qualities of virtual goods

Qualities ofVirtual Goods

Martin Nerurkar & Volker Boenigk

BGF 2010

Martin Nerurkar Volker Boenigk

Twitter

Web

Blog

@MNerurkar

www.martin.nerurkar.de

www.gamearch.com

@PoweredByPixels

www.poweredbypixels.de

blog.poweredbypixels.de

E-Mail Martin.Nerurkar@Gameforge.com Volker.Boenigk@Gameforge.com

System TricksQualities

Overview

System Qualities Tricks

Overview

System Tricks

System Qualities Tricks

Qualities

Overview

1. The basics of our system

System Tricks

System TricksQualities

Qualities

Overview

1. The basics of our system

2. Describing the 6 qualities (+ Examples)

System Tricks

System TricksQualities

Qualities

Overview

1. The basics of our system

2. Describing the 6 qualities (+ Examples)

3. Additional tricks

System Tricks

System TricksQualities

Qualities

System

System TricksQualities

The System

Use-Value

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

System TricksQualities

The System

Duration

Artificial ScarcityUse-Value

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

System Tricks

Availability

Qualities

The System

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Perceived Value

Artificial ScarcityUse-Value

Duration

Availability

System TricksQualities

The System

=+ + + + +

System TricksQualities

Qualities

System TricksQualities

The 6 Qualities

• Quality represents value to the player

– High Quality = desirable

• Quality strength is dependent on the game

System Tricks

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

Qualities

Advantage

System Tricks

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

Qualities

Advantage

• Increased performance

– Better equipment

– XP boosts

• The payer has a gameplay advantage over non-payers (Careful!)

• Exclusive bonuses can feel more unfair than earnable bonuses

System TricksQualities

Advantage Example

Battleknight Guards

Use Values• +25% Defense

Scarcity• Limited duration

System TricksQualities

Advantage

• How big is the performance increase?

• Is it a direct or indirect gain?

• How competitive is the game?

• Will it break the game?

System TricksQualities

Aesthetics

System Tricks

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

Qualities

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/

Aesthetics

• Audiovisual value

– Hairstyles

– Unique clothes

– “Vanity items”

• Very dependent on the type of game

System TricksQualities

Aesthetics Example

Europe 1400 Avatars

Use Values• Unique looks

Scarcity• Permanent

System TricksQualities

Aesthetics

• How visual is the game?

• How desirable is the effect?

• Is the effect customizable?

• Does it represent an affiliation?

System TricksQualities

Comfort

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

System TricksQualities

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinevan/

Comfort

• Making life easier for the player

• Cuts the parts that are not enjoyable

– Automatization

– Improved interface features

System TricksQualities

Comfort Example

Ikariam City Overview

Use Values• Easier to keep an

overview over yourcities

Scarcity• Limited time

System TricksQualities

Comfort

• How annoying is the normal task?

• Does the feature require less effort?

• Does it save the player time?

System TricksQualities

Content

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

System TricksQualities

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/depone/

Content

• Adds new playing options

– New areas

– New quests

– New classes

• Allows to extend the experience

System TricksQualities

Content Example

Hypothetical New Class

Use Values• Perfectly balanced• Unique premium class

Scarcity• Permanent

System TricksQualities

Content Example

Metin 2 Dungeons

Use Values• Exclusive content• Faster levelling• Better drop chances

Scarcity• Limited use

System TricksQualities

Content

• How much time can be spent with the new content?

• How well created is it?

• How dependant is the game on content?

System TricksQualities

Duration

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

System TricksQualities

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbie73/

Duration

• How long does the goodlast or how often can itbe used?

• The higher the duration, the higher the perceived value

• Permanent goods can be problematic

System TricksQualities

Duration

• How long does the item last?

• Is duration in harmony witheffect and presentation?

System TricksQualities

Availability

Duration

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Availability

System TricksQualities

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/villamon/

Availability

• The rarer a good is, themore valuable it becomes

• Different ways to modifyavailability

• Stronger if players can display rare goods

System TricksQualities

Availability

• How hard is the good to get?

• Can the good be collectedand/or displayed?

• Is availability in harmony withthe presentation?

System TricksQualities

The Qualities

=+ + + + +

System TricksQualities

Tricks

System TricksQualities

Rating System

System TricksQualities

Rating System

System TricksQualities

Player Needs Matrix

Laziness

Keep up

Be better

See everything

Have everything

Be unique

To belong

System TricksQualities

Whitespot Analysis

System TricksQualities

Whitespot Analysis

System Tricks

What?

Who?

Qualities

Image: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/yarranz

Wrapup

System TricksQualities

Wrapup

System Tricks

Advantage

Comfort

Aesthetics

Content

Perceived Value

Artificial ScarcityUse-Value

Duration

Availability

Qualities

Contact Us

Martin Nerurkar Volker Boenigk

Twitter

Web

Blog

@MNerurkar

www.martin.nerurkar.de

www.gamearch.com

@PoweredByPixels

www.poweredbypixels.de

blog.poweredbypixels.de

E-Mail Martin.Nerurkar@Gameforge.com Volker.Boenigk@Gameforge.com

System TricksQualities