HAM(Home’s a Maze) is a semi-onchain, long-form 3D art project. it offers a unique daily adventure where players navigate a new 3D maze daily. Inspired by my childhood experiences of exploring complex buildings/spaces, this game challenges players’ spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. Every day brings a fresh maze to solve, evoking a sense of nostalgia and discovery.

Onchain Element: After solving the maze, players can mint their results as digital Polaroids on the blockchain. This feature creates a permanent digital record of their achievement and contributes to a leaderboard, facilitates competitions, or unlocks special in-game rewards.

Daily Casual Game: Players solve the mazes daily, adding a playful and competitive element.

TLDR

HAM smart contract is an ERC721 contract deployed to B3. The track generation algorithm is done in the game engine, which uses the current date as a seed to generate new and different mazes daily.

HAM offers a fresh take on casual gaming by introducing daily mazes where players navigate to find a monolith at the centre. Integrating NFT minting as "Polaroids" adds a collectible and rewarding aspect. This blend of gameplay and blockchain interaction creates a novel experience that might appeal to a broad audience, from gamers to tech enthusiasts. By providing an optional onchain component, where time (the time it takes for a player to solve the maze) and maze seed (maze seed determines the structure of the daily maze) are stored fully onchain. HAM gently introduces players to blockchain technology. Players who choose to mint their achievements as NFTs engage directly with the blockchain, thus bringing more users on-chain. This feature serves as a gateway for newcomers to explore the world of NFTs and digital ownership in an accessible and enjoyable way. it currently costs a mintfee of ≈$0.39 for players to store their results onchain. the fee is flexible.

In the future, the on-chain results could be leveraged to create a dynamic leaderboard, facilitate engaging competitions, and unlock exclusive in-game rewards and content. The project envisions a two-pronged approach:

1. 3D Development: The 3D aspect of the game has the potential for continuous evolution. Future updates could introduce features like avatars, multiplayer modes, or first-person perspectives. Thematic variations, such as backroom-inspired mazes, could also be added to enhance the gameplay experience.

2. NFT Content Evolution: The NFTs minted from maze results could evolve from digital tokens to interactive Polaroids. These Polaroids might include selfies of player avatars or be customized through a maze builder feature. This builder could allow sponsors and brands to create and purchase bespoke mazes for a day, offering additional promotional opportunities.

On the blockchain side, potential upgrades could include:

• Support for 3D Innovations: Adjustments to accommodate new 3D features, including custom maze minting and daily maze generation via Solidity smart contracts.

• Enhanced Data Management: Storing diverse data sets on-chain for accurate leaderboard tracking and implementing a refined reward mechanism.

Overall, this approach aims to merge ongoing 3D development with advanced blockchain functionalities, creating a rich, evolving player experience and a versatile platform for sponsors.

Previous Work

Lootpod Skin

I designed a Loot Podx skin, Loot Pod was the first extension of the previously established Clone X metaverse civilization for RTFKT. I designed a custom bamboo-themed skin which was used in the new OM100m Korean Neighbourhood in Oncyber

Bad Since ‘97 listening party

I led the Floats Design team to create and launch Bad Since ‘97, the first metaverse listening party in Africa. I oversaw the design, modelling, and management of the environment-building design process. it’s currently hosted on MONA.

Artistry ↔ Functionality

In my artistic practice, I strive to blend visual appeal with practical engagement, transcending the traditional notion of utility. The NFT space often reduces objects to mere economic assets, focusing on financial mechanisms rather than creative value. For me, the goal is to craft experiences that harmonize aesthetic beauty with interactive functionality.

Home is a Maze exemplifies this fusion of artistry and function. The game is designed from a first-person perspective, immersing players in the maze and challenging their spatial awareness. This approach ensures that players experience the maze in a deeply engaging way, where the visual and interactive elements are intricately connected.

The design is also forward-thinking, with the potential for adaptation to virtual reality (VR). Such a transition would elevate the immersive experience, allowing players to physically navigate through the maze and interact with its elements more intuitively. This adaptability showcases the game’s commitment to blending artistic vision with cutting-edge technology.

