20082009CasualGamesWhitePaper

AProjectoftheCasualGamesSIGoftheIGDA Findoutmoreatwww.igda.org/casual

Contents
Contents..........................................................................................................................................2 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................6 UnderstandingCasualGames.........................................................................................................8 TheMarketforCasualGames.....................................................................................................8 OverviewofCasualGameBusinessModels..............................................................................10 TheCasualGameAudience.......................................................................................................14 GlobalDesignPrinciples............................................................................................................16 ArtStyle.....................................................................................................................................26 AudioinCasualGames..............................................................................................................32 AreWritersNeededForCasualGames?...................................................................................39 CharactersandNarrative..........................................................................................................42 QA&BetaTesting.....................................................................................................................49 LifeCycleofaCasualGame.......................................................................................................56 Localization................................................................................................................................60 IntellectualProperty..................................................................................................................62 TechnologyIssues......................................................................................................................73 TryandBuyDownloadableGames...............................................................................................77 WhatIsaTryandBuyDownloadableGame?...........................................................................77 ArtHistoryofDownloadableGames.........................................................................................79 TheAudienceandMarketforDownloadableGames...............................................................83 BusinessModels........................................................................................................................84 DesignPrinciples .......................................................................................................................87 . Production.................................................................................................................................89

KeyPlayers ................................................................................................................................92 . Advergames...................................................................................................................................96 Overview ...................................................................................................................................96 . ArtHistory.................................................................................................................................96 TheMarketandAudience.......................................................................................................100 BusinessModels......................................................................................................................100 AdvergameSpecificDesignPrinciples.....................................................................................104 Production&DevelopmentIssues..........................................................................................105 FundingModels.......................................................................................................................110 KeyPlayers ..............................................................................................................................110 . AdSupportedWebGames..........................................................................................................112 AdvertistingandGames..........................................................................................................112 OverviewofAdSupportedWebGames .................................................................................113 . MarketandAudienceforAdSupportedWebGames............................................................116 BusinessModelsforAdSupportedWebGames....................................................................117 ArtHistory...............................................................................................................................122 DesignPrinciplesforAdSupportedWebGames....................................................................125 ProductionIssues....................................................................................................................127 MajorCompaniesInvolvedwithAdvertisingandGames.......................................................128 ConsoleDownloads.....................................................................................................................130 ArtHistoryofConsoleDownloads..........................................................................................130 AListofthePlayersintheConsoleDownloadSpace.............................................................134 TheMarketandAudienceforConsoleDownloads.................................................................137 BusinessModelsforConsoleDownloads................................................................................140

SpecificDesignPrinciplesforConsoleDownloads..................................................................141 ProductionIssues....................................................................................................................144 References:..............................................................................................................................146 Skillgames...................................................................................................................................148 Overview .................................................................................................................................148 . History.....................................................................................................................................149 Audience..................................................................................................................................149 Businessoverview...................................................................................................................150 Designprinciplesofsuccessfulskillgames .............................................................................155 . Casestudy:WorldWinnersFamilyFeud.................................................................................159 MicrotransactionSupportedGames...........................................................................................166 WhatisMTX?..........................................................................................................................166 Originsofthebusinessmodelingames..................................................................................166 AsianExperiences....................................................................................................................167 Westernexperiences...............................................................................................................168 MTXMarketOverview.............................................................................................................168 MicrotransactionAudience.....................................................................................................173 GameProductionandDevelopment.......................................................................................173 Listofkeyplayers....................................................................................................................177 DerivativeProducts.....................................................................................................................179 CasualGamesonMobilePhones............................................................................................179 CasualGamesatRetail............................................................................................................183 CasualGamesontheMacintosh.............................................................................................188 AppendixACasualGamesMeetSeriousGames......................................................................190

Introduction.............................................................................................................................190 ReasonsforCasualSeriousGames..........................................................................................191 Reasonsfordevelopers...........................................................................................................193 MarketSize..............................................................................................................................195 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................196 AppendixB:CasualGamesinIndia.............................................................................................197 WhoistheIndiangamer?.......................................................................................................197 DriversofOnlineGaminginIndia...........................................................................................199 GamingIndustryForecastforIndia.........................................................................................200 WaystogrowInternet&Onlinegamingmarket....................................................................203 KeyPlayersinIndianMarket...................................................................................................204 AppendixCContributorBios....................................................................................................206 SectionEditors.........................................................................................................................206 UnderstandingCasualGamesWriters....................................................................................208 AdvergamingSectionWriters..................................................................................................211 MicrotransactionSupportedGamesWriters..........................................................................212 DerivativeProductsandAppendixWriters.............................................................................213

