How I Turned Boring VPN Setup into a Cyberpunk Game on Telegram: The Malinarium Story

Hi everyone! The personal traffic protection market is more crowded than ever. It seems like every other developer has their own VPS set up for personal use. But the moment you try to share that access with friends, family, or clients, the headache begins: "Download this app," "Copy this key," "Paste it here," "Don't delete that..."

I wanted to build a tool that solves the problem of security in public networks (cafes, airports) while looking like a sleek, modern product rather than a sysadmin’s terminal. That’s how Malinarium was born — a Telegram-based ecosystem featuring a WebApp, gamification, and a neon cyberpunk aesthetic.

The Vision: From Console to Telegram Mini App

Most services in this niche are just bots that spit out a config string. That’s boring. I decided to move the entire UX into a Telegram WebApp (Mini App), allowing users to manage their subscriptions and settings without ever leaving the messenger.

The Tech Stack

Under the hood, it’s a finely tuned engine designed for 24/7 reliability:

• OS: Fresh Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

• Backend: Written in Python (aiogram + FastAPI) for maximum webhook processing speed and asynchrony.

• Routing: Nginx handles the heavy lifting and SSL certificates.

• Core: Key management is handled via the 3x-ui panel API. This provides granular control over protocols and traffic routing without unnecessary workarounds.

• Payments: Fully automated through LAVA/FreeKassa gateways. Webhooks trigger database updates instantly — no more "send me a screenshot of your receipt."

Neon Futurism and "Mel" the Mascot

Once the tech was solid, I focused on retention. The answer? Visuals and Emotion.

I’m a huge fan of the dark futuristic aesthetic. The app interface and landing pages are drenched in cyberpunk style: glitch effects, deep dark backgrounds, and vibrant Neon Fuchsia and Cyan accents.

To prevent the product from feeling like a soulless script, I introduced a mascot. Meet Mel — a cyberpunk raspberry. She greets users in the bot, stars in our custom sticker packs, and appears on all our banners. Mel makes the interaction feel alive.

Gamification: Why a Clicker?

The most exciting feature we integrated into the Telegram WebApp is gamification. With the current "tap-to-earn" craze, I thought: why not use this mechanic for real business value?

Inside our WebApp, users can "tap" Mel to earn our internal virtual currency — SHP. These coins can be used to get discounts on subscription renewals or unlock extra features.

This solves two major goals:

1. Retention: Users have a fun reason to return to the app daily.

2. Loyalty: People get tangible value for simply engaging with the product.

What’s Next?

Malinarium is evolving rapidly. Our roadmap includes further server optimization and expanding the utility of our SHP tokens.

I’d love for you to test our Telegram bot and give me some feedback on the WebApp interface and connection stability. Constructive criticism from this community is the best fuel for a developer!