Post on 22-May-2015
description
Game Design, Gameplay and Scrum for professional video game projects
Christian Gascons Frozenshard Games
FrozenShard ● Deep Marketing research ● Company founding ● The founders ● Project Castles vs World War II: TCG
2
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
3
The resources ● Team size ● Funding ● Tools
4
Team size Small / Large team?
Doesn’t matter
5
Funds � Crowdfunding
� Kickstarter � Indiegogo
� Outsource � Art � Backend services
6
Tools…tools everywhere!
And much more….
7
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
8
The idea I ● Find a motivation ● Find team strengths and reinforce weaknesses ● Think what to do before doing it ● Don’t make a simple idea into a complex one ● Empower motivations (prototype/video of your
game?)
9
The idea II ● Find innovative
products (people gets bored of the same game)
● What makes your game original?
NOTHING
10
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
11
Roadmap ● Organization &
Planification ● Divide tasks efficiently
& focus! ● Create (realistic!)
short/long term plannings
● Progress Global view
12
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
13
Pre-launch ● Q&A: Test the game before shipping it,
players are not testers! ● Start the marketing before the launch, let
the world know you are there ● Clear, readable description & keywords
for your game
14
Pre-launch ● Promote the game
o Empower the virality of the game
o Spread the word (youtube, twitter, press releases)
15
Pre-launch ● Play your game ● Bad times, high
spirit
16
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
17
Post-launch I
18
● Fix your bugs ● Unmaintained games
don’t last much ● Update the game
(new content)
Post-launch II
19
● Player retention (daily rewards, etc…)
● DAU / MAU
Post-launch III
20
● Add tracking & study your metrics (GA, Flurry, etc…)
● Funnels
Post-launch IV
21
� Example case: � WWII: TCG Tutorial
Post-launch V
22
● Soft-launch the game
Post-launch VI
23
● Keep forums healthy
● Yes, we CARE
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
24
Marketing ● Save a budget for
the marketing ● Player acquisition ● Visibility ● Virality (Social
features)
25
What do I need? 1. The resources 2. The idea 3. The roadmap 4. Pre-launch 5. Post-launch 6. Marketing
26
Project Castles
27
Game Briefing ● Genre: Medieval / fantasy ● Online ARTS ● Engine: Unreal Engine 3 ● Prototype Development time: 3 months. ● Platforms: PC
28
Prototype
29
30
World War II: TCG
31
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
32
Briefing � Digital TCG � Current Platforms: iOS (iPad, iPhone) � Future Platforms: Android, Facebook,
Kongregate & Steam � Develop time: 14 months. � Dev. team size: #3
33
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
34
Idea Conception � We like TCG’s � Not so many competitors � Existing competitors make too much $ � Professional Game quality
35
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
36
Documentation � Helps understanding the game � Documented features == happy coders J � Prevents communication lack &
misunderstandings
37
Documentation ● Mockups, mockups and more mockups
38
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
39
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
40
Simplicity I
41
Simplicity II
42
Simplicity III
43
Simplicity IV
44
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
45
Resource System
46
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
47
Playing and upgrading cards
48
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
49
Abilities
50
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
51
Double lane & No graveyard
52
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
53
Game Modes
54
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
55
Card types
56
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
57
Social
58
Key Concepts � Simplicity � Resource system � Playing and upgrading cards � Abilities � Double lane & No graveyard � Game Modes � 3 Card types � Social
59
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
60
Monetization � F2P but not P2W � Remove “payed” features giving
advantages to a player in game. � Revenues from non-advantageous
content.
61
Monetization
62
Monetization
63
Monetization � On F2P games
� Speed leveling up stuff / access to new features.
