tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56921251848864010812024-03-12T20:54:48.410-07:00The Design and Business of Freemium GamingMy thoughts and experiences from working with games using the Freemium or Free-to-Play (F2P) business model. Check back for tips, information and reviews on freemium games.Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-22974159573944057452014-04-16T21:11:00.001-07:002014-04-16T21:17:40.550-07:00Improving Freemium Design - Cardinal Quest II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYa7gZoCm5CYccmXBCvYFypiw50YoEYRcBu_0cvjsCES1v2cTcp90_2Atwo6a6Hm3RoxCXinCJBN8LDOEs57aLa6IFoE8k7aq-JBdsA6dCKD-csxM_RjHA_xUt3iNWdP0QrT9DM2s8EWrf/s1600/cq2_header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYa7gZoCm5CYccmXBCvYFypiw50YoEYRcBu_0cvjsCES1v2cTcp90_2Atwo6a6Hm3RoxCXinCJBN8LDOEs57aLa6IFoE8k7aq-JBdsA6dCKD-csxM_RjHA_xUt3iNWdP0QrT9DM2s8EWrf/s1600/cq2_header.png" height="190" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you haven't already noticed, I play a lot of mobile games. I've talked about my lack of time for games now as I grow up, but that doesn't mean I like them any less. The medium and how the games are designed is what hinders me more than anything else. However, I still enjoy a good old fashioned quest or grind in an RPG. If you're anything like me and really enjoy RPG and tactic games then I'm confident that you'll love this game too. It's challenging. It can be played in short or long sessions. I feel it's one of the better mobile games I've ever played. With that being said, then why isn't this a chart topping game? Let's take a look.<br />
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<h2>
<b>What they did right...</b></h2>
<b>Artwork</b><br />
I love the old 8-bit art style and I think it really resonates well with their target market. It reminds me of playing old NES RPG titles such as <a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhLeHFB3kj6HIAsJlZbSUfnvFeK1akGWyhEBRBjzdK71Ebt1vy" target="_blank">Dragon Warrior</a> (possibly the best NES RPG).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3xbpMuByxzUKvg7Ifrxv3ky4JpROAdQZ4ONkIJGhsXUM4DKMKSSo7IfcNljpHzcXkpb4231Zfo4l9LOLBCUgHsufX7GEM5YCKwNwvpITb1e6WuZbqmlJnxIkYm9rCxv9HH6X6cDWkqmZ/s1600/IMG_1785.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3xbpMuByxzUKvg7Ifrxv3ky4JpROAdQZ4ONkIJGhsXUM4DKMKSSo7IfcNljpHzcXkpb4231Zfo4l9LOLBCUgHsufX7GEM5YCKwNwvpITb1e6WuZbqmlJnxIkYm9rCxv9HH6X6cDWkqmZ/s1600/IMG_1785.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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<b>Difficulty</b><br />
Normal levels are passable with a try or two and suicide levels are hard. I feel like this game eases me into a good challenge and I've been hooked since I downloaded the game.<br />
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<b>Love the Varying Class</b><br />
Like all the classic RPGs this game comes with several classes. Each of the the 6 classes have pros and cons that make each pretty unique from one another. Although I enjoy playing several<br />
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<b>Publisher</b><br />
I can't confirm or deny that working with a publisher is a good idea for you, but I will say that I did discover this game from an advertisement. The game is currently charting around the 250 mark in all games so I wouldn't have otherwise seen this game, but I'm really glad that I saw that ad for it (I know I can't believe I'm praising an advertisement either). Why does this tie back to the publisher? I have a suspicion that if they developer launched on their own they wouldn't have gotten the game on my radar.<br />
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What could be improved</h2>
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<b>Single Currency</b><br />
You could debate this with me later, but games with a dual (or triple) currency allow you to approach virtual sales from different angles. A single currency means you're forced to a single method of earning that currency. In this case players just need to play the game over and over again. Keep grinding until players earn the desired currency to purchase what they want. Well... that or purchase the currency, but I know not many are doing that. Why? That brings me to my next topic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWTzkef76MStnBXOe3bxAnNNFagiYGVPx69dMrvYkGkW54QZ2jWo8X4FJsS9K3jUeH97ZOFQyosjsE9o3tmh5kMcgSlMb8BHlzkTnFuOpjIsYc_HD3nn7_5Baq1hHhBkYvgMLG2vAZBV6/s1600/IMG_1782.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWTzkef76MStnBXOe3bxAnNNFagiYGVPx69dMrvYkGkW54QZ2jWo8X4FJsS9K3jUeH97ZOFQyosjsE9o3tmh5kMcgSlMb8BHlzkTnFuOpjIsYc_HD3nn7_5Baq1hHhBkYvgMLG2vAZBV6/s1600/IMG_1782.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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<b>Store items</b><br />
Their virtual store is in dire need of help! I'd probably classify as a super-fan since I've unlocked all the classes, acts and I'm working on beating all the acts on all difficulties. However, I haven't spent a dime and I absolutely don't feel like I need to. I could throw a couple bucks their way knowing that I love their game (and I might after writing this), but I need to review and critique games from a consumer standpoint. It's safe to say that as a consumer I would not purchase anything. Let's look at some reasons why.<br />
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<ol>
<li><b>Lack of things to purchase</b> - players start off with 3 characters; each with one out of 8 unlockable options. Players can purchase 3 more classes each with 7 unlockables. That means I have a total of 45 total purchasable options (plus 1 for the extra continue after being killed). That might sound like a lot reading this article, but ideally the number of purchasable options should be infinite. </li>
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<ol>
<li><b>No power-ups/consumables/modifiers</b> - the game only sells one type of virtual goods. Unlockables. What about consumables, how about power-ups, or lastly some sort of modifier? Some of these are covered in the character unlocks, but they come as a trade-off. You can start with an ungraded weapon but start with a decreased stat. Why would I grind to unlock that? I get better weapons throughout the game, but my stat is permanently decreased? That doesn't seem like a good trade-off. I believe this is done to "balance" the game or help combat the "pay-to-win" feeling, but realistically it just seems dumb to me as a consumer.</li>
<li><b>Equipable items</b> - similar to the point above, I can spend currency to unlock a different starting weapon but there's a trade-off elsewhere. What about just unlocking a different starting weapon, or a modifier that gives you a better chance at rare weapon drops in game? Maybe something that expands your accessory slot from 5 to 6? What about a re-roll with the merchant in-game because what he's currently selling is trash? I could go on and on, but there are several ways they could have enhanced the looting/equipment mechanic in this game and frankly I feel like this is one of the largest pitfalls for an RPG game like this. </li>
<li><b>Lacking MEGA FAN (AKA whale) purchase</b> - or even a repeat purchase option. If I was REALLY impatient, I could purchase the $20 IAP and basically unlock everything. However, if I really like the game, chances are I already earned enough currency to unlock the things that I would like to unlock (which I have). Now I can continue to play the game because I like to (which I do) but there's no real reason for me to ever purchase anything. </li>
<li><b>Could improve visuals/UI </b>- right now there's no real store. There's an IAP store, but no virtual store for purchasing characters, consumables, goods, etc. The unlockable items are just built into the character selection scree. I love that it's part of the game's natural progression/flow, but I dislike how little screen real estate they occupy and no attention is ever drawn to these unlockables. It's up to the game to just discover them and decide which one they might want to unlock. </li>
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<li><b>Side note</b> - don't get me wrong here. All IAPs or virtual goods should be a part of the game workflow and I do like an element of discoverability in my games, but I also believe that developers can direct or help move players towards the choices that they want their players to make. For example; once I found out there was a Paladin class I played the game for maybe 3 hours grinding to unlock that character. Perhaps if the game knew I had played 3 games back to back then maybe it should have offered me a discount on a character purchase or allowed me to purchase one for $0.99. Maybe I would've made the purchase, but not offering me anything guaranteed that I didn't purchase a thing. </li>
</ul>
</ol>
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<b>Icon</b><br />
Perhaps this is nitpicky but I don't like the icon at all. I feel like it doesn't have anything to do with the game. Most of the game is pixel art yet the icon isn't? I don't even know who the bull with the axe is supposed to be or how that even relates to the game. I'm guessing that perhaps it's the boss at the end of the first level, but I'm not sure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sIPBiw5Ng_tTTorISJeAw7rsi7FM6brm2lQRSFsnPR3eWqx_4BT5idpoWuafUhCd5KztvYlBcuKiqMysqyOttocwM18AKY2Lm_NQWnC4LpdU-p3iDSeRxtM6OK5KHz3vAqs-0_2e5OsY/s1600/IMG_1787.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sIPBiw5Ng_tTTorISJeAw7rsi7FM6brm2lQRSFsnPR3eWqx_4BT5idpoWuafUhCd5KztvYlBcuKiqMysqyOttocwM18AKY2Lm_NQWnC4LpdU-p3iDSeRxtM6OK5KHz3vAqs-0_2e5OsY/s1600/IMG_1787.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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<b>Upselling</b><br />
This is a tricky subject with most game developers because they feel like upselling is pestering players or breaking the game's difficultly setting. The developer did build in a continue option (which is a good start) but they could have done more intelligent upselling. Like mentioned earlier, what about upselling discount to someone who has played 2-3 games in a row? They obviously like your game and perhaps they'd be more inclined to make an IAP if presented a discount?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsDQvAqcl735BvC6gVz2UejpAneuiedLO1t0Cy4FARM28Xute8hQQatIkOfiy6KFXwO2bCOWPSMz9CyBvMErKSSjaUYnYJCi2EBUXslsHG4emHVdbQbjRuvallIXL0fkdo-MaWtTxRShW/s1600/IMG_1778.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsDQvAqcl735BvC6gVz2UejpAneuiedLO1t0Cy4FARM28Xute8hQQatIkOfiy6KFXwO2bCOWPSMz9CyBvMErKSSjaUYnYJCi2EBUXslsHG4emHVdbQbjRuvallIXL0fkdo-MaWtTxRShW/s1600/IMG_1778.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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What about upselling different items at the merchant screen or allowing players to re-roll the items at a currency fee? Perhaps if you have the manpower/intelligence, you have benchmarks of what the average player has at that point in the game and you offer a slightly better weapon/option at a premium price?<br />
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<b>No Cloud Saving</b><br />
Since this is a game I LOVE playing, then I want it on my phone so I can play it on the go. However I also own an iPad that I prefer to game on when I'm at home. I wish I could sync my saved progress to Game Center so I could play between the two devices.<br />
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<b>No missions</b><br />
Let's go through my thought process when playing the game for the first time...<br />
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<i>What's the goal? Defeat the end boss? Oh okay. Alright, Act 2. What's the goal? Defeat the end boss. Oh... I see...</i><br />
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Side quests are not uncommon in the RPG world and they help keep players interested in the freemium world so I felt like side quests (i.e. save this person before X time) would've been a natural fit for CQ2. I could come up with hundreds more of level side quests that could randomly generate with the levels and help keep players interested.<br />
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Side note: if there was a dual currency system perhaps they could award players 1 premium currency for completing the side mission on a particular level.<br />
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If there's no excitement to purchase...</h2>
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The obvious answer is I won't purchase. I clearly liked the game and still didn't purchase anything. That's not good. I mildly enjoy Royal Revolt 2, but I've already spent $10 just after 1 week of playing that game (I know I'm late to that game but it's been on my list to play). I think I understand why the developers chose to design the game the way they did, but I believe they only hurt themselves by not utilizing F2P mechanics. What I do now that they game has already launched? I don't think converting to a paid game would be beneficial now, but I would sell extra levels as IAPs. The currency system is broke, so just sell additional levels or an entire unlock for a discounted price and walk away from this project. Take the lessons learned here and apply it towards the next game. I have no doubt it'll be better that CQ2. </div>
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Designing a game to be both fair and profitable is a difficult task. It's much easier for the game's creators to be forgiving than your players so it might be worth having a third party look at your design before launching. If you'd like help in this area feel free to <a href="mailto:benjamin.sipe@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me</a> or hit me up on <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-782014412649214122013-12-02T05:45:00.002-08:002013-12-02T05:45:24.915-08:00Improving Freemium Design - Combat Monsters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFfvROh769MPtkMVm7hc7MfDZkOfuPspcfx7tbJDEnH2mGRSHziv5qMvOViAMnG8Frnke8-qIuEg3VTnFyL85vFarup82IAuF8lWqvZv40azPeLgf_KuEwJQHMjU02_eWIkNhKdDhvBZD/s1600/combat-monsters-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFfvROh769MPtkMVm7hc7MfDZkOfuPspcfx7tbJDEnH2mGRSHziv5qMvOViAMnG8Frnke8-qIuEg3VTnFyL85vFarup82IAuF8lWqvZv40azPeLgf_KuEwJQHMjU02_eWIkNhKdDhvBZD/s1600/combat-monsters-logo.jpg" height="253" width="400" /></a></div>
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As a gamer, I love almost all genres of games. There are genres that I'm not particularly good at (sports) but I can still appreciate them for what they are. (There's even been a <a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/2013/09/improving-freemium-design-madden-25.html" target="_blank">recent one</a> that I've liked!) However, there are several other genres that I love such as RPGs, shooters, racing and strategy games. If you've read my articles before then you probably know that I game more on mobile than any other platform. However, I've had a hard time finding a turn-based strategy game that's good. Final Fantasy Tactics doesn't count because I played that on PlayStation and Nintendo DS so I'm not exactly excited to play it again on mobile. I wanted a new experience. Then I found Combat Monsters. Let's take a look at a F2P turn based strategy game. </div>
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/combat-monsters/id698616840?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/combat-monsters/id698616840?mt=8</a></div>
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For the record Rubicon's other strategy games are great, but I never played them because they were premium and I rarely pay for premium games.</div>
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What they did right</h3>
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<b>Solid Foundation</b></div>
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Rubicon has built a pretty good framework for a fun and engaging game. There's a core loop, several different types/classes of characters to fit your play style, hundreds of unique cards, single player campaign and multiplayer. I can't tell you how many games I see that are missing a crucial aspect(s). This helps increase their odds of becoming successful through optimizing.<br />
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<b>Graphics</b></div>
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I really like the 3D graphics and effects they implemented. Definitely not necessary, but having a game that looks great certainly doesn't hurt the cause. </div>
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<b>Single Player Missions</b></div>
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I love that there's a single player campaign as well as multiplayer matches. This helps make the game appeal to players of several types. If you're using the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartle_Test" target="_blank">Bartle test</a>, I'm more of an explorer myself and I'm more interested in playing the single player missions than PvPing.</div>
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<b>Fun Gameplay</b></div>
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Rubicon really knows what they're doing when it comes to fun, challenging and engaging turn-based strategy games. Beyond Combat Monsters, I highly recommend the purchase of <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/great-big-war-game/id508002149" target="_blank">Great Big War Game</a>. </div>
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What could be improved </h3>
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<b>Tutorial </b></div>
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8 tutorial missions!?! I understand that fans of this genre might fall more into the hardcore category, but you also need to take the platform into consideration. On average you might have 30 seconds to get a mobile players attention, and fans of this genre might be more like 1-2 minutes. However, 8 tutorial missions took me over 5 minutes to complete. This should be condensed into 3 tutorial missions and cut some of the text out.</div>
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I should also note that the tutorial isn't required which is a good thing, but some players might miss the option to skip and those are the probably the types of players who would quit after seeing the tutorial is much too long for them.</div>
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<b>No Leveling System</b></div>
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If you wanted to show a friend your progress in the game how would you describe it? If you're playing a multiplayer match how do you know the experience level of the person you're playing against? If there was a leveling system these questions would be a whole lot easier to answer. Sure, a leveling system doesn't tell you exactly where you are in the single player missions or prove that you're a pro if you reach a certain level. It won't be 100% accurate, but having a numeric value to compare is the simplest and quickest way to make these comparisons. Implementing a leveling system also helps drive a players sense of accomplishment and can be great moments to share via social media.</div>
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<b>Unlocking Content</b></div>
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Incorporating a leveling system enables another crucial virtual store tactic which is unlocking content versus making it all readily accessible. This is often overlooked by developers that are newer to the F2P space. Typically speaking, you don't want to immediately allow players to purchase anything in the game for several reasons that we'll tack one by one. </div>
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<ol>
<li><u>No sense of accomplishment</u>. Think about Zelda as a F2P title. How would you feel if you could just open an IAP menu and buy all of the gadgets or even the master sword? Players should need to play and journey through a portion of you game before being able to purchase some of the end game content. </li>
<ul>
<li>NOTE: there's nothing wrong with allowing players to pay to progress more quickly through the game to reach those end game items. Almost everything should be obtainable for the "right price."</li>
</ul>
<li><u>Too many options is overwhelming</u>. In the commerce world it's a fact that if you display too many options to consumers they will get discouraged and walk away. Read one of my <a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/2013/04/5-tips-for-boosting-virtual-economies.html" target="_blank">previous articles</a> on this topic and some other tips regarding your virtual store.</li>
<li><u>This makes your game appear pay-to-win to non-payers</u>. F2P is constantly criticized as pay-to-win, but it should actually be "pay for competitive advantage." See my <a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/2013/04/5-ways-to-fail-freemium.html" target="_blank">5 Ways to Fail Freemium</a> post to see the difference. Putting a leveling system in place makes players "earn" later game content, and makes the game feel fairer between paying and non-paying players. </li>
<ul>
<li>NOTE: Combat Monsters isn't a pay-to-win game. I need to understand the game's strategy, various strengths and weaknesses and find the right IAP/monster that complements the way that I play. However, the typical player won't likely analyze games like you or me. </li>
</ul>
</ol>
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<b>Upselling</b></div>
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Combat Monsters has a few really interesting options built in the game, but the game doesn't call enough attention to them. The first one is the Coin Tripler. This is a permanent enhancement that triples the amount of currency earned in battles. If you're a fan of the game this should be your first purchase as it holds the most value (assuming you'll be playing the game for a longer period of time). At the battle results screen they just list the tripler in the lower left corner. A cost effective way if gaining attention is adding a shimmer or animation to the coin tripler button. </div>
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The other feature that isn't getting the attention it deserves is the Daily Deal. Rubicon built a feature where they run a sale on one card per day. This is an awesome idea, but it's buried in the marketplace menu.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdq0LWebfz6zdHlB69lCI2_THHj3LbzAszdhCvM1_Z43Jk9gF0XAgef9yyQQm0WzzQg_jssi2_8WY9PTn_x6nGlUFREAzor0sVmx4UyB-HqWvNdIA8QE-7z4F0GIEP3nReHtgr_o0_BB3/s1600/IMG_1283.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdq0LWebfz6zdHlB69lCI2_THHj3LbzAszdhCvM1_Z43Jk9gF0XAgef9yyQQm0WzzQg_jssi2_8WY9PTn_x6nGlUFREAzor0sVmx4UyB-HqWvNdIA8QE-7z4F0GIEP3nReHtgr_o0_BB3/s1600/IMG_1283.PNG" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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I would make this an interstitial screen that appears at every launch. I'd also link popular IAP options on the side, communicate the discount and further emphasize the card that is on sale in the middle. Excuse my awesome MS paint skills, but maybe something along of the lines of this. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgA7PAGxs93C_61-pTXJZgP90xmJdrpqg8au6bMOQapi-tkXb8Edlg23VTaHFBwkGE4XC-ld7VdkBBziYBAfU4CTzMQus5y43ZletCc90hlM5QejO4qsy-9DtMXMptBMnS4XctFjovOgtp/s1600/daily+deal+mockup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgA7PAGxs93C_61-pTXJZgP90xmJdrpqg8au6bMOQapi-tkXb8Edlg23VTaHFBwkGE4XC-ld7VdkBBziYBAfU4CTzMQus5y43ZletCc90hlM5QejO4qsy-9DtMXMptBMnS4XctFjovOgtp/s1600/daily+deal+mockup.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a great example of an effective upsell screen for reference. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQm2c1LRCdkpkia9PhIvP3IE5h5Kz1V-2GJFGp_ex4GXEsa2lQdh2BJbVQD1Jxww793gGOJ150aIv-yDVB82YtiA24p-EKJ0zYRaCh3A93kyDZqboPTV0jMEDAUQG0-ulrBNnqT0c0g-h/s1600/IMG_1354.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQm2c1LRCdkpkia9PhIvP3IE5h5Kz1V-2GJFGp_ex4GXEsa2lQdh2BJbVQD1Jxww793gGOJ150aIv-yDVB82YtiA24p-EKJ0zYRaCh3A93kyDZqboPTV0jMEDAUQG0-ulrBNnqT0c0g-h/s1600/IMG_1354.PNG" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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The value and discount is clearly communicated, there's no question of what they player is getting and there's a timer to create a sense of urgency. </div>
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<b>Coin Balancing</b></div>
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At the time of writing this article this was already changed, but when originally playing the game I was being awarded ~20 coins for winning a battle which took around 5 minutes to finish. OR I could watch a 30 second video for 50 coins. If I wanted to grind for currency it actually made the most sense to sit and watch advertisements. </div>
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<b>Account Creation Process</b></div>
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I don't encourage a forced account creation processes on mobile, but they're more tolerable to me as a player if I can quickly create one via social networks (most popularly Facebook or Twitter). You can grab all my account information at the press of a button versus forcing me to enter the information manually. I've seen huge improvements in day 1 retention by removing forced account creation processes. Also if you're ever planning to spend money on user acquisition then you need remove as many annoyances or barriers as possible, and this would need to be the first thing to go.</div>
