GameStart is a decentralized game distribution platform built on the Nostr protocol that eliminates intermediary fees while maintaining security, authenticity, and anti-piracy measures through cryptographic identity, web of trust curation, and developer-hosted authentication.
- Zero platform fees - Developers keep 100% of revenue
- Decentralized hosting - Games distributed across Nostr relays
- Cryptographic identity - All parties verified via Nostr keys
- Community curation - Web of trust model for game safety
- Self-sovereign licenses - Ownership tied to user's Nostr identity
- High fees - Major platforms take 20-30% of every sale
- Gatekeeping - Centralized approval processes
- Platform dependency - Games can be delisted arbitrarily
- Account lock-in - Users don't truly own their purchases
- Privacy concerns - Platforms collect extensive user data
- Malware risk - Anyone can publish, including bad actors
- Piracy - No central authority to enforce licenses
- Discovery - Finding legitimate games among noise
- Identity verification - Proving developer legitimacy
- Payment processing - Trustless transactions
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ GAMESTART ECOSYSTEM │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ USERS │ │ CURATORS │ │ DEVELOPERS │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ - Browse │ │ - Vouch for │ │ - Publish │ │
│ │ - Purchase │ │ games │ │ - Host relay │ │
│ │ - Play │ │ - Build │ │ - Receive │ │
│ │ │ │ reputation │ │ payments │ │
│ └──────┬───────┘ └──────┬───────┘ └──────┬───────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ └───────────────────┼───────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ NOSTR RELAY NETWORK │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Public │ │ Public │ │Developer│ │Developer│ │ │
│ │ │ Relay 1 │ │ Relay 2 │ │ Relay A │ │ Relay B │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ (Auth) │ │ (Auth) │ │ │
│ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Game Metadata, Vouches, Licenses distributed across │ │
│ │ public relays. Authentication handled by developer relays│ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ GAMESTART CLIENT │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ │
│ │ Library View │ │ Store View │ │ Social View │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ - My Games │ │ - Browse │ │ - Following │ │
│ │ - Downloads │ │ - Search │ │ - Curators │ │
│ │ - Licenses │ │ - Categories │ │ - Reviews │ │
│ └────────────────┘ └────────────────┘ └───────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ CORE SERVICES │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Nostr │ │ Download │ │ License │ │ │
│ │ │ Manager │ │ Manager │ │ Manager │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Web of │ │ Payment │ │ Auth │ │ │
│ │ │ Trust │ │ Handler │ │ Handler │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ KEY MANAGEMENT │ │
│ │ - Nostr keypair (nsec/npub) │ │
│ │ - NIP-07 browser extension support │ │
│ │ - Hardware wallet integration (future) │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
| NIP | Purpose | Usage in GameStart |
|---|---|---|
| NIP-01 | Basic protocol | Event structure, signatures |
| NIP-02 | Contact List | Following curators/developers |
| NIP-05 | DNS Verification | Developer identity verification |
| NIP-07 | Browser Extension | Key management via extensions |
| NIP-42 | Authentication | Developer relay auth for anti-piracy |
| NIP-57 | Zaps (Lightning) | Game payments |
| NIP-94 | File Metadata | Game binary metadata |
| NIP-96 | HTTP File Storage | Binary hosting references |
We will define custom event kinds in the 30000+ range (parameterized replaceable events):
Kind 30100: Game Publication
Kind 30101: Game Version/Update
Kind 30102: Game Vouch (Curator endorsement)
Kind 30103: License Purchase Receipt
Kind 30104: Developer Relay Registration
Kind 30105: Curator Profile
Kind 30106: Developer License Confirmation
{
"kind": 30100,
"pubkey": "<developer_pubkey>",
"created_at": 1234567890,
"tags": [
["d", "<unique_game_identifier>"],
["title", "Game Title"],
["summary", "Short description of the game"],
["description", "Full markdown description"],
["version", "1.0.0"],
["price", "21000", "sats"],
["thumbnail", "<url_to_thumbnail>"],
["banner", "<url_to_banner>"],
["category", "action"],
["category", "indie"],
["platform", "windows"],
["platform", "linux"],
["binary", "<platform>", "<url>", "<sha256_hash>", "<size_bytes>"],
["binary", "windows", "https://...", "abc123...", "1073741824"],
["relay", "wss://auth.developer.com", "auth"],
["nip05", "developer@game-studio.com"],
["website", "https://game-studio.com"],
["license-type", "perpetual"],
["auth-mode", "online-only"],
["refund-policy", "30-day", "Full refund within 30 days of purchase"],
["t", "singleplayer"],
["t", "rpg"]
],
"content": "Extended description, changelog, credits in markdown",
"sig": "<signature>"
}{
"kind": 30102,
"pubkey": "<curator_pubkey>",
"created_at": 1234567890,
"tags": [
["d", "<game_d_tag>"],
["e", "<game_event_id>", "<relay_hint>"],
["p", "<developer_pubkey>"],
["version", "1.0.0"],
["verdict", "safe"],
["review", "Tested on Windows 11, no malware detected, fun game!"]
