Game Design Document
How the game works, loot, and epic battles!
How the game works, loot, and epic battles!
SEAS OF SOLANA
Game Design Document
Version 2.0 — updated to reflect the implemented game
1. Game Overview
1.1 High Concept
Seas Of Solana is a blockchain-based strategy game where players build pirate empires through resource production, naval voyages, and tactical crew combat. Players own Crypto Coves that produce resources, command Crypto Captains who master switchable jobs and abilities, and captain Sea Rovers to explore, raid, and dominate the high seas. Every game action is validated server-side, and $DOUBLOON rewards settle on-chain with no per-action wallet signatures.
1.2 Core Pillars
True Ownership: All game assets are NFTs owned by players
Player-Driven Economy: Supply, demand, and prices determined by player activity
Strategic Depth: Meaningful decisions in resource management, combat, and diplomacy
Risk vs Reward: Higher stakes yield greater returns
Social Gameplay: Alliances, rivalries, and emergent player narratives
1.3 Target Audience
Strategy game enthusiasts (Civilization, Age of Empires, EVE Online players)
NFT collectors seeking utility for their assets
Web3 gamers looking for sustainable play-to-earn mechanics
Casual players who enjoy idle/incremental progression
2. Asset System
2.1 Crypto Coves
Crypto Coves are the foundation of the economy. Every one of a cove's five NFT traits is read directly from its metadata and mapped into gameplay: what it produces, how fast it produces, and how well it defends. Re-syncing an NFT never wipes accumulated progression.
Island Classifications
A cove's island class is derived from its overall trait rarity — rarer trait combinations grade into higher classes with more building slots.
| Class | Overall Rarity | Building Slots |
| Atoll | Common | 2 |
| Cay | Uncommon | 3 |
| Isle | Rare | 5 |
| Archipelago | Epic | 7 |
| Citadel | Legendary | 10 |
Trait-Driven Production
| Trait | Gameplay Effect |
| Resource | Sets what the island produces: Lumber Mill → Timber, Stone Mine → Iron, Shipyard → both Timber and Iron |
| Tavern | Every cove with a Tavern brews Rum |
| Treasure Accessories | Booty, Gold Skull, and Skull Island accessories trickle a steady stream of Gold |
| Defenses | Sets defense level 1–5: Hideout < Retreat < Port < Fort < Stronghold |
| Location, Well & Windmill | Modify the cove's overall production rate |
Resource Types
| Resource | Category | Primary Uses |
| Timber | Building Material | Ship repairs (10 Timber per repair) |
| Iron | Building Material | Ship repairs (5 Iron per repair) |
| Rum | Consumable | Voyage provisions — roughly 1 Rum per 10 minutes of voyage |
| Gunpowder | Military | Voyage ammunition — cost scales with mission risk |
| Gold | Currency | Trickled by treasure-trait coves; premium spending |
Future trade goods (not yet in game): Spices and Cloth are planned as luxury commodities for the player-driven market.
Cove Buildings (Future Construction System)
Today a cove's production comes entirely from its NFT traits. Building slots (2–10 by island class) are reserved for a future construction system that will let players expand beyond their traits:
| Building | Function | Upgrade Levels |
| Lumber Mill | Increases Timber production rate | 5 |
| Foundry | Enables Iron production and processing | 5 |
| Distillery | Produces Rum from sugar cane | 5 |
| Powder Works | Manufactures Gunpowder | 5 |
| Shipyard | Repairs sea rovers, enables ship upgrades | 5 |
| Tavern | Recruits mercenary crew, boosts morale | 3 |
| Warehouse | Increases resource storage capacity | 5 |
| Fort | Defensive structure, garrison bonus | 5 |
| Watchtower | Early warning of incoming raids | 3 |
| Trading Post | Enables NPC trade routes, market access | 3 |
2.2 Crypto Captains
Crypto Captains are the active agents in the game. They crew voyages, fight in boarding battles, and grow through the job system. Each captain's stats are derived from their NFT traits, then multiplied by their current job.