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<b>Insufficient Currency to IAP Menu</b></div>
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This is an easy fix, but never grey out virtual items or buy buttons if the player doesn't have enough money. Players won't focus as much on those items then or won't attempt to purchase them. </div>
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You want to allow them to select an option that's too expensive because this is also a great time to notify them or navigate them to your IAP menu. There's a reason why most top grossing titles with a currency system and virtual store function like this. </div>
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<h3>
Genres may take some time to adapt</h3>
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Rubicon certainly had their work cut out for them building a F2P turn-based strategy game. I don't think I can name another one that's F2P on mobile (or on any other platform for that matter). It would be easier to develop this genre as a premium title, but I don't think they could expect the same return as Great Big War Game if they did develop Combat Monsters as a premium title due to the shift in F2P market dominance on mobile (even though GBWG was released just 1 year ago). In fact, this is probably a dilemma that several readers are facing. Should I learn to create a F2P game or release as a premium game? Should I work with a publisher? How can I make the most of what I got before launching?</div>
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These questions can sometimes be difficult to answer when if you're trying to tackle them on your own or internally. It's much easier for the game's creators to be forgiving than your players so it might be worth having a third party look at your design before launching. If you'd like help in this area feel free to <a href="mailto:benjamin.sipe@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me</a> or hit me up on <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-48683965616906601962013-10-07T11:19:00.001-07:002013-11-27T17:21:37.671-08:005 Reasons Why Pocket Trains is Better<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34JR-1Bv67uSav4S4QkLyP58orC_kLLJU3HdOL_OkjNhN0WYMsLFBllwMRb186LKxLMu_ebSn1vogAWC2vGW8ElIDL6JBVYx-3Xnpt3UVv6KOvQpW__ewpe9feyzAdH3Rvt0QJLInQPCk/s1600/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34JR-1Bv67uSav4S4QkLyP58orC_kLLJU3HdOL_OkjNhN0WYMsLFBllwMRb186LKxLMu_ebSn1vogAWC2vGW8ElIDL6JBVYx-3Xnpt3UVv6KOvQpW__ewpe9feyzAdH3Rvt0QJLInQPCk/s1600/logo.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Let me start by saying I love NimbleBit games and the studio as a whole. I, like many of you, was hooked when I discovered Tiny Tower. I love the pixel art, the bitizen characters and the little attentions to detail in their games like the Bitbook (mock in-game Facebook). Not only are their games good but it seems like they are the underdogs that everyone is rooting for, and I mean "underdog" in the best way possible as in they don't have the capital or resources that their competition has. It's hard not to respect them when they send notes <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/screenshots/nimblebit-letter-to-zynga/" target="_blank">like this</a> to studios who copy their games.<br />
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Then there was <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-planes/id491994942?mt=8" target="_blank">Pocket Planes</a>. I enjoyed Pocket Planes but not for very long. I played for less than a month and didn't monetize. I felt the game fell short in a few different aspects. Some complained the gameplay is a little repetitive but that can be said for most games. What's not repetitive about Candy Crush or Clash of Clans? However, the lack of missions or progression got to me. I also ended up discovering a killer strategy. Invest in the larger planes (level 3) and close all airports except your major (level 3) airports. The strategy wasn't dependent on how many airports/routes you had, but relied on sending better planes on longer routes. This seemed more like an exploit rather than a compelling strategy.<br />
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When <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-trains/id635931971?mt=8" target="_blank">Pocket Trains</a> came out several people around me were initially underwhelmed saying things like "this is just another Pocket Planes." I had to remind them that many games are clones of another, or get inspiration from another game. This isn't a bad thing so long as they improve on the former or inspirational game. After playing Pocket Trains for a while now I think there are 5 critical things that NimbleBit improved to make the game more compelling and I'm sure some of these could be applied to other games out there.<br />
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<h4>
1. Improved Strategy</h4>
NimbleBit improved on this in several ways so we'll tackle them one at a time.<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Pocket Trains encourages expansion.</b> Like I mentioned above there's a point in Pocket Planes where it doesn't make sense to continue to operate smaller planes and airports so your network shrinks. However, in Pocket Trains you need to keep those previous routes open in order to keep expanding. This helps with the player's sense of progression since their empire is never shrinking.</li>
<li><b>Planning routes is more simplistic.</b> In Pocket Planes it costs money to fly somewhere. This might be more accurate in the real world, but it makes the planning process longer. In the end, I only care about the profit margin from each thing I'm transporting. I do enjoy more expansive/complex strategy games, but this game is on mobile so if you can make it easier to play then it's usually best to do so. </li>
<li><b>It's all about routes, not who has the best train type.</b> In Pocket Trains each train type has a different set of stats. Some are very fast but don't hold much fuel, and others might have a larger towing capacity but are very slow. There are routes that work better for certain train types and it's up to the player to figure that out. On the surface, players won't recognize this but it's these layers of complexity over a simple set of actions that makes Pocket Trains a much better game. </li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkw2Fh5J-41GrsXhUMdNmykAFxs4Ye0iVXX_Gn8nvwuz7O0TITL86IVjCu0-mZHzPsP0dvZiw4SE1uGoOjaTDqS8sfGJ3tSyMH-10pZhIfSDbUC-Si6TYwQtDgZPqHsfG3opsofycaxeWo/s1600/network.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkw2Fh5J-41GrsXhUMdNmykAFxs4Ye0iVXX_Gn8nvwuz7O0TITL86IVjCu0-mZHzPsP0dvZiw4SE1uGoOjaTDqS8sfGJ3tSyMH-10pZhIfSDbUC-Si6TYwQtDgZPqHsfG3opsofycaxeWo/s1600/network.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">building a network and using the right trains for proper routes is crucial</td></tr>
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<h4>
2. Can't Buy Specific Trains</h4>
In Pocket Planes players can purchase plane parts in order to "build" new planes at a discount, but there's also the option to just buy the plane already built. Having the option to buy the planes instantly devalued them to me. There's no scarcity or nothing special about those planes if you don't need to work for them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ550llIhn6SW-GbLrLNDNaGI2u11HPZPqzjcqOMxcc5_6ImlZDKBIPHa2_NCsllEjkH6aEOi32i98cjU4xWUT525_hRpzXr82Jkf5hfnamX21j5jLrx3_2xUc_YpLPknW5D8qIDnu07ZH/s1600/buying+plane+parts.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ550llIhn6SW-GbLrLNDNaGI2u11HPZPqzjcqOMxcc5_6ImlZDKBIPHa2_NCsllEjkH6aEOi32i98cjU4xWUT525_hRpzXr82Jkf5hfnamX21j5jLrx3_2xUc_YpLPknW5D8qIDnu07ZH/s1600/buying+plane+parts.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can buy planes parts...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L_rWPaRRPufiVh7ZXBskCUzgWHNuPguECUDtdbWAzPJabOgjwoFpuUvzckc-3fAY1jIiBnIegnHRxRABsGrPBK3V3YXXbcjnYGhyrZx_f6-rFoYKjHTz2k-BlrArjz3PdKuA3JnMeXov/s1600/buying+planes.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L_rWPaRRPufiVh7ZXBskCUzgWHNuPguECUDtdbWAzPJabOgjwoFpuUvzckc-3fAY1jIiBnIegnHRxRABsGrPBK3V3YXXbcjnYGhyrZx_f6-rFoYKjHTz2k-BlrArjz3PdKuA3JnMeXov/s1600/buying+planes.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">or skip it and just purchase planes</td></tr>
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I believe NimbleBit realized this and that's why you can't purchase pre-built trains in Pocket Trains. Players need to collect crates and use "bux" (premium currency) to open them. This makes even paying players work for special train types and it also helps drain player's premium currency, but NimbleBit is also generous with the premium currency so they're not being greedy about it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BepWeXHXEYivePAgyhavohMzi15jbANwLgPMzwsGmeNqRF-xAtob0B1rrAa4sXRS68J9TZbTFJ3mxN-FfGJ0aMQVtp-3NLGk01x6R636mxXOlvQ_xn-L4g03B-OiSwKdLEqVyVnsUAav/s1600/train+parts.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BepWeXHXEYivePAgyhavohMzi15jbANwLgPMzwsGmeNqRF-xAtob0B1rrAa4sXRS68J9TZbTFJ3mxN-FfGJ0aMQVtp-3NLGk01x6R636mxXOlvQ_xn-L4g03B-OiSwKdLEqVyVnsUAav/s1600/train+parts.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I need more special crates to finish these trains! Perhaps I should buy some :)</td></tr>
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<h4>
3. More Currency Types</h4>
Like in previous NimbleBit games there are coins and bux for the standard and premium currencies. However, NimbleBit also added "crates" and "special crate" IAP options. Players come by regular crates pretty often, but special crates are rare and require a large amount of coins to purchase. This is a great accompanying IAP option to bux because bux are required in order to open crates. If I spend $5 on 50 special crates then I'll likely also need some bux to help open that many crates. Adding complementary IAP options like this will greatly increase your odds to persuade players into repeat purchasers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5VUp32IqhxXxnLGrlJ3bTCo7f2iaU1f7BvzMvJPTHIUQyurlF8zwAUYtvx14F6odkYdrmLASqKMMlqPRCHElUVqVt616nQI2Nw7vlSHCvMnnFMZqHAg-fFadmACaP1K3uwEZuZXyorkQ/s1600/crate+iap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5VUp32IqhxXxnLGrlJ3bTCo7f2iaU1f7BvzMvJPTHIUQyurlF8zwAUYtvx14F6odkYdrmLASqKMMlqPRCHElUVqVt616nQI2Nw7vlSHCvMnnFMZqHAg-fFadmACaP1K3uwEZuZXyorkQ/s1600/crate+iap.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bought some special crates...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORC8-HXlxkFZtKkkyhk1lAuOoChmcirQ7Wp2OI6dL5e5BMNlcTUySzOEEYy8fUjTAa97Bf2Bub4CL7ZLKI-DvFnBeyCYQFvEKqK421S5zm0VRMhYQQJ9Zx1AQ1kkrL_YVuW0feWagmmwu/s1600/bux+iap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORC8-HXlxkFZtKkkyhk1lAuOoChmcirQ7Wp2OI6dL5e5BMNlcTUySzOEEYy8fUjTAa97Bf2Bub4CL7ZLKI-DvFnBeyCYQFvEKqK421S5zm0VRMhYQQJ9Zx1AQ1kkrL_YVuW0feWagmmwu/s1600/bux+iap.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And needed some bux to open all those crates</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
4. Delay with Refueling</h4>
In Pocket Planes when a plane lands from a flight it's immediately ready for the next flight. I also played Pocket Planes religiously for 2 weeks strait, uninstalled and then never played again. It's not a necessity to have delay in all F2P games, but I really encourage it for games that can be repetitive or shallow to break up sessions lengths to keep player's interest for longer periods of time.<br />
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In Pocket Trains, the trains have a certain amount of fuel that they can hold. After traveling, fuel regenerates at a rate of 1 fuel unit every 10 seconds. Players typically wait less than 20 minutes to refuel but this break helps them get away from repetitive tasks, or helps persuade them to monetize if they're in a pinch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pMqHrAbm12EPK7Ao1BiWd6QPjVf87-IeJ3ZcoepaT3KOkrWYoGrYSKn5dyeBgqSV4v8Rhf0-aIlI0bksvnJmVLhv9TBEJpV7AhZpKzVrOjuOQFpCj1ZHTuXbAvtvmnPzGBEpxMJaP3x0/s1600/refueling+bux.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pMqHrAbm12EPK7Ao1BiWd6QPjVf87-IeJ3ZcoepaT3KOkrWYoGrYSKn5dyeBgqSV4v8Rhf0-aIlI0bksvnJmVLhv9TBEJpV7AhZpKzVrOjuOQFpCj1ZHTuXbAvtvmnPzGBEpxMJaP3x0/s1600/refueling+bux.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
5. Daily Events</h4>
In Pocket Planes players could join a team (or flight crew) and participate in events that lasted a few days with other players. The concept sounds great on paper, but there were a few flaws.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>There's no way to communicate with your flight crew in game.</li>
<li>There's no limit to how many players could be in a flight crews so just join a really large flight crew and you'll win. </li>
<li>Events that last more than 1 day on mobile are extremely long. </li>
</ul>
I liked the concept of a team event because it was turning a single player game into a multiplayer game, but I don't think it worked out as well as one might have hoped during the designing process.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR_9_YArRPnyFv-JblsweYi8w3RlJxzdo-eXqnMN0GOAfhACMKSyXtQmZG3xmbAo92fQ1xlxJhsWU8TzTM1Xjit32qRqQYQJbx1DDwnzFyhBdyVVDc-OmD0eJvUipLk14D1xEbie_HvgK/s1600/planes+events.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR_9_YArRPnyFv-JblsweYi8w3RlJxzdo-eXqnMN0GOAfhACMKSyXtQmZG3xmbAo92fQ1xlxJhsWU8TzTM1Xjit32qRqQYQJbx1DDwnzFyhBdyVVDc-OmD0eJvUipLk14D1xEbie_HvgK/s1600/planes+events.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
NimbleBit fixed these event issues in Pocket Trains. They have daily events to encourage players to come back every day to participate and the events are completed on an individual basis versus a team event. This also complements the delay with refueling because players might spend bux to refuel their train or fast travel to a location in order to finish an event if they're close.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2Cl7G4iITEHuVdED0V1JQegrvySyf7Rjb5q4OgCtUJVw9vp7F8OUkUttboSAQb5yYbebytKUGkvPJ8ctLlCdkgaHDHu3A9_2og9AwKMnuXR4w-VKMNNDE4zEO-lEbddhynpwAz-B3kBW/s1600/daily+event.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2Cl7G4iITEHuVdED0V1JQegrvySyf7Rjb5q4OgCtUJVw9vp7F8OUkUttboSAQb5yYbebytKUGkvPJ8ctLlCdkgaHDHu3A9_2og9AwKMnuXR4w-VKMNNDE4zEO-lEbddhynpwAz-B3kBW/s1600/daily+event.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">It's true Pocket Trains didn't peak as high as Pocket Planes. If they can maintain the trend and get good bumps like they do with Pocket Planes then I'm confident Trains will be more profitable than Plains. Why didn't it peak as high as Pocket Planes? I don't know for certain, but I believe it's because of the similar style of game so some players aren't downloading, playing or paying. As for me, I monetized (twice) in Pocket Trains when I never did in Pocket Planes. I hope Pocket Trains can maintain its position, but only time will tell.</span></h4>
If you'd like help designing or monetizing your games feel free to <a href="mailto:benjamin.sipe@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me</a> or hit me on <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-54716745378928288702013-09-23T09:37:00.000-07:002013-09-24T11:23:18.578-07:00Improving Freemium Design - Madden 25<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v82HEjkUBk45piQ-eN2VQaqM_oe7YUs4rt8-K4bEDIupMl14UtrljA-iM6FnewMF2i8Y0GCZpyja3Z56Vo8V0FEW0vMWpC-tufe2VOYPXO2iM3u2FiJDPD8m4KmlJ912xwTK0E7Ju9fM/s1600/title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v82HEjkUBk45piQ-eN2VQaqM_oe7YUs4rt8-K4bEDIupMl14UtrljA-iM6FnewMF2i8Y0GCZpyja3Z56Vo8V0FEW0vMWpC-tufe2VOYPXO2iM3u2FiJDPD8m4KmlJ912xwTK0E7Ju9fM/s1600/title.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As an independent F2P game and monetization designer I write about games I play. Historically, I've only written these articles on games from smaller studios because stereotypically they make more mistakes or are easier to critique. This streak ends today as I take on Madden 25. EA has the talent, relationships and budget to bring some seriously good F2P mobile titles such as <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-simpsons-tapped-out/id497595276?mt=8" target="_blank">Simpsons Tapped Out</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/real-racing-3/id556164008?mt=8" target="_blank">Real Racing 3</a> and all the <span id="goog_155855063"></span><a href="http://www.popcap.com/all-games/iphone-ipod-touch-games" target="_blank">Pop Cap</a> <span id="goog_155855064"></span>games, but what happens when they take a premium franchise and make it freemium? Let's check out Madden 25 for mobile!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/madden-nfl-25-by-ea-sports/id657621726?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/madden-nfl-25-by-ea-sports/id657621726?mt=8</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
What it does right</h3>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Presentation </h4>
</div>
<div>
No surprise here but the game looks great! It looks better than any other mobile football game I've seen. It actually has the real players since they're working with the NFLPA and not just buying the right to only use NFL. The music and sound effects are great (for the most part). I'm pumped to play the game from the intro music and the main menu music. The only thing I could do without is the same guy saying "let's go baby" at my play selection screen. Every time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8auv2d0qqjji0PsKg3D2vhXR6C_TOpGEtLmudvE-A58CzSgT3gJVMV_OENYYk-8BT-cZh3roGXie7LdJE87w2DYg8FX6b2MekbOzL0Q0VpL5Cn7RN3AdEH9Jvq-P1I24SAf7iIQkZbTFn/s1600/statium+view.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8auv2d0qqjji0PsKg3D2vhXR6C_TOpGEtLmudvE-A58CzSgT3gJVMV_OENYYk-8BT-cZh3roGXie7LdJE87w2DYg8FX6b2MekbOzL0Q0VpL5Cn7RN3AdEH9Jvq-P1I24SAf7iIQkZbTFn/s1600/statium+view.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nice kickoff sequences</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUWz9N7yBLPlNt8ZE2Fuswkbzul5rKv0xvjLk8hK_Ua-QXqtBi6r_l011bxiGb66Gj76VuWnSsI7u4pddpYlQhwgusYZ8Qv3FxQDWN_xm0-IfDuAMGl6Ysa0qFHfnSgc9yyscw40R9Kjj/s1600/mid-play.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUWz9N7yBLPlNt8ZE2Fuswkbzul5rKv0xvjLk8hK_Ua-QXqtBi6r_l011bxiGb66Gj76VuWnSsI7u4pddpYlQhwgusYZ8Qv3FxQDWN_xm0-IfDuAMGl6Ysa0qFHfnSgc9yyscw40R9Kjj/s1600/mid-play.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crisp characters and no areas of slowdown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Haven't heard him yet? Just leave your game on the play selection screen for 10 seconds and you will. Trust me.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCb7T5fdtPZoPXSwXigGaKRR1CceDxLZW6VSBuUGuZLRiXeZCxqGaf9xcHc2aB3hQQSYypVtoX-tLMkDJ7_YAyslX3zEGIm_t34sLaBx9PUQ2MINmnk1oz38_bF3X6PmVFvGub37eGsnUJ/s1600/play+call+screen.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCb7T5fdtPZoPXSwXigGaKRR1CceDxLZW6VSBuUGuZLRiXeZCxqGaf9xcHc2aB3hQQSYypVtoX-tLMkDJ7_YAyslX3zEGIm_t34sLaBx9PUQ2MINmnk1oz38_bF3X6PmVFvGub37eGsnUJ/s1600/play+call+screen.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Let's go baby!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4>
Building a team</h4>
<br />
<div class="p1">
I love the idea of building a team versus only playing with the current roster. This also works better with the freemium business model because there are definitely teams which would be better and thus should cost some sort of currency to use them. Here players can choose their favorite team, but that team won't start better than everyone else. EA can also introduce new player packs over time to which will allow the game to last longer than one season/year.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WZ6EFXDjLQTcJ3d_AfmxAnVM9TsakEJbGkVNLCFXIEybL-0ly466e2KR8ZTEir0TUc_qUP-gsoED_zdsqxZfd5wgmUuVa6xfUKn6aZM-qNePHXctR0iZf7_Vn-iQA8pH5oWLSbabkZks/s1600/managing+team.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WZ6EFXDjLQTcJ3d_AfmxAnVM9TsakEJbGkVNLCFXIEybL-0ly466e2KR8ZTEir0TUc_qUP-gsoED_zdsqxZfd5wgmUuVa6xfUKn6aZM-qNePHXctR0iZf7_Vn-iQA8pH5oWLSbabkZks/s1600/managing+team.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know I have a better rated HB, but I use Jahvid Best for his speed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Limited time content</h4>
Some players are only available for a limited time and there are special "players of the week" cards. This is crucial for collection games. Short, but most definitely impactful.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Up selling & great first purchase option</h4>
</div>
<div>
EA not only up sells card and play packs at a discount after matches, but they have a one-time beginner pack sold at a heavy discount. If you like the game this is a no-brainer and got me to spend $5 within the first couple play sessions.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Controls</h4>
</div>
<div>
Madden 25 is the first football game I've played on mobile where you don't directly control a player all the time. The players will attempt to execute plays and adapt to plays as they unfold. I know some will disagree but moving away from virtual analog sticks and buttons is the right move for mobile (until there's a decent controller). The swipe controls aren't perfect, but once you get used to them the game is easy to play.<br />
<br />
However, if you're completely against swipe controls you can switch back to a virtual analog stick in the settings.<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<h4>
Auctions</h4>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I was surprised to see the auction system in Madden 25. I love the ability to sell or buy cards. This also allows me to search for players I really like to see what the stats are on them. It's a great way to discover cards.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
What could be improved?</h3>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Selling plays</h4>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
In console Madden games they give users all the plays from the start. This isn't true in Madden 25, and players have been extremely vocal about it. I sort of like the idea of "earning" plays after leveling up or completing a goal, but I could be in the minority here. If EA wants to monetize on plays and convert the way people feel about the subject then they shouldn't throw the lack of plays in the players face. What do I mean? Don't show players ALL of the plays that they don't have. You're just reminding them how little content you're actually giving them.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fzvzT088MsBFOAA3oBuvI-4s7NPTcEaA-D7-JKNmKDYTocaz2M3zMDogz-DLiyesy6UxvjMX6KywHCvvNkUcSxETVDnwKzEqNDyhFhYTHpfFMep8dzkpHdebsEnwwRSwoHbJCr61mhuX/s1600/lack+of+plays.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fzvzT088MsBFOAA3oBuvI-4s7NPTcEaA-D7-JKNmKDYTocaz2M3zMDogz-DLiyesy6UxvjMX6KywHCvvNkUcSxETVDnwKzEqNDyhFhYTHpfFMep8dzkpHdebsEnwwRSwoHbJCr61mhuX/s1600/lack+of+plays.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and this is just in one category</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
In fact, I'd get away from selling most of the plays at all. Maybe reserve a couple trick plays for play packs, but I'd give players most things they'd need to play right away. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizcTORuJclOTWgIrazRkkqMMxSW_ThZZgTCDzD8-hPvUPxDySjeTg0uyXRgh4MqD9ZYrjZ2KFwLO4bIQD9DhpB6nt6jHSVnholUXeBL09hyphenhyphengF9CO08UtU4J6U02OYweSl84RbYonb06NP/s1600/buying+plays.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizcTORuJclOTWgIrazRkkqMMxSW_ThZZgTCDzD8-hPvUPxDySjeTg0uyXRgh4MqD9ZYrjZ2KFwLO4bIQD9DhpB6nt6jHSVnholUXeBL09hyphenhyphengF9CO08UtU4J6U02OYweSl84RbYonb06NP/s1600/buying+plays.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wanna buy some plays?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4>
Charging to use plays</h4>
Some plays that a player has earned (or bought) cost soft currency to use. Don't worry EA doesn't charge 500 coins to use the play. They can vary in price but the lowest I've seen is 2 coins. That's right. 2 coins. I understand the concept of sources and sinks to manage currency levels, but you're not achieving anything by charging 2 coins to use a play. Except that you're reminding players that they didn't have this play when they originally started and conjuring those emotions again from your players.<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
[Update] It appears EA might've pulled this functionality while writing this article, but I'm keeping this point in the article because I think it’s ridiculous to charge premium currency for the majority of plays and then again charge grind currency to use them.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Upsell bug</h4>
</div>
<div>
Like I mentioned earlier, EA did a great job of upselling a beginners pack to me and I wanted it. I didn't have enough currency, but I can just visit the store and get some to purchase the pack, right? Not exactly. There's a bug that wouldn't allow me to go to the store. After the fact, I found out from a co-worker that if you go through the menus in a certain sequence it's possible, but I wasn't able to take the direct route and make the purchase.<br />
<br />
When planning menus and upsells, make sure all paths to the store are working. Who knows how many sales EA has missed because if this one menu bug.</div>
<div>
<br />
<h4>
Limited time content</h4>
