The net is the unit. Players don't unlock "bigger things" as they progress — they fund more nets, building toward scale milestones that feel increasingly powerful. Early micro-interventions (water, vitamins, deworming) remain as day-one quick wins, but the main game loop is net accumulation.
Why this works: "You funded your first net" → "You funded your 5th net" → "You protected a whole family" creates continuous momentum. The ceiling (vaccine campaign, trained health worker) represents genuine community-level impact — a long-term aspiration that keeps players engaged for months.
Before the first net, players feel real impact immediately. Framed as "steps toward your first net."
| Ads | Cost | Intervention | Village event |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~5 | $0.05 | Water purification tablet | Village well glows blue, child drinks from it |
| ~10 | $0.10 | Vitamin A dose | Sun rises brighter, children's eyes shine |
| ~15 | $0.15 | Deworming treatment | Children run and play (previously sluggish) |
| ~25 | $0.25 | Measles vaccine dose | Village health day — shield badges appear on children |
The core game loop. Each net is real. Each funds an AMF bed net distribution.
| Nets | Ads total | Cost | Milestone | Emotional frame |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 net | ~200 | $2 | First net appears — one home protected | "You protected a home" |
| 2 nets | ~400 | $4 | Second home lit up | "A second family safe" |
| 3 nets | ~600 | $6 | Three homes — a cluster forms | "You're building something" |
| 5 nets | ~1,000 | $10 | "First Family" milestone | "An entire family. Because of you." |
| 10 nets | ~2,000 | $20 | "Block Protected" — map cluster glows | "A neighborhood, safe tonight." |
| 25 nets | ~5,000 | $50 | "Quarter Village" — AMF map overlay | Real AMF distribution map fragment |
| 50 nets | ~10,000 | $100 | Village Elder unlocked | "Your village. You built this." |
The long-game. Beyond nets — protecting whole communities.
| Milestone | Cost | What it funds | In-game framing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 nets | $200 | ~200 people protected for 3 years | "You protected a community" |
| Vaccine campaign contribution | ~$500 | Partial malaria vaccine campaign (RTS,S/R21) | Clinic appears in village |
| Community health worker | ~$1,000 | Trains + equips one health worker for a year | Real named human profile shown on map |
| 500 nets | $1,000 | Statistically ~1 child's life saved (probabilistic, GiveWell) | THE moment. Handled carefully — probabilistic framing only. |
At 5 ads/day (conservative):
| Day | Progress |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | All Tier 0 milestones hit in one session (5 ads → 25 ads) |
| Day 14 | Net #1 funded |
| Day 28 | Net #2 funded |
| Day 70 | Net #5 → "First Family" milestone |
| Day 140 | Net #10 → "Block Protected" |
At $0.03/ad: divide all timelines by ~3. Net #1 in ~5 days instead of 14.
Tier 0 micro-interventions can be framed as contributions toward the next net — no additional partner relationships needed at launch:
"You've contributed enough to fund a child's vitamins today — you're 12% of the way to your first net."
AMF only at MVP. Multi-partner (Helen Keller, Evidence Action) in V2 once the game has traction.
| Item | Cost | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLIN bed net (incl. delivery) | $2.00 | AMF (confirmed) | High |
| Water purification tablet | $0.05 | PSI / WHO | Medium |
| Vitamin A dose | $0.10 | GiveWell / Helen Keller Intl | High |
| Deworming treatment | $0.66 | GiveWell / Evidence Action | High |
| Measles vaccine dose | <$1.00 | UNICEF | High |
| 500 nets → ~1 life saved | probabilistic | GiveWell (n=large) | Medium-High |