],
"content": "Optional extended review",
"sig": "<signature>"
}{
"kind": 30103,
"pubkey": "<user_pubkey>",
"created_at": 1234567890,
"tags": [
["d", "<game_d_tag>:<timestamp>"],
["e", "<game_event_id>"],
["p", "<developer_pubkey>"],
["price", "21000", "sats"],
["payment-hash", "<lightning_payment_hash>"],
["payment-preimage", "<lightning_preimage>"],
["bitcoin-txid", "<on_chain_txid>"],
["invoice", "<bolt11_or_bolt12_invoice>"]
],
"content": "",
"sig": "<signature>"
} ┌───────────────────┐
│ PLATFORM ROOT │
│ (GameStart) │
│ │
│ Initial trusted │
│ curator - US │
└─────────┬─────────┘
│
┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
│ Curator A │ │ Curator B │ │ Curator C │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ Vouches │ │ Vouches │ │ Vouches │
│ for games │ │ for games │ │ for games │
└─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│ Game 1 │ │ Game 4 │ │ Game 7 │
│ Game 2 │ │ Game 5 │ │ Game 8 │
│ Game 3 │ │ Game 6 │ │ Game 9 │
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘
interface TrustScore {
curator: string; // npub
trustLevel: number; // 0-100
hops: number; // distance from user
vouches: number; // total vouches made
disputed: number; // vouches that led to issues
}
function calculateGameTrust(
game: GameEvent,
userFollows: Set<string>,
vouchEvents: VouchEvent[]
): TrustResult {
// Direct follow vouches (hop = 1)
const directVouches = vouchEvents.filter(v =>
userFollows.has(v.pubkey) && v.gameId === game.id
);
// Indirect vouches (hop = 2, follows of follows)
const indirectVouches = vouchEvents.filter(v =>
isFollowOfFollow(v.pubkey, userFollows)
);
// Platform root always counts
const platformVouch = vouchEvents.find(v =>
v.pubkey === PLATFORM_ROOT_PUBKEY
);
return {
score: weightedScore(directVouches, indirectVouches, platformVouch),
vouchers: [...directVouches, ...indirectVouches],
platformEndorsed: !!platformVouch,
warnings: checkWarnings(game)
};
}A game appears in a user's browse list if:
- Platform Endorsed: Vouched by GameStart root account, OR
- Direct Trust: Vouched by someone the user directly follows, OR
- Indirect Trust: Vouched by someone followed by someone the user follows (configurable depth)
Users can adjust their trust settings:
trust_depth: How many hops to traverse (default: 2)min_vouches: Minimum vouches required (default: 1)require_nip05: Only show NIP-05 verified developers (default: false)show_unvouched: Allow browsing unvouched games with warnings (default: false)
Curators build reputation through:
- Longevity: Account age and consistent activity
- Accuracy: Low dispute rate on vouched games
- Verification: NIP-05 verified identity
- Stake: Optional Lightning bond (future feature)
interface CuratorProfile {
pubkey: string;
nip05?: string;
vouchCount: number;
followerCount: number;
disputeRate: number; // % of vouches flagged as problematic
categories: string[]; // genres they specialize in
createdAt: number;
}Each game developer hosts their own Nostr relay for authentication purposes:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DEVELOPER AUTH RELAY │
│ wss://auth.mygame.com │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ NIP-42 AUTH LAYER │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 1. Client connects with AUTH challenge │ │
│ │ 2. Client signs challenge with their nsec │ │
│ │ 3. Relay verifies signature │ │
│ │ 4. Relay checks license database │ │
│ │ 5. Relay tracks active sessions │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ SESSION MANAGEMENT │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ License DB │ │ Active Sessions │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ npub -> license │ │ npub -> [session_id, │ │ │
│ │ │ purchase_date │ │ ip, timestamp, │ │ │
│ │ │ game_version │ │ device_id] │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Rules: │ │
│ │ - Only 1 active session per npub (configurable) │ │
│ │ - Grace period for reconnection (5 min default) │ │
│ │ - Session heartbeat every 60 seconds │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Game │ │ GameStart │ │ Developer │
│ Client │ │ Client │ │ Auth Relay │
└────┬─────┘ └──────┬───────┘ └────────┬────────┘
│ │ │
│ 1. Launch Game │ │