Madden could do a much better job communicating who or what is limited. You want to show players the epic content so they WANT it. I've received the "player of the week" card twice now and my reaction was "oh cool, a rare card" versus "YES... that's the card I've been trying to get!" I'm not as enthused to get the limited time content if I don't know what the content is.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Base cards</h4>
</div>
<div>
I didn't realize this at first (and neither did my colleagues) but player cards can come in a few different forms. There are "actual" cards with the player's real stats, and there are "base" cards. When you first start playing the game you're given "base" cards, but this wasn't communicated. So when I chose the Vikings, Adrian Peterson's rating was 70 out of 100. Arguably the best running back in football right now was a 70? I was confused, but some of my NFL-fanatic colleagues were outraged because they didn't think the game was properly balanced. Some people I know deleted the app until I explained this to them so I wonder how many NFL fans (their target market) are uninstalling because they didn't understand?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRAj8Ckpv5wIy-57kR-bBrTzvPkQ7Ln1aCZigyqr-uB1WoBscx2bRGNylKWvkOSGFv_Pzn_dbKeq36JcbgWYsrCYPvpM56C3wSlu8BAEbSNpcq0VkQd4N6J6SL5wGRgQK98he8lK_BVo0/s1600/adrian+base.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRAj8Ckpv5wIy-57kR-bBrTzvPkQ7Ln1aCZigyqr-uB1WoBscx2bRGNylKWvkOSGFv_Pzn_dbKeq36JcbgWYsrCYPvpM56C3wSlu8BAEbSNpcq0VkQd4N6J6SL5wGRgQK98he8lK_BVo0/s1600/adrian+base.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AP is a 70!?! oh wait... that's his "base" version</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVFFB4rebXrj0DJNSQ9q7maJ7Lz9gdaN9CIAz5xK2D4IEj3MF0YhR2ZIHHuZx999SJUGeIdmvWzd-UvBSImLPDRh2RK8wpxgTtcheYj_ZWZ5K3rocw0dgXMksX4X7SizI4RSFD0mcGgFo/s1600/adrian+real.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVFFB4rebXrj0DJNSQ9q7maJ7Lz9gdaN9CIAz5xK2D4IEj3MF0YhR2ZIHHuZx999SJUGeIdmvWzd-UvBSImLPDRh2RK8wpxgTtcheYj_ZWZ5K3rocw0dgXMksX4X7SizI4RSFD0mcGgFo/s1600/adrian+real.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here's the real AP card</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One "benefit" from the confusion is I was able to sell my base AP card on an Auction for 1,000 coins and someone bought it when there were better rated cards selling for less! I realize that they did this to give players some player cards that are recognizable, but EA could've done a better job of communicating this difference.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Balancing plays</h4>
</div>
<div>
Want to know how to win without purchasing players? HB Counter Trap left. The play is near unstoppable. Every once in a while the AI defense might stop it, but my average run is about 10 yards with about a 40% chance that I'll break away for 30+ yards. That percentage only increases if you find a running back with 90+ rating for speed. 2 point conversions are almost guaranteed. Once you find an exploit like this the game might lose its appeal fast.<br />
<br />
I understand this is a stat game. It's just running simulations off of calculations so there might be a few hiccups here are there, but the game should be smart enough to shut down a play if it's been run too frequently over the course of a game. For example, maybe HB Counter Trap left gains 10 yards the first time, 5 yards the second time but when you run it a third time in a quarter it's shutdown. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ksDtZFw02qM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<h4>
Auction UX</h4>
It is nice to have the auction functionality, but what's not nice is the UX. When the player selects to view auctions, the game displays auctions that are about to expire. On paper this sounds like a novel idea. However, it doesn't give me enough time to review their stats before the auction expires. If I scroll to the right to load more auctions that are about to expire, they've all expired by the time they load.<br />
<br />
What would I do?<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Don't drop me off at expired auctions.</b> I'd drop the player off at auctions with about 1-5 minutes left. That gives me time to review the stats, and if I decide to scroll to load more they won't be expired. </li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHPNJGNAT2rMxo8Q-uaWXOIN5nnh4a627ybbDfHSLe4C5vSIBG7TdLO0K0IAHKOqMRAgGAEyCuvjCctMrvsbA81kKdM4yr7LBw4ogtSgl-LFrsYLMJRceoauwo8am24lrvvZTV7aptD8_/s1600/auction+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHPNJGNAT2rMxo8Q-uaWXOIN5nnh4a627ybbDfHSLe4C5vSIBG7TdLO0K0IAHKOqMRAgGAEyCuvjCctMrvsbA81kKdM4yr7LBw4ogtSgl-LFrsYLMJRceoauwo8am24lrvvZTV7aptD8_/s1600/auction+1.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">drops me in with 9 seconds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol>
<li><b>Reset auctions with more time. </b>If you bid on a card that's about to expire it resets the countdown to 15 seconds. I would reset to at least one minute. That would possibly give new players who are visiting the auctions a chance to get a bid in too. EA also needs to remember the players are on mobile devices which can sometime have shotty internet access. Like me... when I'm playing on the bus on my way into work. I can't ever browse auctions, let alone, bid on one that's about to expire. </li>
<li><b>Implement sorting.</b> Thank you for adding search filters, but sorting is just as important. I want quickly know who is selling the cheapest players without scrolling for hours. This also would help players price their auctions affordably. What's the current market price for Drew Brees? Good luck telling me that. </li>
<li><b>Fix the searching functionality. </b>If I search for "Adrian Peterson" the game comes back with every Adrian in the NFL along with Adrian Peterson. This would make sense if I only typed Adrian or misspelt the name. However, if I know exactly who I want then please don't make me sift through hundreds of auctions of players </li>
</ol>
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<div>
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<div class="p1">
The funny thing about Madden 25 is I like it. I like American football, but I'm not “crazy” about it. I also don't typically play sports games which means Madden 25 did something awesome in order to get me to like the game, or they did something very wrong for fans of the series. I think it's a little of both. EA finally made a Madden game for mobile versus attempting to create the same console experience on a small touch screen device. Sure the launch hasn't been perfect, but when you're doing something for the first time you're bound to make mistakes. I already think this is the best mobile football game to date, and feel free to quote me on this, but with a few tweaks and updates I think console Madden players will come to love the game as well. </div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">If you need help designing or fixing </span><span style="background-color: white;">your F2P game </span><span style="background-color: white;">you can find me here at </span><span class="s3" style="background-color: white;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" style="color: #0782c1;">my blog</a> or on</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" style="background-color: white; color: #0782c1;"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-32810425417313468592013-09-23T09:26:00.000-07:002013-09-24T13:12:10.843-07:00When Mashups Work - Smash Bandits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMb9-boUR2ZIFijUgGQP7vxwTCE5Z1Ib3On25dc-CELHEojmWU-RLdr56WIoKSudNnfjgzJvDlwOicLkMwymctiLKQLrlOBRfXIdnIPe989YlN8L7c0siFn6fcp_or24p4SUiJiLCIA41/s1600/smash_cops_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMb9-boUR2ZIFijUgGQP7vxwTCE5Z1Ib3On25dc-CELHEojmWU-RLdr56WIoKSudNnfjgzJvDlwOicLkMwymctiLKQLrlOBRfXIdnIPe989YlN8L7c0siFn6fcp_or24p4SUiJiLCIA41/s1600/smash_cops_logo.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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Who else played cops and robbers when they were little? I suspect over half of you just reminisced of a childhood experience. This is a theme that's known across the globe. It's probably the best example of good vs. evil since almost every place in the world has a justice system and those who oppose it. This is one of the many reasons why this makes such a good video game topic. Combine this with racing mechanics and I'm bound to love it. Naturally when I saw Smash Cops for the first time I was pretty excited to try it.<br />
<br />
I downloaded <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smash-cops/id480956504?mt=8" target="_blank">Smash Cops</a> while it was free for a short period of time. It probably showed up in one of my mobile game feeds since it normally has a $5 price tag. What a great find this was for a free game! If you haven't played it or another game by Hutch the concept is exactly how it sounds from the title. You play a cop who's chasing bandits down. You smash into them in order to apprehend them. There are different types of missions with different objectives so it keeps the game feeling fresh. All-in-all the graphics are sweet, the game is challenging and it's action packed every step of the way.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Downside</h3>
<br />
With an intro like this you might be thinking this game is a 10 out of 10 with no issues. While the game is great some have issues with the controls. I don't, but some do so it's worth noting. However, I think everyone can agree that the camera angles/functionality could be much better. If you pull a quick 180 degree turn just try and steer your car as the camera pans back around. It's very difficult to do accurately. Hutch tries to help this by providing an arrow to show you where your vehicle is going, but it just doesn't help out enough.<br />
<br />
The larger problem with Smash Cops was the business model. It was released as a premium game with a few IAPs. F2P was popular in late 2011/early 2012 (when the game was being built/launched), but wasn't at the same level that it's at today so I can understand why the developer chose this route. It's also easy for me to criticize after the fact. To be fair, they reached top 10 grossing spot which is something that most developers can only dream of doing (regardless of business model or being featured by Apple). Hutch likely knew the limiting IAP/Premium design might hinder revenues and that's likely why they came out with...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMXz-sSc4kAmjghaKFZOPB-VZVjGfMx5lL6aI4GUQaiDXc0GxIxgFvIFI0obRVbn48jt9B66_DJbqDJ_yvJfZDlYthGamRRawdOFwkUmgu8mvQhXUhzE8BakzHpWYHR8SW60l5B8az8kx/s1600/smash+cops+heat+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMXz-sSc4kAmjghaKFZOPB-VZVjGfMx5lL6aI4GUQaiDXc0GxIxgFvIFI0obRVbn48jt9B66_DJbqDJ_yvJfZDlYthGamRRawdOFwkUmgu8mvQhXUhzE8BakzHpWYHR8SW60l5B8az8kx/s1600/smash+cops+heat+logo.png" height="252" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Smash Cops Heat</h3>
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In December of 2012 Hutch released <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smash-cops-heat/id556826928?mt=8" target="_blank">Smash Cops Heat</a>. From what I can tell it's mostly the same game, but with a few more IAP options. However, when a game doesn't have endless monetization possibilities or an evergreen game design then the developer needs to acquire players as fast as they're churning in order to maintain or grow their business. I don't know the churn rate in the Smash Cops (or SC Heat) but normally this is virtually impossible to do organically and very costly to do through advertising. I'm not sure how Hutch does it, but they've been able to maintain chart positions with the Smash Cops franchise which is amazing in itself. However, maintaining isn't growing. I think everyone knew Hutch was going to make another game. They're clearly successful, but what do you make? Smash Cops 2? Maybe, but fans would expect it to be mission based like the previous version, and you'd run into the same endless/evergreen issues. I believe this is why Hutch created <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id602403667?mt=8" target="_blank">Smash Bandits</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD2tOJoN7VlKUxiemNr-vcB1BNXGXO2xUynQBvZVJPa8fdQWp4RxnKmSWqvyaLwEEvpk1kkSszhyuc-oaNyCOxmqKE_rRr16YQyT9Jvv1v_TuINJe73ZOMjXkSQ50kgdTApUJ3JSLDpvu/s1600/smash+bandits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD2tOJoN7VlKUxiemNr-vcB1BNXGXO2xUynQBvZVJPa8fdQWp4RxnKmSWqvyaLwEEvpk1kkSszhyuc-oaNyCOxmqKE_rRr16YQyT9Jvv1v_TuINJe73ZOMjXkSQ50kgdTApUJ3JSLDpvu/s1600/smash+bandits.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<h3>
The Endless Running Smash Cops</h3>
<br />
Like the other titles the name really sums up what the game is about. This time players control the bandit car and are trying to escape police cars and traps. They also addressed the camera issue. It's always behind your vehicle which makes this game MUCH easier to play. The main objective is to drive as long as possible while smashing into as many cars, obstacles or cops as possible to drive up your score. In true endless runner fashion the game also has side missions to give players a sense of progression while they grind their way to better vehicles. Out of the 3 games I've spent the most time and money in Smash Bandits. I like endless runners and I like racing games... but I love Smash Bandits!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Why I Love It</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Stays true to previous Hutch games!</b> I'm a fan of the game they put out. I don't want them to shift their direction to a game that they might not be great at. </li>
<li><b>Not just another endless runner! </b>Everyone is making endless runners now-a-days but almost all of them involve some character physically run from something while avoiding obstacles. Here you not some character, you’re a car. You’re not just avoiding obstacles, you’re exploding through them. </li>
<li><b>Its action packed! </b>Not one minute of Smash Bandits is dull. There are always barricades to smash through, cars to explode and cops to evade.</li>
<li><b>Beautiful graphics! </b>Graphics aren't everything but it helps that the explosions look amazing. Even with all that's happening on the screen I rarely get any slowdown. I've experienced minor slowdowns but after killing background apps it went away. </li>
<li><b>Boat scenes!</b> As if smashing through everything with cars wasn't enough, there are areas in the map where you smash through a boat house and you're controlling a boat. How does that logistically work? Shut up and keep running from the cops. </li>
<li><b>Challenging missions!</b> You might start with a few easy missions, but some of the later ones are pretty hard to do. They had me trying and trying until admitting defeat and paying $15,000 to skip it. </li>
<li><b>Nice monetization mechanics! </b>There are reviews of people who hate the delay (wanted level) but this is what's making me play the game for so long. Without a delay I would've played the game HARDCORE for a week and would've been done. Want to skip a mission? You can by paying soft currency. There's certainly room for improvement/growth but this is a solid foundation. </li>
</ul>
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<div>
Hutch if you're reading this, please release more cars or levels. :)</div>
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<h3>
Word of Caution</h3>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Even though Smash Bandits is a great game Endless Runners generally don't typically monetize well. There are <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/subway-surfers/id512939461?mt=8" target="_blank">exceptions</a> to the rule, but it takes more than <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/runbot/id612857902?mt=8" target="_blank">pretty graphics</a> to stand out in a sea of Endless Running games. This game works and I think it'll do well because it innovates and expands on the Endless Running genre while blending a racing theme in with it. It's not just another game where a character is running away from something and needs to avoid obstacles.<br />
<br />
Mashing up genres/mechanics can be a risky move too. Many times when a developer takes two genres/mechanics they can turn off players from both genres and no one ends up liking it. If you're thinking about making an endless runner (or mashup) carefully study and consider great games like Smash Bandits while designing your game. Are you going to make an experience that fans of both genres will enjoy or are you just going to piss them off?<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">If you need help designing or fixing </span><span style="background-color: white;">your F2P game </span><span style="background-color: white;">you can find me here at </span><span class="s3" style="background-color: white;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" style="color: #0782c1;">my blog</a> or on</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" style="background-color: white; color: #0782c1;"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span>Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-12390358433153630162013-09-23T09:25:00.001-07:002013-09-24T11:23:34.598-07:00Will Android Revenues Beat iOS?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTSnh22ndLi5iyW3cmpFa12aC92sRqOhvrsDcPDmOOWpmqGCnvaRLrA_tX4yiZEbk_hQUqdAc4Uy_QhH7xOOBAYW-1hfayjUSbHzgB_gCS2Y-y7cWw5KG51ozcyDexzSgAU-65IYJCuPc/s1600/Apple-vs-Android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTSnh22ndLi5iyW3cmpFa12aC92sRqOhvrsDcPDmOOWpmqGCnvaRLrA_tX4yiZEbk_hQUqdAc4Uy_QhH7xOOBAYW-1hfayjUSbHzgB_gCS2Y-y7cWw5KG51ozcyDexzSgAU-65IYJCuPc/s1600/Apple-vs-Android.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was once a self-proclaimed Android evangelist, and Apple hater. I thought Apple products were for the elderly and technically challenged. I was younger and didn't have much Apple experience when I had these thoughts. My viewpoint was unchanged until the day I started my new job as a Game & Monetization Consultant here at NativeX where I help improve behavioral and monetization metrics in mobile games. I needed a computer, iOS and Android device. At the time I had a Samsung Epic 4G as a phone so my Android device was covered but then they handed me a MacBook Pro and iPad. Most would be thrilled, and I was excited about the new tech but I was also a little apprehensive. Fast forward 2 years and I've switched to an iPhone and use my MacBook way more than any PC. I could tell you all the reasons why but the PC vs. Mac is best saved for another article.<br />
<br />
I haven't become an Apple fan boy (I always claim no allegiance to any platform) but there are 3 main reasons why I've made the switch to an iPhone.<br />
<ol>
<li>Ease of use - after having a couple of kids I need more things to be easier in my life, and features work better with iOS or at least did at the time.</li>
<li>Career - since I'm in the mobile industry, I need to be on what's considered "the main platform" since most lead development on iOS and port to Android (emphasis on most).</li>
<li>I'm a gamer - and there's no arguing that games are generally better on iOS (most important reason to switch). </li>
</ol>
This is where I'm supposed to show you charts on the Android growth and how it's increasing. Maybe a chart like this would paint enough of a picture...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8b5639Zdex6t8b6Q3ATG8m4gMYJ1Zq_67nuBEAsoTI2IvQXnj3Czx6EM7nbjuEDt7JVSFspM32M4x7F64DD2qgd9TGALRR2rpewiuqcZLxfSfVxUG5OjgoVX8biUsfyGIrhnN1cgo0vu6/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-04+at+12.42.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8b5639Zdex6t8b6Q3ATG8m4gMYJ1Zq_67nuBEAsoTI2IvQXnj3Czx6EM7nbjuEDt7JVSFspM32M4x7F64DD2qgd9TGALRR2rpewiuqcZLxfSfVxUG5OjgoVX8biUsfyGIrhnN1cgo0vu6/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-04+at+12.42.31+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>source: <a href="http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24257413">http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24257413</a></i></td></tr>
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<br />
When you see charts like this is hard to deny the thought that Android will someday be the top revenue generator in the mobile space. Then you see charts like this that show you how drastic the revenue difference is!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVwPb1Sad9Kp8mD8w20uif3OyAOZzeOa4cEbKtdFdZdoc2dmwQLuTzFKLtX6T09zn9Duf5R_6suFuSfA5BOfJ-jse30-a1vAnMpy-tw5qVhdUW-ojmz7mtUiJCF4-VKadkHsqwiY7qoCM/s1600/AppAnnieChart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVwPb1Sad9Kp8mD8w20uif3OyAOZzeOa4cEbKtdFdZdoc2dmwQLuTzFKLtX6T09zn9Duf5R_6suFuSfA5BOfJ-jse30-a1vAnMpy-tw5qVhdUW-ojmz7mtUiJCF4-VKadkHsqwiY7qoCM/s1600/AppAnnieChart.png" height="260" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>source: <a href="http://blog.appannie.com/app-annie-index-market-q2-2013/">http://blog.appannie.com/app-annie-index-market-q2-2013/</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
How can a platform dominate the market share but at the same time be so behind on the revenue? Let's see if we can figure that out and maybe understand what OS will be on top.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Fragmentation</h4>
<br />
We all knew this was going to be one of the issues, but I feel like this is possibly the largest problem with Android. Which fragmentation; hardware or software? Both! I'm a visual person and this visualization of the fragmentation of Android really makes it clear how big of a problem this is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3lfRE9K_ztoH9bwWt06WQinS71HIaTdwa_dM-iveXPHwVybQFFkOcLbsm3ybKdseZENAlFI3NtF2Jim3EAswWfKUJEQ2a0ih9GcXub8jAFEx-TSxzNcn-N7N2bwZccU9bYgvrgweSKph/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-04+at+1.23.45+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3lfRE9K_ztoH9bwWt06WQinS71HIaTdwa_dM-iveXPHwVybQFFkOcLbsm3ybKdseZENAlFI3NtF2Jim3EAswWfKUJEQ2a0ih9GcXub8jAFEx-TSxzNcn-N7N2bwZccU9bYgvrgweSKph/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-04+at+1.23.45+PM.png" height="434" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjQS7zBwiCFOLEeYxvOHnVE3ZySJyx-KzqVbj35z_uIbTsdNLSnRBnd8EuFB9z8E_MMdvudbul4hZPA57Ri_i-1K7MajmQc_1BJbnWvSrvI_zTXqTneGH5ojs8g998V9M-SHijcz35-_0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-04+at+1.24.15+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjQS7zBwiCFOLEeYxvOHnVE3ZySJyx-KzqVbj35z_uIbTsdNLSnRBnd8EuFB9z8E_MMdvudbul4hZPA57Ri_i-1K7MajmQc_1BJbnWvSrvI_zTXqTneGH5ojs8g998V9M-SHijcz35-_0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-04+at+1.24.15+PM.png" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>source: <a href="http://opensignal.com/reports/fragmentation-2013/">http://opensignal.com/reports/fragmentation-2013/</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Device fragmentation is a big problem for developers, but OS fragmentation is even worse for Google. It's hard to dictate how and what consumers are doing when you don't control the OS that they're on. Google Play (Google's App Store) doesn't even come standard on all devices. Let's take a look at some of the areas where Google needs to improve in order to come out on top.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Regions</h4>
<br />
There are <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/09/04/iphone-up-windows-phone-up-android-down-in-latest-mobile-marketshare-numbers/" target="_blank">indications</a> that Android has peaked in the United States. This is arguably one of the important territories for revenues right now. Certainly this could change, but I don't see the US dropping out of the top 5 territories for revenue. If Android wants to beat iOS then they need to make sure they're getting their high-end phones into the higher revenue territories. I know there's the argument that in low end markets Android is definitely winning. However, if you're selling phones to people with limited entertainment budgets they likely won't be making IAPs or purchasing games.<br />
<br />
On the flip side, if iOS wants to remain on top they need to have cheaper hardware and I don't think the 5C is the answer. They sell really expensive products and this is only going to be half as expensive. What's half of really expensive? Still too much. I know there are some real monetary values and examples out there, but I'm being vague in the pricing to prove the point that this device will still be too expensive. At the end of the day Apple is a hardware manufacture and I'm sure stakeholders would like to see Apple at least make an attempt to gain more worldwide market share.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Unified Billing System</h4>
<br />
How do you buy apps in Google Play? Is there another app for that? Does it vary depending on the version of OS? Per region? Do players need to setup an account? What does the process look like? In the United States Google is trying a new billing system called Google Wallet. Maybe it's not the magical solution, but from my experience it's much better than nothing (I owned a Samsung Galaxy without Google Wallet and have a Nexus 7 with Google Wallet). Once I setup my Google Wallet account on my Nexus 7 purchasing apps was very similar to iOS. Ask all those same questions again about iOS and you'll find that it's the same for everyone.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Make CC Gathering a Step in Activating a Device</h4>
<br />