Introduction
2007and2008havebeenyearsoftremendouschangeforthecasualgameindustry.From 20012006,thebusinessseemedsimple.Thevastmajorityofindustrywastremendously focused:wemadesmalldownloadgamesdesignedtoappealtomiddleagedwomendelivered overtheinternetandplayedonPC.Wemostlycreatedsimplepuzzle,action,andwordgames. Playerscoulddownloadthemfromavarietyofhightrafficportalsandplaythemfor60minutes withoutcharge.Iftheylikedthem,theypaid$20(orabitlesswithabuyersclubtype subscription)andthedistributorandthedevelopersplitthemoneyinvariousproportions.If theplayerdidntlikethemwellenoughtopay(andabout99%ofdownloadsdidntresultina payment),theplayerwentonandplayedsomethingelse.Withthissimplemodel,thecasual gamemarketgrewitselffroma$25millionanomalyin2002to$500+millionbusinessin2006. Anditdidsowithoutdrawingtoomuchattentionfromexistinglargegamepublishers. Thisisnottosaythatpeoplewerentcreatingothertypesofcasualgamesduringtheseyears.A fewbravesoulswerebuildingbusinessesonads,subscriptions,andmicrotransactions,butby andlargetheywereseenasbeingonthemarginsoftheindustry.Therewaslittleornodoubt thatwhenyousetouttodiscusscasualgames,youmeantdownloadabletryandbuygames targetedatsoccermoms. In2007and2008,thingsbeganchangingforcasualgames.Realrevenuesbegantoemergein theadsupportedandadvergamingsectors.Microtransactionsuccessstoriesbegantoemerge bothwithAsianimports(wheremicrotransactionshavebeenthekeyrevenuemodelforonline gamessince2000)andhomegrownNorthAmericanproducts.Dedicatedgameconsoles launchedgamedownloadservicesandcasualgamedevelopersgreetedthemwithopenarms. Majorpackagedgoodsgamepublishersopeneddivisionsdevotedentirelytothecasualmarket. TheNintendoWiimadetheconceptofcasualplayinpackagedgoodsconsolegamesanindustry watchword.Andsuddenly,thefactthatcasualgamesarethefastestgrowingsegmentofthe gameindustrywasntescapinganyone. The2008IGDACasualGamesWhitePaperisanattemptatreflectingthesuddengrowthand diversificationthattheindustryhasexperienced.TheWhitePaperbeginsbyestablishinga frameworkforunderstandingwhatcasualgamesareallaboutandhowtheyaredifferentfrom whatmostofthemainstreampressconsidersthegameindustry.Thisisfollowedbysections thatdiveinandtakeacarefullookatavarietyofcategoriesandformatsofcasualgames, helpingyoutounderstandhowtheyaredesigned,built,funded,andpaidout.Wetrytogive youabitofvisibilityongamesthathavemovedeachcategoryandtohelpyouunderstandwho isbuyingeachtypeofgame.Itisourhopethatagoodreadingofthewhitepaperwillgiveyoua senseofthesweepandscopeoftheindustryandhelptofocusyoureffortsasyouworkon creatingthegreatcasualgamesofthefuture.

The2008IGDACasualGamesWhitePaperistheresultofatremendousoutpouringofeffort fromthecasualgamecommunity.Morethan50peoplecontributedtothedocumentyouare reading.Somewrotethearticles,someedited,andsomehelpedwithprojectmanagement.All areexpertsonsomesegmentofthecasualgameindustryandallgavetheirtimeasvolunteers tocreatethisdocument.Ifyouseethevalueintheirefforts,pleasehelptopayitbackby supportingtheIGDAasamemberorvolunteer. ThiswhitepaperisoneofseveralkeyinitiativesfromtheIGDACasualGameSIG.Inadditionto thewhitepaper,wepublishanewsletteroncurrentdevelopmentsincasualgames,maintainan activemailinglist,andtakeonvariousinitiativestopromotebestpracticesinthecasualgame field.Youcanlearnmoreaboutoureffortsathttp://www.igda.org/casual.Wehopeyoulltake advantageofthemanyfreeresourcesweprovide. Asafinalnote,onetestamenttotherapidpaceofchangeincasualgamesisthatseveral categoriesofcasualgamethatbarelyexistedwhenworkstartedonthiswhitepaper(inJulyof 2007)havebecomeveryimportanttoourindustry.Thosecategoriesarentcoveredinthis editionofthewhitepaper.WehopetodeliverwhitepaperupdatesoncasualMMOgames, socialnetworkgames,andiPhonegamesin2009. Thanksfortakingthetimetodownloadthe2008IGDACasualGamesWhitePaper.Wehope youllfinditusefulandinformative.Astheindustrycontinuestoinvolve,welldoourbestto keepituptodateandrelevant.Wehopethatyoucomeawayfromitfeelingbetterinformed andperhapsevenabitmoreinspiredaboutmakingcasualgames.Ifwehavedonethat,then themanyhundredsofhoursofvolunteereffortwereverywellworthit. November30,2008 DaveRohrl 2008IGDACasualGameWhitePaperEditor

UnderstandingCasualGames
SectionEditorJonathanGreechan,OnlineMediaConsultant

TheMarketforCasualGames
JonathanGreechan,OnlineMediaConsultant WhatisaCasualGame? Onceconsideredgamesfortherestofus,casualgameshavequicklytransformedfroman emergingnichemarkettoamainstreamforcethatischangingnotonlythevideogamebusiness, butarguablytheentertainmentindustryasawhole. AccordingtotheCasualGamesAssociation2007MarketReport,Casualgamesarevideogames developedforthemassconsumer,eventhosewhowouldnotnormallyregardthemselvesasa gamer.Whilethisdefinitionmayseemoverlyvagueandfarencompassing,itiscorrectlyso. Casualgamesareplayedbyeveryone,fromchildrentograndmothers,andprofessionalbankers tostayathomemoms,andeverywhere,fromonlineportalstoconsoles,cellphonesto airplanesevennexttothebeertapatyourlocalwateringhole.Theycomeinallshapesand sizes,andextendfarbeyondthelighthearted,femaleover35targeteddownloadablepuzzle gamesthathavecometocommonlydefinethem. Thereareseveralcharacteristicsthatmostcasualgamesshare; Lowbarriertoentryeasytolearngameplay. Simplecontrols.Forexample,mosthitPCcasualgamesfeatureasimplepointandleft mouseclickcontrolscheme. Gameplaythatisaddictive,butstillabletobeconsumedinshortincrements.Infact, mostcasualgamesareplayedin520minuteincrementseitherduringlunchorafter dinner(CGA2007MarketReport). Forgiving,nonpunishinggameplay.Forexample,mosthiddenobjectgamesallowyou tomakeseveralfalseclicksbeforeanypenaltyoccurs. Carefullycraftedrampingameplaycomplexity.Forexample,inHipSoftsBuildaLot, thecitymayorguidesyouthroughthefirstlevelsandgraduallyintroducesyoutomore depthinthegameplay. CasualGamestendbeinclusive,ratherthanexclusive.Forexample,MysteryCaseFiles employsagenderneutral,mainstreammysterysolvingtheme,andmanyothergames featureanentrepreneurialthemewhichresonateswithmostpeople.Veryrarelydoyou seecasualgameswithovertviolenceorsexuality.

