2005 TRENDS IN Casual Game Design Scott Kim, Puzzlemaster Casual Games Summit, Mon, Mar 7 Game Developers Conference 2005 SEQUELS MULTIPLATFORM
2005 TRENDS IN
Casual Game Design
Scott Kim, PuzzlemasterCasual Games Summit, Mon, Mar 7Game Developers Conference 2005
SEQUELS
MULTIPLATFORM
SEQUELS
Common in all mediaSEQUELS
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
MOVIES:Spiderman II
PC GAMES:Sims II
CASUAL GAMES:Bejeweled II
Good business
• PITCHING: Easy sell• MARKETING: Built-in audience• PRODUCTION: Re-use assets• GAME DESIGN: Proven play pattern
SEQUELS
How to improve the original?
• WORSE: Matrix Reloaded• BETTER: Shrek II• SERIAL: Harry Potter
SEQUELS
Case study: Bejeweled
First web downloadable hit, still sells.
SEQUELS
Case study: Bejeweled
• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…
SEQUELS
Case study: Bejeweled
• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…
• Add modes: Bejeweled II, Tetris
SEQUELS
Case study: Bejeweled
• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…
• Add modes: Bejeweled II, Tetris• Change rewards: Bejeweled II
SEQUELS
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
3 in a row = clear
4 in a row = bomb
5 in a row = hypercube
Case study: Bejeweled
• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…
• Add modes: Bejeweled II• Change rewards: Bejeweled II• Change goal: Jewel Quest
SEQUELS
Goal: turn board gold
MULTIPLATFORM
Good business
• PITCHING: Easy sell• MARKETING: Built-in audience• PRODUCTION: Re-use assets• GAME DESIGN: Proven play pattern
MULTIPLATFORM
Multiplatform titles
• Top Gun (Mforma) MOVIE > MOBILE
MULTIPLATFORM
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
Multiplatform titles
• Final Fantasy (Square Enix) PS2 > MOBILE
MULTIPLATFORM
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Multiplatform titles
• Driv3r (Atari/Sorrent) PS2 + MOBILE
MULTIPLATFORM
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Design issue: adapting
• BAD: Rubik on PC, Final Fantasy movie
• GOOD: Lord of the Rings movies• NATURAL: Tetris, Pacman mobile
MULTIPLATFORM
Design issue: adapting
• Bejeweled (Popcap/Jamdat)
MULTIPLATFORM
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
Turn-based games on small boards are easy to translate
Design issue: adapting
• Zuma (Popcap/Sorrent)
MULTIPLATFORM
Action games are harder to translate
Design issue: adapting
• Dell Crossword (Blue Lava Wireless)
MULTIPLATFORM
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Old puzzles in a new medium can be an awkward fit
Design issue: adapting
• Daily Puzzle (Sorrent)
MULTIPLATFORM
Instead, design to fit the limits of both media.Design for
the more limited medium first
Scott Kim, Puzzlemasterscottkim.com