99Starz: Revolutionizing NFT-Based Game Access

Overview

99Starz is a Web3 platform that enables users to earn through blockchain-based games using a unique scholarship system. The project required a system where scholars, captains, and game masters could interact with NFT assets, badges, custom wallets, and revenue-sharing—all within a seamless and user-friendly experience.

Problem Statement

Onboarding new players and managing scholarships was a slow, manual process. Scholars were recruited through Discord and spreadsheets, causing inefficiencies, poor tracking, and high drop-off rates. 99Starz needed a more scalable, automated, and user-friendly platform.

Target Audience

The main audience was aspiring blockchain gamers (scholars) and game managers (masters and captains). They needed a structured, easy-to-follow system because the manual setup was time-consuming and confusing. We designed the solution to automate onboarding, badge minting, and asset management, simplifying the overall experience.

Design Process

My approach involved research, then ideation. After that, I moved into prototyping, followed by testing.

1. Research: Studied competitors like Axie Infinity and spoke with the dev team to understand platform goals.
2. Ideation: Created user flow diagrams for each role (scholar, captain, master, admin).
3. Prototyping: Designed wireframes and high-fidelity mockups for onboarding, wallet integration, badge minting, and revenue sharing.
4. Testing: Conducted internal reviews with the 99Starz team and iterated based on feedback.

This process helped the final design by aligning it with user needs and platform complexity, resulting in smoother workflows and higher adoption.

Key Features & Solutions

• Custom wallet system for STZ and in-game assets
• Badge-based onboarding (Bronze, Silver, Gold)
• Scholar portal with automated NFT distribution
• Admin dashboard for wallet and user management
• Voting system for community proposals
• Sub-wallets and asset reclaim features for idle players

Metrics for Success

We used the following metrics to define success:

• Onboarding Completion Rate: To see how many users successfully signed up.
• Time to Onboard: To reduce time from days to minutes.
• User Engagement: Based on active scholars playing weekly.

We chose these because they directly reflect user adoption, platform efficiency, and engagement—critical to a GameFi platform’s success.

Outcomes

The results showed a huge improvement in onboarding and user experience.

• Before: Manual onboarding via Discord and spreadsheets; low completion rate.
• After: Seamless wallet connection, badge minting, and onboarding in under 30 minutes.

The design impacted the metrics by:

• Increasing onboarding completion by 40%
• Reducing onboarding time from 1–2 days to under 30 minutes
• Boosting player retention with clearer badge and reward systems

Challenges

I faced the challenge of designing for multiple user roles with different needs and access levels, but I overcame it by creating clear, role-specific flows and adaptable components.

The key lesson I learned was that simplicity and clarity are crucial in complex ecosystems. I’ll apply this to future projects by always starting with visual flowcharts and validating with real users early on.

Reflection

Working on 99Starz taught me how to merge user experience with Web3 logic. From gas fees to NFTs, it pushed me to think beyond typical app design. The success of this platform is proof that even in a decentralized, token-based world, good UX still wins.