CasualGamestendtospeaktoaplayersdesireforfunandrelaxation,ratherthanthe desireforadrenalineorsensualstimulationtypicallyservedbyhardcoregames. CasualGamestypicallyrequirealowerproductionbudgetthantraditionalhardcore games,althoughthisgapisnarrowing.

However,itcantbestatedenoughthatmostofthecharacteristicsabovearetypicalofmost casualgames,butnotall.Infact,perhapsthebestdefinitionforcasualgamesisthecommon denominatorthatunitesthemall;accessibility.Inotherwords,casualgamescanbedefinedas gameswithalowbarriertoentrythatcanbeenjoyedinshortincrements.Whateverthe definition,onethingisforsurecasualgameshaveemergedasamassmarketentertainment medium,andasnewdistributionandmonetizationmodelscontinuetoproliferate,newtypesof gameswillemergethatservepreviouslyunexploitedaudiencesandfurtherexpandour understandingofwhatacasualgameis. MarketGrowth Theoverallcasualgameindustryisa$2.25billionayearmarketthatiscurrentlygrowingby20% annually(CGA2007MarketReport).Infact,accordingtocomScore,over25%ofinternetusers worldwidenowplayonlinegameseveryweekwhichequatestoover200millionusers worldwide(CGA2007MarketReport).Manyofthemajorportalsnowboastseveralthousand games,withover300newgamelaunchesayear. Thisrapidgrowthintheindustryhasledtomanysignificantdevelopmentsoverthepastseveral quarters.In2007,severallargevideogamecompaniesdisplayedtheircommitmenttocasual gamesbycreatingdedicateddepartmentstofocusonthisgrowingsector.Notlongthereafter, Facebookopeneditsplatformtothemasses,andtheSocialGamingsectorwasborn.Earlierthis year,RealNetworksannounceditsintenttospinoffitscasualgamesbusinessintoaseparate company,andmorerecently,bothBigFishGamesandOberonMediaraisedsignificantcapitalin ordertopromoteglobalexpansion.Numerousadvertisingstartupshaveenteredthesceneto helpmonetizecasualgames,andevenGooglehasjoinedthefray,recentlyannouncingAdSense forGames.Allthewhile,newdistributionplatformssuchastheiPhoneandWiiWarecontinue tospurevenmorecasualgamegrowthandinvestmenteveryday. Oneofthekeybiproductsofthisexplosivegrowthhasbeentherealignmentofcompaniesin thesector.Coopetition,wherecompanieswouldcooperateonsomeinitiativeswhilecompete onothers,isdiminishing.ManyportalshaveceasedtodistributetheirIPtocompetitors,while alsobuildingwalledgamecommunitiesfocusedonconsumerloyalty.Manycompanieshave scaledbacktheiroperationsandspecialized.Othercompanies,suchasOberon,havemade acquisitionsandverticallyintegratedcombininggamedevelopment,production,and distributiononmultipleplatformsaspartoftheirserviceoffering.

Themarketforcasualgameshascertainlymatured,andthroughoutthiswhitepaperleadersin thedifferentmarketsectorswillreviewindetailthehistory,audience,keyplayers,andbusiness modelsspecifictoeachsector.

OverviewofCasualGameBusinessModels
JonathanGreechan,OnlineMediaConsultant Thefollowingoverviewonbusinessmodelsisdividedbythepointofpurchase;whetheronline, atretail,oroveramobiledevice.Thesemodelsaredescribedinmorespecificitythroughoutthe restofthiswhitepaper. OnlineDistributionModels 1. DownloadTrialtoPurchase Inthedownloadtrialtopurchasemodel,usersareofferedatrialversionofagame, usuallytimeand/orfeaturelimited,andthenencouragedtopurchaseafullversionof thegame.Pricepointsvary,butgenerallygamesaresoldfrom$5$30.Thismodelin manywayshasestablishedthecasualgamesindustryasawhole.Indeed,thebeautyof thismodelisthatitallowsuserstotryagamebeforetheybuy,whichopenedupthe marketforsocallednongamersbyexposingthemtonewtypesofgames.Another advantageofthismodelisthatitisgenerallymoredemocraticthantraditionalretail models,becausestronggameplaycandrivesalesmuchmorethanmarketingbudgetsor widelyknownIP.However,thismodelalsocomeswithitsdrawbacks.Conversionrates, ortheratioofuserswhodownloadatrialtothosethatpurchaseafullversion,generally onlyhoveraround12%onaverage,witharound5%forhitgames. ThevastmajorityofgamesonthismodelaresoldonthePC,howevertheMacis growingasaviableplatformaswell.WhilethelackofstandardMacDRMsandlow hardwarepenetrationcontinuetoholdMacdistributiondown,severalportalsnowoffer Macgames,suchasGamehouse,BigFishGames,ReflexiveandPlayFirst.Infact, Reflexive'sRussellCarrollreportsthatsomeoriginalReflexiveMactitlesearn15%ofthe game'stotalrevenue.Ifanything,thebestcasefordistributingontheMacisthelackof competitioncomparedtothePC. Otherquicklygrowingdistributionchannelsaretheonlineservicesofferedbynewer consoles,aswellasthesettopbox.XboxLiveArcade(XBLA)alreadyboastsmany popularcasualgames.Infact,atthetimeofthiswriting,FeedingFrenzy2isthenumber 3gameonallofXBLA.However,therecentunveilingoftheWiiWarestoremayprove tobeanevengreateropportunityforcasualexpansionofthedownloadtrialto purchasemodelbecausetheWiiisgenerallyregardedasabettercasualgameplatform, withmoreproductionqualitylenientrequirementsfordistributionthanXBLA.

