Aug 11, 2025
How We Built The Sandbox DAO's UGC Platform
What happens when you give creators the spotlight they deserve, backed by real community needs, AI-powered discovery, and onchain creator support tools? You get a platform that does more than just showcase, it empowers.
At WakeUp Labs, we’ve just wrapped up a fully functional UGC (User-Generated Content) platform for The Sandbox DAO. It’s live, it’s open, and it’s built for the creators and players shaping The Sandbox ecosystem.
🎥 Or check out the full demo video to see it in action:
Let’s rewind a bit, and walk you through what happened behind the scenes.
Milestone 1: Discovery & Foundations
We sat down with creators, players, and DAO contributors to understand what was missing in the current ecosystem:
→ No discovery tools.
→ No monetization paths.
→ No real-time visibility.
On the technical side, things got real fast. Most of The Sandbox’s data wasn’t publicly accessible. So we mapped fallback strategies using public APIs, explored smart contracts, and even prepared for web scraping.
Outcome:
A lightweight, no-login MVP design with AI-powered search and support tools, 100% technically feasible, and ready to evolve.
Milestone 2: Backend + Smart Search Engine
We built a robust backend that connects to a shared database and powers dynamic features like smart search and sponsorship tools. Thanks to support from the community, we skipped some heavy scraping work and streamlined data access.
Key Highlights:
🔍 GPT-3.5 Turbo-powered Smart Search for natural language discovery.
🧱 Swagger-style API documentation for easy dev testing.
🔗 Live backend-to-frontend connection, setting the foundation for the full experience.
Milestone 3: Full Frontend + Sponsorship System
We built a responsive interface where users can:
Search for UGC experiences using everyday phrases like “food games” or “RPGs with lots of players.”
Explore curated categories via quick filters.
Tip or promote creators directly with crypto.
Share experiences across X, Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, and more.
Milestone 4: Launching the Real Thing
After some months of iteration and testing, the platform is now live and in production. This final milestone covered:
✅ QA & cross-device testing
✅ Middleware for crypto sponsorships
✅ AI search engine tuning
✅ Full documentation
✅ First wave of creator onboarding
But more than features, we delivered a community-led product. Every button, every filter, and every design decision was shaped by real feedback from creators and DAO contributors.
A Vision Beyond the Build
This platform is more than just a directory. It’s an experiment in decentralized discovery, one where creators control their visibility, players find what they actually want to play, and monetization is native, transparent, and fair.
And we’re not stopping here. Our “Community Gift” prototype imagines what’s next: live analytics, player accounts, real-time rewards, and even more powerful discovery tools.
Try It, Share It, Shape It
👉 Visit the UGC Platform
Got feedback? Ideas? We’re listening.
Whether you're a creator, DAO delegate, or just a curious explorer, this is your platform too.
-
🧪 Built with ❤️ by WakeUp Labs
At WakeUp Labs, we’ve just wrapped up a fully functional UGC (User-Generated Content) platform for The Sandbox DAO. It’s live, it’s open, and it’s built for the creators and players shaping The Sandbox ecosystem.
🎥 Or check out the full demo video to see it in action:
Let’s rewind a bit, and walk you through what happened behind the scenes.
Milestone 1: Discovery & Foundations
We sat down with creators, players, and DAO contributors to understand what was missing in the current ecosystem:
→ No discovery tools.
→ No monetization paths.
→ No real-time visibility.
On the technical side, things got real fast. Most of The Sandbox’s data wasn’t publicly accessible. So we mapped fallback strategies using public APIs, explored smart contracts, and even prepared for web scraping.
Outcome:
A lightweight, no-login MVP design with AI-powered search and support tools, 100% technically feasible, and ready to evolve.
Milestone 2: Backend + Smart Search Engine
We built a robust backend that connects to a shared database and powers dynamic features like smart search and sponsorship tools. Thanks to support from the community, we skipped some heavy scraping work and streamlined data access.
Key Highlights:
🔍 GPT-3.5 Turbo-powered Smart Search for natural language discovery.
🧱 Swagger-style API documentation for easy dev testing.
🔗 Live backend-to-frontend connection, setting the foundation for the full experience.
Milestone 3: Full Frontend + Sponsorship System
We built a responsive interface where users can:
Search for UGC experiences using everyday phrases like “food games” or “RPGs with lots of players.”
Explore curated categories via quick filters.
Tip or promote creators directly with crypto.
Share experiences across X, Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, and more.
Milestone 4: Launching the Real Thing
After some months of iteration and testing, the platform is now live and in production. This final milestone covered:
✅ QA & cross-device testing
✅ Middleware for crypto sponsorships
✅ AI search engine tuning
✅ Full documentation
✅ First wave of creator onboarding
But more than features, we delivered a community-led product. Every button, every filter, and every design decision was shaped by real feedback from creators and DAO contributors.
A Vision Beyond the Build
This platform is more than just a directory. It’s an experiment in decentralized discovery, one where creators control their visibility, players find what they actually want to play, and monetization is native, transparent, and fair.
And we’re not stopping here. Our “Community Gift” prototype imagines what’s next: live analytics, player accounts, real-time rewards, and even more powerful discovery tools.
Try It, Share It, Shape It
👉 Visit the UGC Platform
Got feedback? Ideas? We’re listening.
Whether you're a creator, DAO delegate, or just a curious explorer, this is your platform too.
-
🧪 Built with ❤️ by WakeUp Labs
