Killer Design Patterns for F2P Mobile/Tablet Games

Killer Design Patterns for F2P mobile/tablet games Henric SuuronenPresident & Co-FounderNonstop Games

Henric Suuronen@henricgames

Director or PMHelsinki/Barcelona

Head of StudioBerlin

Co-FounderSingapore

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Fun Patterns

Killer Designs Patterns for F2P mobile/tablet games

Economy Patterns Social Patterns

#1: Core Loop Design

Core Loop is the Heart of the Game

Core Loop Design

Source: www.deconstructoroffun.blogspot.com

Good Game Loop?

• Real-life simulation• Fun 1 time – Fun 1000 times• Few steps (4-6 max)• PvP or Trading element• Smart-Depth• Good Closure (session

management)

Smart-Depth

An extra layer ON the core game loop that adds strategy and more ‘game’

- Placing Units More with Thought- Placing buildings optimally (=defenses)- Planning optimal builder assignment

Common loop mistakes

• Object disappears at the end• User does not get in-game money

from the Core loop -> focus else• Too complex/imaginary• Slow animations -> not responsive• Several Game Loops• Too simple

Core Loop Confusing

#2: Session Design

#2: Session DesignGame should encourage frequent short sessions but also

allow longer sessions

>10 10 min sessions per dayWhat do you do?

Can you enjoy game for longer sessions?

Frequent Session Support

“Supercell’s two games are now played by 8.5 million people every day, who play the games 10 times per day on average.”

APRIL 17, 2013

“AC” –mechanic great

http://henricsuuronen.com/blog/the-ac-mechanic/

Quickly becoming standard in successful games.

Great for: • Click distribution• Short game session• Progression balance• “Smth to do”

How to do Session Stop?

Pure Facebook Energy mechanic not optimal

Great Session StopLosing units (even surviving ones) creates a GREAT session stop in addition to strategical layer

#3: Made for Touch

#3: Made for Touch

• Touch Requires a different UI than desktop

• Still too much point and click

• Users expect to be able to pinch & swipe

• No compromises

Bad Porting UI – not touch friendly

Difficult to train Troops3 cluttered screens needed to train troops?

Tailor-made for TouchBig pics that you swipe

#4: The “Wow”

#4: The “WoW”

• Deliver NEW Emotion• Sets you apart from the

800000 other apps• Makes you memorable• Creates best virality: real

word of mouth. • Can be small details

“Wow” Examples: Visual Awe

“Wow”: Crazy Achievement

“WoW”: Pinch zoom transition

“Wow”: New Mechanic

“Wow”: Funny Easter Eggs

Fun Patterns Economy Patterns Social Patterns

#5: Progression Planning

#5: Progression planning

Basic Check-List• First session progression• Screenshot after first session • 1 week objective defining• The 6 month player “art test”• The “tile test” calculation• Complexity progression• Balancing, balancing, balancing

Tightly related to monetization & LTV

Unlock Features Progressively

• Un-lock new features or resources at 3 days, 1 week, 1 month, 2 months of play

• Don’t have new players overwhelmed

• High-level players bulk of revenue, the new stuff will increase their retention

Great support for High-level Player

#6: Monetization and LTV

#6: Monetization Design

• When doing F2P you must know math

• No money cap• Console Companies clueless• Can you spend >$5000?• LTV importance

Asian Style Items Evolvement can lead to high LTV

Free 2 Play – Not Pay to win!

Fun Patterns Economy Patterns Social Patterns

#7: Real Social Patterns

This is NOT social!

#7: Real Social Patterns

PvP, Co-opUGCTradingChattingForming AlliancesSending resourcesHelping newbies

Social is often time sensitiveGreat for mobile & Push Notif.

PvPFantasy SportsTradingBidding

Great Social Casino

• Most social casino• Player Profiles• Gifting (real money)• Messaging• Status• “Flirting”

Great Active Chat

• Social Glue• Very active• Social feeling• Means of

communication• Strategies,

resources sending• Make new friends

See the your Friends - competition

#8: Events

#8: Plan for Events

• Western publishers suck –Asia Rules!

• Events critical for long-term• Events are social• Events drive monetization• Kings of this in Asia

Puzzle & Dragons events• Game Feels fresh• Special enemies that

require special units to beat• Bosses• Special Item Drops• Themes

Continue to monetize high LTV players

Fun Patterns Economy Patterns Social Patterns

#1 Core Loop

#2 Session Mngmt

#3 Made for Touch

#4 The “Wow”

#5 Progression

#6 Monetization

#7 Real Social

#8 Events

“I think game design is the new MBA”

Bing Gordon

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-07-23-game-industry-legends-bing-gordon

Great Times for Game Design

Great Times for Game Design

“The San Francisco school of making games", where "you can optimise your way to everything: design doesn't matter, you can test everything and iterate your way to the end"

"Sure, they (Supercell) track analytics, but they make decisions based on what feels right from a design perspective. Instead of analysing things to death, they step back and say 'how do we make this a more-fun game?’

KRISTIAN SEGERSTRÅLE 2013

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/appsblog/2013/may/30/supercell-kristian-segerstrale-free-to-play-games

RETURN GAME DESIGNEROFTHE

Mobile Wars

Slides available on: www.nonstop-games.com

Henric Suuronen@henricgames

Thank you!Questions?