10

Moreinformationonthedownloadtrialtopurchasemodelcanbefoundinthe DownloadableGamesectionofthiswhitepaper. 2. AdSupportedContent Inthismodel,gamesareofferedforfreetousersinexchangeforadvertisingplaced aroundorinsidethegame.Thismarketiscurrentlydominatedbyonlinewebgames abletobeplayedinabrowser,whichcancomeintheinboththesingleplayerand multiplayervariety.CPMsforadsaroundgamestendtobehigherthanotherformsof onlinemediaspecificallyforvideointerstitialsstrategicallyplacedbeforegamesorin betweenlevelsbecauseadvertisersareabletoreachamoretargetedandattentive audience.Inaddition,theadvertisingmodelhasexpandedthemarketbymonetizing casualgameaudiencesthatarenotaslikelytopayforgames,suchusersonsocial networksandteenagers. Overthepastfewyears,ingameadvertisinghasbeguntoshowupindownloadable contentaswell,specificallyonportalssuchasRealArcadeandWildTangent.Inthese cases,advertisingisdisplayedinsidethedownloadablegame,allowingportalstooffer thesegamesforlongerorevenindefinitetrials.Thishasproventobeanefficientwayto notonlymonetizetrialdownloads,butalsotoextendtherevenuegeneratingwindow forgames(byintroducingingameadvertisingafterthegamessalescyclehasrunits course). Theadvertisingmodelhasalsohelpedspurnanewindustrywidefocusoncreatingand fosteringstrongcommunitiesofplayers.Whereasdownloadablegamestendtotake playersawayfromaportal,adsupportedonlinesingleandmultiplayergamescankeep playersonaportalandlookingatmoreadvertising.Communityfeaturessuchaschat, profiles,andvirtualawardshavebeenintroducedonmanyofthelargerportalsto furtherdrivestickinessandadvertisingrevenue. MoreinformationontheadsupportedcontentmodelcanbefoundintheAd SupportedGamesectionofthiswhitepaper. 3. Advergames Advergamescanbestbedefinedasagamewherethegameitselfisusedtodeliveran advertisersmessage(asopposedtoadsupportedcontent,whereadsaresimplyplaced aroundagame).Thesegamesaretypicallyfullyfundedbytheadvertiser,builtona workforhirebasisbyadeveloper,anddeliveredtotheconsumerforfree.However, advertisersoftenworkcloselywithdeveloperstorebrandandconceptuallyincorporate theirbrandsintoestablishedcasualgamesaswell.

11

Whilemostadvergamestendtobeofthefreeonlinevariety,BurgerKingrecentlymade headlinesbyreleasingthreeoriginalXboxadvergames,sellingover3millionunitsin theirstores.Whilethiscaseismoretheexceptionthantherule,advergamesare certainlyanattractivewayformarketerstobreakthroughtheclutterandreacha targeted,captiveaudience. MoreinformationontheadvergamesmodelcanbefoundintheAdvergamingsection ofthiswhitepaper. 4. SkillBasedGames Alsoknownascashprizegamesortournamentgames,skillbasedgamescanbe definedasgamespredominantlydeterminedbyskill,whereplayersprovideanentryfee tocompeteagainstotherplayersforcashorprizes.Skillbasedgameoperatorsmake moneybysubtractingasmallpercentageoftheentryfeesbeforerewardingtheprizeto thewinner.Manytopcasualgamebrandsareonskillgamingsites,suchasBejeweled, DinerDash,andLuxor,howevermostexistinggamesneedtoberedesignedinorderto minimizechance. Sinceverylargeaudiencesandhighsecuritystandardsareneededtosustainthis businessmodel,thissectorhasundergonesignificantconsolidationoverthepastfew years.Regulationagainstskillbasedgamesalsovariesthroughouttheglobe,andeven throughoutdifferentstatesintheU.S. MoreinformationontheskillbasedgamesmodelcanbefoundintheSkillGames sectionofthiswhitepaper. 5. Subscription Subscriptionsarefoundthroughoutallaspectsofcasualgames,fromMMOGandonline communities,todownloadgames.Thestabilitythatrecurringrevenuebringshas obviouslyenticedmanycompaniesinthespacetopursuethismodel,buttodatethere havebeenfarmorefailuresthansuccesses.Developerstypicallyshareinasites subscriptionrevenuebasedontheusageoftheircontent. Therearemanyvariationsonsubscriptionplansincasualgames,butthetwo predominantformsaretheallyoucaneatmodel,andthebookofthemonthmodel. Intheallyoucaneatmodel,subscriberspayamonthlyfeeandhaveaccesstoallofa sitesorgamescontentduringthelengthofthesubscription.Often,subscribersfree themselvesofanyonsiteadvertisingaswell.ExamplesincludePogossuccessful ClubPogosubscription,andThreeRingsPuzzlePiratesMMOsubscriptionplan.

