Indie Games - From Prototype to Polish, Tips & Tricks making your own indie game. (Shanghai 2014)

Indie Games Tips & Tricks

By Anna Grueter @ ReignDesign

Nov 2014

Anna GrüterStudied Computer Science & Digital Media

over 10 years a developer

Anna GrüterStudied Computer Science & Digital Media

over 10 years a developer

5 years experience making mobile games

Anna GrüterStudied Computer Science & Digital Media

We made a lot of indie games

Successful Ones

Games with 4M downloads

Main App Store Featurein China multiple times

Ranked #2 Best Games in the USA App Store

Ranked higher thanAngry Birds in their good days

Featured New & Noteworthy sections in many countries

A ton of failures

1 year of working hard== minimal users

no return of investment

no or minimal revenuebad reviews, noranking

store-versions with bugs, crashes, bad UI

Original Ones

And less original ones…

Why Make Games?

Why Make Games?

Motivation Motivation

But there are lesser known rewards

Pigs picture

Thats Awesome!

Thats Awesome!

THATS AWESOME

A scientist contacting us for the flocking algorithm he saw in our game, because he is working tiny robots

that enter the human body and that need to be controlled like a flock.

THATS AWESOME

Thats Awesome!

#1Connect with your users

#2Prototype Or

Fail Often

1. Make a Quick Prototype.Strip out anything but the absolute essentials that make it fun. No special graphics either, nothing.

1. Make a Quick Prototype.Strip out anything but the absolute essentials that make it fun. No special graphics either, nothing.

2. Give it to someone. Observe them, is it as good as in your mind? Do they think it’s fun? No?

1. Make a Quick Prototype.Strip out anything but the absolute essentials that make it fun. No special graphics either, nothing.

2. Give it to someone. Observe them, is it as good as in your mind? Do they think it’s fun? No?

3. Throw away your idea. Work on something else. This is essential for all parts of the process. If it sucks, throw it out.

4. Don’t expect everyone to share your vision from day one.

YEAH ITS A LOT OF FUN BUT… IT’S LIKE TETRIS IN BLACK & WHITE WITH BALLS.

What did she really say?

YEAH ITS A LOT OF FUN BUT…

IT’S LIKE TETRIS IN BLACK & WHITE WITH BALLS.

#3 First time

Experience

Why?

Why?

How do you use apps?

Why?

How do you use apps?

Why?

How do you use apps?

1 day Retention

50%

Why?

How do you use apps?

1 day Retention

7 day Retention

50% 33%

Why?

How do you use apps?

1 day Retention

7 day Retention

30 day Retention

50% 33% 8%

100 Levels

10 Levels

#4 Tutorials

Or Show, don’t tell

1. Show Don’t TellTutorials should be noticed as such

Teach the user seamlessly through your level design

Teach controls in a safe environment

Introduce each new challenge or obstacle in a controlled environment…

… where you can learn without immediately dying.

Too hard

Boring

Too hard

Boring

A fun Challenge

Too hard

Boring

A fun Challenge

2. Create smart levels - or why your game should be as smart as a dog.

#5 Branding

Especially indie developersshould make use of this.

Are you making more than one game?

Your games need a posse.

Make use of these branding rules:

Make use of these branding rules:

1. Brand the icons (findability)

Make use of these branding rules:

2. Brand the names (findability)If one game is successful and its called • Crazy Grandma in the jungle or • MiniApps - The Race All games will show up in the search results.

Make use of these branding rules:

3. Cross-promote your other gamesIf you’ve gotten one user, and he played your game - make your own in-game ads for your other games. It can even be tied to achievements even.

Make use of these branding rules:

4. Brand quality & visual styleWhen you brand something there is a expectation involved when people download a second app. Make sure that the visual style + level of quality are comparable / consistent.

#6 Know your

Game Or

Not all Success looks the same.

Is your game targeted at China?

Know your audience

Know your audience

Are you making a gap-filler game?

Know your audience

A game for kids?

Know your audience

A game for middle aged women?

Summary

#1 Connect with your users #2 Prototype - Fail often #3 First time experience #4 Tutorials - Show don’t tell #5 Branding #6 Know your game

Thank you