When you setup your iOS device they ask you for your Apple ID much like how Google asks for your Google account/email. The next thing iOS does is they ask you to verify your billing information. Users can skip this process, but the point is it's part of the setup process. This is crucial for 2 main reasons.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Mental State - users are in a totally different mental state when they're setting up their phone versus when they're playing a game or browsing a virtual store. When they're setting up their phone they are in administrative mode. This isn't a fun task and users know it. When they're in an app or browsing a store users are looking to be or are being entertained and entering credit card information seems like a much larger task.</li>
<li>Allows Impulse Buys - a good portion of app purchases are on impulse. If there's an inconvenience to the purchase process it will be likely be abandoned. This would be like locking up the gum or candy at the checkout register at your local retailer. Who in their right mind is going to track down a manager to unlock a display case for some 99 cent gum? Forget that!</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid65AW8yV-X8eigLKCBhvVrOOebTKlcL78RSzTWtxEz_wMhJlevOXYsHKhYfyvvBWO8hWWhOhJINOoBvycrA7iM6qZwo8CDvMQu3gNMB9vbtlG8zHyujXL-paPV6WHBWjvplHvOfrrrNxw/s1600/checkout_counter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid65AW8yV-X8eigLKCBhvVrOOebTKlcL78RSzTWtxEz_wMhJlevOXYsHKhYfyvvBWO8hWWhOhJINOoBvycrA7iM6qZwo8CDvMQu3gNMB9vbtlG8zHyujXL-paPV6WHBWjvplHvOfrrrNxw/s1600/checkout_counter.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
Trust Issues</h4>
<br />
Internet fraud has made a good portion of consumers leery on who they can trust with their money. I've talked to many iOS and Android users and I've gotten pretty consistent answers. People have more trust in Apple or iOS than Google or Android. I believe there are a few things affecting people's trust...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Android is Open Source - this makes tinkering/hacking the OS or how apps interact with the OS pretty simple or even encourages it. There's already spammy or malicious apps out there and the problem will only get worse. It'll be like the virus debate with Macs and PCs all over again. </li>
<li>Google Doesn't Control Updates - so what if there's an insecurity? How do you get updates? Will you need them? I know iOS has had security breaches, but historically they've been fairly quick to release updates to fix them.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
Once you breakdown the flaws of Android it's easy to understand why the majority of revenues are still on iOS. However, Apple can be defeated. No one company can stay on top without innovation and perhaps this is what Microsoft is aiming to do with the purchase of Nokia. It appears they've seen the consequences of an open OS/platform and their acquisition of Nokia tells me that they too believe a closed environment is a better environment/investment for the future. Perhaps my next phone may be Windows phone if they keep making commercials <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19vR1GldRI" target="_blank">like this</a>. Android has a chance with just the sheer amount of devices that are using their OS. Gathering credit card information during setup could maybe do it alone, but if they can fix some of the payment issues and device support through updates then Apple is going to have a hard time fighting off the numbers.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">If you need help designing or fixing </span><span style="background-color: white;">your F2P game </span><span style="background-color: white;">you can find me here at </span><span class="s3" style="background-color: white;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" style="color: #0782c1;">my blog</a> or on</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" style="background-color: white; color: #0782c1;"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span>Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-68598699482117418862013-08-06T11:54:00.004-07:002013-09-24T11:23:45.675-07:00Improving Freemium Design - Ionage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>If you have a game that you'd like featured on the IFD series just fill out the form <a href="http://bit.ly/14h2pJg">http://bit.ly/14h2pJg</a>.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnGmH8CWRW6Shcnz5_i7AcBCFPFbMyleyPdYIs2pU_ChluEJsVL20YLfAj0dC7ZyEAlfL6a3GvemTHS33eRge5pCr-2GEVaeJum5NMap_An0jxN-I4vBXCGg7jOURxlN51BU8hFpLEHog/s1600/Ionage_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnGmH8CWRW6Shcnz5_i7AcBCFPFbMyleyPdYIs2pU_ChluEJsVL20YLfAj0dC7ZyEAlfL6a3GvemTHS33eRge5pCr-2GEVaeJum5NMap_An0jxN-I4vBXCGg7jOURxlN51BU8hFpLEHog/s1600/Ionage_logo.png" height="266" width="640" /></a></div>
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I first saw <a href="http://www.ionage.co.uk/ia/" target="_blank">Ionage</a> with his <a href="http://www.gamesbrief.com/2013/02/an-indie-perspective-on-the-f2p-vs-premium-dilemma/" target="_blank">article on Gamesbrief</a> and I decided to reach out to him about his experience/observations with the freemium vs. premium debate. Long story short, Tim and I had some great discussions and I was eager to try out his game after talking about monetization theories. Now the game is finished so let's see how he executed his monetization strategy off of those ideas!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.ionage.ionage" target="_blank">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.ionage.ionage</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
What it does right</span></h3>
<br />
<h4>
Concept</h4>
The first thing I like about Ionage is the concept. Coming up with a unique concept on a platform that has hundreds of thousands of games is a very difficult thing to do, but I don't think I've played or seen another game like this before. You can <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe" target="_blank">tweet me</a> if you've played something similar. It combines real time strategy (RTS) with tower defense elements, but without the mindless AI pathing. I wouldn't call myself a sci-fi fan, but I can enjoy a space themed game here and there.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Tutorial</h4>
The second thing I immediately liked was the tutorial system. There are question marks that the player taps to read a hint of what to do next. If the player already knows then they don't have to tap any of the question marks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbRKgKKwxL6PiRbOwp1KwfGA2SUXlmC5P4Ir427pRx4bSJz0VBfjC2-x0a0cccG2wv3Y4LXooiVs6HWl54OHs-_4r3olLRjyMUSbAlZb7y58kGWbqnbwngGHspfF_pYqa67XNUTnlGKeP/s1600/tutorial+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbRKgKKwxL6PiRbOwp1KwfGA2SUXlmC5P4Ir427pRx4bSJz0VBfjC2-x0a0cccG2wv3Y4LXooiVs6HWl54OHs-_4r3olLRjyMUSbAlZb7y58kGWbqnbwngGHspfF_pYqa67XNUTnlGKeP/s1600/tutorial+1.png" height="400" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tap the question mark and it shows the text</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fkxeGKfBn0CvFAqbYnbzwy7Ii1ZjnaUYpfBdue9u2k3CMl5fS_oDiJH2SK0-b0DZYlZHf0SOchwwIV_gONiV0NGGMydGxvA3_3Hc1-pQAX1fow65ben8i_dw7kRdUTDuzN7DNh5RBcrx/s1600/tutorial+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fkxeGKfBn0CvFAqbYnbzwy7Ii1ZjnaUYpfBdue9u2k3CMl5fS_oDiJH2SK0-b0DZYlZHf0SOchwwIV_gONiV0NGGMydGxvA3_3Hc1-pQAX1fow65ben8i_dw7kRdUTDuzN7DNh5RBcrx/s1600/tutorial+2.png" height="400" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the tip after tapping the question mark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If I play devil's advocate, this can hurt games as well. If you give some players too much freedom then they don't stay on track, pay attention or learn, and can leave the game out of frustration or lack of knowledge on what to do next. This possible problem typically happens more in causal games/audiences though and I don't think it correlates with the audience Ionage will have, but something to note nonetheless.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Leveling/upgrades/progression</h4>
I challenge all developers to put a leveling system in the game because it can do so many things for your game and players. For example, it's the easiest way to compare player progress, can drive indirect competition between friends or help give the player a sense of accomplishment. Not only are there player levels, but there are upgrades to weapons and abilities to unlock (like repairing). Lastly there's a map with missions and some level of decision on what to do/play/unlock next. This helps with player engagement and even immersion. That is, if you believe players can become immersed in a mobile title.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqg9-e_mmvvRrGygree8skgxlTikl0b2V97nLFsWnz_f3M6mi3CPBSr_NLCrtp5ThKSX1DVgQBhvtrInM7GzwnJwcm6xY85EA5sFhAt8wRhPxyrDIS6wLLnOHw2sHP2OJgONb933MzG3Tu/s1600/progression.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqg9-e_mmvvRrGygree8skgxlTikl0b2V97nLFsWnz_f3M6mi3CPBSr_NLCrtp5ThKSX1DVgQBhvtrInM7GzwnJwcm6xY85EA5sFhAt8wRhPxyrDIS6wLLnOHw2sHP2OJgONb933MzG3Tu/s1600/progression.png" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h4>
Some upgrades require me to monetize</h4>
This is a debatable topic. Some believe a properly designed F2P game gives players the ability to play the whole game for free (albeit might be a very slow progression), and some say paying players need a different experience than non-paying players. Why can't we have both? So far in Ionage you can. I haven't beaten the entire game, but so far when I beat a level it opens up more levels and/or upgrades. If I'm good at the game, I shouldn't need to purchase the monetized upgrades but if want to dominate this game I might purchase the upgrades to stomp the AI opponent. The game starts easy, but 30-60 minutes in I start hitting levels with secondary missions that are challenging so I am feeling a nudge to monetize.<br />
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<h4>
No delay mechanics</h4>
I have yet to meet a player who said I can't wait for my 14 day wait time to upgrade my town hall in Super Awesome City Builder so players of Ionage will like the fact that there's no delay mechanics. I don't have to wait for my ship to get to the next mission, wait for my upgrade to "ship" out to my virtual base and you better not <a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/rage-face.png" target="_blank">mention anything about energy to me</a>!<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
What could be improved</span></h3>
<br />
<h4>
No delay mechanics</h4>
This is a win for players, but in my mind a loss for Twice Circled. We can argue about how terrible or annoying delay mechanics are as gamers, but you can't argue against the revenue it generates. Just check top grossing charts if you don't believe me. If you have a profitable F2P studio without using delay mechanics, that's great, but know that your happiness with user experience/immersion/whatever is coming at a cost.<br />
<br />
I should also note that delay mechanics don't have to be session stopping. Delay can limit two things; time to progress through content and actions/time per play session. In my opinion games the use delay mechanics shouldn't encourage the player to leave the game when they hit the delay. A great example of this is <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hay-day/id506627515?mt=8" target="_blank">Hay Day</a>. You have to wait for a building or food/supplies, but there are so many things to do that the player isn't encouraged to leave the game when they encounter a delay mechanic. You can fish, shop on the newspaper, visit other farms, etc. Just watch someone else playing Hay Day to see what I mean.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Confusing IAP options</h4>
When I visit the store I see a series of badges (IAP options). 9 different badges to be precise. Some unlock upgrades, some are worth medals, some unlock game modes and others unlock permanent modifiers that can be toggled. My first tip in <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/182853/" target="_blank">boosting virtual economies</a> is not overwhelming the player with a bunch of options. Perhaps it's just me, but this store is a little confusing and the options do overwhelm me.<br />
<br />
I'm also not feeling a need to make an IAP yet. I've been able to beat all the side missions besides one, and I've had enough medals to unlock any of the non-monetization-required upgrades.<br />
<br />
<h4>
LCV issues...</h4>
Let's say I'm completely in love with this game, and want to buy everything. What is it worth to me?<br />
<br />
That's actually a trick question. To maximize freemium revenues you need to allow players to spend what they want to for your game. This model is exactly how games get funding on crowd funding sites like Kickstarter. If you look at a game like <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/wasteland-2" target="_blank">Wasteland 2</a>, all price points ($15-$10,000) get you the game but the more you spend the closer you get (emotionally and some physically) to the game, and some people really want that.<br />
<br />
If I bought everything in Ionage the total comes out to $13.41 and Twice Circled takes home $9.39. I don't know how much it was to make Ionage, but let's use $50,000 for example. You need 5,325 players buying every option to break even, but most paying players won't purchase every option. Let's say the average is 2 IAPs (which might even be optimistic) or $2.07 ARPPU (average revenue per paying user). You'll need 24,155 paying players to break even. If the conversion rate follows a typical 2% then you need about 1,207,750 installs... and these are all organic figures! Throw in user acquisition costs and this quickly gets messy. This is why you need the allow players to pay what they want to pay. Without the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_law" target="_blank">Power Law</a>, F2P would have a hard time existing.<br />
<br />
It's possible to have a success or be profitable with a monetization strategy like this, but you have to gain new users as quick as current ones are churning which is an extremely difficult thing to do organically, and very costly through user acquisition. Also, you need to be dealing with really big figures. Again it's feasible, but when creating a business plan I don't think investors will be interested in what you may think is "feasible."<br />
<br />
<h4>
Not evergreen</h4>
The mission map allows me to select the next level if there's a choice but I'm sure there's an end to the content. I don't know how long it takes to consume all the content, but to maximize profits it's best to design a F2P game to have no end, or at least no reason to quit. This is also called Evergreen.<br />
<br />
Some might think this is an evil tactic, but again as long as you're not directly preying on players with psychological tricks then there's nothing wrong with people wanting to play your game for years.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9mDjMLW24c5UeBaBPkRZkVqlULdy3D419wonMn0xWsTU3-zq2nRsuaLXvRz07iiT5TsOUiwrquFkldfUoAGsJf8kkK0NQhXKHSmlUhu8FSeN4HUg-cK4ajCnzhctALLFUlmRBeLscnwh/s1600/tricks+mockup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9mDjMLW24c5UeBaBPkRZkVqlULdy3D419wonMn0xWsTU3-zq2nRsuaLXvRz07iiT5TsOUiwrquFkldfUoAGsJf8kkK0NQhXKHSmlUhu8FSeN4HUg-cK4ajCnzhctALLFUlmRBeLscnwh/s1600/tricks+mockup.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super professional mockup made in paint </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4>
Single platform</h4>
I believe Ionage is only available on one platform, Android. Not all games do better on iOS from a revenue perspective, but many do. I've also heard some success stories on Windows 8 and I think this is a very similar type of game and target audience as those successes. I'd love to see this game on more screens, but I realize this comes at a cost as well.<br />
<br />
<h4>
No multiplayer or social mechanics</h4>
Since there's an end to content, multiplayer could possibly give a reason for players to continue playing the game. There's also no way to share/tweet scores or invite friends. Complain all you want about Candy Crush Facebook requests but do you think that game would've been as successful without their aggressive Facebook integration? Word of mouth and social networks can play a big role in how you get discovered and it's almost free (minus development time to integrate API).<br />
<br />
<br />
With all the things I just critiqued I do like the game as a gamer and I hope it's successful for Twice Circled, but I think they're in a tough spot. They had some struggles with the monetization strategy when making the game and even if they did go premium, Android has something like an <a href="http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/Madfinger+news/news.asp?c=43449" target="_blank">80%</a> to <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/95-android-game-piracy-experience-highlights-app-theft-challenge-15282064/" target="_blank">95%</a> piracy rate. There have been studios that have been <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Gianormous+Games,+LLC&hl=en" target="_blank">successful with the premium model on Android</a>, but I really don't know of many. However, if the game isn't profitable that doesn't mean this has been all for nothing. The knowledge developers learn by launching their own games is exactly the experience and knowledge they will need to be successful in the future. If OMGPOP released 35 titles before getting their success story, and this is Twice Circled's first title... then I can't wait to see what they're release in the future.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">If you need help designing or fixing </span><span style="background-color: white;">your F2P game </span><span style="background-color: white;">you can find me here at </span><span class="s3" style="background-color: white;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" href="http://bit.ly/15LdthO" style="color: #0782c1;">my blog</a> or on</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" href="http://bit.ly/16xAPIx" style="background-color: white; color: #0782c1;"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span>Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-89370927269718091672013-07-19T14:20:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:27:14.524-07:00Improving Freemium Design - Monsters Invade: Oz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYzLSEInTNVRt-TLfSgI90fX4hcDTSUnwJS4mPSK3XyC7D3jGsRypaj-9oR5cIuP5yds6VNCs42INC97NClZfUTSbNZsaa_bDcGkPvqk29PCaOLEhFAat0rRP6iepZJRzoDA1fzW-Ql4C/s1600/MIO+title.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYzLSEInTNVRt-TLfSgI90fX4hcDTSUnwJS4mPSK3XyC7D3jGsRypaj-9oR5cIuP5yds6VNCs42INC97NClZfUTSbNZsaa_bDcGkPvqk29PCaOLEhFAat0rRP6iepZJRzoDA1fzW-Ql4C/s1600/MIO+title.jpeg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I first saw Monsters Invade: Oz (MIO) at the GDC Play booth this year. I was drawn to it from the graphics and description of "catching monsters similar to Pokémon." However, like all times I visit a GDC Play booth I find the atmosphere too difficult to stand there and play and really immerse myself in the game that I'm checking out. I don't know if it's the crowds, the music or the fact that I know industry people are standing behind me and watching, but I just can't find myself getting a good opportunity to analyzing the game. I left the demo of the game confused on mechanics or reason of why I'm playing, but I said I'd give it a try when it launched so let's take a look!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monsters-invade-oz/id607204560?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monsters-invade-oz/id607204560?mt=8</a><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">What they did right</span></h3>
<br />
<h4>
Art & sound</h4>
I know this is subjective, but you are reading my thoughts and I really dig the art. The hand drawn characters fit well with the concept of "ink" and the music is just as cool, unique and fun.<br />
<br />
The icon is also unique (in a good way). It sticks out against other apps.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMv7ozkpZwuB1jbuT09Ti_zqmwzNaiV0Et7ygOPxCaIfZKMobnM4-_osTnoJRPFIDHLPjg0eUXLjaiiPAQ78gtHwwAmHuFwtdRQzAgbc5PJM6-eANa4JUXe9FknjQOKmh1-1BZhWGtWYl/s1600/icon.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMv7ozkpZwuB1jbuT09Ti_zqmwzNaiV0Et7ygOPxCaIfZKMobnM4-_osTnoJRPFIDHLPjg0eUXLjaiiPAQ78gtHwwAmHuFwtdRQzAgbc5PJM6-eANa4JUXe9FknjQOKmh1-1BZhWGtWYl/s1600/icon.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
Collection mechanic</h4>
I've been playing Pokémon since it made its debut in '95 so of course I can dig the monster collection mechanics. I often feel like collection mechanics are under appreciated. Look at all the looting systems in hardcore MMO's to the looting mechanics in non-traditional genres like FPS's like the Borderlands series. There's no reason why these mechanics can't also be in used in casual or mobile titles as well.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Modifiers</h4>
MIO allows players to spend premium currency for permanent and temporary modifiers. The permanent ones are a no brainer, but quickly get too expensive for non-paying players which is a great encouragement to monetize without being pushy. The temporary ones allow players to get a leg up on a battle if they need to. Not pay-to-win because players still need to hit the meters right, but certainly pay-for-competitive-advantage.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-T5pbiXHAwhdUQlvMCxItYMG1V5PZUjMINncPnnMhG7BR-VuFiZV3dUZYysTBpQKV2NtZvYWtZwExd9ZLeYaDWqD_WAe07NTgalS_0xY6fw0svvyEjZvYXUqam3vsEqP_Xlfc2epZ8h0A/s1600/IMG_0671.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-T5pbiXHAwhdUQlvMCxItYMG1V5PZUjMINncPnnMhG7BR-VuFiZV3dUZYysTBpQKV2NtZvYWtZwExd9ZLeYaDWqD_WAe07NTgalS_0xY6fw0svvyEjZvYXUqam3vsEqP_Xlfc2epZ8h0A/s1600/IMG_0671.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Permanent modifiers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKIvEadZwWwJfuaacMW0QI_RR-olkuoAv19SdgRTWmQotD7WvtEqHXbQ7yta7aixIHW0QJBzDBXBuuY7sJHkf5qfbMrifZJwZNQk3Yc_ZVD5_Fw92vUicTzQ76TVaaAbFvg571B0Khdb-/s1600/IMG_0672.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKIvEadZwWwJfuaacMW0QI_RR-olkuoAv19SdgRTWmQotD7WvtEqHXbQ7yta7aixIHW0QJBzDBXBuuY7sJHkf5qfbMrifZJwZNQk3Yc_ZVD5_Fw92vUicTzQ76TVaaAbFvg571B0Khdb-/s1600/IMG_0672.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temporary modifiers before each battle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Short session friendly</h4>
I can fire up the game and have a meaningful experience within maybe ten seconds. This is key for mobile games because you need to remember that some players are playing out of impulsive boredom. They might just be waiting in line somewhere or waiting for their wife to try on cloths. Having a game that can scale with the player's time is the best way to approach game design on mobile. Remember easy to play, difficult to master.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Currencies</h4>
MIO has three forms of currencies; ink, gold bars and books. Players can only purchase gold but in turn can be used to purchase ink or books. Most F2P titles need a dual currency structure and many can benefit from even a third. DragonVale was one of the first games I remember with a third currency and it was the <a href="http://www.insidemobileapps.com/2012/12/13/apple-lists-top-apps-of-2012/" target="_blank">#1 top grossing iPad app of 2012</a>, and #4 top grossing on iPhone. Did the third currency really help them achieve these rankings? I believe so because monetization comes down to sinks and sources within your game. In theory, the more things you allow (or even force) players to purchase then the more valuable the currencies become.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NFyiZWoGW1OaDalsxrB0jIfISurACiokiAnNIy1TgJ8rEycRdgZl69-rt02R2eUezOujSmq8CxwekY2FW2k7HQiuFexcpjQK4FK_ex0Dz8kIsn4IzXG87JP7UUju1q-_ER03BOtgCbIg/s1600/IMG_0658.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NFyiZWoGW1OaDalsxrB0jIfISurACiokiAnNIy1TgJ8rEycRdgZl69-rt02R2eUezOujSmq8CxwekY2FW2k7HQiuFexcpjQK4FK_ex0Dz8kIsn4IzXG87JP7UUju1q-_ER03BOtgCbIg/s1600/IMG_0658.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">What could be improved</span></h3>
<br />
<h4>
Delay balancing</h4>
I know F2P games need delay, but there was some <b><i>serious delay</i></b> in MIO. Once I burned through the initial ink (which acts in a similar way as energy) I earned maybe 200-some ink per day if I logged in once or twice per day to fill up my dog's "ink." That might sound like a lot, but that only heals my monsters maybe a couple times and I have to heal with almost every battle. As a non-paying player, I can only fight a few monsters before needing to quit. Perhaps this tight of a delay is working for MIO but if that's true then there must be a lot of whales or a lot of paying players.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMCi8szpA1hmSzlQQ2sl2cgHntyzo-bBTvez8qDwPcPhV5V-im2QUQvMEeaFIOpSu8_JRTz3ZyRhq-CCXs2qLbTwxTKF7PoU41xJ0xQhyphenhyphenDEg16kokIfygZf6uVLJ3szyRKeWgp5K2rket/s1600/IMG_0641.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMCi8szpA1hmSzlQQ2sl2cgHntyzo-bBTvez8qDwPcPhV5V-im2QUQvMEeaFIOpSu8_JRTz3ZyRhq-CCXs2qLbTwxTKF7PoU41xJ0xQhyphenhyphenDEg16kokIfygZf6uVLJ3szyRKeWgp5K2rket/s1600/IMG_0641.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">608 for a week's worth of waiting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4>
