Gaming on BlackBerry

JAM843

Pratik Sapra

Sujoy Ghosh

September 26-27, 2013

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• Super easy to port C/C++ code

• Platform libraries built on open standards

• Full support from Lead Game Engines &

Frameworks

• Strong developer support channels

• Monetize with BlackBerry World

BlackBerry Native Platform

• Supports Windows, Mac OS X & Linux

• GCC 4.6.3 based compiler tool chain

• GDB 7.3 based debugger

• Eclipse CDT 8 based IDE (Momentics)

- In-built Debugging, Profiling and Memory

Analysis

• Command line tools!

• VMware Simulator Images

• Visual Studio Plug-in

Tools

• Open Standards

- POSIX , STL and C++ Sockets (libstdc++, libsockets)

- OpenGL ES 1.1 / 2.0, OpenAL 1.1 (libGLES, libOpenAL, libalut)

- Fonts, Imaging and Compression (libpng, libjpeg, libz, ibfreetype)

- XML and Database (libxml2, libxslt, libsqlite)

• Open Source Software

- Boost framework

- Lua, Box2D, Bullet,

- Cocos2d-x, OGRE, Quake3, Gameplay etc. (3D Engines/Frameworks)

- OggVorbis

- and many more at www.github.com/blackberry

Open Platform

• Scoreloop SDK features

- Easily integrate game achievements, leader boards and in-game

challenges.

- Create and manage global player profiles

- Store gaming data in the cloud

- Use virtual goods and currencies

- Scoreloop games are automatically featured in Games App

• The Games App

- Increases discoverability of your games with Featured games

banner with Popular, Friend’s favourites and New games section

- Timelines of all social gaming activities

- Focuses on viral marketing and social sharing

Social Gaming

• Out-of-the-box game pad support for

- Moga Pro

- Steelseries FREE

- Gametel

- Wii Remote

• Unity support through Joystick APIs

Gamepad Support

• Cordova-Based SDK Built On HTML5 Standards

– WebGL, Canvas2D, IndexedDB, Workers, Web Sockets, AJAX, Multi-touch

• Repackage Your HTML5

– Host your content directly on the device.

– 2D: Construct 2, GameMaker, cocos2d-HTML5

– 3D: Goo Engine, PlayCanvas, Verold 3D Engine (in beta)

• BlackBerry Platform Services

– BlackBerry Messenger, Push Notifications, Payment SDK

– Flurry Analytics

• Coming soon

– Web audio, Gamepad, Scoreloop and more!

HTML5

AIR

• AIR

- Stage 3D with BlackBerry 10.2 OS update

- Extend applications with AIR Native Extensions (ANE’s)

- Profile games with Adobe Scout

• Starling Framework

- Create 2D games that are GPU accelerated

- Open Source and Familiar API

• Away3D Framework

- Create 3D games that are GPU accelerated

- Open Source and Hundreds of Examples and Tutorials

Game Engine & Middleware Support

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Unity

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Marmalade

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Shiva3D

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Cocos2d-x

Development Considerations

BlackBerry Z10 BlackBerry Q10 BlackBerry Q5

Resolution 1280x768 720x720 720x720

Aspect Ratio

~16:9 1:1 1:1

GPU Chipset A: SGX 544 Chipset B: Adreno 225

Adreno 225 Adreno 225

Input Touch Touch+Keyboard Touch+Keyboard

Hardware Differences

• Aspect Ratio can have a large impact on

your game

• Portrait vs. Landscape

Aspect Ratio

• Use a compromise aspect ratio (e.g. 16:11)

• Landscape game Z10 (~16:9) more content

on left/right, Q10/Q5 (1:1) more content at

top/bottom

• Layout UI, HUD, controls overlay relative to screen

width & height

Solution

• Physical Screen size

• Touch vs. Keyboard Input

Optimize for the form factor

The Business of Gaming

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The Time Machine

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Growth of the Gadget

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Timeline

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Genre

Innovation

Trends

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Trends: Console Gaming

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• Graphics

• Deep, Rich Storylines

• Connectivity MMO

Massive Multiplayer

Online Games

• Downloadable Content

• Appeal to Hardcore

Gamers

Trends: Casual Gaming

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Trends: Wide Demographics

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Trends: Socializing

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Trends: Mobile Gaming

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Low Barriers

• Cheap- $1.07 and decreasing with

freemium model

• Freemium Model- roughly 3-6%

spending on in-app purchases

Simplicity

• Game story

• Controls/ Intuitive Play

• Time & Length of levels

• 3G Connectivity- share or

download a new game any time!