� Access the full game � Remove ads? � As long as you don’t disturb the balance…
64
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
65
UI � Intuitive � Informative � Usable � Beautiful
66
UI II Good Bad
67
Fallout UI Oblivion UI
WWII: TCG 1. Briefing 2. Idea Conception 3. Documentation 4. Key Concepts 5. Monetization 6. UI 7. Session Stop 8. Gameplay Video
68
Session Stop I
69
Energy Losing units
Session Stop II
70
� We uses lives system.
� Empowers virality � Sometimes gives
revenue
Give me more!
71
72
World War II: TCG 10’ Gameplay Demo & Break
73
Gameplay Basic mechanics
74
Gameplay I
75
� Avoid patterns
Gameplay II
76
� Games are puzzles � When you play a
game you will only play it until you master the pattern
� Once mastered, the game becomes boring
Gameplay III � Players will play your game until it gets
boring � Enjoy while learning to play, no more
boring tutorials � Easy to learn, hard to master
77
Gameplay IV
78
� Players seeking to advance in a game will always try to optimize what they’re doing
Gameplay V
79
� Make plans for the mastered players (online / multiplayer)
Gameplay VI
80
� User generated content? (Draw something, Where’s my water, etc…)
Game timelapse I
81
Game timelapse II
82
Game timelapse III
83
Game timelapse IV
84
Make a fun game! � Demo / Tutorial (Show some of what they’ll get)
85
Make a fun game! L
86
Make a fun game! J
87
How to add meaning to your game? � The secret is in the little details.. � Recommended video: “The art of
ScreenShake – Ja Willem Nijman (from Vlambeer)
88
How to add meaning to your game? “The art of Screenshake” · Vlambeer’s Ja Willem Nijman’s Gameplay Demo
89
How to add meaning to your game? � Build awesome First user experience � Bigger bullets, fire rate… � Screen Shake � Camera kick, camera LERP � Corpses & shells permanence � Gun kicking � Smoke effects, slow-motion � Make it a challenge
90
Agile methodologies Scrum
91
Agile methodologies
92
Design
Build
Test
Release
Why agile? � It has been proved: “It Works” � Rapid delivery � Reduces overall risk � It’s a must for videogame development
Iterative planning + feedback loops
Easy adaptability to changing requirements
93
What’s interesting Scrum
� 2-4 weeks iterations � Changes in Sprints
not allowed � Priority depends on
the Product Owner
XP (Extreme Progr.)
� 1-2 weeks iterations � Changes in Sprints
allowed � Work in strict priority
order
94
What is Scrum?
95
� Simplicity � Flexibility � Adaptability � Small Teams
Main Roles � Product Owner (PO)
� Represents the client � Manages Dev.team & backlog
� Scrum Master (SM) � Removes impediments
� Dev. Team � Stakeholders
96
97
Product Backlog
Feature
Feature Feature
Sprint Backlog
Communication
Stakeholder
Dev. Team PO
Output
Feature Requests
Never-ending Process
Product Backlog Example Backlog Item Priority (1-10)
Historical Missions 2 Trading cards with people 8 Restoring purchases 9 Double-tap returns to level 1 Keep track of purchases 10
98
Product Backlog Example
99
Track purchases
Restore purchases
Trading cards system
Historical Missions
Double Tap
Backlog priority pyramid
Sprint
Release
Future Features
100
Backlog real-life example
101
Sprint (or Iteration)
102
� Daily � 10-15’ � Standing! 1. What did you do 2. What will you do 3. Any impediments?
Is applicable if… � You are able to fill a Product backlog � You have a team � You have a Product Owner (PO) � You have a Scrum Master (SM) (can be
anyone)
103
Scrum graphically
104
Agile Product Ownership in a Nutshell – Henrik Kniberg
Agile Product Ownership in a nutshell A video by Henrik Kniberg
105
106
Summarizing… � Iterations (never-ending development process) � Adaptability to changes � Establish Roles � Daily Meetings � Documentation (Product Backlog, sprint backlog) � Rapid deliveries � Communication
107
Game Over. Thank you for listening! Questions? cgascons@frozenshard.com cgascons
108