│──────────────────────>│ │
│ │ │
│ │ 2. Get auth relay URL │
│ │ from game metadata │
│ │ │
│ │ 3. Connect to relay │
│ │──────────────────────────>│
│ │ │
│ │ 4. AUTH challenge │
│ │<──────────────────────────│
│ │ │
│ │ 5. Sign with user nsec │
│ │──────────────────────────>│
│ │ │
│ │ 6. Verify license │
│ │ Check active sessions │
│ │<──────────────────────────│
│ │ │
│ │ 7a. SUCCESS: Token │
│ │<──────────────────────────│
│ │ │
│ 8. Auth token │ │
│<──────────────────────│ │
│ │ │
│ 9. Game runs with │ │
│ periodic heartbeat │ │
│──────────────────────────────────────────────────>│
│ │ │
interface SessionManager {
// Check if user can start new session
canStartSession(npub: string): {
allowed: boolean;
reason?: string;
existingSession?: SessionInfo;
};
// Start new session (kicks existing if configured)
startSession(npub: string, deviceId: string, ip: string): Session;
// Heartbeat to maintain session
heartbeat(sessionId: string): boolean;
// End session
endSession(sessionId: string): void;
}
// Developer configurable options
interface AntiPiracyConfig {
maxConcurrentSessions: number; // default: 1
sessionTimeout: number; // seconds, default: 300
heartbeatInterval: number; // seconds, default: 60
gracePeriod: number; // seconds for reconnect, default: 300
kickExistingOnNew: boolean; // default: false (reject new instead)
}Developers choose their game's authentication mode, which has significant implications:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AUTHENTICATION MODES │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ONLINE-ONLY (Recommended for most games) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ auth-mode: "online-only" │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ + Continuous auth verification │ │
│ │ + Refunds possible (revoke npub access) │ │
│ │ + Strongest anti-piracy │ │
│ │ + Session management works fully │ │
│ │ - Requires internet to play │ │
│ │ - Developer relay must be highly available │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ OFFLINE-CAPABLE (Hybrid approach) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ auth-mode: "offline-capable" │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ + Can play without internet after initial auth │ │
│ │ + Periodic check-ins (configurable interval) │ │
│ │ ~ Refunds difficult (grace period before revocation) │ │
│ │ - Weaker anti-piracy during offline periods │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ DRM-FREE (Trust-based) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ auth-mode: "drm-free" │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ + No internet required ever │ │
│ │ + Maximum user freedom │ │
│ │ + No developer relay needed │ │
│ │ - NO REFUNDS POSSIBLE │ │
│ │ - No anti-piracy protection │ │
│ │ - Trust in user's honesty │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
For online-only games, refunds work as follows:
User requests refund Developer reviews request
│ │
▼ ▼
┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐
│ Contact dev │─────────────>│ Check policy │
│ (via Nostr DM │ │ (30-day, etc) │
│ or website) │ │ │
└───────────────┘ └───────┬───────┘
│
┌────────────────┼────────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ Approve │ │ Deny │ │ Partial │
│ │ │ │ │ │
└────┬─────┘ └──────────┘ └────┬─────┘
│ │
▼ ▼
┌────────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐
│ 1. Remove npub │ │ Negotiate or │
│ from relay │ │ offer credit │
│ │ │ │
│ 2. Send BTC │ └────────────────┘
│ refund │
│ │
│ 3. User can no │
│ longer auth │
└────────────────┘
Key insight: The developer's auth relay acts as the license server. Removing an npub instantly revokes access. This is simple, effective, and requires no platform intervention.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PAYMENT OPTIONS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ PRIMARY: Lightning Network (Recommended) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ - Instant settlement │ │
│ │ - Low fees (< 1%) │ │
│ │ - BOLT11 or BOLT12 invoices │ │
│ │ - NIP-57 Zaps integration │ │
│ │ - Payment proof via preimage │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ SECONDARY: On-chain Bitcoin │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ - For larger purchases │ │