Trends: In App Economy

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Trends: Genre Fragmentation?

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The Kitchen!!!

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6 Key Steps To A Successful Game

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Production

Distribution

User Acquisition

Engagement

Retention

Monetization

Production: What Makes a Good Game

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Game Mechanics

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Games tell a story

• What is the setting?

• Who is the hero?

• Who is the villain?

• What are the hero's desires?

Game Mechanics

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Cues

• Visual

• Audio

• Dynamic

Addicting Game Components

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• Make the game easy and fun

• Lots of short levels

• More content they can unlock

• Depth- building up from a simple to difficult game play

Appropriate Game Controls

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Controls

• One touch/swipe controls

• Multi touch controls

• Gyroscopic Games

Top Games

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• One touch controls

• Virtual Currency

• Great Graphics

• Unlocks and power-ups

Top Games

• Simple controls

• Physics based interactions

• Many short levels- increasing difficulty makes more interesting over time

• Fantastic Character and level design

Distribution

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BlackBerry World

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Carousel Featured Image

Micro Banner Left, Right

Top Lists Trending

Grossing

Paid

Free

New

BFB

Home Screen Item Details Screen

Screen Shots

Long

Description

Icon, Name,

Price

• The Games App is a preloaded application on the home screen of BlackBerry 10

• Central gaming experience, enhances social and viral discovery of Scoreloop enabled games.

• Connect with other BlackBerry 10 gamers

• Find friends on BBM

• Discover your friends’ games

• See friends' gaming activities

• Compare gaming skills with friends

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The Games App

Apps 81%

Games 19%

BlackBerry 10 Category Breakdown

Content Distribution

License Distribution

Action 11%

Arcade 14%

Board Games

7%

Cards 4%

Children’s Games

15% Combat

1%

Movies & TV 1%

Puzzles 33%

Space 2%

Sports 4%

Strategy 8%

Free 68%

Paid 32%

Payment Trends

25%

49% 56% 55% 53% 53% 54% 52% 48%

42%

22% 20% 22% 23% 22% 22% 24% 28%

2013-01 2013-02 2013-03 2013-04 2013-05 2013-06 2013-07 2013-08 2013-09

Monthly sales by Product type (%)

Application Game

10% 14% 16% 19% 23% 26% 28% 29% 33%

90% 86% 84% 81% 77% 74% 72% 71% 67%

2013-01 2013-02 2013-03 2013-04 2013-05 2013-06 2013-07 2013-08 2013-09

Payments-Virtual goods vs. One Time

Virtual Goods One time

• Paid apps are more likely to

be purchased on BlackBerry

10 platform than BBOS

• Trends in last 3 months

indicate sales are increasing

at a higher rate for

BlackBerry 10 purchasers

Know the Funnel

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• User reads a review or hears about your app

• Searches for app on the store

• In Store Optimization

• Your app appears in search

• User evaluates your app name, icon and rating

• Interested - clicks on your app for more

• Reads description, browses screenshots and reviews

• Download!

Measure the ROI

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1) Establish - a Baseline to measure results 2) Create an Activity Timeline Activites, Social Data, Web Data, Transactions

3) Monitor – Sales Revenue How often customers make transactions.

How many customers you are reaching.

How much customers are spending.

ROI =

Cost of Investment

(Gain from Investment - Cost of Investment)

Engagement & Retention

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The New Battle Ground

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• Game mechanics that set

“appointments” - The need to water

plants every nine hours, get users

back into games

• Leverage the Social Channels or

create your own

• Incentivize Friend Invites within the

game

• Daily Rewards – Bigger or exclusive

rewards, later on. Show them what

they earned and also show them

what is coming up

• Look at your “Whale” activity data

very closely

Source: Flurry

Monetization

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The Moment of Truth

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Higher

Impressions

Subscriptions

In App

purchases

Ad Inventory for

cross

promotions

PPD

Ad on In App

Goods

PPD

Freemium: Why Pay?

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• Expanded features and capabilities (77 percent)

• Remove ads (44 percent)

• Trial expired (35 percent)

• To support the developer (22 percent)

• Curiosity (16 percent)

Source: Clickz Stat

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Marketing Built for BlackBerry Apps

323.45% Average Increase Free daily downloads

Source: BlackBerry World Analytics

Value of Built for BlackBerry

483.33% Average Increase Paid daily downloads

401.40% Average Increase Daily revenue

THANK YOU

JAM843

Pratik Sapra

Sujoy Ghosh

September 26-27, 2013