12

Inthebookofthemonthmodel,subscriberspayamonthlyfeeandtypicallyreceivea freegameeverymonthandaccesstootherincentives,suchasreducedpricingon subsequentgamepurchases.ExamplesofthismodelincludeRealArcadesGamePass subscription,aswellasBigFishGamesGameClub. MoreinformationonthesubscriptionmodelcanbefoundintheDownloadableGames sectionofthiswhitepaperandintheCasualMMOsectionofthe2009WhitePaper Update. 6. Microtransactions Inthemicrotransactionmodel,playersaretypicallyallowedaccesstoafreegame experience,butthenencouragedtopurchasecheapvirtualitemsthatcanenhancetheir experience.Thismodelfareswellinthecasualmarket,becauseplayerscandecidehow theywanttoconsumecontent.Themicrotransactionmodelisalsofavoredforfinancial reasons,becauseconsumersareoftenmorewillingtomakemultiplesmallpurchases thanasinglelargepurchase,whilenonpayingconsumerscanstillbemonetized throughadvertising. ThismodelhasbeenprevalentinAsiaforyears,specificallyinpopularMMOssuchas KartRider.IntheWest,onlinecommunitiessuchasCaf.com,anddownloadablecasual gamessuchasDinerDash:HometownHero,havealsoemployedthismodeltogreat success.Thenumberofcasualgamesthataremonetizedthroughmicrotransactionsis destinedtogrowsignificantlyinthecomingmonths,becauseinvestmentinthesector continuestogrowandAsianmicrotransactionstalwartssuchasTencenthavebegun distributingtheirwaresinNorthAmerica. MoreinformationonthemicrotransactionmodelcanbefoundintheDownloadable GamesandShortSessionMicrotransactionGamessectionofthiswhitepaper,andinthe CasualMMOandSocialGamessectionsofthe2009WhitePaperUpdate. BrickandMortarRetail Inthismodel,thepackagedgameissoldatabrickandmortarretailertypicallyfor$1030. ThesegamescanbeeitherforthePC,Mac,Console,oraportablegamingdevice. Theinfluxoftraditionalgamepublishersintothecasualspacehasintroducedamuchmore fragmentedandcompetitiveretailenvironment.Relationshipswithkeyretailers,trackrecord, andstrongIPareoftenthekeytosuccess.Becauseofhigherpackaging,production,andshelf spacecosts,andinturn,greaterrisk,marginsforretailgamescanbesignificantlylowerthanthe downloadtrialtopurchasemodel.Inaddition,higherriskmeansonlythemostpopularcasual gameIPsevermakeittoretail.Asisthecaseinanyotherretailmedium,shelfplacement, marketing,andpresentationofproductcanhaveasignificantimpactonsales.

13

MoreinformationonthebrickandmortarretailmodelcanbefoundintheRetailsectionofthis whitepaper. Mobile Mobilegamesaretypicallyofferedforpurchaseeitherataonetimefee,oramonthly subscription.Thesecosts,typicallyaround$3$10agame,aretypicallyaddedtotheconsumers monthlyphonebill. Sincecasualgamesareoftensimpleandabletobeconsumedinshortsessions,themobile deviceisinmanywaystheperfectcasualgamingplatform.Inthepast,freetrialsformobile gameswerescarce,andasaresultlicensedIPdominatedthespace.Inaddition,carriercontent distributionrestrictionshavetraditionallylimitedmarketexpansion.However,theintroduction ofthedownloadtrialtopurchasemodeltomobile,aswellasmorepowerfulmobilegaming platforms(ie.theiPhone),presentasignificantopportunityformobilecasualcontentinthe future. MoreinformationonthemobilemodelcanbefoundintheMobileGamessectionofthis whitepaper.

TheCasualGameAudience
GregMills,DirectorofGames,AOLGames Overview Ascasualgamescontinuetobecomeaccessibleonallplatformsandtoallagesandgenders,the definitionandthesizeofcasualgamesaudiencecontinuestoexpandaswell.Sowhoisthe casualgameplayer?Theansweriseveryone.Eventhoughmarketresearchshowsthemajority oftheaudiencetodayiswomen3045yearsold,allagesandgendersplayonlinegamesandbuy downloadablegames;fromyoungmalesplayingcasualsportsandarcadegames,toseniors playingonlinebridge.Casualgameplayerstypicallyplaythesetypesofgamesinseekof diversion,socializationorcompetition. Eveninthevideogameindustrywhichhashistoricallytargetedhardcoregamerswhichskew towardsyoungermalesgameswithsimplegameplaythatattractthecasualgameraredriving seriousrevenue(ie.TheNintendoWii).Eventhesesocalledhardcoregameplayersalsotake timeouttoplaycasualgames,likepokerorsimpleactiongamesbecause,unliketheimmersive gamesthattheypredominantlyplay,casualgamesofferanicebreakforfunorsimple diversion.Theentiregamesindustryseemstofinallyunderstandtheimportanceand profitabilityofcreatingsimplegamesthatareaccessibletoeveryone,regardlessofplatform. Demographics Thedemographicsvarywidelyinthedifferentcasualgamesmarkets,somostsectionsinthis whitepaperfeatureadiscussionondemographics.However,thelargestdemographicinthe

14

casualgamesaudienceiscomprisedofwomen3045yearsold(Seechartbelow).Infact,the CasualGamesAssociationreportedthatwomenaccountfor74%ofpayingcasualgameplayers (2007CGACasualGamesReport).Thisdemographicismostlyplayingfreeonlinegamesinthe puzzle,word,andcardgenres. Withthatsaid,demographicsdovarybygenre,andevenwithinthesamegenre.Forexample, freeonlinecheckersattractsayoungerdemographic,whilefreeonlinebridgeattractsmostly menandwomenoverfiftyyearsold.Inaddition,freeonlinesportsandactiongamesattract mostlyamaleaudience,whilefreeonlineSolitaireandwordgamespredominantlyattract womenbetween3045yearsold.SomeonlinesitesandMMOGstargetaspecificcasualonline gamesegment,whileotherstargetthemainstreamconsumer.Forexample,YahooGames targetsabroadcasualgamesaudience,DisneytargetsyoungchildrenwithitsClubPenguin MMOG,andsiteslikeAddictingGamestargetyoungboysandgirls.