Compounding delays</h4>
Not only do I regenerate ink at a very slow pace, but I need to wait several hours to "train" or revive my monsters. Sure almost all F2P games have delays that measure in hours, but normally you're not hit with <i>that</i> long of a delay right away. First monster I caught took 2 hours to train before I could use him. Second took 6 hours. Players wait just as long for monsters to revive if defeated.<br />
<br />
I waited 6 hours and came back to find that when your monster revives, it revives with no health! I didn't have enough ink to heal him so I ran from the battle. Walked around until I encountered anther battle and found out that I can't run anymore either! I then had to wait for other monsters to heal, for ink to regenerate and now I couldn't run. As a player, I did feel like I was getting hassled.<br />
<br />
I did find out eventually that you can continue to escape battles <b>if</b> all your monsters are dead. It doesn't do a whole lot of good besides running around the map on a collection quest, but at least I wasn't locked out of the game.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Notifications</h4>
This section is about excessive popups. This section is about excessive popups. This section is about... enough already! I enabled notifications and it was only a matter of hours before I went into my settings to remove the notifications for this game. The fact is some users will uninstall over removing notifications. Leading up to disabling notifications, I was receiving one an hour. There's no logical reason why they should be messaging more than once per day, and even that might be considered borderline too many. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpm0qa08XQD5k0Hy-azn6ND29c7uMn7X31irj7Y_j8ZltAEVGuRFobV8sFBoFJPDXhvH4LPTJ3xd7I5MLl1jN3XfgUMgCiGetxigfqR-5pYfqGUWGKi9lQvekpHZzPggsLp9gbSNBBqz8/s1600/IMG_0640.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpm0qa08XQD5k0Hy-azn6ND29c7uMn7X31irj7Y_j8ZltAEVGuRFobV8sFBoFJPDXhvH4LPTJ3xd7I5MLl1jN3XfgUMgCiGetxigfqR-5pYfqGUWGKi9lQvekpHZzPggsLp9gbSNBBqz8/s1600/IMG_0640.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
No means no, Facebook</h4>
The first time I played the game I was asked to connect with my Facebook credentials. I elected to. The next popup asked me to allow posting to my friends on my behalf. I elected no. Almost every time I've launching the app since, I've been asked to allow posting to my Facebook friends and my answer is and will continue to be NO! I understand there are some really successful games with aggressive Facebook strategies (I'm looking at you Candy Crush) but I don't think it's a good idea for all games to be aggressive. There are factors that will make it more acceptable like audience, genre and current level of success.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CGB_LQGXj3YpfxJ3BTOLn_sIkcHui3ixJCxdqFk7CPC3oXBpp1q9lWA_ERoE6NasxPYSz-V_eauybPtE3MoN6OVsNwPQGHmDGWGKAHaPKUr21T5yaowi6Ai_jBk8sl3g0_sODIwRd-7e/s1600/IMG_0669.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CGB_LQGXj3YpfxJ3BTOLn_sIkcHui3ixJCxdqFk7CPC3oXBpp1q9lWA_ERoE6NasxPYSz-V_eauybPtE3MoN6OVsNwPQGHmDGWGKAHaPKUr21T5yaowi6Ai_jBk8sl3g0_sODIwRd-7e/s1600/IMG_0669.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
Questing</h4>
I love to quest. Games like Skyrim are dangerous for me because there's just so much to do. MIO also has quests, but so far they haven't varied much. I either need to pick things up on the map, defeat or catch so many monsters or walk in front of something. I understand that mobile games need more simplicity, but I think this is too simple.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Confusing map graphics</h4>
For anyone who's played a JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game) you know that you can search pots, open chests or interact with NPCs on the map. MIO has chests but you can't interact with them (even though a closed chest implies you can open it). It has characters on the map (and sometimes they animate) but you can't interact with them. The first time I was playing I was so confused why they were on the map if I couldn't do anything with them. I was especially confused with the little animated mushroom men. I kept tapping on them, or running into them expecting that they did something because they were moving, but nope. Nothing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVIBoGSAYOKkDbf5gG3xBrBm7ZYmXuyUmn92RRmk_cI0srz5qn670QgH4Hplv8vMF-eSuRKR2M8sJ5w7IfYW_egsPW6_n7Cy_W4yRYvJE9Fo7X4f9SWfk3FHQfo9Z1VfQrFK-gvGpvn_k/s1600/IMG_0656.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVIBoGSAYOKkDbf5gG3xBrBm7ZYmXuyUmn92RRmk_cI0srz5qn670QgH4Hplv8vMF-eSuRKR2M8sJ5w7IfYW_egsPW6_n7Cy_W4yRYvJE9Fo7X4f9SWfk3FHQfo9Z1VfQrFK-gvGpvn_k/s1600/IMG_0656.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why can't I open these chests? WHY?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h4>
Battle mechanics</h4>
I like how simple it is, but I don't like how repetitive it is. It would've been nice if different monsters had different ways of attacking instead of the same timing meter attack. Another issue I have with the meter is it varies with opponents that I meet and I can't seem to find out why. Is it because certain colored monsters have weaknesses towards other certain colors? Is it per monster and not per color? Does level matter? I can't seem to figure it out and the game never explains why.<br />
<br />
Another thing is the computer never misses but I do. It's possible I could never miss as well if I hit the meters right every time, but I can't do that. It makes the missing subject even more frustrating when my monster has low health, I'm out of ink and my ability to continue playing is hinging on being able to hit the center of the meter when it's spinning back and forth at a crazy-fast rate for unknown reasons to the player.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9fpA9Lkc43ECGyr41vhLiqVcDtDr-opzbZLNLvFg_TH-JmhacP4cqZtWkR7rAoWTY_7kllNPefkF9rel8OOOTWVBbXoDvL7lz5v8jTOXjR4gYg2Xefa_JO6U8-L85aq15QatR5f9jEEJ/s1600/IMG_0670.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9fpA9Lkc43ECGyr41vhLiqVcDtDr-opzbZLNLvFg_TH-JmhacP4cqZtWkR7rAoWTY_7kllNPefkF9rel8OOOTWVBbXoDvL7lz5v8jTOXjR4gYg2Xefa_JO6U8-L85aq15QatR5f9jEEJ/s1600/IMG_0670.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Little Box Apps had a serious advantage against other indies because they were featured by Apple, but if you look at the top grossing charts (below) you can see that MIO has likely hit its peak in revenue.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIf7SxvE-rWfPFWlIYHoIhbZGS_e_klO5MUj5zwIBzaB5MwTsGKaAb8E-pp129rqS-qgvI9ojLqOVaUFA-vrigeVF1w9SOmUMBniBP6xWnb5tYL4CABrMh2aH1mFCnLqXWU8AiQz3gnPV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-19+at+1.42.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIf7SxvE-rWfPFWlIYHoIhbZGS_e_klO5MUj5zwIBzaB5MwTsGKaAb8E-pp129rqS-qgvI9ojLqOVaUFA-vrigeVF1w9SOmUMBniBP6xWnb5tYL4CABrMh2aH1mFCnLqXWU8AiQz3gnPV/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-19+at+1.42.44+PM.png" height="440" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chart publicly available at appfigures.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I think the major lesson to take away from this is optimizing before global launch, or if you know a platform has interest or will feature you it's crucial to get the monetization piece of your game nailed down to maximize revenues from such an awesome opportunity.<br />
<br />
If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-82850710936375714722013-06-17T12:50:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:27:23.756-07:00Why is King Removing In-Game Ads?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4GPzZCCE_j2J1n0twacmuSy8FdjtJpMU56HPH2T5b4wTTlJHLZbVZxBLSEMUQJPOZQikipYTK10KZO2hmQ99WOVhkUF5HdDeTGsDnZziT2e_8VkzxcHKa3S10ATJAn8GN-vYQjsGdbjM/s1600/CandyCrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4GPzZCCE_j2J1n0twacmuSy8FdjtJpMU56HPH2T5b4wTTlJHLZbVZxBLSEMUQJPOZQikipYTK10KZO2hmQ99WOVhkUF5HdDeTGsDnZziT2e_8VkzxcHKa3S10ATJAn8GN-vYQjsGdbjM/s1600/CandyCrush.jpg" height="312" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
King recently decided to <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/194190/Candy_Crush_Sagas_King_abandons_inapp_advertising.php#comment205613" target="_blank">abandon</a> <a href="http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/King+news/news.asp?c=51566" target="_blank">in-game</a> <a href="http://www.insidemobileapps.com/2013/06/11/king-com-dumps-advertising-on-its-games/" target="_blank">advertising</a> and considering my position with the NativeX Games Task Force (where we collaborate with mobile game developers to increase the engagement, retention, and monetization) this sparked a few questions and discussions in circles of people around me. Why are they doing this? What's their motive? Were players leaving? Did they need a better ad experience? These are all good questions, but before addressing them specifically around King let's look at the two major groups of developers who don't want or like ads. There might be more groups than this, but in my experience most developers fall into these two buckets.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Purist Developers</h3>
<br />
I've encountered several developers who don't want to <a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/breaking-the-fourth-wall/3015-138/" target="_blank">break the 4th wall</a> in their game design. They've created a story and world where they feel players should immerse themselves, and advertisements would make players aware that this is just a game. I have a hard time believing this in mobile gaming, but I won't argue that point against developers who feel this way.<br />
<br />
There are also developers who believe that the game they are creating will be good enough that players will "want" to spend money in game through in app purchases (IAPs). With those developers, I wish and hope that they're right! I would hope that a game could achieve 100% conversion rate, 75% or even 30%. Unfortunately, you'll never have 100% conversion and most developers won't see more than 10% conversion (in a F2P title) just because one word is associated with their game... free. Some consumers have preconceived notions or assumptions with the word free, and game designers/developers will never be able to change how those people feel about the word free.<br />
<br />
Lastly in the purist category, there are some developers who think that advertisement revenue <a href="http://nativex.com/business/its-official-offers-dont-cannibalize-iap-sales/" target="_blank">cannibalizes their IAP revenue</a>. This can be true, but only if they slap ads into a game without thinking how to "intelligently" integrate advertisements. I can take any game and completely destroy it with advertisements. I think we all can, but you can also increase your game/company revenues significantly with the addition of advertisements too. That is, if you care for more revenue.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Elective Developers</h3>
<br />
The other kind of developers out there that don't use ads are those who have enough cash flow or resources and don't feel the need to include advertising revenue, or any other benefits associated with it. They can "elect" to include ads or not. Most of the time this way of thinking spawns from great success, so it's really difficult to criticize their decision to remove ads because they're obviously doing something right being as successful as they are. If you haven't guessed it yet, King falls under this category.<br />
<br />
Many developers think of advertisements as a "necessary evil" in order to make a living out of doing something they love. On the flip-side advertisers believe they are offering a service or product that the consumer values. Which is right? Well that depends on the game/platform and the consumer. Let's look at Hay Day for example. My wife has been playing for over a year, and is level 60-something at the time of writing this. She has never made an IAP. She will never make an IAP. I asked her why and her response was, "because it's free." However, she will watch videos for currency. She actually likes to watch ads for currency. This is a case where a consumer finds value in an advertisement and the developer is benefiting from it as well. Of course on the other end of the spectrum, 20-some year old hardcore gamers who only buy Call of Duty will hate advertisements. (Ok that's sort of an extreme example, but I think you get the idea.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
You Think I'm Saying King is Making a Mistake?</h3>
<br />
Not necessarily, but I believe there's a role for advertisements in most games. I've seen the effects first hand from players who won't spend. However, the data at my fingertips from the NativeX network and from the shift I've witnessed in the past few years shows the importance of advertising. However, this is sort of a win-win scenario for King. They're successful so advertising isn't as important, they're getting some press coverage for the announcement and in the eyes of gamers it looks like they're "doing good."<br />
<br />
Do I think this stance can last? That all depends on their future success. If they stay on top, or keep releasing hits then yes, but if revenues start declining or they're not meeting expectations then they might reintroduce ads. There's also always the possibility of reintroducing ads back in games that are "sunsetting" so we could always see them pop back into games that aren't in the spotlight anymore.<br />
<br />
If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-22986950962595824662013-06-13T11:52:00.000-07:002017-03-13T12:50:04.232-07:00Thanks... But No Thanks Microsoft & SonyI love technology, electronics and gaming. It's in my DNA... if it has a circuit board, chances are I like it! I've watched all the major keynotes (Apple, Microsoft, and Sony) and as it stands, I'm not going to purchase a console at or around launch. Granted this could all change in the months to come, at this point Microsoft and Sony have a hard sell ahead of them if they want my money this holiday season!<br />
<br />
As a disclaimer, I make a living as a mobile games consultant on the NativeX Games Task Force. We collaborate with mobile game developers to increase the engagement, retention, and monetization of their freemium games. With that said, I am not biased towards mobile games, I'm simply not interested in the next generation consoles. Here's why:<br />
<br />
<h2>
Xbox One</h2>
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I really like my Xbox 360. I wouldn't say I'm a fanboy, but I did initially buy an Xbox 360 over a PS3 because it was cheaper and out first. Sure I've owned 6-8 Xboxes since I had a first gen that broke, BUT we've had a great run together. Here are some reasons why this savvy consumer isn't buying an Xbox One at launch...<br />
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<b>Price: </b>Sure it's $100 more than the PS4, and I'd be willing to pay the extra amount IF it had features or games that I deemed worthy. The sad reality is that it does not.<br />
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<b>Not Interested in Exclusives:</b> I won't buy a console for an exclusive title. I think that's ridiculous. Maybe I'm just too practical, or maybe I'm not alone and more gamers/consumers are thinking like this?<br />
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<b>Online Connection: </b>While the internet is up 98% of the time at my house, I do feel a little anxious that it "requires" a connection at least once every 24 hours. What happens if I have an outage and want to play? I feel it's unacceptable that Microsoft might dictate when I can play... or where since I want the option to take my Xbox somewhere that might not have an internet connect. Come on Microsoft! Really?<br />
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<b>Kinect: </b>Maybe kids enjoy playing it? Honestly I haven't met someone who really, REALLY liked the Kinect. The most positive responses I get sound like "yeah it's ok" or "it's kind of cool." I'll spare you the slew of negative reactions. It has the same gimmicky feel that the Wii did, but without stellar and/or nostalgic IPs.<br />
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<b>Hardware:</b> It's early but I think benchmarks will be similar between the Xbox One and PS4. I certainly don't think I would tell a difference between the two if I played them side by side. This would be acceptable IF I weren't paying $100 more.<br />
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<b>Skepticism of Microsoft First Gens: </b>I got burned with my Xbox 360. I literally spent more time without an Xbox in the first year because of the dreaded <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_technical_problems" target="_blank">red ring of death</a>. And what did I get for compensation? Nothing. Sure they sent me "new" (more accurately "other") Xbox's, but those broke too. I had 7 or 8 Xbox's before eventually buying a new one when the slimmer model came out, but only because my 8th Xbox broke again, I was outside of my "warranty" and I wanted to play with my brother in Japan.<br />
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After what I've been through I have every right to be bitter. I'm over it now, but in the heat of the moment I might've yelled at phone representatives or lost my cool. Fool me once Microsoft? Shame on you. Fool me twice? Not a chance in hell. :-)<br />
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PS4</h2>
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I own a PS3 slim model as well as an Xbox 360. I play my 360 much more than my PS3 mostly due to Halo and the fact that my friends have Xboxes. If I had to buy a console today I would choose the PS4 over the Xbox One because what Sony is saying is appealing more to me, it's $100 less and will more likely support used game sales. However, there's one really big reason why I won't be buying a PS4 and that's the <b>lack of need</b>. Let me explain in the following areas...<br />
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<b>No Hardware Upgrade Needed:</b> Obviously this is personal, but the major reason why I won't buy a PS4 at launch. <u><span style="color: red;">I don't "need" a new console.</span></u> There's a reason why my TV isn't smart, 3D or 4k. I don't need those features. I'm also not buying a low end piece of crap from Wal-Mart, but I do my research, wait for the right deal and pull the trigger when it comes along. Sure the features mentioned might be nice to have, but as a consumer I don't buy nice to have features. I'm happy with my current generation consoles, their performance and will continue to play on them until there are games only for this generation and not my current 360/PS3.<br />
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<b>No Vita: </b>I, like most of you, don't have a Vita so the streaming functionalities doesn't matter to me. I also won't be buying another handheld gaming device because of the iPad and phones. In this day in age, with all our technological enhancements, there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to play any game I like on the platform of my choice. I know exclusives will never go away, but I wish they would. Call me crazy, but I just want to play what I want, where I want.<br />
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Here's an idea around streaming. Make an iOS & Android app that could stream content from my PS4 to my tablet. Join that with the ability to connect a PlayStation to Android devices and that iOS7 will have third party controller APIs. Console gaming + mobile capabilities = mind-blown!<br />
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<b>Not Interested in Exclusives: </b>Again, I won't buy a console for an exclusive title.<br />
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<h2>
The Evolving World</h2>
I feel like these consoles aren't really listening to what's been happening in the technological world. It's a little old school to just "improve graphics" with a new generation of consoles. Sure they might've added TV/online capabilities, but I already have solutions in place to serve those needs so why would I need what they're selling?<br />
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It's true that my profession is within the mobile industry so you might be thinking he's just biased, but I assure you, there are reports how consoles and software <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-07/video-game-sales-fall-11-on-lower-console-software-outlays-1-.html" target="_blank">sales</a> are <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/10/npd-report-finds-xbox-360-dominated-2012-console-sales-890-00/" target="_blank">declining</a>. Before you send me hate mail, or begin trolling with negative comments let me clarify something... <b>I'm not saying consoles are doomed or dying!</b> The NPD is primarily retail sales so it's possible that online sales are making up for the decline but there's no way to prove it since there's no insight on digital sales. I'm just saying that we live in a more innovative and immersive world. Our games and how we digest them need to be too. Sony won't top PS2 sales until they realize and embrace this.<br />
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These keynotes have left me a little depressed as a gamer. I've had launch consoles with every system since the SNES (minus the Dreamcast, which I owned, but not at launch). I want to be excited about the next generation of gaming, I want to be excited about buying a new piece of technology but as it stands now I can't get excited. Perhaps I'm the minority? Have I changed that much? Perhaps it's not you Microsoft/Sony... it's me? Things could change within the upcoming months, but I certainly need some crazy good reasons why I should even consider buying.<br />
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In the meantime I'll be right here Microsoft/Sony. Contently playing on my current generation of consoles... and of course on my iPad and iPhone...<br />
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If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-64114665120851534112013-06-07T10:36:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:27:40.584-07:00Improving Freemium Design: Ace PatrolI respect the hell out of Sid Meier and what he's done for the games industry. I've been a long time Civilization, Pirates, and Railroad sim fan. Not only am I a fan of Firaxis but as you'd guess, I'm also a champion for the freemium / F2P business model so when I saw Firaxis add freemium combine I was excited to give them a whirl.<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sid-meiers-ace-patrol/id583000830?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sid-meiers-ace-patrol/id583000830?mt=8</a><br />
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To give you a little background about myself, I am a games consultant on the NativeX Games Task Force. My team provides specialized 1:1 mentoring to our partners and we help them turn their mobile games into successful businesses. Occasionally I publish freemium game reviews on the NativeX blog, pointing out what they do right and what they could do better.<br />
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<h3>
What it does right</h3>
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<h4>
Game genre and accessibility</h4>
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Firaxis and Sid Meier arguably make the best strategy video games (to the point where I basically expect it) so it's no shock that Ace Patrol is another great and fun strategy game. AP is not only great, but it's also accessible for new or experienced strategy gamers alike. It starts out with limited moves (maneuvers), pilots earn upgrades/maneuvers after battles and the battles increase with difficulty at an easy pace to bring most players along. This seems like a classic, or perhaps even simple, list of ingredients to a great strategy game but the moves and options make battles a little more challenging over time.<br />
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<h4>
Subject matter</h4>
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World War games make for some of the best subjects to be accepted worldwide. Most countries have knowledge of their history and in my experience, if localized, work well in many different countries with varying cultural differences. Most other game subjects need to be localized not only in language but also graphics to match the cultural differences in gaming so having a game with a context that doesn't require as much localization helps keep costs lower.<br />
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<h4>
Upgradable planes and pilots</h4>
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I have a lot of options in this game. I can select pilots, upgrades and customize my planes and I can learn new maneuvers as my pilot levels. All these options give the player thousands of configurations but at the same time I'm not overwhelmed. I might not fully understand which maneuver best fits my playing style, but players learn over time.<br />
