYS holders will be able to nominate and vote for members of the Council.  If the Community Council approves a proposal it will be submitted to the Foundation Board of Directors for final review. The Foundation Governance layer is comprised of a Board of Directors which ensures that all decisions and proposals offered by the community are in keeping with the Foundation’s Memorandum & Articles (M&As) as well as its jurisdictional laws. The Foundation M&As will include a requirement to take immediate steps to transition control of all treasury tokens and the direction of the protocol to the community of token holders. The Path to Decentralization is described in more detail below.

The Keystone Foundation and its Keystone Protocol each have a governance layer. The Keystone Protocol itself will have its own governance layer which decentralizes many functions and decisions to the community of $KEYS holders.  The community will be able to submit various proposals to the Community Council. Initially, the Community Council will be appointed by the Foundation Board of Directors to terms of varying length. The members will be selected based on their ability to interact and communicate closely with the $KEYS community. As terms expire, $KEYS holders will be able to nominate and vote for members of the Council.  If the Community Council approves a proposal it will be submitted to the Foundation Board of Directors for final review. The Foundation Governance layer is comprised of a Board of Directors which ensures that all decisions and proposals offered by the community are in keeping with the Foundation’s Memorandum & Articles (M&As) as well as its jurisdictional laws. The Foundation M&As will include a requirement to take immediate steps to transition control of all treasury tokens and the direction of the protocol to the community of token holders. The Path to Decentralization is described in more detail below.

protocol governance

Members of the community of $KEYS holders at large will be able to submit proposals for changes and enhancements of the protocol itself and the operation of the Foundation. Proposals will be reviewed by a Community Council and, if approved, submitted to the Foundation Board of Directors for final review.

Members of the community of $KEYS holders at large will be able to submit proposals for changes and enhancements of the protocol itself and the operation of the Foundation. Proposals will be reviewed by a Community Council and, if approved, submitted to the Foundation Board of Directors for final review.

ecosystem governance

Within the same governance framework, members of the community of $KEYS holders will also be able to submit proposals for new games believed to be suited to the Foundation’s protocol. If the Community Council approves the recommendation, it will be submitted for final review and diligence to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Within the same governance framework, members of the community of $KEYS holders will also be able to submit proposals for new games believed to be suited to the Foundation’s protocol. If the Community Council approves the recommendation, it will be submitted for final review and diligence to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

path to decentralization

After such time as the Foundation has adequate working capital to fund its operations but not longer than two years, the Ecosystem and Community Treasuries will be placed in a non-voting smart contract which will be controlled directly by token holders. Grants of tokens to new projects and changes to the protocol will require a bonafide proposal from the Foundation, the Community Council, or the community at large and will require a vote by the token holders to pass.  While the Foundation will control the smart contract, it will be bound by the will of the token holders’ vote as to future uses and allocations of the treasury tokens. 

After such time as the Foundation has adequate working capital to fund its operations but not longer than two years, the Ecosystem and Community Treasuries will be placed in a non-voting smart contract which will be controlled directly by token holders. Grants of tokens to new projects and changes to the protocol will require a bonafide proposal from the Foundation, the Community Council, or the community at large and will require a vote by the token holders to pass.  While the Foundation will control the smart contract, it will be bound by the will of the token holders’ vote as to future uses and allocations of the treasury tokens. 

Socializing the future of gaming ecosystems.

© Keystone Foundation, 2024. All rights reserved.

Socializing the future of gaming ecosystems.

© Keystone Foundation, 2024. All rights reserved.

Socializing the future of gaming ecosystems.

© Keystone Foundation, 2024. All rights reserved.