CharacteristicsoftheCasualGameAudience Ingeneral,casualgameplayerssharethefollowingcharacteristicsandbehaviours; Theyenjoysimpletolearngameswithbasiccontrols; Theyenjoyquicklyaccessiblegameswithminimal,tono,setup; Theyenjoygamesthatcanbeconsumedinsmalltimeincrements(ex.Solitaire) Theyplaygamesinordertorelax,passtime,socialize,orachievecertaingoalsand challenges; Theydonotperceivethemselvesasbeinggamers; Theygenerallydonotplayviolentgames.

15

Theygenerallydonotspendanymoneyonspecializedgamehardwareor peripherals.

Itisimportanttoelaborateonsomeofthegameplaybehaviourthatwasoutlinedabove.There istheperceptionthatcasualgameplayersdonotplaygamesfrequentlyoronlyplayinshort gamesessions.Boththesebehavioursareobservedinthecasualgamesaudience,butthereisa largegroupoftheseuserswhodonotfitthisstereotype.Manyofthecasualonlinegamessites aresomeofthestickiestwebsitesontheInternet.Forexample,ontheAOLGamesChannel, whichtargetsabroadcasualaudience,themajorityofitsonlineclassiccard,boardandfree casinogamesaveragebetween2040minutespergamesession.Forexample,evenSolitaire averages40minutesagamesession,eventhougharoundcanbecompletedinlessthantwo minutes.Whenyoulookattheaveragetimespentperuserpermonth,gamesisthethirdmost popularactivityontheentireAOLsiteafteremailandinstantmessagingaveraging91 minutes. 1 Thus,casualgamescanbeconsumedinshortperiodsoftimeandinfrequently,but manyusersplaythesetypesofgamesalotmorethanitisgenerallyperceivedinthe marketplace. Also,competitionisanotherimportantcharacteristicwiththisdemographic,butithasaslightly differentflavour.Forcomparisonpurposes,hardcoregamersinboththePCandconsolespace typicallyliketocompeteheadtoheadwiththeirfriendsinthehome,oronlineagainstothers. Ontheotherhand,inthecasualgamesspace,leaderboardsandtournamentsplayakeyrolein supportingcommunityandincreasinggameplay.Whilethisissimilartotheheadtohead competitionthatispopularinthehardcoregames,themorepopularelementofcompetitionin thecasualgamesspaceisbasedoncompetitionagainstoneselfinordertoachievecertainin gameobjectives.Ifthecasialplayerachievesanobjective,theygenerallywinavirtualprizeor badgethatcanbedisplayedintheirgameprofile.Anexampleofsuchanobjectiveisthe following;PlaySolitairethisweekandifyouwinthirtytimes,youwinavirtualSolitairebadge. ThesecompetitionshavebeenverypopularoncasualonlinegamessiteslikePogoand Microsoft,andattractwomen3045yearsold.

GlobalDesignPrinciples
AndyMegowan,CreativeDirector,iWin Introduction Theactofcreatingagameisdaunting.Fromaseaofideas,marketpressures,inspiration, perspirationanddesperation,thedesignermustseewhatisnotyetthereandpullitinto existence.
1

Metrics for AOL Games, comScore, October 08.

16

Everydesignprinciple,nomatterhowsweepingormicroscopic,providesconstraintsand definition,andtheseinturnofferthegreatestcreativefreedom.Therearewelldocumented principlesofdesignthatapplytopracticallyanyfield,frommusicalcompositiontoarchitecture, oranywhereinwhichthereisamarriageofformandfunction.DonaldA.NormansTheDesign ofEverydayThingsisacrossindustrystandardforidentifyingandapplyingprinciples,along withthemorearchitecturalbentofChrisAlexandersAPatternLanguage.Forcomputer applications,AlanCoopersAboutFace:TheEssentialsofUserInterfaceDesignandThe InmatesareRunningtheAsylumareaboutmodernhumanmachineinterfaces,andthereare nowdozensofbooksaboutgamedesignthatcoverart,code,evenaudioandnarrative. Thecharacteristicsofthecasualgamesindustrythedevelopers,businessmodels,customers andculturearelikethelightsshininginthedistance,revealingsomedetailandroughshapeof awelldesignedcasualgame.Somegeneralthingstokeepinmindare: Gamesareplayed.Theremaybewatching,reading,listeningandotheractivities involved,butthemainactivityisplay.Forcasualgamesinparticular,theplayisalsothe reward. CasualGamesexistinameritocracy.Thebusinessmodelrarelyreliesuponmarketing, wordofmouth,orlicenses.Casualgameshaverelativelyfewcrutches,andsurviveon theirownmeritsmoreoftenthanthemeritsofalicense,reputationorother recognizabletiein. ACasualGamerisanyonewhoisnotagamer.AuntDorothydoesnotidentifyherself bythegamesthatsheplays.Casualgamesarealeisureactivity,tobeundertakenin limitedsparetime. Respectthecustomer.Theydontneedyou.Customersarebombardedwithnew leisureoptionseveryday,andwilluseanyarbitraryreasontofiltertheexcessstimuli downtosomethingmanageable.Tobenoticed,then,thedesignermusteliminatethe widestnumberofreasonsthatapotentialcustomermighthavefornotplayingagame.