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Here's one of the IAP menus. There are campaigns, special plane skins and improvements.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8ckEllcxdCzLyVn_cusDjMcwgvc6zBcuZFNz_sVhAl3rsUcX44PpoNlaNg6R9-A48XIzY1OAbcUwY_lnGt05aTMOfe05nTWumRIJdtooo_BDwSlU4zZC0SqblkuMCJ1xeVjlP8rh9MDm/s1600/purchase+options.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8ckEllcxdCzLyVn_cusDjMcwgvc6zBcuZFNz_sVhAl3rsUcX44PpoNlaNg6R9-A48XIzY1OAbcUwY_lnGt05aTMOfe05nTWumRIJdtooo_BDwSlU4zZC0SqblkuMCJ1xeVjlP8rh9MDm/s1600/purchase+options.PNG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a screenshot of the customization options from the multiplayer menu. It's difficult to see all the plane options and upgrades because there are several sub-menus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNbchmwTFPFpeeSLJJufZNH-egjq2QZyIYg0PXWoZbiq7WzzvVPSWssSdz43oeXFs5ooAPDKmDfvaInsfzjTjxK3wzA-MX_8JhyH1uxZmM4Jc7VW4IReG8_An046FQcclyC3qPpkmsxnc/s1600/customization.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNbchmwTFPFpeeSLJJufZNH-egjq2QZyIYg0PXWoZbiq7WzzvVPSWssSdz43oeXFs5ooAPDKmDfvaInsfzjTjxK3wzA-MX_8JhyH1uxZmM4Jc7VW4IReG8_An046FQcclyC3qPpkmsxnc/s1600/customization.PNG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h4>
Choice in missions</h4>
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As a player I love choice so naturally I love the ability to chose my the mission of my choice. I can cater the mission to the way I like to play (e.g. defensive or offensive based missions for my defensive or offensive preference in play style) but it also makes me feel like I'm doing something meaningful towards the overall battle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYXb39-276EGiNTMFlIsiO01OfUiw2OD0P5nP5vjZvxslZP63F5W8wW6wGvw-4JZosAwKcfUdaLDyNxzikiZrWkxCiWBqBgYGScqdPInVY3yjS4ARIak5GqkeYoO2xMDhXfGphtAVl0ii/s1600/missions.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYXb39-276EGiNTMFlIsiO01OfUiw2OD0P5nP5vjZvxslZP63F5W8wW6wGvw-4JZosAwKcfUdaLDyNxzikiZrWkxCiWBqBgYGScqdPInVY3yjS4ARIak5GqkeYoO2xMDhXfGphtAVl0ii/s1600/missions.PNG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h4>
Can't force quit restart</h4>
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If something isn't working out in a game that I'm playing I can usually force quit the game, restart it and retry a level without paying money/virtual currency for retries if the game is monetizating on that mechanic. I screwed up a move in a level I was play in AP, force quit the game and returned to find out that the game saves after a completed turn so I was stuck with the game that I had started.<br />
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<h4>
Multiplayer</h4>
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I love the asynchronous and also synchronous approach. If I can't play a long session time then I can let my opponent take their turn and I'll come back to it later. If I want to play a longer session with a friend we can both sit down and play a full match. There's even head to head on the same device though I rarely use that functionality.<br />
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However, if I want to play a complete session with a stranger then it's the luck of the draw with whether or not they can play a complete game with me but there's not much Firaxis could do to prevent that from happening.<br />
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<h3>
What could be improved</h3>
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<h4>
Multiplayer</h4>
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I know I just listed this as something that worked well, but I have some complaints/concerns with how it currently works:<br />
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<ol>
<li>I wish I could chose the game type that I was playing. I want different plane configurations for the various game objectives, but I don't know what type of game I'm about to play when selecting my loadouts. I love elements of chance in games, but not an element of chance with the objective when I'm setting my planes up.</li>
<li>It's not always clear or obvious what type of game you're about to play. There's just a small banner at the bottom with the objective but I've played against players who have missed this and thought the game was just deathmatch or skirmish. </li>
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3. Randomly generated maps can create unfair disadvantages. As you can see from the screenshot below my enemies base is protected by land bases with anti-air artillery. If I fly over them I run the risk of them damaging or shooting down my planes. On the other hand, my base only has one base next to it and has clouds. I can't target enemies in the clouds so my opponent only needs to get close enough to enter the clouds and he'll win because I won't be able to shoot him down in the clouds. </div>
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<h4>
Business model</h4>
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I'm preparing for a backlash of F2P hating comments, but Firaxis could've made more money with a true F2P business model. This is basically a premium/lite game meaning players need to purchase the a majority of the content through an IAP (premium), but players can get a taste/demo for free (lite). It looks like the game is charting ok right now but they're also being featured by Apple. We'll see if the game can hold a steady position. I'm predicting it won't because players who want the content are likely going to purchase and then those who don't feel compelled won't. F2P models can generate much more revenue because they allow players to become repeat spenders, but in order to do so you really should have a virtual currency. Which brings me to my next point.<br />
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<h4>
No virtual currency</h4>
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All purchases in game are done through IAPs. Want to purchase the campaign to continue playing? You need to go through Apple's IAP process which includes entering your password which is a hassle. Want a plane skin? Apple IAP process. Want to heal your pilots? Apple IAP process. If they could have a virtual currency then I could buy enough currency to purchase a magnitude of things. I could buy plane/pilot upgrades, maneuvers, different planes, different pilots, plane skins, campaigns, weapons, heal/rescue units and the list can go on and on. There are literally thousands of combinations of virtual items that could think of. However, making players complete an IAP is a point of friction. Take away the friction or make it happen less then your players will spend more money.<br />
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If they created virtual currencies then it would be great to also check out my article on <a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/2013/04/5-tips-for-boosting-virtual-economies.html" target="_blank">boosting virtual economies</a>.<br />
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<h4>
Gated campaigns</h4>
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Gating content means players can't access some portion of the game's content until they pass through a "gate." Examples of gates could be registration forms, require players to connect to social networks or in this game it's purchase the content via IAP. This is also known as a paywall. A paywall is a point in a game where you ask players to purchase something to continue progressing/playing or leave. It's better to implement a virtual currency system and allow players to earn currency through grinding or IAP to unlock content.<br />
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<h4>
Opt not to purchase and lose save</h4>
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I played through the first 6 missions on my initial play through and when the system prompted me to purchase the British campaign for $0.99. I declined. I then found out that the game will reset your progress and you'll need to start over. I understand that there wasn't any more missions for me to play but a warning that all my progress was going to be erased would've been nice.<br />
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<h4>
UI</h4>
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The UI in game is a little difficult to press sometimes, but I don't have a better solution I think that just comes with the nature of the strategy games on a touch device. However, the 2D buttons and text on the menus could certainly improve. They look fuzzy, and lower definition. Menus and the like can look so crisp on a retina display, and most games don't have problems with blurry text.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxT0T5ckm6UI7QOwVp9COvYtDaPrahef5slSMC1S5C-BoHPgNRWXYGltX924RC6NpgTMs9Lc-bh_03A5DwiChjdAMVXXt_5eZn39vCi6TQle2-ZBkvB8Ry-5mo_UTHxb3m85sMQZ03puI/s1600/blurry.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxT0T5ckm6UI7QOwVp9COvYtDaPrahef5slSMC1S5C-BoHPgNRWXYGltX924RC6NpgTMs9Lc-bh_03A5DwiChjdAMVXXt_5eZn39vCi6TQle2-ZBkvB8Ry-5mo_UTHxb3m85sMQZ03puI/s1600/blurry.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Gating before Freemium</h3>
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Sid Meier has been designing and developing games for decades and he's not showing any signs of slowing down. However, F2P is fairly new for everyone (experienced or n00bs) and it takes a bit of time to master or refine for studios. It's easy for developers to look at F2P and say "I could just sell packs of content via IAPs." It's a logical step between Premium and full blown Freemium, but it's also not putting your best foot forward. I haven't seen a knockout F2P title (from a monetization level) from Firaxis, but they certainly haven't been bad either. They're learning a thing or two from games like Ace Patrol, and I think one of their future F2P is going to do pretty well.<br />
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If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-19362734729552550502013-05-05T16:49:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:27:53.933-07:00Improving Freemium Design - Knight Storm by MunkyFunOk, so I love medieval and renaissance themed entertainment so when I came across Knight Storm (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/knight-storm/id568538733?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/knight-storm/id568538733?mt=8</a>) you bet I downloaded the game! I've been playing for a few weeks now and think some aspects of the game are really well done. However, like all games, I think there's some room for improvement as well.<br />
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<h3>
<u>
What they did right:</u></h3>
<br />
<h4>
Graphics</h4>
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Knight Storm looks amazing. At first launch, my character rode his horse out of the castle, the title appeared and then the horse stood up in front of an amazing looking castle... I was ready for an epic adventure! The horses look realistic and animate beautifully. I was pretty amazed but remembered that MunkyFun is also the developer of My Horse so it made sense, but it doesn't discredit their ability to make beautiful graphics.<br />
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Also unhorsing my opponent feels very satisfying due to the visuals. I love the slow motion camera, his lance exploding into splinters and watching your opponent flip end over end off of his horse.<br />
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<h4>
Blending game mechanics</h4>
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I'm a big fan of breaking up tedious tasks or a single style of game mechanic with various other mechanics. In Knight Storm players not only joust and battle, but they also have a Castle that acts like a home base that generates coins, experience and potions for the player. One can also upgrade their equipment and get more sigils from the castle.<br />
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<h4>
Humorous dialog</h4>
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I am the minority of players that actually read the in game text, but I enjoyed the bits of humor that the developers threw in. Instead of using "next" or "ok" buttons, they used more humorous options.<br />
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They also wrote the dialog options as if coming from their character's thoughts.<br />
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There were a couple parts where I actually laughed out loud, but forgot to grab screenshots during those moments.<br />
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<h4>
Upgrading makes you feel badass</h4>
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<br /></div>
When I upgrade a piece of armor or weaponry it really changes! You might not think this is a big deal, but so many games just change the color or give the equipment a better stat. I want to SEE the different item as well as the upgraded stats. Players need <span style="color: red;">visual changes</span> in order for them to feel like anything has even changed. Some games can get away with minor changes on smaller upgrades, but if you're asking someone to pay premium currency then that item/equipment/weapon better look visually awesome!<br />
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Look at beginning gear, some middle of the road equipment and then what end game equipment looks like.<br />
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<h4>
Adding a chance mechanic to battles</h4>
<div>
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I like their addition of sigils to combat. It's basically a game of rock, paper, scissors for bonus damage. It adds an element of chance to the battle without completely screwing the player if they don't make the right decision.<br />
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I always advise developers to have an element of chance in their games if it's going to be a more casual game or if they want mass market appeal. Some people love strategy, but even more love an element of chance. Take board games for example. Settlers of Catan has been one of the best selling modern board games. My wife doesn't like to play me in competitive strategy games and doesn't even enjoy medieval/renaissance themed games, but will play Catan with me because no matter how well I strategize the dice can make or break a game. It is one of the most brilliant chance/strategy combinations.<br />
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<h4>
Multiplayer</h4>
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<br /></div>
Almost all games should have some multiplayer aspect and Knight Storm does too. Players can joust against each other for glory points which determines your leaderboard ranking. In addition to glory points, players can also earn fragments which are used to forge sigils at your castle. This gives players an additional benefit to the single player game for taking up your lance against other players.<br />
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<h3>
<u>
What could be improved:</u></h3>
<br />
<h4>
Balancing potions</h4>
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As you can see from the screenshot below I have over 300 of each potion. I could play for hours with that many potions. Now I realize why there are potions and I think it's great to allow players to create potions so they can continue to play, but I wouldn't allow players to stockpile so many. There needs to be a better balance between potion creation and consumption.<br />
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Also having this many health or stamina potions makes their "Potion of revival" pointless. Why would I ever drop 5 gems on the "Potion of revival" when I can just forfeit back to the map screen, drink a bunch of health/stamina potions and try again?<br />
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<h4>
Lack of customization</h4>
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I love that I have a castle, I love the armor and weapon models but I just wish I could customize them! Having a little more control over what is happening and where in my castle would make me feel more attached to it. Same goes with my jouster. I would like to customize his armor, banner, color, something! I can upgrade him which is nice, but it would be awesome if I could design a crest for him or choose armor customization options from a predesigned list.<br />
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<h4>
Repetitive and a little time consuming</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
I mentioned earlier that unhorsing your opponent feels satisfying, but after 10 jousting battles it becomes a little tedious and time consuming to have to watch all of the slow motion, body flailing and your character ride around in victory. I would appreciate at least a fast forward button.<br />
<br />
Also during every joust battle, players need to move their lance to the left and down. It's always to the left and down. It would've been nice to make the lance harder to aim to give battles more of a challenge. I have never missed or been outside of the red + sign during a joust. Perhaps the lance would bob up and down with your horse's strides, maybe don't have the game go into slow motion or perhaps your character's aim gets better as you level?<br />
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<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Awards for glory points</h4>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
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<div style="font-weight: normal;">
I like the addition of multiplayer, but I wish there was something more I could earn with the glory points. Perhaps after X amount of glory points players would get a gem, could earn aesthetic items like banners or streamers to hang from their lance? It would give players more incentive to battle online besides leaderboard positioning. Players' interest in global leaderboards will diminish over time as the leaders further distance themselves from the rest of the pack and other players churn. </div>
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<div style="font-weight: normal;">
It would also be cool if MunkyFun hosted some sort of tournament for a reward. Jousting was almost always a tournament event back then, so the context fits perfectly. </div>
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<h4>
Better sense of damage</h4>
<br />
You can knock off shields and helmets, and I'm sure it technically gives that player/opponent a disadvantage but it's not as drastic as one might think. In a real jousting battle if one lost a helmet you're pretty much dead next round, and if you lost your shield then you'd most likely be unhorsed the next round. However in Knight Storm, when losing a shield or helmet it just places a broken armor icon at the bottom of your stats and doesn't appear to decrease them.<br />
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<h4>
Sigils with multiple attributes</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
I talked about the rock, paper, scissors aspect to battles as a nice addition, but players can also get sigils with two attributes. Then it gets confusing which is considered the main and secondary. Is there even a main and secondary attribute? I'm not even sure. If sigils with multiple attributes are used in battle then I just have to wait for the game to tell me which wins and I don't have a concrete answer as to why. Players can also aim at two or three areas on an opponent with these sigils, but I don't think it matters which target they choose. Does the head deal more damage than the shield or left arm? It would also be nice if certain areas took damage so players would try to target the same area repeatedly.<br />
<br />
Knight Storm certainly piqued my interest when I saw it. Both in context and developer. It's a great example of how games can look, and worth a play. I don't know if the game has the ability for mass market penetration because of the theme, but a successful game doesn't always need that. If they just tweak some of the monetization mechanics and increase the difficulty then I think they'd could really boost their metrics. I look forward to seeing how they update on this one!<br />
<br />
If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-29954483792887536912013-05-01T11:52:00.002-07:002013-09-23T09:28:01.387-07:00Mini Golf Matchup - Just One More Putt!As a child, my parents would take my brothers and me Mini Golfing so maybe Mini Golfing is nostalgic... or maybe it's just awesome! When I saw Mini Golf Matchup at the top of the iOS Free charts I grabbed it and was excited to get my putt on!<br />
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If you like multiplayer games, playing with friends on Facebook or just like Mini Golf, I would encourage you to try it on either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mini-golf-matchup/id577650466?mt=8">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scopely.minigolf.free">Android</a>.<br />
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<div class="p1">
<h3>
<b>What they did right: </b></h3>
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<h4>
This game is just fun</h4>
<br />
I really enjoy playing the game. Even after a month or more of playing. I've never been hard pressed into spending. I don't have all the map packs unlocked, but I'm ok with it. I enjoy the maps that I have enough to keep playing them with my friends. <br />
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<h4>
Solid mechanics</h4>
<br />
The core game and mechanics are simple. The tutorial showed players how to play the game quickly, it was easy to understand and I got into a match relatively quickly. I maybe could've even skipped the tutorial altogether, but allowing players to skip tutorials in a game with mass market penetration gets a little dicey. <br />
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<h4>
Solid multiplayer experience</h4>
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Scopely uses a sort of template (for lack of a better term) to asynchronous game play and how the menu and game should operate. It's easy to understand and if you've ever played any other game by Scopely you'll immediately know what you're doing.<br />
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<h4>
Name, icon and other store assets</h4>
<br />
I like them all. The name has Mini Golf in it, Matchup implies multiplayer and it rolls off the tongue or at least it does for me. I also liked the icon. I knew what it was about and the colors are vibrant and welcoming. I also laughed about the fictitious celebrity comments. I would definitely high five the guy who wrote the description!<br />
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<div class="p1">
I only wonder if they translate well to other countries. Do people know who those celebrities are? Perhaps store descriptions are localized, not only in language, but also content.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldUTHzkhUPBkHQvIsgQtprJCeglR6xIgxfw1qRhwiLoFp-bZSvKNnSFV10wcL2QzTCZQsrbRu_fv9hq2AUFDSAPJqjW0Rb8lBEXA-39BEqGmuPmP5TFVJpT787xAOmfGvAn2Pwg4dnug_/s1600/store.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldUTHzkhUPBkHQvIsgQtprJCeglR6xIgxfw1qRhwiLoFp-bZSvKNnSFV10wcL2QzTCZQsrbRu_fv9hq2AUFDSAPJqjW0Rb8lBEXA-39BEqGmuPmP5TFVJpT787xAOmfGvAn2Pwg4dnug_/s1600/store.png" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Environments</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm also a fan of Super Stickman Golf 2 on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-stickman-golf-2/id585259203?mt=8">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noodlecake.ssg2&hl=en">Android</a>, but I must say I like the 3D environments in Mini Golf Matchup more than the 2D ones in Super Stickman Golf 2. There are advantages to each game, but in the end how a game looks is extremely important to players. Not only is the world 3D, but the colors really pop. I really think they've done a great job with the artwork. </div>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrQyV5uxY9As4G8krE6nGdkm66yQxuzvuMiQ4UUyOOChrR13UPlO1bBy-kQ06oYI98Hom1k36y5O3j7jOvKWCuS0YEXnxupdGUA1X2zCk8-eKVjdbcxJvhFudpqlyxR_QWErHVKbtJmim/s1600/environment.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrQyV5uxY9As4G8krE6nGdkm66yQxuzvuMiQ4UUyOOChrR13UPlO1bBy-kQ06oYI98Hom1k36y5O3j7jOvKWCuS0YEXnxupdGUA1X2zCk8-eKVjdbcxJvhFudpqlyxR_QWErHVKbtJmim/s1600/environment.png" height="218" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h4>
Ads</h4>
<br />
This is debatable so you'll see this subject again. As a player, I want an entire game to be free without ads. Who doesn't? I assume conversion rates and ARPUs (average revenue per user) are lower on a game with mass market penetration and a very simplistic store like Mini Golf Matchup. Overly simple stores probably lead to lower IAP revenues, but in turn allow a broader audience to enjoy the game. In this sense I think it's great that the developers serve ads between levels. It's a natural break in gameplay and offer an additional revenue stream for non-paying players.<br />
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<div class="p1">
<h3>
<b>What I could be improved:</b></h3>
<br />
<h4>
Ads</h4>
<br />
At the same time some ads are intrusive, require players to watch a 15 second clip or don’t have skip/exit buttons until you tap on the ad. Ultimately if players value your currency or virtual items that you're selling then you don't need to rely on some many or as intrusive ads. Sorry if you feel placing ads in both sections is a copout, but I see two sides to this argument.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Pricing</h4>
<br />