A key feature of the game is the top-down snapshot provided at the end of each maze. Initially, players might feel disoriented by the complex paths, but this snapshot offers a revealing view of the maze’s layout. This visual aid not only provides a sense of accomplishment but also enhances players’ understanding of the maze’s structure, improving their navigation skills if they decide to play again.

HAM is a testament to merging artistic design with interactive functionality. By combining the immersive first-person perspective with the potential for VR and a strategic top-down view, the game delivers a visually captivating and practically engaging experience, reflecting the seamless integration of art and function.

HAM In Depth

The Tech Behind the Maze

HAM combines game development tools with blockchain technology to create a seamless and immersive experience. The game is built in Unity, leveraging its powerful 3D rendering capabilities and physics engine to generate intricate mazes that challenge spatial awareness and navigation skills.

The daily maze is procedurally generated using a custom algorithm seeded by the current date. This ensures that every player worldwide encounters the same maze, fostering a shared competitive experience. On the blockchain side, HAM integrates with Thirdweb + Chainsafe gaming to handle wallet connections and the minting of results as NFTs.

This ERC-721 smart contract deployed on B3 stores essential data like the maze seed and completion time directly on-chain. This ensures transparency, fairness, and permanence, allowing players to revisit their digital "Polaroid" results anytime.

A Game is Never Finished

HAM embodies the philosophy that games are living, evolving projects. The initial release delivers a polished maze-solving experience, but the roadmap envisions continuous updates. From integrating multiplayer modes to exploring virtual reality adaptations, HAM is designed to grow alongside its community.

Future iterations could also include features like thematic mazes inspired by cultural or historical settings, an interactive maze builder for user-generated content, and advanced blockchain functionalities for even deeper on-chain integration.

The Player’s Perspective

When you step into HAM, you're transported into a 3D maze that’s as disorienting as it is mesmerizing. The first-person perspective immerses you in the winding corridors, where every turn feels like a discovery.

Adding to the experience is the sound of music pinned to the monolith at the maze’s centre. The faint melody acts as a guide, growing louder as you draw closer, subtly aiding navigation without diminishing the challenge. This audio feature enhances immersion, blending spatial awareness with auditory clues.

Players race against time to find the monolith, balancing speed with strategy. The top-down snapshot provided after each maze offers a satisfying look at the labyrinth you’ve conquered, making the journey feel both rewarding and educational.

The optional on-chain minting feature adds an exciting layer of value. By recording your completion time and maze seed as NFTs, you gain not only bragging rights but also a permanent digital artefact of your accomplishment.

Dynamic Rewards: NFTs and Beyond

HAM embraces blockchain not as a gimmick but as a medium to enhance gameplay. Players who solve the maze can choose to mint their results as NFTs, paying a minimal fee of ≈$0.39. This optional feature provides a gateway for newcomers to explore blockchain technology while rewarding competitive and casual players alike.

Each result NFT is a unique digital "Polaroid" that includes the player’s completion time and the maze seed. These collectibles can evolve in future updates, incorporating player avatars, customization options, or interactive elements.

HAM’s long-term vision includes partnerships with sponsors and brands to create bespoke mazes, further enriching the NFT ecosystem. These branded mazes could unlock exclusive content, offering both players and sponsors a unique value proposition.

Go HAM

HAM’s journey began with the simple idea of merging nostalgia, creativity, and blockchain technology. The game launched as a prototype among friends, where early testers helped refine the maze generation algorithm and identify bugs.

The initial response was promising, with players repeatedly attempting the same maze to improve their time, showcasing the game’s addictive nature. Feedback from this alpha phase shaped HAM into its current form—a polished, daily challenge that blends art and interactivity.

Looking ahead, HAM will expand its reach with giveaways, contests, and new features. Players can look forward to dynamic leaderboards, seasonal mazes, and enhanced NFT utilities. Each improvement is guided by a commitment to delivering a fun, accessible, and rewarding experience.

Whether you're a casual gamer looking for a daily challenge or a tech enthusiast eager to explore blockchain integration, HAM offers something for everyone. So, go HAM, and let the maze lead you to discovery and reward.