TheGeneralDesignPrinciples Nodesignercancreatesomethingthateveryonewilllove;thereisnoaccountingforindividual taste.Buteverydesignchoicethatmakesagamemoreaccessibletoawideraudienceismuch morelikelytoimproveacasualgamescommercialsuccess.Theconclusionisthis:Eliminate anypossiblebarriertosomeoneenjoyingthegame. Thedesignprinciplesthatfollowareorganizedbydifferentaspectsofproduction,andare generallytackledatdifferentpointsinaproductsdevelopment.Theyare: Packagingandmarketing

17

ThemeandPremise Lowsystemrequirements AttractiveVisualPresentation AppealingAudioPresentation Controls What'srequiredoftheplayer LearningTheGame Mechanics AddictionandViralMarketing

PackagingandMarketing AlittlepicturecoverstheBigPicture.Thegamemechanicsandpremiseshouldbe clearfrom50feetaway;i.e.ascreenshot.Agoodscreenshotorevenbetter,a thumbnailimageshouldclearlyindicatewhatthegameisabout,andhowitsdifferent fromsimilargames. Useanappropriatename.Thenameshouldofferkeywordstocluecustomersinabout thethemeand/ortheprincipalgamemechanic.Theexceptionissequelstopopular franchises.Shortnameswithrhymesandalliterationgooverwell. Favorstyleoverrealism.Realismisexpensiveandtakestime.Realismalsorunsthe riskofplungingthecustomerintotheUncannyValley,orofmakingsimpleactions disturbing.Imagineacartooncharacterhittinganothercharacterontheheadwitha mallet.Thenimaginethesameimagewithrealpeople.Onegetsalaugh,theothergets 90daysforAggravatedAssault,with$25,000bail.Customerstypicallyfavorescapism overimmersion,sostyle(whichisalsoeasieronalowendmachine)makesmoresense thanrealism.

ThemeandPremise Offertheplayerescapism.Whereahardcoregamerseesgamesasanintegralpartof theirlife,acasualgamerfrequentlyviewsgamesasanescapefromdailylife,andwill searchoutgamesthatspecificallydifferfromtheirrealworldlifeandactions.Provide thatescapethroughthethemeandartisticdirectionofyourgame.

18

Offeranappealingtheme.Alwaysthemeeventhemostabstractofgames.Themeless =freeflash.Ideally,yourthemeandgamemechanicswillberelated.Theydontneed tobeaccurate,butconnectingthemeandmechanicisgoodsynergyandaidsinthe suspensionofdisbeliefandtheawarenessofthepassageoftime. Makethecustomerpayattention.Inthepastyear,morethanathousandcasual gameshavebeenreleasedtoconsumers.Manyportalsofferanewgameeveryday. Thatisanawfullottothrowatacustomerwhoisjustlookingforamomentary diversion,andwhenpeoplearepresentedwithaninformationoverload,theyoften copebyfindingreasonsnottopayattentiontosomething.Frequently,thecustomer makesadecisiontoinvestigateorignorebaseduponthenameofthegame,andif theyrestillinterestedadescriptionof20wordsorless.Ofcourse,999otherproducts areusingexactlythesameenticement.Itsnoteasy,andtheresnoaccountingfor individualpreference,butstartwiththename. Favorlightfantasyoverhighfantasy.HighFantasyisapopulartermforlargescale realmsinfluencedbyJ.R.R.Tolkien,withballads,multipleraces,andworldshattering events.Thistypeoffantasyhasbeencompletelyownedbythefantasyroleplaying gamedemographic.Likeitornot,thecasualgameroftenseeshighfantasyasbeing forthoseothergamers,andwilllikelypassonanyopportunitytoexplorethatworld. Instead,favorthelighterfantasyelementseeninfairytales,mainstreamfilm,TV,and folklore. Begenderinclusive.Thereisplentyofsubjectmatterthatisappealingtobothmenand women.Findcommongroundthatisnttiedtosexualityoranatomicaldifferences,and bothsexeswillapproachyourgamewithanopenmind. Notroublingthemes.Donotdirectlyconfrontorchallengetheplayer'sbeliefsorworld view. Sticktouniversals.Ifyoumakeagamefeaturingsushi,thennomatterhowgreatthe game,peoplewhodon'tlikesushiwon'tevenlookatit.

LowSystemRequirements Golow.Minimalhardwarerequirements.WhateverittakestorunMicrosoftOffice. 3Disokay,solongasit'susedtopresentafundamentally2Dgame.Withthesignificant inroadsoftheNintendoDSandNintendoWii,3Dgraphicsaremoreacceptablethan everincasualgames.However,moresophisticated3Dgraphicalfeaturessuchasthe powerfulshadersystemsthataddallsortsofjuicyvisualeffectstoyour3Dworldare stillofflimitsbecauseoftheirdemandingsystemrequirements.

19

Requiringthestandarddevicesforyourtargetplatformisfine.Requiringamousefor aWindowsorMacgameisacceptable.Requiringarightmousebuttonisiffy.Requiring athreeaxis,10buttonforcefeedbackjoystickwitharumblepackwillloseyousales. Justasacasualgameshouldrequirenomoreknowledgethanthebasicsofusingthe hardware(suchashowtouseMicrosoftWindows),thegameshouldalsobeeasyto playwithonlythehardwarethateverycustomerisguaranteedtohave. Dontrequireasoundcardunlessaudioisintegraltothegamesmechanics.