Archetypes & Trait Effects
Each captain belongs to one of 16 archetypes with a distinct base stat spread — from everyday Pirates and Veterans up to legendary figures like Poseidon, the Skeleton King, Blackbeard, and The Child. On top of the archetype, three cosmetic traits carry real stat weight:
| Trait | Stat Effect |
| Archetype | Base spread across all four stats (16 distinct profiles, Common → Legendary) |
| Eyes | Modifies Luck |
| Floor | Modifies Morale |
| Background | Modifies Navigation |
Crew Stats
Combat: Attack power in boarding battles; drives voyage success chance
Navigation: Voyage performance and exploration outcomes
Morale: Battle stamina (HP pool) and staying power
Luck: Critical hit chance in combat, loot bonuses on voyages
Experience (XP) & Job Points (JP): Dual progression currencies — XP for level-ups, JP for the job system
2.3 Corsair Tactics — The Job System
Captains aren't locked into a class. Inspired by classic tactics RPGs, every captain can switch between 10 jobs, level each one independently, and mix abilities across jobs. Advanced and elite jobs unlock by leveling prerequisite jobs first.
The Job Tree
| Tier | Job | Unlock Requirement | Identity |
| Base | Deckhand | — | Versatile starter, martial path |
| Base | Cook | — | Support starter, sustain path |
| Advanced | Swashbuckler | Deckhand Lv 3 | Duelist — 1.3× Combat |
| Advanced | Cannoneer | Deckhand Lv 3 | Area damage specialist |
| Advanced | Navigator | Deckhand Lv 2 + Cook Lv 2 | Voyage & speed expert |
| Advanced | Surgeon | Cook Lv 3 | Healer |
| Advanced | Sea Witch | Cook Lv 3 | Hexes & sea magic |
| Elite | Voodoo Blade | Swashbuckler Lv 4 + Sea Witch Lv 4 | Lifesteal spellblade |
| Elite | Corsair Captain | Swashbuckler Lv 3 + Navigator Lv 3 | Party leader & buffer |
| Elite | Kraken Priest | Surgeon Lv 4 + Sea Witch Lv 4 | Deep magic — 1.4× Morale |
The JP Economy
Job levels: Bought with JP — the next level costs (level + 1) × 100 JP
Job stat multipliers: Each job scales the captain's stats (e.g. Swashbuckler 1.3× Combat, Kraken Priest 1.4× Morale), plus +2% per job level
Earning JP: Arena victories pay 40 × tier per surviving captain (25% consolation on a loss); successful voyages pay roughly half the voyage's duration in minutes
Abilities
There are 40 learnable abilities — 3 actives and 1 passive per job — purchased with JP (100–600) and gated by job level. The signature mechanic: your primary job grants its stats and abilities, while a secondary job lends every active you've learned in it. A Swashbuckler who moonlit as a Surgeon can heal mid-duel.
Sample Actives
Blade Flurry (Swashbuckler): Strike twice in one turn
Grapeshot (Cannoneer): Damage the entire enemy crew
Triage (Surgeon): Heal the lowest-health ally
Hex (Sea Witch): Damage plus a Slow debuff
Full Sail (Navigator): Surge the whole party's ATB gauge
Soul Rend (Voodoo Blade): Heavy strike that steals life
Tidal Wrath (Kraken Priest): Area-of-effect sea magic
Sample Passives
Riposte: 20% chance to counter-attack
Hard Graft: +10% JP earned
Hearty Rations: −20% Rum cost on voyages
Star Reader: −10% voyage duration
Powder Discipline: −20% Gunpowder cost on voyages
Inspire: Whole party gains +5% stats
Deep Blessing: Survive one lethal blow per battle
Grim Harvest: 25% lifesteal on attacks
Field Medic: Party-wide regeneration
Evil Eye: +15 Luck
Voyage passives are not cosmetic — Hearty Rations, Star Reader, and Powder Discipline genuinely reduce voyage costs and duration when that captain is aboard.
2.4 Sea Rovers
Sea Rovers are the primary vehicles for player actions. They carry crews on voyages and into raids. Every ship's class and stats are derived entirely from its 9 NFT traits — two Sea Rovers with different hulls, sails, and accessories play differently in-game.