│ │ - Higher fees, slower confirmation │ │
│ │ - TXID as proof │ │
│ │ - 1-6 confirmation wait │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ FUTURE: Ecash (Cashu/Fedimint) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ - Privacy-preserving │ │
│ │ - Instant │ │
│ │ - Requires mint trust │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────┐
│ User │ │ GameStart │ │ Developer │ │ Nostr │
│ │ │ Client │ │ LN Node/Relay │ │ Relays │
└────┬─────┘ └──────┬───────┘ └────────┬────────┘ └────┬─────┘
│ │ │ │
│ 1. Buy Game │ │ │
│────────────────>│ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 2. Request invoice │ │
│ │ (include user npub) │ │
│ │────────────────────>│ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 3. BOLT11/12 invoice│ │
│ │<────────────────────│ │
│ │ │ │
│ 4. Show invoice │ │ │
│<────────────────│ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ 5. Pay invoice │ │ │
│─────────────────────────────────────>│ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 6. Payment confirm │ │
│ │<────────────────────│ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 7. Create License │ │
│ │ Receipt (Kind 30103)│ │
│ │─────────────────────────────────────>│
│ │ │ │
│ │ 8. Developer creates│ │
│ │ license entry │ │
│ │<────────────────────│ │
│ │ │ │
│ 9. Purchase │ │ │
│ complete! │ │ │
│<────────────────│ │ │
│ │ │ │
The license receipt serves as cryptographic proof of purchase:
{
"kind": 30103,
"pubkey": "<buyer_npub>",
"created_at": 1234567890,
"tags": [
["d", "game123:1234567890"],
["e", "<game_publication_event_id>", "<relay_hint>"],
["p", "<developer_pubkey>"],
["game", "<game_d_tag>"],
["version", "1.0.0"],
["price", "21000", "sats"],
["payment-method", "lightning"],
["payment-hash", "<sha256_of_preimage>"],
["payment-preimage", "<32_byte_hex_preimage>"],
["invoice", "lnbc210u1p..."],
["license-type", "perpetual"]
],
"content": "",
"sig": "<user_signature>"
}Developers can optionally co-sign or publish their own confirmation:
{
"kind": 30106,
"pubkey": "<developer_pubkey>",
"created_at": 1234567890,
"tags": [
["e", "<license_receipt_event_id>"],
["p", "<buyer_pubkey>"],
["game", "<game_d_tag>"],
["confirmed", "true"]
],
"content": "",
"sig": "<developer_signature>"
}Developers SHOULD verify their identity via NIP-05:
developer@game-studio.com
│
▼
https://game-studio.com/.well-known/nostr.json
{
"names": {
"developer": "<developer_npub>"
}
}
This proves the developer controls the domain, making impersonation harder.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ GAME LISTING │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [Game Banner Image] │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ AWESOME RPG GAME │ │
│ │ by CoolDev Studios │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Trust Indicators: │ │
│ │ ✓ NIP-05 verified: dev@cooldevstudios.com │ │
│ │ ✓ Vouched by: GameStart Official (you follow) │ │
│ │ ✓ Vouched by: TrustedCurator (you follow) │ │
│ │ ✓ Vouched by: 12 others in your network │ │
│ │ ✓ Developer account age: 2 years │ │
│ │ ✓ Auth relay verified: wss://auth.cooldevstudios.com │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ⚠ Warnings: None │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Price: 21,000 sats (~$21.00) │ │
│ │ [BUY NOW] │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ UNTRUSTED GAME WARNING │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ⚠️ WARNING: This game has trust concerns │
│ │
│ Issues detected: │
│ ✗ No NIP-05 verification │
│ ✗ Not vouched by anyone you follow │
│ ✗ New developer account (< 30 days) │
│ ✗ Similar name to popular game "Real Game Name" │
│ ✗ Binary hash changed since last vouch │
│ │
│ Proceeding may expose you to: │
│ - Malware and viruses │
│ - Financial loss │
│ - Data theft │
│ │
│ [Cancel] [I Understand the Risks - Proceed] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
| Threat | Severity | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Malware distribution | Critical | Web of trust, NIP-05, curator reputation |
| Game impersonation | High | NIP-05, name similarity detection, developer history |
