Download - Free to Play, Tricky to Design
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Free to Play, Tricky to Design
1 Aki Järvinen, Crea9ve Director, Ph.D. Northern Game Summit, Kajaani, September 28, 2012
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Social games? • Games on mobile or online which leverage social network @es for gameplay – Browser: e.g. Facebook – Mobile: iOS, Android
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5 Things you should know about Social Game Development
• It’s: – Metrics-‐driven – SoQware as Service – Cross-‐plaSorm – Free-‐to-‐play business model – Extremely compe@@ve market
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Agenda • Free to Play – what is it? • Two kinds of F2P • Tips: How to design for F2P success
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Defining Free to Play
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What is it? • ‘Free-‐to-‐play (F2P) refers to any video game or social or mobile applica@on that has the op@on of allowing its players/users to play/download without paying.’ h_p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_to_play
• The term ‘freemium’ implies a ‘premium’ version • F2P ≠ Freemium
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7 http://blog.sergeydgr8.com/2011/08/19/need-for-speed-world-sucks-other-free-to-play-games-suck-too/
“F2P sucks” – well, not.
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F2P games and game design • Two kinds, in terms of game design:
– ‘Core’ F2P model – ‘Surface’ F2P model
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Surface
Core
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’Surface' F2P game design model • Selling more content, such as levels or addi@onal tries • And/or selling specific func@onality: par@cular game mechanic
for e.g. convenience • Design is embedded into the content structure, or single /
simple core mechanic
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Surface model – Tricky? • Pre_y straighSorward • Surface model is simple • It’s value proposi@on is immediately clear to even the most casual of players
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Pay to play more!
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Surface model: Quali@es • Lives and dies with the simple/single mechanic • Tied to content produc@on • No need to include a virtual currency in the design • No free way to play for the player aQer the ini@al wall hit, in terms of content or difficulty
• Yet, if you reach significant download numbers, can be very profitable
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Two F2P game design models
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Surface
Core
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’Core' F2P game design model • Selling variety of virtual goods rather than gameplay content: – Game resources – Func@onal items – Early Access – Time – You name it!
• Sinks & sources virtual economy model
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Core model – Tricky? • Definitely! • Core brings with it complex systems; mul@ple con@ngencies across sinks and sources
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Core model: Quali@es • Free play needs to be accommodated as well • Thus, conversion a lot tougher • Yet built for repeat purchases • Flexibility: More items means more price points
• Result: Supports higher customer life9me value (LTV)goals
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The Latest Hotness in Core Model
16 http://deconstructoroffun.blogspot.fi/2012/09/clash-of-clans-winning-formula.html
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Tradi@onal VS F2P Game Design
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http://apps.facebook.com/armyattack http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Wars
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Core: Tricky to Design • Bo_om line:
– Core F2P mechanics are a breed of their own
– Core F2P is a ‘design lens’ of its own
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5 Tips for F2P game design
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1. Design for Reten@on
• retention |riˈten ch ən| • noun • the continued possession, use, or control of
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Moving the Needle
DnRU
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Profitable Game Design
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Reten@on is everything
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The short and long term ‘winters’ need to be crystal clear in your players’ minds
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Content-‐driven reten@on, or Skill-‐driven reten@on, or both
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2. Design for Virtual Goods and how to surface them via merchandizing
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Case: Profitable Game Design
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FB Credits Revenue Distribution
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3. Design for Rivalries
• = Design for a virtual arms race between individual or alliance rivals
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4. Design Away from Content
• Design gameplay systems • In live produc@on context, aim for profitable game design = feature ROI
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5. Design for Pay to Win…
• …but balance for grind to compete/commit • Furthermore, design for
– Pay to progress – Pay for convenience
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6. Design away from audience fa@gue
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• Design for conven@ons yet 12 months into the future
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Execute all this…
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… and you are designing for high LTV!
= Your players Stay and Pay within the Core F2P Model
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Fun mone9zes well, and F2P takes nothing away from the fun!
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h_ps://www.facebook.com/CrazyPenguinWars
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