Ship Classes (derived from Hull trait)
| Class | Hull Traits | Character |
| Sloop | Oak, Birch | Light and nimble all-rounder |
| Brigantine | Walnut, Mahogany, Jungle | Balanced hardwood workhorse |
| Ironclad | Metal | Armored bruiser, heavy hull |
| Interceptor | Interceptor | Built for the chase |
| Ghost Ship | Cursed, Black Pearl | Dread vessel of the deep |
| Crystal Ship | Crystal | Rare gleaming hull |
| Sol Galleon | Solana | The flagship class |
Trait → Stat Mapping
| Trait | Gameplay Effect |
| Ship (hull) | Determines class and base statline |
| Sail | Sets speed; Merchant sails trade speed for extra cargo |
| Crew (painted) | Adds crew berths and cannons |
| Bow Accessory | Adds cargo capacity or cannons |
| Starboard | Reinforces hull strength |
| Captain (figurehead) | Grants a hull ward (protective bonus) |
| Sea Creature, Seabed, Background | Feed into overall rarity |
Ship Stats
Hull Strength: Damage capacity, set by hull class plus Starboard and figurehead traits
Durability (0-100): Degrades on each voyage; repaired for 10 Timber + 5 Iron
Speed: Sail-derived voyage speed modifier
Cargo: Loot capacity, boosted by Merchant sails and Bow accessories
Cannons & Berths: Firepower and crew capacity from Crew and Bow traits
3. Core Game Loops
3.1 Voyage System
Voyages are the primary active gameplay mechanic. Players dispatch sea rovers with crew on various mission types.
Voyage Types
| Type | Duration | Risk | Reward | Requirements |
| Patrol | 1-4 hours | Low | Low | Any ship + 1 crew |
| Trade Run | 2-8 hours | Low-Med | Medium | High-cargo ship pays off |
| Exploration | 4-12 hours | Medium | Variable | Navigation-focused crew shines |
| Raid (NPC) | 2-6 hours | Medium | High | Resolved by a real boarding battle |
| Treasure Hunt | 6-24 hours | High | Jackpot | Longest odds, biggest haul |
| Raid (PvP) (Future) | 1-4 hours | High | Very High | Planned — not yet in game |
Voyage Costs & Outcome Calculation
Every voyage is provisioned and resolved server-side:
Provisioning: Costs Rum (roughly 1 per 10 minutes of duration) plus Gunpowder scaled to mission risk
Success chance: A 40% baseline plus up to 55% more from the crew's average Combat stat
Raids are the exception: Instead of a probability roll, claiming a Raid triggers a full boarding battle — win the fight to win the loot
Crew passives apply: Hearty Rations, Star Reader, and Powder Discipline reduce Rum cost, duration, and Gunpowder cost respectively
Rewards: $DOUBLOON (minted on-chain, with a Luck bonus) plus XP and JP for the crew
Wear and tear: Ships lose durability each voyage; repairs cost 10 Timber + 5 Iron
3.2 Combat System
Combat is a server-simulated, deterministic ATB (Active Time Battle) system. Every battle runs from a seed on the backend — the same seed always reproduces the same fight, so results can't be manipulated and every battle can be re-watched. Your captains' jobs, abilities, and stats do the fighting; your strategy happens in the crew you build and the abilities you teach them.
Battle Mechanics
ATB turns: Speed fills each combatant's action gauge; faster crews act more often
Status effects: Poison, Stun, Attack Up, Protect, Haste, Slow, and Regen
Ability cooldowns: Actives cycle on cooldowns between auto-attacks
Crits & counters: Luck drives critical hits; Riposte-style passives trigger counter-attacks
Lifesteal & survival: Grim Harvest heals on hit; Deep Blessing cheats death once per battle
Battle Replay Viewer
The client is a full replay player: animated HP bars, floating damage and crit numbers, speed controls (1× / 2× / skip), and a reward screen. Battle history is stored, so any past fight can be re-watched.
