Dig Deeper - Litepaper

Executive Summary#

Dig Deeper is an experimental blockchain-based territorial control game built on Avalanche, where players compete for tile ownership through strategic energy management and combat mechanics. The game features a unique economic model centered around $DIG token utility, risk-based treasury systems, and time-limited competitive rounds.

Game Overview#

Core Concept

Players compete on a grid-based map to claim territories, build treasuries, and survive elimination while competing for rewards in timed rounds.

Early Alpha Preview

Below is an early alpha screenshot showing the game interface in action:

The screenshot shows the 100x100 grid with different colored territories, player information panel, and tile claiming interface. This gives you a preview of the strategic territorial gameplay described in this litepaper.

Grid Specifications

• Map Size: 100x100 tiles (10,000 total positions)
• Tile Representation: Player color + 3-character code
• Expansion Rules: Adjacent tile claiming only
• Visual Design: Clean, minimalist grid with player customization

Game Objective

• Primary Goal: Survive until round end with capital intact
• Secondary Goals: Maximize treasury size, claim territories, eliminate opponents
• Victory Conditions: Capital survival + treasury accumulation

Player Registration & Identity#

Registration Requirements

Players must provide:

1. Player Name: Displayed in leaderboards and logs
2. 3-Character Code: Displayed on claimed tiles
3. Color Selection: Visual representation of tiles

Cosmetic System

• Basic Tiles: Standard colored tiles with player code
• Premium Cosmetics: Purchasable with $DIG tokens (permanent)
  • Glowing effects
  • Animated borders
  • Special textures
  • Particle effects

Player Progression

• Statistics Tracking: Games played, $DIG spent/earned, kills, deaths
• Leaderboards: Global rankings based on various metrics
• Achievement System: Unlockable badges and titles

Core Game Mechanics#

Energy System

• Energy Generation: X energy per second (TBD)
• Energy Cap: Maximum energy storage limit
• Energy Consumption: All current energy spent per action
• Action Types:
  • Claim new adjacent tile
  • Reinforce existing tile (add energy/defense)
  • Attack enemy tile (deal damage)

Power-ups

• Purchase Method: Spend $DIG tokens for temporary boosts
• Duration: Per-round only (resets each game)
• Available Power-ups:
  • Energy Booster: Increased energy regeneration rate
  • Cooldown Reduction: Faster action frequency (reduced waiting time between tile placements/attacks)
• Strategy: Risk vs. reward - higher treasury attracts attackers

Treasury System

• Treasury Building: $DIG spent on power-ups adds to player treasury
• Fee Structure: 5% fee applied on:
  • Power-up purchases (when $DIG enters treasury)
  • Capital destruction (when treasury gets distributed to attackers)
  • No Fee: When player survives until pyramid collapse (full treasury return)
• Visibility: Treasury size displayed on leaderboards
• Risk Factor: Larger treasuries create bigger targets

Game Rounds & Phases#

Round Duration: 30 Minutes (TBD)

Phase 1: Build & Expand (0-5 minutes)

• Focus: Territory claiming and base building
• Activities:
  • Choose initial capital placement
  • Claim adjacent tiles
  • Reinforce tiles with energy
  • Purchase power-ups
• Strategy: Establish secure territory and build defenses

Phase 2: Gold Rush (5-15 minutes)

• Event: Gold mines spawn randomly on map
• Mechanics:
  • Gold mines function as NPC capitals
  • Predefined treasury and energy amounts
  • Players compete to deal damage
  • Last hit claims the mine
  • Treasury split proportional to damage dealt
• Strategy: Balance expansion vs. gold mine competition vs. hunting player treasuries

Phase 3: Pyramid (15-30 minutes)

• Event: 3x3 (9-tile) pyramid spawns randomly
• Placement Algorithm:
  • Avoid occupied tiles when possible
  • If map full, avoid capitals
  • Override regular tiles if necessary
• Rewards: 70% of collected fees + developer-set $DIG bonus
• Victory Condition: All 9 pyramid tiles must be destroyed
• Strategy: Coordinate attacks while defending own capital

Round End Conditions

1. Time Expires: 30 minutes elapsed
2. Pyramid Destroyed: All 9 pyramid tiles eliminated
3. Developer Trigger: Manual round termination

Between Rounds

• Treasury Settlement: Surviving players receive their treasury back
• Statistics Update: Player records updated
• Fresh Start: All players reset to equal starting conditions

