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Data Flow

This document explains how data moves through the Open UGC & Beyond ecosystem.

It focuses on truth, ownership, reuse, and optional value signaling, not on application-specific behavior or UI flows.

The goal is clarity:
what is on-chain, what is off-chain, and what each layer is responsible for.

Mental Model​

At a high level:

  • OGAL governs truth
  • OPP governs composition and value intent
  • Tooling governs friction
  • Platforms govern monetization
  • Markets govern discovery

No single layer owns the full flow.

Sequence diagram showing creator to OGAL to OPP package, then tooling to platforms to markets for discovery.
Figure 1: High-level data flow from creation to discovery.

Baseline Assumptions​

To be precise:

  • Solana is the settlement and verification layer
  • OGAL and OPP are on-chain programs
  • Tooling (Toolbelt, creator tools) are off-chain clients and SDKs
  • Assets may reference off-chain data (Arweave/IPFS)
  • Canonical truth always lives on-chain

1. Asset Creation Flow (Creator → OGAL)​

What Happens​

  1. A creator defines a digital asset
    (level, item, experience, component, etc.)
  2. Metadata is generated off-chain
  3. The asset is registered in OGAL
  4. OGAL assigns:
    • Canonical asset identity
    • Ownership
    • Mutability and update permissions
    • Provenance reference

Key Properties​

  • Creation does not require permission
  • Creation does not force monetization
  • Ownership is enforced at the protocol level
  • Assets become reusable immediately

On-Chain State​

OGAL stores:

  • Asset ID
  • Owner authority
  • Mutability rules
  • Metadata URI
  • Integrity hash

OGAL does not:

  • Move funds
  • Track usage
  • Enforce pricing

2. Free Reuse Flow (Developer → Application)​

What Happens​

  1. A developer references an OGAL asset
  2. The asset state is read and verified
  3. The asset is reconstructed at runtime
  4. The application uses the asset

Key Properties​

  • No fees
  • No royalties
  • No approvals required
  • Ownership remains intact
  • Only the owner can update the asset

Important Constraint​

Free reuse is a design choice.

It maximizes:

  • Distribution
  • Visibility
  • Adoption
  • Network effects

Value is not extracted by default.

3. Packaging & Composition Flow (OPP Creation)​

What Happens​

  1. A developer or curator creates an OPP package
  2. One or more OGAL assets are referenced
  3. Additional files may be included:
    • Code
    • Metadata
    • Models
    • Audio
    • Animations
  4. Usage rules and value intent are declared
  5. A machine-readable SBOM is generated

What the SBOM Declares​

  • Included assets
  • Ownership of each asset
  • Intended revenue participation rules
  • Usage semantics

Key Properties​

  • Packaging is explicit
  • Monetization intent is explicit
  • OGAL assets remain free outside the package
  • OPP does not enforce payouts

OPP makes coordination auditable, not automatic.

4. Usage Flow (Platform-Level Enforcement)​

What Happens​

  1. An application consumes an OPP package
  2. The platform applies its chosen monetization model
  3. Revenue is handled by the platform
  4. Revenue distribution follows declared intent

Key Properties​

  • Platforms decide how value is captured
  • SBOM makes distribution legible
  • Enforcement is deterministic
  • No off-chain trust required

OPP enables deterministic enforcement by platforms; platforms execute it.

5. Market & Discovery Flow (Optional)​

What Happens​

  1. OGAL assets and OPP packages are indexed
  2. Marketplaces and dashboards surface them
  3. Ownership transfers update OGAL
  4. Discovery remains competitive

Key Properties​

  • Markets are optional
  • Markets are replaceable
  • Ownership always resolves to OGAL
  • No protocol change is required

Discovery does not affect truth.

6. Feedback & Compounding Signals​

Signals Captured​

  • Asset reuse frequency
  • Package usage
  • Cross-application adoption
  • Ownership transfers

How Signals Are Used​

  • Improve tooling
  • Rank discovery surfaces
  • Inform developers and creators
  • Guide ecosystem growth

Important Constraint​

Signals:

  • Do not affect protocol truth
  • Do not gate usage
  • Do not enforce behavior

They inform decisions, not dictate them.

Why This Data Flow Holds​

This separation creates durable guarantees:

  • Truth is enforced once
  • Reuse is frictionless
  • Monetization is opt-in
  • Markets remain competitive
  • Applications remain sovereign

Each layer does less, not more.

One-Sentence Summary​

Assets are created once under OGAL, reused freely everywhere, optionally packaged via OPP to declare value intent, and consumed by platforms that enforce monetization without relying on trust.

Where to Go Next​