I understand the remove ads for $1.99 but I think it could even be higher. I think a price between 2.99-4.99 could generate more revenue without dramatically impacting player behavior. It used to be $0.99 to remove ads and that was always the starting price for IAPs (it’s even the starting point in Mini Golf Matchup), but prices have increased over the past 2-3 years and I don’t think it’s ridiculous to ask for more.<br />
<br />
I also think IAP pricing could maybe be adjusted. I’ve seen increases in IAP revenues by making the minimum price point $1.99 or $2.99 versus $0.99. Obviously A/B testing this would give concrete answers, but perhaps Scopely already has.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidquZuxDfo4prCMaQLnCN8c0ZLhkJ-8i99TKM2jz4nqFf_zGYUcUDiXllPFlqE6P91uSYxV2o5IW_lYvO0-N1nNzsTsrGyJS9gNk4AWpmK5BgyOPOMYIvno4iBt0rjuAv-Tlqey_tP3KbO/s1600/IMG_0295.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidquZuxDfo4prCMaQLnCN8c0ZLhkJ-8i99TKM2jz4nqFf_zGYUcUDiXllPFlqE6P91uSYxV2o5IW_lYvO0-N1nNzsTsrGyJS9gNk4AWpmK5BgyOPOMYIvno4iBt0rjuAv-Tlqey_tP3KbO/s1600/IMG_0295.PNG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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<h4>
More courses please</h4>
<br />
Longevity seems like it may be a larger issue with this game. More so than other Scopely games. Time will only tell, but I think it’ll have lower long-term retention because it’s lacking one of two elements.<br />
<ol>
<li>User generated content – not all players will want to continue to play the same courses over and over again, and creating more levels takes time and money. It would've been great if Mini Golf Matchup had built a level editor. They could've also unlocked course "pieces" with achievements or a leveling system. One could argue nothing changes in Dice with Buddies (another big Scopely game) but people still come back. This is true because it has an...</li>
<li>Element of chance – games that have an element of chance help keep gameplay feeling fresh and new. Let's take board games for example. They don't change in content, but they have an element of chance involved with winning. That’s why they’re fun to play over and over. The players' experiences are changing because of chance.</li>
<ul>
<li>I used Settlers of Catan for an example earlier so sorry for mentioning it again if you've already read my Knight Storm post. Players strategically place cities next to tiles/numbers that have a higher chance of being rolled or next to materials that are scarce, but both strategies require the chance/luck of those numbers actually being rolled in order to win.</li>
</ul>
</ol>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<h4>
Automatic refocusing camera angle</h4>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
This is a personal complaint, but I dislike how the camera automatically re-centers over the starting area. Many times I want to scroll around the level without pinching out to see the whole map. Then add a re-center button at the lower center portion of the screen if players pan away from the starting area or their ball.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Camera zoom at the beginning</h4>
<br />
Another personal complaint, but it takes much too long for the camera to zoom into the starting area. I’ve accidentally put my ball in the wrong spot several times because the camera was still zooming in. I would handle this in one of two ways;<br />
<ol>
<li>I would zoom the camera in much faster or</li>
<li>Keep the camera zoomed out so the player can see the entire map, then zap to zoom in (again quickly) and then tap to place the ball. This does add an extra tap to get into the game, but it lets player observe the entire map, allowing them to strategize before placing the ball. </li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<h4>
Replays</h4>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="p1">
The game’s replay feature is cool. I like having my friends watch my hole in one and then see my smack talk in chat. However, it’s not being used to its full potential. If your opponent already completed the level they won’t see your replay so I’ve missed many opportunities to share excellent/lucky shots with my friends.<br />
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</div>
<br />
<br />
After playing for a month with friends I must say that Scopely really made a fun and solid game. Many of the criticisms are personal, minor or can easily be improved through updates. Only the user generated content would be extremely difficult, but perhaps they'll add that feature in Mini Golf Matchup 2 (which I hope they make). If you'd like to challenge my putting skills just get the game, challenge by username, type "bensi" and we'll see you on the putting green!<br />
<br />
If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.</div>
</div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-31433501402362867482013-04-23T19:43:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:28:15.217-07:00World of Warcraft to Casual GamingI actually quit WoW years ago, but I'm just getting around to writing the story.<br />
<br />
It's ironic how addicts always start out saying "I wouldn't say I'm addicted" or "I can quit whenever I want" so I guess the logical way to start would be... I wouldn't say I was addicted to World of Warcraft. However, at one point in time in my life I practically played every night. Jokes aside, I only had one max level character with 30-40 days spent in game. To you non-WoW players that sounds like an <i>extremely long time</i>, but I assure you, that isn't <a href="http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/7709281046">that bad</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>MMO History </b></h4>
<br />
Prior to WoW I played Final Fantasy XI, and prior to that it was EverQuest so WoW wasn't my first. I've always had troubles staying interested in games so you can imagine how ADD I get with MMORPG games and their huge worlds. I started playing the original WoW (WoW gamers call it Vanilla) with some friends of mine, but also tried Shadowbane and Guild Wars among others during the same time. I couldn't even play Shadowbane because I'd be dead within a minute of logging into the game. This seriously pissed me off and I quit the same day as installing. I can't remember why I didn't stick with Guild Wars... which isn't a good sign.<br />
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<h4>
<b>WoW... A Love/Hate Relationship</b></h4>
<div>
<br />
I tend to bounce around with games. WoW was so appealing initially because of my friends. After playing for months I became immersed with the lore, history and world. At this same time grinding became tedious, I was constantly getting ganked (killed by other higher level players), some friends dropped out of the game and my other friends reached level 60 (which was the max level at the time).<br />
<br />
This is where I started having a hard time staying interested. I started taking breaks from the game and even cancelled my membership a couple of times. I loved the game but felt like I couldn't ever enjoy it because it took too much time to play. Gaining a level seemed to take forever, and I was really getting sick of other players killing me. I had enough!<br />
<br />
I was maybe gone from the game for a year until I had to travel an entire month for work alone. With no friends around I decided to reinstall WoW. This time I chose a Player vs Environment (PvE) server versus a Player vs Player (PvP) server so I wouldn't get ganked. <b>This changed everything for me.</b> I loved the game considering I could actually experience it. I even got to the end game content of Vanilla WoW and Burning Crusade (first expansion) and was playing probably an average of 5 nights a week.<br />
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Back then I had never heard of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartle_Test">Bartle Test</a>, but I wasn't choosing the right experience to fit my gaming psychological profile. I'm a total social explorer, and only want to PvP when I felt like it.<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/Character_theory_chart.svg/385px-Character_theory_chart.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/Character_theory_chart.svg/385px-Character_theory_chart.svg.png" height="343" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div>
<h4>
<b>Life Changes</b></h4>
<br />
During my 2-3 years of playing 5 nights a week I had a lot of changes in my life. I met a beautiful woman, bought a house and married that same woman. (I know, I know... I'm shocked she stayed with me too.) During these changes my WoW time was on the decline. I was now only playing a couple nights a week until my wife was pregnant. My free time was about to get drastically shorter, and I couldn't spend hours committed to raiding with a group of people that I didn't even physically know.<br />
<br />
I decided to quit... cold turkey. I just uninstalled WoW, and cancelled my subscription just before the baby was due. <br />
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<h4>
Mobile Gaming... What a Joke, Right?</h4>
<br />
My son was born and I got my first Android device (Samsung Epic 4G) around the same time. I started downloading games but I hated "casual" games. I didn't want to build some city with cute graphics, have a virtual farm or manage a zoo. I wanted adventures, battles and epic loot! I disliked "casual" mobile games, but at this time I was judging "casual" in the term of context, not the amount of time it took to play them.<br />
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<h4>
Enter Pocket Legends</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5Yk0qfwj4jCLGvXrIwLIhXjuN5QFGacToJG_bjbgV3dCy3tH2B_3xM1o_PlGzhdTfKgQKBRTQOH-gb4liCuPSDPzR_4xc-baYqyqsR5F2JUN-aU62AhfCUbrn6d1JVYGw_JJUWeFwJY9/s1600/PocketLegends_Startup-550x330.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5Yk0qfwj4jCLGvXrIwLIhXjuN5QFGacToJG_bjbgV3dCy3tH2B_3xM1o_PlGzhdTfKgQKBRTQOH-gb4liCuPSDPzR_4xc-baYqyqsR5F2JUN-aU62AhfCUbrn6d1JVYGw_JJUWeFwJY9/s1600/PocketLegends_Startup-550x330.png" height="192" width="320" /></a>I was on a gaming site one day when I stumbled across a trailer for Pocket Legends. Pocket Legends is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) like WoW but catered to short sessions versus the hours upon hours WoW required. It was as if the guys at Spacetime knew about my changing life, the emerging mobile market and said "Don't worry Ben... we've created a game just for you." <i>This completely changed my perception on casual.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8JbP-1-oY-M1k5ya5U9dBVUxTm1XdeWjdlz7WSMy3Nv7FQd_9wBcYKG-L8Mq9AEVjUwpl3rvmx336mUqpVhnrF_qm-z-OYc4FKkrkn3bfxv_utRW5t1NQinjQhH1MiXG-iJn6n9vXDpv/s1600/Arcane-Legends-launch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8JbP-1-oY-M1k5ya5U9dBVUxTm1XdeWjdlz7WSMy3Nv7FQd_9wBcYKG-L8Mq9AEVjUwpl3rvmx336mUqpVhnrF_qm-z-OYc4FKkrkn3bfxv_utRW5t1NQinjQhH1MiXG-iJn6n9vXDpv/s1600/Arcane-Legends-launch.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a>If you haven't played Pocket Legends, then download Arcane Legends (on either <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/arcane-legends/id543335870?mt=8">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sts.al&hl=en">Android</a>) and give that a go. It's from the same developer (Spacetime Studios) and has only improved on the solid foundation that Pocket Legends built.<br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
I was now rocking my newborn son in the middle of the night in one hand and was questing in Pocket Legend with the other. In fact, if I was trying to get my son to sleep I was most likely also playing Pocket Legends. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lskNTCzdLNE">Don't judge me</a>. :-)<br />
<br />
This was also the first F2P mobile game that got me to spend money. I was always tempted with sales and new equipment so I think I purchased virtual currency three separate times.<br />
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<h4>
A Casual MMO, You Say?</h4>
<br />
I never thought a casual version of WoW could exist, but as I get older I see more and more value in creating meaningful experiences that can be digested in less time. Don't let "casual" scare off you hardcore players who are reading this. I too enjoy <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/order-chaos-online/id414664715?mt=8">longer</a> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftMMHM">gaming</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Order-Online-Kindle-Tablet-Edition/dp/B005ZUR724">sessions</a> when I can. Just because you can have a meaningful experience in minutes doesn't mean this game can't be played for hours. In fact, if I was playing PL during the day I often played for much longer than I anticipated.<br />
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<h4>
This Is Not Goodbye, This Is Redesigning</h4>
<br />
Some people reading this might think, "This poor guy... he's on his way out of gaming/MMO's and doesn't realize it." Wrong! We're all witnessing drastic changes in technology. Games and gamers are just adapting with new technology. We're entering a time when we shouldn't live with parameter constraints. Think about servers... companies were required to have their own with a set bandwidth or limit of space. Now everything can be hosted in the Cloud and scale with use. Servers aren't going away, they're just adapting. In the same sense why should I be required to set aside an hour to game if all I have is 15-20 minutes? Why do I need to be anchored in front of my TV? Why can't I get a game on the platform of my choice (because of exclusivity)? Games (when applicable) should adapt to the player, not vice versa.<br />
<br />
I'm not here to tell you consoles are dead, "AAA" games are doomed, publishers are going away or there aren't as many hardcore gamers anymore. I just think games can be more successful if we provide gamers with a scaling game design for the various platforms or technologies that are available. Keep this in mind with your next game and you might be surprised.<br />
<br />
If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.</div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-59031340508684556892013-04-09T10:13:00.001-07:002013-09-23T09:28:24.606-07:00Motor World: Car Factory - Gotta Build’em All!As a Game & Monetization Consultant I’m constantly playing mobile games. I tried to play every game that popped up into the Top 100 free and grossing charts, but I’ve been really struggling to do that on top of all my other responsibilities. Also as I was doing this, I started seeing similarities between games so I’ve decided to play only one game of a particular idea. One of the more recent and obvious ones is all the “4 pics 1 word” games. I certainly don’t need to play more than one of those types of games unless I’m doing a personal study on them like slot and trading card games last year.<br />
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Early March I came across a game called Motor World: Car Factory. From the screenshots and description I thought I’d give it a try, and I think you should too!</div>
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<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%22">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motor-world-car-factory/id580666714?mt=8</a></span><span class="s2"> </span><br />
<span class="s2"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<b><u>What it did right</u></b></h2>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b>Art & Sounds</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
I know this is subjective, but if you like pixel/8-bit art then you’ll love the art in this game. This is obvious if you’d seen pictures of the game. The game also uses iconic video game sound effects which can be appreciated by almost all players.</div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Collection mechanic</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
I love collection mechanics in games! At the time of writing this, the game has 92 different cars and I’ve collected 84 of them. On the collection screen the developer uses the tagline “gotta build’em all.” Being a Pokémon fan, I enjoyed this play off “gotta catch’em all.” (Pokémon being another game that I would obsess over collecting all the different monsters)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgr-9LvUYo_Ai4nQaHu86c6SgaHoAknvSqo_4lVYIeEggqg8m2ylWH5wJV-GCrfFYTDA5n4Mb9sE5CdcWE-xaHa8vL6NxshUSc16To2tO1Hb9znL0KEl7hjP3Y9O5iDnpp7hJ8ASBVqCh/s1600/collect.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgr-9LvUYo_Ai4nQaHu86c6SgaHoAknvSqo_4lVYIeEggqg8m2ylWH5wJV-GCrfFYTDA5n4Mb9sE5CdcWE-xaHa8vL6NxshUSc16To2tO1Hb9znL0KEl7hjP3Y9O5iDnpp7hJ8ASBVqCh/s640/collect.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Sales/Promotions</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
The game does a great job of promoting IAPs with discounts/more currency per price point. They got me with the beginners pack for $1.99. I blew through the premium currency (upgrading workers to engineers) and mystery cards within minutes. </div>
<div class="p1">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFYmGsAC8qLkQ6e44JfV5_675-rLXFoiIyHncUNMd5A21phfGjGl85aFU057SLocuR4dbWQTLO6aPdbRduXd-AW0YFeUl3jdGukm5nE4CwokfYJah_RhMZfjl3eMj8t-OoAnWXbZ0q2pr/s1600/discount.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFYmGsAC8qLkQ6e44JfV5_675-rLXFoiIyHncUNMd5A21phfGjGl85aFU057SLocuR4dbWQTLO6aPdbRduXd-AW0YFeUl3jdGukm5nE4CwokfYJah_RhMZfjl3eMj8t-OoAnWXbZ0q2pr/s640/discount.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Upselling IAPs</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
Click on something that costs more premium currency than you have and see what happens. They bring up a new lower $2.99 price point. $2.99 is easier to spend than the minimum $4.99 IAP price point. They got me with this one as well because I wanted to upgrade the rest of my workers but didn’t need as much currency that the $5 or $10 IAP gave… or so I thought. </div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Varying gameplay mechanics</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
I really like the addition of the CSR style racing in additional to building and collecting cars. I also like catching spies and trying to get the little leprechaun guy on the motorcycle. These little additions help make it feel like there’s something to do while you wait for your workers to hammer on a new car. </div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Offline gaming</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
I travel for work and don’t always have the ability to play online, but I do play online most of the time. If online connectivity isn’t absolutely required for the gameplay then there’s not much reason why you can’t enable players to play offline.</div>
<div class="p1">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Discourage cheating</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
Ok so I don’t usually call it cheating. I normally say it’s a clever use of in game mechanics. ;-) Anyways, if a game can be played offline, players can normally move the local time on the device forward to reduce long wait times. However, when you do this in MWCF the developer has some timestamp check and displays the below message. Players lose all their current doughnuts, and in my case, added 50-some hours on all of my cars and shops. I wasn’t mad about it. I actually thought it was funny. </div>
<div class="p5">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KAMtNQ_nllG-1tykGeznfw_f7kv85YSxTXgD4-Uc_kNOBnQk-ltMunp06x211taRSZKwBPkY6L-HMzRHYxfiOsZAndwnn2LWDZOUIA7sgArfa7TPAluk4Gpm33p9iFBD-oeujOs8NWTa/s1600/timechanged.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KAMtNQ_nllG-1tykGeznfw_f7kv85YSxTXgD4-Uc_kNOBnQk-ltMunp06x211taRSZKwBPkY6L-HMzRHYxfiOsZAndwnn2LWDZOUIA7sgArfa7TPAluk4Gpm33p9iFBD-oeujOs8NWTa/s640/timechanged.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p5">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b><u>What could be improved</u></b></h2>
<div>
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b>Name</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
This is <span class="s1"><b><i>completely subjective</i></b></span>, but I think the name could’ve been something easier to remember. I’ve got the name down now because I’ve been talking about it for the past month, but I could never remember the name the first week or two. I would tell people to play some Car World/Car Factory/Motor Car game. Why couldn’t it just be Motor World or Car Factory? Something shorter? </div>
<div class="p1">
<br />
On the other hand Motor World might be part of a long term strategy and the developer is planning out several games under this overarching name. (e.g. Motor World: Drag Race or Motor World: Car Battles)</div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Missions</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
I really like questing and missions in games. It gives the player some kind of motivation to keep playing. MWCF has missions and they’re grouped in sets of three, but I only completed 4 or 5 sets of missions before they greatly increased in difficulty or time needed in order to complete the missions. I think these should’ve been less difficult to accomplish to give players a sense of accomplishment while players worked on shops/cars with really long build times.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I also wouldn’t mind racing more often, but what if I don’t have friends to race with? I’m not about to spam all my friends to play a game to experience this, when I could race the AI in missions. </div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>UI when building</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
Perhaps this was intentional (to make users hit the speed up button), but the speed up button and arrow to add more workers are on top of each other. I don’t think you actually need to click the arrow to add more workers, but its common player behavior to tap the arrow and if I click on the car half of the time it opens a menu for that worker. Obviously this hasn’t stopped me from playing but I do get annoyed that it’s this difficult to do a simple task of adding more workers. Couldn’t they be off centered? Maybe that drives UX designers nuts? Maybe this was tested and it looked bad or didn’t work with multiple cars in the production line. I know it’s minor but I’m probably not the only one.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_ysg7acRlHaWQaAYqSzxYr7gujde7zzurrsn0x9AKTXK41RjHhXg_dnG0bdBWEXoy7ZtCrw346W37JqzAo5Qg74x4FDFKHTJ4omc4k_9k-L54Kt-UY1HAejydg8D0LfSbQGTutuqRu0I/s1600/UI.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_ysg7acRlHaWQaAYqSzxYr7gujde7zzurrsn0x9AKTXK41RjHhXg_dnG0bdBWEXoy7ZtCrw346W37JqzAo5Qg74x4FDFKHTJ4omc4k_9k-L54Kt-UY1HAejydg8D0LfSbQGTutuqRu0I/s640/UI.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Longevity… a little lite on cars</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
Technically perhaps the missions are endless, but there’s a definite end to the content/cars and it’s maybe a little lite in my opinion. I’m working on a couple more cars, but then I’ll be done. I won’t invite enough players to get that car, I already purchased over 20 mystery cards and only got 1 car so I won’t get the rest of the mystery card cars and I can’t breed any more cards to get new plans. I understand it’s easy for me to criticize the amount of cars from the outside because this could’ve been a large undertaking for the developer, but in an ideal world you’ll have maybe 92 cars at launch and then 1 month later release an update with maybe another 30 cars to let players know that you’re updating and frequently. It doesn’t matter how frequent, but giving the perception of content updates is arguably more important than actually following through.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I’ve had a good run with MWCF at 1 month and spending $15, but I’m getting close to churning. </div>
<div class="p4">
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Not compelled to spend $100</b></h4>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
It’s not evil to make F2P games that people want to spend money on like some think. I’m paying for entertainment and happy to do so. Don’t confuse this with preying on “whales” to make a living. I’ve spent $15 and would do it again. However, I’ve reached the point where I won’t spend anymore. I think what is lacking is something with incredible value that’s incredibly expensive or difficult to obtain. I could spend $100 and buy one of the ‘elite workers’ but I don’t really need it against a group of engineers. I could also buy more mystery cards but I’m sick of getting cards with less than 1,000 coins or experience. 70+% of cards have been a rip off since they didn’t grant awards that were at my level (50+). If the experience or coins were worth a value that was at my level then maybe it wouldn’t feel like such a rip off for spending hard currency. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
All-in-all I think the game is great, and would certainly tell the developer the same. The pros certainly outweigh the cons, and some of the constructive feedback is minor or subjective so I couldn’t say with 100% certainty that improving these areas would lead to positive changing in metrics. A/B testing would tell if they’re good suggestions or not. I just felt compelled to write observations with the game because I spent a good deal of time playing it. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.</div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-56016751715650674782013-04-05T08:42:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:28:32.021-07:005 Ways to Fail Freemium<br />