| License theft | High | Developer auth relay, session management |
| Account sharing | Medium | Concurrent session limits, heartbeat |
| Curator collusion | Medium | Distributed trust, dispute system |
| Relay censorship | Low | Multiple relay redundancy |
| Payment fraud | Medium | Lightning proof-of-payment |
| Key compromise | Critical | NIP-07, hardware wallet support |
Problem: Anyone can publish, including malware authors.
Mitigations:
- Games only appear if vouched by trusted curators
- NIP-05 creates legal accountability (real domain = real identity)
- Binary hashes ensure tampering detection
- Community can report and blacklist
- Default settings hide unvouched games
Problem: Bad actor publishes "Call of Duty" to steal money/infect users.
Mitigations:
- NIP-05 verification (real Activision would verify activision.com)
- Name similarity detection warns users
- Established developers have account history
- Curators won't vouch for obvious fakes
- Legal recourse if NIP-05 verified
Problem: Users share their nsec to let others play.
Mitigations:
- Single concurrent session enforcement
- Sharing nsec = sharing entire Nostr identity (high risk)
- Device fingerprinting (optional, privacy tradeoff)
- Session heartbeats detect anomalies
The platform must clearly communicate:
- Users are responsible for their key security
- Following curators is a trust decision
- Bypassing warnings is at user's own risk
- No centralized support or refunds
Games can be hosted via:
- Developer's own servers - Full control, traditional CDN
- IPFS/Filecoin - Decentralized, content-addressed
- BitTorrent - P2P distribution, magnet links
- Blossom (NIP-96) - Nostr-native file hosting
interface GameBinary {
platform: 'windows' | 'macos' | 'linux';
url: string;
sha256: string; // Hash of the file
size: number; // Bytes
signature: string; // Developer signature of hash
mirrors?: string[]; // Alternative download locations
}
// Verification flow
async function verifyBinary(binary: GameBinary, developer: string) {
const file = await download(binary.url);
const hash = sha256(file);
if (hash !== binary.sha256) {
throw new Error('Binary hash mismatch - file may be corrupted or tampered');
}
const validSig = verifySchnorr(binary.sha256, binary.signature, developer);
if (!validSig) {
throw new Error('Invalid developer signature');
}
return true;
}{
"kind": 30101,
"pubkey": "<developer_pubkey>",
"tags": [
["d", "<game_d_tag>"],
["e", "<original_game_event>"],
["version", "1.1.0"],
["previous-version", "1.0.0"],
["changelog", "- Fixed crash bug\n- Added new level"],
["binary", "windows", "<new_url>", "<new_hash>", "<size>"],
["required", "false"]
],
"content": "Detailed patch notes...",
"sig": "<signature>"
}- Define custom Nostr event kinds
- Implement basic client with key management
- Game publication and discovery
- Simple follow-based trust (depth = 1)
- Lightning payment integration
- License receipt creation
- Developer relay reference implementation
- NIP-42 authentication module
- Session management system
- License verification API
- Publisher dashboard
- Full web of trust algorithm
- Curator profiles and reputation
- Vouch/dispute system
- Trust settings UI
- NIP-05 verification display
- Binary signature verification
- Impersonation detection
- Community reporting
- Offline license tokens
- Multi-device management
- Developer SDK
- API documentation
- Third-party client support
- Mobile companion app
- Hardware wallet integration
- Framework: Tauri (Rust + Web) or Electron
- Frontend: React/Svelte with TypeScript
- Nostr: nostr-tools, NDK
- Storage: SQLite for local data
- Downloads: aria2 or native
- Base: HORNETS Nostr Relay (https://github.com/HORNET-Storage/HORNETS-Nostr-Relay)
- Language: Go
- Features: Configurable kind support via web dashboard, NIP-42 auth, Blossom blob support
- Database: Built-in storage with YAML configuration
- Deployment: Docker, easy self-hosting
- Customization: Add custom kinds 30100-30106, extend with license verification and session management
- Relay: HORNETS fork with GameStart auth extensions
- Client: TypeScript/Tauri
- Mobile: React Native with Nostr
Decision: Developer discretion with transparent policy display.