The Arena — 5 PvE Tiers
| Tier | Enemy Fleet | Victory Rewards |
| 1 | Wharf Rats | 40 JP, 30 XP, 25 $DOUBLOON + resource loot |
| 2 | Cutthroat Crew | 80 JP, 60 XP, 50 $DOUBLOON + resource loot |
| 3 | Royal Navy Patrol | 120 JP, 90 XP, 75 $DOUBLOON + loot; boss with signature moves |
| 4 | Kraken Cultists | 160 JP, 120 XP, 100 $DOUBLOON + loot; boss with signature moves |
| 5 | Ghost Fleet | 200 JP, 150 XP, 125 $DOUBLOON + loot; boss with signature moves |
JP is paid per surviving captain (40 × tier), with a 25% consolation on a loss. Arena fights are rate-limited to 10 per hour.
Naval Engagement Flow
A raid still plays out in the classic five beats — with boarding as the implemented crew-battle layer where the outcome is actually decided:
Engagement: Your Sea Rover closes on the target during the raid voyage
Positioning: Ship stats and crew passives set the stage
Cannon Exchange: The softening-up before the decisive fight
Boarding: The full ATB crew battle — this is where victory is decided
Resolution: Win the boarding battle, win the loot; lose it, sail home empty-handed
4. Economy & Progression
4.1 Resource Flow
The economy follows a cyclical flow designed to create sustainable demand:
Crypto Coves produce Timber, Iron, Rum, Gunpowder, and Gold passively per their traits
Resources are consumed provisioning voyages and repairing ships
$DOUBLOON is a real SPL token: rewards are minted on-chain and spends are burned, with exactly-once settlement guaranteed by a token ledger
Players sign one delegation at onboarding — after that the backend handles every mint and burn with no per-action signatures, and players never need SOL for fees
Future: an open market where excess resources trade at player-driven prices
4.2 Sinks & Faucets
| Faucets (Token/Resource In) | Sinks (Token/Resource Out) |
| 1,000 $DOUBLOON onboarding grant | Crew level-up: burns 50 $DOUBLOON |
| Voyage rewards (base + Luck bonus) | Voyage provisions (Rum + Gunpowder) |
| Arena bounties (25 × tier) | Ship repairs (10 Timber + 5 Iron) |
| Cove resource production | Future: building construction, market fees |
| Arena resource loot tables | Future: premium cosmetics, alliance wars |
4.3 Progression Systems
Crew Progression (Implemented)
XP Level-Up: At 100 XP a captain can level up by burning 50 $DOUBLOON — granting +5 to all stats. XP flows from voyages (per-crew share) and arena fights (30 × tier)
JP Income: Arena victories pay 40 × tier per surviving captain (25% consolation on loss); successful voyages pay roughly half the duration in minutes. The Hard Graft passive adds +10%
Job Mastery: JP buys job levels (cost (level+1) × 100) and abilities (100–600 JP), unlocking the advanced and elite job tree
Voyage-Affecting Passives: Trained passives follow the captain onto voyages — cutting Rum costs, Gunpowder costs, and trip duration
Ship Progression (Implemented)
Durability: Ships wear down with each voyage and are repaired with Timber and Iron
Future Progression
Reputation & Pirate Rank: Perks and titles at reputation thresholds
Achievements: One-time rewards for milestones
Ship Upgrades & Customization: Hull reinforcement, named sea rovers, legendary status for battle-hardened ships
5. Social Systems (Future Roadmap)
Everything in this section is planned but not yet built. Current gameplay is PvE; PvP raids, factions/alliances, trade routes, and seasons are on the roadmap for after the public devnet beta.
5.1 Alliances
Players can form or join Alliances (guilds) for cooperative gameplay:
Shared territory defense
Coordinated raids and wars
Alliance treasury and resource sharing
Internal marketplace with reduced fees
Alliance chat and coordination tools
Seasonal alliance rankings and rewards
5.2 Territory Control
The game world is divided into regions that alliances can contest:
Control Points: Strategic locations that provide regional bonuses
Influence: Built through presence, activity, and combat in a region
Sieges: Scheduled battles for control point ownership
Taxes: Controlling alliances can set market fees in their regions
5.3 Seasons & Events
Seasons (3 months): Leaderboard resets, new challenges, exclusive rewards
World Events: Kraken attacks, treasure fleets, NPC faction invasions
Tournaments: Competitive PvP with prize pools
Limited Events: Holiday themes, special loot, unique cosmetics