<div class="p1">
The freemium or free to play (F2P) business model is still new and in an immature state. There are some early adopters that have used exploits or tricks to squeeze money from their players, while others created what we call a “pay-to-win” experience where you’re almost guaranteed to win if you pay money. While these tactics may have generated a lot of revenue for these developers, as the market, business model and player expectations mature, these tactics will become less and less accepted by players. They probably won’t go away all together, but it’s better to get ahead of the curve and start designing and executing smarter games today. Here are examples of 5 of these tactics: </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Making players spam their friends</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">I know this was a popular tactic in Facebook games, but stop gating content based on the number of “friends” one has in the game! Things like “friending” or “making an in app purchase” (or IAP) should complement the experience and not be required. Don’t hold content back from me until I’ve recruited enough friends. My assumption was that developers understood that friend gating content would ultimately not work in mobile; however, I’m still seeing this in new mobile games that released in recent months so I’m compelled to include this on my list. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Start steering away from psychological tricks or hidden button placements</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Decay or extinction mechanics are widely used in freemium gaming. Decay and delay can be natural fits depending on the subject matter, but players have started to dislike the extinction mechanic and it’s becoming less and less popular. Especially if they’re with something that you can create a bond with like a pet for example. How popular would Hay Day be if your animals died if you didn’t login to feed them? </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Another mechanic, that if implemented may be considered a deceptive business practice, is making some buttons difficult to find or press. I’ve seen games try to hide X’s so people thought they had to purchase something or greyed buttons out so players thought they had to “share” on Facebook to get to the next screen. Are these tactics clever or misleading? There’s no right answer, but it probably feels less terrible if it doesn’t involve money. However, as a developer you have to ask yourself, do you want to increase monetization and k-factor from player mistakes and tricks, or through making an awesome game that people naturally want to share or pay money towards? The decision is up to you, but in a grey area, I would try to stay closer to what seems right or ethical in your players’ eyes.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Advertise Unintelligently</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Stop using intrusive advertising solutions or being lazy with your implementation! I’m looking at you… banner ads. I understand the first argument a developer usually has is that adding advertisement solutions will cannibalize my IAP revenue. It’s true you can impact your IAP revenue, but only if you don’t advertise intelligently. W3i conducted a study and blogged about it earlier <a href="http://blog.w3i.com/2012/10/31/its-official-offers-dont-cannibalize-iap-sales/"><span class="s2">http://blog.w3i.com/2012/10/31/its-official-offers-dont-cannibalize-iap-sales/</span></a>. Take this screenshot for an example of how to advertise intelligently.</span></div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHGumvUZDeiAWiwYDMPtmBABnS742Yliof7yR9-Kf_O_DH01eJYWX_uXcG7-ENW-MzYbgwsCeWnmYro1Wc16JzTXFGhFnRHlwQqTvJpMREjJ14O8hVrcvSyqOzuFkrPQFNPP7ZwI8yNHu/s1600/ArcaneLegends.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHGumvUZDeiAWiwYDMPtmBABnS742Yliof7yR9-Kf_O_DH01eJYWX_uXcG7-ENW-MzYbgwsCeWnmYro1Wc16JzTXFGhFnRHlwQqTvJpMREjJ14O8hVrcvSyqOzuFkrPQFNPP7ZwI8yNHu/s1600/ArcaneLegends.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p4">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">People who aren’t going to pay have another way of contributing towards the developer. Players who want to pay will continue to pay since they don’t care and/or aren’t looking for the advertising anyways. However if you obstruct their view or make things difficult then you’re driving players away and it could be both paying and non-paying players. That’s why I’m not a fan of the “paying to remove ads” feature. You’re spamming your players and admitting it to them. It doesn’t have to be like this. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Design a Free to Play Player vs. Player (FP2 PvP) game to be pay-to-win</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">If you’re thinking, “but all F2P PvP games are pay-to-win,” I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. There’s pay to win and then there’s pay for competitive advantage. Take a look at this screenshot for example...</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQe_4TeSiw2ocOVo2sASgqfrwszb3ZzfF28ZC-iz9VgvN0QlhAnnAIAD5eJ4MiQBm7jU607cRoQNeCWdMIcPp2l_xUDerMSOXU27g46kvje53GyZXfKpIQPxLcSw-CXJrrXBAi6Z_Dk6r/s1600/CrimeCity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQe_4TeSiw2ocOVo2sASgqfrwszb3ZzfF28ZC-iz9VgvN0QlhAnnAIAD5eJ4MiQBm7jU607cRoQNeCWdMIcPp2l_xUDerMSOXU27g46kvje53GyZXfKpIQPxLcSw-CXJrrXBAi6Z_Dk6r/s1600/CrimeCity.png" height="266" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p4">
<br />
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Attacks range from 3-12, and defenses 4-9 for grinding currency weapons, but for a premium weapon… well you get only 112 ATTACK AND 100 DEFENSE. This game is purely stat driven so buying this weapon clearly allows you to win over everyone else, and there’s nothing a non-paying player can do to win against paying players unless they pay too. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Now let’s look at another PvP F2P game called Planetside 2. It’s a first person shooter (FPS) that allows you to buy different weapons and vehicle upgrades with their premium currency (station cash) or you can grind to unlock them, but it’ll take some time. </span></div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2I_7T4SvuOj_CRbg4KjP1ul2qMGztz_YB69YbDpzgCHNmk_OG2rbgdbE6arevo9YGzg0lPgaEsxcs0gqmO5K4-mAIfjuvZikEALapDCpvViCSqZ56PDsS4C5hkkRw01Gy0gU9-eJ9ZWO/s1600/Planetside2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2I_7T4SvuOj_CRbg4KjP1ul2qMGztz_YB69YbDpzgCHNmk_OG2rbgdbE6arevo9YGzg0lPgaEsxcs0gqmO5K4-mAIfjuvZikEALapDCpvViCSqZ56PDsS4C5hkkRw01Gy0gU9-eJ9ZWO/s1600/Planetside2.png" height="276" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p4">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Some are more powerful, some have faster/slower reload speeds, and some are more accurate or have lock-on capabilities for vehicles. However, just having a higher damage output doesn’t mean you’ll automatically win a battle. Same with fire rate, reload speed or any other characteristic because these stats only complement your natural ability to play the game. But wait… there’s more. </span></div>
<div class="p4">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTmkyS9Zf_bDjruiQuLYvsR61Y6ERU6sf3UhJbv2rh6JRPXH9ux5DLkV6M0upFklxW6zY7cealNQ6TWcHFQfIvTCOByVejoABJ2gd0R-cMlZIXh9Iu1uz7bJXtNnMXhvj0iXthBgf9tNU/s1600/PS2Stats.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTmkyS9Zf_bDjruiQuLYvsR61Y6ERU6sf3UhJbv2rh6JRPXH9ux5DLkV6M0upFklxW6zY7cealNQ6TWcHFQfIvTCOByVejoABJ2gd0R-cMlZIXh9Iu1uz7bJXtNnMXhvj0iXthBgf9tNU/s1600/PS2Stats.png" height="590" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p4">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Each gun, class and weapon has specific upgrades that can do a magnitude of things like reduced recoil, grant more player health, improve class abilities, and add scopes to weapons or night vision. These class or weapon upgrades can only be purchased through the secondary currency (cert points) and these points cannot be purchased. You can pay to speed up the rate of earning these points but it’ll still take some considerable time to earn those points. Why is this important? Players can pay to get the guns that match their play style, but they can’t immediately deck out their guns or characters with enhancements. Regardless if you like the game or not it’s hard to argue against the fact that they executed a really solid F2P PvP experience. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Makes players pay to play</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">I recently downloaded a newer game on my tablet. I starting playing was enjoying the experience, but I ran out of energy and money (following the tutorial mind you) 1 minute and 30 seconds in. I had 3 quests and couldn’t complete any of them or complete any action in the game unless I converted. Delay mechanics, choke points, friction, whatever else you may call it, is a commonly used monetization mechanic in F2P games and I’m not here to tell you not to use them. However, the most brilliantly designed games don’t encourage the player to leave while they wait for these delays. Take Clash of Clans for example. In order to improve my town hall from level 2-6 it could maybe take 30 days. I can pay $5 for another builder and increase construction productivity so maybe it now takes 20 days, or I could drop $100 (or maybe $500) and get it now. They use the same delay mechanics, but game isn’t <b><i>just</i></b> about building a city and reinforcing defenses. That’s only half of the battle. The other half is about raiding other villages. The actual battles last minutes and to train basic armies usually takes 20 minutes or less. More advanced units obviously take more time to train, but you can be out raiding other villages almost every 20 minutes if the player so chooses. This secondary mechanic or second core loop gives players something to do or goals to achieve while they wait for the days (or possibly) weeks it’ll take for a building upgrade to be completed. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span>
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Obviously the mechanics outlined here can be the main revenue/marketing driving mechanics of your game. I’m not here to say these will stop making you money. I’m simply saying that as a market matures, so will game design and players’ expectations along with it. It’s better to start making smarter designs today so you’re not scrambling to change or squeeze the last pennies out of your game tomorrow. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span>If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.</div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-16609234121535690642013-04-05T07:33:00.002-07:002013-09-23T09:28:43.594-07:005 Tips for Creating a Better Tutorial<br />
<div class="p1">
For app developers getting people to your app/game is your first and largest problem. After you obtain, purchase or organically get them to install you immediately hit your second largest problem. How do you hook them and keep them coming back? With all the screens fighting for our attention today, mobile developers have about 30 seconds to get the players’ attention. This is why tutorial design is so critical and often isn’t given the attention that it deserves.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Event track every step in the tutorial. </b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">It’s important to know what first time players are doing. If you can understand what they’re doing then it’ll be easier to know what they’re thinking or feeling. This is why it’s critical to create events and track each one separately to help you understand if there’s a flaw with the information you’re providing, an action that’s too complicated or frustrating, etc. These steps will help you create a tutorial funnel. Anywhere there is a big drop off, there is also a problem. If there are problems your funnel may look something like this. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6L4a0pha8afHsIP6o1hv6WpW_t62ePLSHqFlsI_WvneTUvFA2VzLcYy7X18VYeDa8dsFgTGwwf9T9UTqd1URovl0Stgdga2e6Y53kA0yLYCVxgq13SDDjnvl6vEAECm7se4T29kpKJ6c/s1600/event.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6L4a0pha8afHsIP6o1hv6WpW_t62ePLSHqFlsI_WvneTUvFA2VzLcYy7X18VYeDa8dsFgTGwwf9T9UTqd1URovl0Stgdga2e6Y53kA0yLYCVxgq13SDDjnvl6vEAECm7se4T29kpKJ6c/s1600/event.png" height="346" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">There are 2 obvious problems here. </span></div>
<ol class="ol1">
<li class="li2"><span class="s1">There is a significant drop off early on which could mean a number of things such as; players didn’t like the context/theme/artwork of the game, perhaps the icon/description/screenshots were misleading or perhaps players just didn’t know how to get to the next section. If you’re walking players step by step through the tutorial (also known as gating) then the last scenario is unlikely.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span class="s1">There’s another drop towards the end. It could be related to a technical issue, a login screen (e.g. Facebook) or player confusion with the UI or information presented.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Sometimes it’s difficult to determine the reason but you can always get an outsiders perspective to help you thinking outside of your own code. Just remember if you’re trying to fix a particular problem don’t implement too many changes, or it’ll be hard to understand which fix is solving the issue (or making it worse).</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Alert players who haven’t completed the tutorial.</b></span></h4>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Local notifications are a great way to call players back to your app if they allow them. Local notifications can also be a great tool to remind players to come back to your game to finish a tutorial if they didn’t complete it. We all hope that players could make it through a 30 second to couple minute tutorial, but life happens. Perhaps they installed your game earlier and are just getting around to playing it while waiting in line somewhere. You want to be able to remind those players that they haven’t fully experienced your game. Just remember not to be pushy or obnoxious with your alerts. There’s probably no reason to call them back more than once per day. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<h4>
<span class="s1"><b>Show players how to make an IAP or spend premium currency. </b></span></h4>
</div>
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<span class="s1"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">If your game has a dual currency system (soft/hard or secondary/premium) then it’s great to show them how to use the premium or hard currency. You want players to understand the value of the premium currency and content so they’ll want it more. This is something good tutorials do. Great tutorials take it a step further and show players how to complete an in app purchase (IAP) in order to get that premium currency. They don’t make players’ spend real money in the tutorial. Instead they say something like “this one is on us.” This does two things; </span></div>
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<li class="li2"><span class="s1">It’s instilling the perception that you’re being generous to players. Generosity creates a positive emotion with players, and you want those types of emotions or feelings associated with your game.</span></li>
<li class="li2"><span class="s1">It shows players the IAP screen. We all want our players to spend premium currency, but we want them to buy it even more. Explaining how to do something with players can work for a small percentage, but showing players how to do something is much more effective. </span></li>
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<span class="s1"><b>Reward them to stay and finish. </b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">Many developers think their game is different or unique from others and we all hope our games become industry standards. However, the honest truth is most games incorporate mechanics that have been used in other games. If a player knows how, or thinks that they know how, to play your game then why force them to complete a tutorial if they don’t want to? I know we all want players to understand our games, but you may also drive off a percentage of players as well. This also helps instill the feeling of generosity like mentioned earlier and gives players a little “walking around money” to get started in your game.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">This actually happened to me recently. I was playing a city building simulation game and I completely understood how to play the game, but I was forced to complete a long and tedious tutorial. I became annoyed, quit, uninstalled and never came back. If I knew there was an option to skip the tutorial I would’ve, and if it prompted me to stay and complete the tutorial for premium currency/content then that would’ve changed my mood altogether. I always complete tutorials if I know there is a premium reward at the end. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Shorten the tutorial or break it into smaller pieces. </b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">You don’t have much time to show players how to play your game before they lose interest or feel overwhelmed. I know you’ve just spent a decent portion of your life dedicated to the story or world you were creating but not all players are interested in character development or storylines. It’s best to just show players how to play your game, and if you game has depth allow players to explore that depth on their own. The ones who are interested in that level of involvement will find it. Trust me. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Another way to shorten tutorials is to break them into smaller pieces. Show player how to do the bare minimum and get them into the action. Then when another area of the game is unlocked, or the player reaches a particular level, call in another short tutorial. Do this for all new mechanics or areas of your game when they appear versus in one sitting. It’ll get players into our game more quickly, and they’ll generally retain smaller chunks of information. </span></div>
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If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.</div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5692125184886401081.post-72675934896450279222013-04-05T07:15:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:28:53.362-07:005 Tips for Boosting Virtual EconomiesOver the past year I’ve been helping mobile freemium developers (who are NativeX clients) increase retention and monetization, and I’ve noticed some tips and tricks around virtual economies that can help boost revenues. Here are 5 tips that should help your game make more money.<br />
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<span class="s1"><b>Don’t overwhelm the player</b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">There are numerous studies about how overwhelming consumers leads to less revenue. Probably the most famous of these studies is the classic jam in a grocery store study <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/~ss957/articles/Choice_is_Demotivating.pdf"><span class="s2">http://www.columbia.edu/~ss957/articles/Choice_is_Demotivating.pdf</span></a>. The cliff notes (or spark notes) version is when 24 jams displayed for a taste test at a supermarket, 60% of customers stopped and 3% of those purchased but when 6 jams were displayed, 40% of customers stopped and 30% purchased. So how should mobile developers display content? Display a small amount of virtual items initially (around 6) and then hint at more content that’ll unlock after players achieve a new level or similar. Why 6ish? Take notes from online retailers (specifically Amazon) and how they display <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=drills&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adrills"><span class="s2">search results</span></a>. There’s a reason they only typically show 4-7 search results on a screen without scrolling (keep in mind this is dependent on the customer screen resolution). This way, players aren’t overwhelmed but they will understand that there’s more to your game than just those 6 items. Take this screenshot from Happy Street for example. A silhouette is a great way to hint to the player of new content. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdY0sPzx5N99DftqCvPiM-egBEEdtVV5Qq8EspG-HR0Vk8nO8NljQPuwLqk41NZuZqO-LxWMZjOH0ACpjPttfaebcgrnicsd2o86OLAFMVlmaF8PYVMaj7NqQkF_x4dQd_lhILwU1UMMLq/s1600/happystreet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdY0sPzx5N99DftqCvPiM-egBEEdtVV5Qq8EspG-HR0Vk8nO8NljQPuwLqk41NZuZqO-LxWMZjOH0ACpjPttfaebcgrnicsd2o86OLAFMVlmaF8PYVMaj7NqQkF_x4dQd_lhILwU1UMMLq/s1600/happystreet.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Make the store easy to understand, navigate and use</b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">This seems like an obvious point, but if your game has hundreds or thousands of items it can get complex and confusing very quickly. A good developer to look at is Gameloft. They have the budget and time to make their menu UX easy and appealing. Take their latest Heroes of Order & Chaos for example. They use scrolling menu to reduce the clutter. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRToTrfY6d_XgBlkBMpFYJwmZUSYMboFkbWuXrO-evc5DZt8_KiRjKnQtWdy2ZDepp_bV0OYwPny5PtfHcEFyDOJjD9B8ofOHPnZW6IyHESIam_RnPI1NQ1cdURMS2g6HzaseFzSPOU4gN/s1600/GL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRToTrfY6d_XgBlkBMpFYJwmZUSYMboFkbWuXrO-evc5DZt8_KiRjKnQtWdy2ZDepp_bV0OYwPny5PtfHcEFyDOJjD9B8ofOHPnZW6IyHESIam_RnPI1NQ1cdURMS2g6HzaseFzSPOU4gN/s1600/GL.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">And look at another similar game in a similar genre. At first I didn’t know where to click, and I still have no idea what the percentages are towards the middle of the screenshot.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL37TBtkU3H-FJzgGVMRUk_quuKVs-qlcH4XOmz4TyeNe2P4ZT1GSOhPWDSoe8VS8jeWSvvyVtqUaB7D1BYozeJldkE7hZy3b9D39d-JzOEPm8n2ewuvngF0u_9ZH4swWZ8Y0O1a1spp19/s1600/bad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL37TBtkU3H-FJzgGVMRUk_quuKVs-qlcH4XOmz4TyeNe2P4ZT1GSOhPWDSoe8VS8jeWSvvyVtqUaB7D1BYozeJldkE7hZy3b9D39d-JzOEPm8n2ewuvngF0u_9ZH4swWZ8Y0O1a1spp19/s1600/bad.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">When you select Equip it just has a single sliding menu with only 2 items per equipment slot. The UX could greatly be improved, and they could offer more items per slot. Which is a great segue into my next point. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Have massive amounts of virtual items</b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">Stereotypically speaking your game should have hundreds or thousands of virtual items in order to create a freemium success. There are outliers to this rule like Temple Run, but if you have more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_economy%22%20%5Cl%20%22Stability"><span class="s2">sinks</span></a> in your game in theory it’ll increase revenue as long as you follow the points mentioned earlier. It’s important to offer items in all price ranges and to different types of players. One group of players might be more interested in vanity or aesthetically altering items, another group may want a competitive advantage and another might want to speed up the rate of progress. It’s important to offer enough goods so players always have something else to buy. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Lead the player to your virtual store</b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">If you’ve been to Disneyland have you ever noticed how after riding a major attraction you somehow end up in their gift shop? This didn’t happen by accident. Exiting players into a store after a ride increased revenues. If you have a game with rounds, battles or levels don’t be afraid to lead the player to the virtual store to spend some of that hard earned currency. However, you don’t want to push players into making a purchase so make it easy to get out of the store and back into the action. There’s a fine line between upselling and annoying and every game and audience is at least slightly different.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Make the first purchase option something with incredible value</b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">This is a relatively newer concept and one that’s been blogged about already, but we’ll mention it one more time for good measure. Getting someone to convert and pay in freemium is possibly the most challenging task, but once someone has made a purchase the odds of them becoming a returning purchaser is so much higher. A popular example is the counterfeit machine in Jetpack Joyride that’ll permanently double coins earned, but obviously you should think of something new, original and/or fits with better with the context of your game.</span></div>
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If you’d like to talk about this or any other games you can find me here at <span class="s3"><a href="http://freemiumdesign.blogspot.com/">my blog</a> or on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/benjaminsipe"><span class="s3">Twitter</span></a>.</div>
Bensipehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829343110967739895noreply@blogger.com1