Mechanism:
- Developers specify their refund policy in the game publication event
- Refunds are processed by removing the user's npub from the developer's auth relay
- When the user attempts to launch the game, authentication fails and access is revoked
- Developer manually refunds the Bitcoin/Lightning payment
Critical Implication - Online vs Offline Games:
| Game Type | Auth Required | Refundable | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online-only | Yes (always) | Yes | Developer can revoke access anytime |
| Offline-capable | Initial only | No | Once authenticated, runs without network |
| Fully offline | Never | No | No DRM, pure trust-based |
Refund policy field in game publication:
["refund-policy", "30-day", "Full refund within 30 days, no questions asked"]
["refund-policy", "none", "All sales are final"]
["refund-policy", "custom", "Refunds at developer discretion, contact support@..."]This approach is:
- Self-enforcing: No platform intervention needed
- Transparent: Policy visible before purchase
- Flexible: Each developer sets their own terms
- Compatible: Fits existing auth relay architecture
Decision: No automatic curator fees.
Curators contribute voluntarily for:
- Building reputation in the community
- Supporting developers and games they believe in
- Growing their follower base
- Altruistic curation
This avoids:
- Incentivizing paid/shill vouches
- Complexity in payment splitting
- Potential curator corruption
Users can voluntarily tip curators via Lightning zaps if they appreciate their work.
-
Free-to-play / Demos: How to handle games with in-app purchases?
- Need additional event kinds for IAP
-
Dispute Resolution: How to handle malware reports?
- Community flagging system
- Curator reputation penalties
- Emergency broadcast for critical threats
- Test event creation and signing
- Verify events propagate across relays
- Test NIP-42 authentication flow
- Verify license receipts are cryptographically sound
- Key generation and management
- Game discovery based on trust settings
- Purchase flow end-to-end
- Download and hash verification
- Game launch with auth relay
- Attempt to forge license receipts
- Test concurrent session prevention
- Attempt impersonation attacks
- Binary tampering detection
- Trust algorithm edge cases
GameStart/
├── docs/
│ └── SPECIFICATION.md # This document
├── packages/
│ ├── nostr-game-protocol/ # Event kind definitions
│ │ ├── src/
│ │ │ ├── events/
│ │ │ │ ├── game.ts # Kind 30100
│ │ │ │ ├── update.ts # Kind 30101
│ │ │ │ ├── vouch.ts # Kind 30102
│ │ │ │ └── license.ts # Kind 30103
│ │ │ ├── trust/
│ │ │ │ └── web-of-trust.ts
│ │ │ └── index.ts
│ │ └── package.json
│ ├── client/ # Desktop client (Tauri)
│ │ ├── src/
│ │ ├── src-tauri/
│ │ └── package.json
│ └── dev-relay/ # Developer auth relay
│ ├── src/
│ └── Cargo.toml
└── README.md
GameStart provides a complete decentralized alternative for game distribution by leveraging:
- Nostr for identity - Cryptographic keys for all participants
- Web of trust for safety - Community-driven curation
- Developer relays for licensing - Self-sovereign DRM
- Lightning for payments - Instant, low-fee, provable transactions
- NIP-05 for verification - Legal accountability through domain ownership
The system eliminates platform fees while maintaining security through distributed trust rather than centralized authority.