Branding & Metaphor Exploration - Amigos
Core Branding Idea: MMORPG for Coders
The Metaphor
Amigos isn’t a game - it’s a coding platform that feels like an MMORPG
Instead of logging into World of Warcraft, developers log into the “World of Code” where:
- The Map: The global network of services and dependencies
- NPCs: Existing services you can interact with (auth, payments, storage)
- Players: Other developers building and sharing services
- Guilds: Teams and organizations collaborating on projects
- Quests: Building features by composing existing services
- Loot: Revenue from services others use
- Crafting: Creating new services from imported components
Visual Identity
The World Map Concept:
🗺️ Amigos Network Map
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🏰 blockchain.land │
│ ├── 💰 defi/uniswap │
│ ├── 🎨 nft/opensea │
│ └── 🗳️ dao/governance │
│ │
│ ☁️ aws.land 🏠 local.land│
│ ├── 📦 s3/storage ├── 🔐 auth│
│ └── ⚡ lambda/fn └── 💳 pay │
│ │
│ 🐙 github.com │
│ ├── 🔧 utils/crypto │
│ └── 📊 lib/analytics │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
👨💻 You are here: local.land/myproject
🎯 Quest: Build e-commerce platform
📈 Level: Intermediate Go Developer
Developer Journey as Game Progression
Level 1: Newbie Developer
- Starting Zone:
local.land - First Quest: “Hello World” - Import your first service
- Tools: Basic CLI commands (
amigo import,amigo serve) - Reward: Working app with authentication
Level 2: Service Composer
- New Areas:
preview.land, basicblockchain.land - Quest: “Build a Startup MVP” - Combine 5+ services
- Tools: Advanced imports, testing, deployment
- Reward: Revenue from service usage
Level 3: Service Creator
- New Areas:
blockchain.landproduction,aws.landintegrations - Quest: “Publish Your First Service” - Others import your code
- Tools: Publishing, versioning, monitoring
- Reward: Passive income from imports
Level 4: Network Architect
- New Areas: Cross-chain deployments, enterprise zones
- Quest: “Build Infrastructure” - Create foundational services
- Tools: Advanced networking, governance participation
- Reward: Platform equity, governance tokens
Level 5: Ecosystem Leader
- New Areas: All networks, private enterprise zones
- Quest: “Shape the Future” - Define standards and protocols
- Tools: Protocol development, community leadership
- Reward: Platform ownership, legacy impact
Interactive Elements
“Inspect” Any Service (like examining items in RPGs):
amigo inspect blockchain.land/defi/uniswap
┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🏷️ Uniswap V3 Pool Service │
│ 👤 Created by: @hayden-adams │
│ ⭐ Rating: 4.9/5 (2.1M users) │
│ 💰 Usage: 0.003 ETH per swap │
│ 📊 Dependencies: 3 services │
│ 🔍 Last audit: 2024-10-15 │
│ 📖 Documentation: excellent │
│ 🎯 Imports: click to add to project │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
“Who’s Online” in Your Network:
amigo who
👥 Developers in your network:
🟢 alice@github.com - Working on: blog-engine
🟡 bob@crypto.dev - Working on: nft-marketplace
🔴 carol@startup.io - Working on: payment-gateway
🟢 dave@enterprise.com - Working on: analytics-suite
💬 Recent activity:
• alice published blog-engine@v2.1.0
• bob imported your auth-service
• carol starred your payment-widget
Community & Social Features
Service Leaderboards:
- Most imported services this week
- Highest rated new services
- Top earning service creators
- Most active developers
Achievement System:
- 🏆 “First Deploy” - Deploy your first service
- 🌟 “Popular Creator” - 1000+ imports of your service
- 🤝 “Good Neighbor” - Help 10 developers in community
- 🚀 “Early Adopter” - Use 50+ different services
- 💰 “Entrepreneur” - Earn $1000+ from your services
Guild System (Organizations):
- Open Source Guilds: Collaborative development
- Startup Guilds: Fast-moving commercial teams
- Enterprise Guilds: Large company development
- Research Guilds: Academic and experimental projects
Marketing Messages
For Individual Developers
“Join the world’s largest coding adventure. Explore, build, and earn in a universe where every service is a building block for your next great idea.”
For Teams
“Quest together. Build faster by combining your team’s skills with services from thousands of developers worldwide.”
For Enterprises
“Access the guild network. Connect your private development environment to the global ecosystem of battle-tested services.”
Visual Design Language
Color Palette:
- Primary: Deep blue (#1B365D) - Trust, depth, network
- Secondary: Bright green (#00D2FF) - Growth, connection, success
- Accent: Gold (#FFD700) - Value, rewards, achievements
- Warning: Orange (#FF6B35) - Caution, testing, staging
- Error: Red (#FF1744) - Danger, conflicts, failures
Typography:
- Headers: Bold, techy font (like Source Code Pro)
- Body: Clean, readable (like Inter)
- Code: Monospace (like JetBrains Mono)
Icons & Imagery:
- Network nodes and connections
- Fantasy/RPG elements (shields for security, gems for value)
- Map-like visualizations
- Developer tools styled as fantasy items
Alternative Branding Concepts
2. “GitHub for Live Services”
- More familiar, less gamified
- Focus on social coding and collaboration
- “Star” services, “fork” with state, “pull request” improvements
3. “Docker for the Network”
- Technical, infrastructure-focused
- “Containerize” services across networks
- Build, ship, run anywhere (Web2, Web3, local)
4. “Import Economy”
- Economic focus, emphasizes value exchange
- “Trade” services, “invest” in dependencies
- Revenue sharing as core narrative
5. “Network Virtualization Platform”
- Enterprise-friendly, technical
- Abstract away network complexity
- Unified development experience
Testing the MMORPG Concept
Validation Questions:
- Do developers connect with gaming metaphors?
- Does “quest” language feel natural for coding tasks?
- Is the progression system motivating?
- Does it differentiate us from competitors?
- Can we maintain technical credibility?
A/B Testing Ideas:
- Landing page with/without gaming language
- CLI help text with/without quest metaphors
- Community features with/without achievements
- Documentation with/without map visualizations
Implementation Strategy
Phase 1: Subtle Integration
- Map-based network visualization
- Achievement system for milestones
- “Explore” language in documentation
- Community leaderboards
Phase 2: Full Immersion
- Quest-based onboarding
- Guild/organization features
- Service “inspection” with RPG-style stats
- Social features and activity feeds
Phase 3: Advanced Gamification
- Experience points and leveling
- Seasonal challenges and events
- Special badges and recognition
- Virtual conferences as “gatherings”
Conclusion
The MMORPG metaphor could be Amigos’ secret weapon - making coding feel like an adventure rather than a chore. It transforms:
- Isolation → Community
- Complexity → Exploration
- Dependencies → Allies
- Deployment → Quests
- Revenue → Loot
- Collaboration → Guilds
The key is balancing fun with professionalism - making development feel engaging without undermining technical credibility.