Combat & Territory System#

Capital Mechanics

• Capital Selection: First tile placed becomes player's capital
• Capital Destruction: Eliminates player from round
• Treasury Distribution: Attackers split treasury based on damage contribution
• Random Loss Factor: 50-100% of treasury lost (Chainlink VRF)
• Recovery: Remaining treasury returned to eliminated player

Combat Resolution

• Damage Calculation: Attacker's current energy vs. tile's stored energy
• Tile Capture: Damage > tile energy = successful claim
• Energy Transfer: Successful attack transfers remaining energy to tile
• Damage Tracking: All damage contributions to capital recorded for rewards

Respawn System

• Elimination Recovery: Players can respawn after capital loss
• Spawn Rules: Choose any empty location on map
• Fresh Start: New capital, empty treasury, base energy
• Immunity Period: Brief protection after respawn (30-60 seconds)

Territory Expansion

• Adjacency Rule: Can only claim tiles adjacent to owned territory
• Strategic Placement: Initial capital location critical for expansion
• Defensive Strategy: Energy allocation between expansion and defense

Economic Model & Tokenomics#

$DIG Token Integration

• No Minting: Deflationary model with no additional token creation
• Utility Functions:
  • Power-up purchases
  • Cosmetic item purchases
  • Treasury building
  • Reward distribution
  • Staking

Revenue Streams

1. Transaction Fees: Primary monetization method
   • Power-up Purchases: $DIG spent on power-ups goes to player treasury with 5% fee applied
   • Capital Destruction: When capital gets occupied, 5% fee applies to treasury distribution
   • Round Survival: Players surviving until pyramid collapse receive full treasury back (no fee)
2. Cosmetic Sales: Premium visual upgrades
   • Fee Structure: 95% of $DIG spent on cosmetics gets burned, 5% split like other fees

Reward Distribution

• Game Rewards: Fed by player spending and developer subsidies
• Treasury Recovery: Partial return after elimination
• Gold Mine Rewards: Distributed based on damage contribution
• Pyramid Rewards: Major end-game prize pool

Economic Sustainability

• Player-Funded Rewards: Spending creates prize pools
• Whale Incentivization: Higher spenders create larger targets and rewards
• Balanced Risk: Treasury growth attracts both rewards and danger
• Long-term Value: Statistics and progression encourage continued play

Fee Structure & Distribution#

5% Fee on Treasury Operations

Applied to all $DIG entering or leaving player treasuries:

Cosmetic Purchase Distribution

Applied to all $DIG spent on cosmetic items:

• 95%: Token burn (deflationary mechanism)
• 5%: Split according to standard fee distribution above

Referral System

• Referral Tracking: On-chain referral code system
• Reward Distribution: Automatic distribution from fee pool
• Incentive Structure: Encourages organic player growth
• Anti-Gaming: Measures to prevent referral abuse

Technical Implementation#

Chainlink VRF Integration

All randomness requires Chainlink VRF to ensure fairness:

Random Elements:

1. Treasury Loss Percentage: 50-100% on capital destruction
2. Gold Mine Placement: Random spawn locations
3. Pyramid Placement: Random spawn with accessibility checks
4. Initial Spawn Selection: Random available positions

Smart Contract Architecture

• Main Game Contract: Core mechanics and state management
• Treasury Contract: $DIG token interactions and fee distribution
• VRF Consumer Contract: Randomness handling
• Statistics Contract: Player progression and leaderboards

VRF Cost Management

• Fee Integration: VRF costs included in game economics
• Batch Requests: Multiple random numbers per call for efficiency
• Cost Distribution: Absorbed through game fee structure

Economic Sustainability#

Deflationary Mechanisms

• Fixed Supply: No new $DIG tokens will ever be minted
• Cosmetic Burns: 95% of cosmetic purchases permanently removed from circulation
• Fee-Driven Rewards: Sustainable reward pools without token inflation

Balanced Incentives

• Risk/Reward Balance: Treasury growth creates targets while offering protection incentives
• Fair Competition: Per-round power-ups ensure equal starting opportunities
• Whale Economics: High spenders benefit entire ecosystem through increased prize pools
• Survivor Rewards: No-fee treasury return incentivizes endgame strategy

Long-term Value Creation

• Utility Expansion: Multiple use cases for $DIG tokens within game ecosystem
• Community Growth: Referral system and social features drive organic adoption
• Data-Driven Balance: Developer controls allow parameter optimization based on gameplay data
• Scalable Model: Economic model designed to handle growth without breaking