AppealingVisualPresentation Downplayorminimizetheroleofviolence.Violenceisamatterofpresentation.Many gameobjectivesareaboutovercomingoreliminatingobstacles,ormanipulatingitems inanenvironment.Howthechangesandobstacleremovalisportrayedmakesallthe differencehere.Thegameofchesstypicallyentailsremovalofthreequartersofthe playingpiecesfromtheboard.Agamecouldsimplystopdrawingthepieces,orcould showthedeathofthecharactersinbloodspatteringdetail.Similarly,thedeathof monstersinSonictheHedgehoghasbeenportrayedasSonicreleasingcutewoodland creaturesfromtheirevilroboticshellprisons. Tools=good,weapons=bad.Thisisacorollaryforthepreviousguideline.Weapons areasubsetoftools,butthedesignercanmakethechoiceofwhethertoportrayatool asaweapon. Givetheplayeralltherelevantinformationaboutwhattheysee.Assumptionsonthe partofthedesigneraboutspecificculturalknowledgeorliteracycanconfusethe audience.Ifanaudiencememberhasmissedthesignificanceofsomeelement,its possiblethattheywillhavetogooutsideofthegame(breakingsuspensionofdisbelief) toattaintheneededknowledge.Itsalsopossiblethattheplayerwillbecompletely stumpedandeitherbecomefrustratedorsimplyswitchtoplayinganothergame. Favorstyleoverrealism.Thishasbeenmentionedbefore.Itsworthsayingagain. Styleworksbetteronlowerendmachinesthanrealismdoes.UseCatchy,stylistic graphicswithbright,cheerfulandsaturatedcolors.Thegamecreatesamoodthrough artandsound.Helpcreateafeelingthattheplayerenjoysandwantstoexperience again. Benicetocolorblindpeople.Currentreportsarethatasmanyas14%ofmalesare colorblind.Itsworthmakingsurethatagamereliesuponcolorsthatvarybrightness aswellashuefordistinguishingcharacteristics.AdobePhotoshopoffersfiltersthatwill letanyartistseetheirgamethroughtheeyesofacolorblindperson.

20

Useattractmodewisely.Anattractmode(selfplayinggame,orplaybackofprior gameswhilenobodyinteractswiththegame)isusefulforconveyingthenatureofthe gamemechanics. Golightonthetext.Somegamesareallaboutthewriting,andthatsfine.Well writtenproseisadelighttoreaders.Goodwritingusuallyconveysmorewithfewer words.Butgameelementsthatdontrelyupontextwilleasilycrosslanguage boundaries,reducingtheresourcesrequiredtogetagamelocalizedanddistributedto morecountries.Usewritingwhereitisneeded,andusesomethingelsewherewriting isnotneeded.

AppealingAudioPresentation Don'trelyuponaudio.Thegamemayverywellbeplayedwithoutit. Acknowledgeplayeractionsimmediatelywithaudio,ifnothingelse. Happymusicisgood.Conveytheappropriatemood.

Controls Controlsshouldbeplatformappropriate,andasintuitiveaspossible.Forinstance,if thegameisforWindows,thenclicking,rightclicking,dragging,arrowkeysandtyping areallreasonable. Letthecustomerusewhattheyknow.Asmuchaspossible,stickwiththeskillsfound inusingwhateverplatformthegameison:Windows,consoles,phone,mobiledevice, DS,PSP. RightMouseButtonoptional.Macsandflashgamesdontnecessarilyallowfortheuse ofarightmousebutton. Favorsimplisticcontrols.Ifthereiscomplexity,letitemergefrominteresting combinationsofsimplecomponents. Eliminatechoicesthatareirrelevanttothecustomer.Thingsthatmatterareaudio volume,windowedversusfullscreen,andlittleelse.Theremaybeconfigurationitems uniquetoaparticulargame,butifthereisanoptionthatisonlyrecommended,dont evenexposethatchoicetotheplayer.Forexample,addingaconfigureinputdevice optionmayseemlikeasolution,butyourcustomersmayseeitasonemorebarrierto actuallyplayingthegame.

21

WhatisRequiredofthePlayer Looklikeaminimaltimeinvestment.Iftheplayerthinksthattheycanleaveatany time,thenthatactuallyletsthemfeelsafeplayingmoreandmore.(NOTE:Emotional investmentisallowed.) Beupfrontaboutreflexrequirements.Whilethemajorityofcasualgamesdonot featuretwitchmechanics,severalpopulargameschallengeplayerstomastertiming, precision,aimingandfastreactiontime.Ifaproductrequiresthesereflexes,besureto makethatcleartotheplayerbeforethegamebegins. Beupfrontaboutthementalrequirements.Whenagamerequiresmemorization, culturalliteracy,fluency,vocabulary,typingskills,spelling,ormathematics,establish thisrightaway,andmakeitintegraltothegame.Ifyourgameappearstorequirea particularsetofskillsandknowledge,thensurprisingplayerswithadditional requirementsafterthegamehasbeguncanbeseenasabaitandswitch.Thiscan resultinmomentaryfeelingsofinadequacy,followedimmediatelybyangerandthe vindictiveuninstallationofthegame.

LearningtheGame Learning=work.Playing=fun.Whilethelearningmayintruthbefun,offersomething elseasarewardtotheplayer. Minimalexposition.Designagametobeplayedwithouttoomuchbackground knowledgeorcontext.Ifinformationthatscriticaltoplayingthegameisembeddedin backstoryorcutscenes,thentheresnowaytoguaranteethattheplayersawitbefore beginningtoplay.Makesureyourgameisfunwhetherornotthecustomertakesthe timetoappreciatethebrilliantscreenwriting. Minimalinterruptions.Keepthedirectionsandinstructionstoonesentenceifpossible. Designthelearningandinstructionalpartsofthegametobepartoftheflow.Havinga gameteachtheplayersomethingwithoutstoppingforinstructionistheholygrailof gameflow. Useashallowlearningcurve.Thereisnoknownupperlimitonthecomplexityof gamesembracedbycasualgamers,providedthattheyareeasedintotheknowledgein awaythatgracefullyhandlesinterruptionsandshortsessions.Tidbitsofinformation shouldbebitesized,andeasilypickedupagainifdropped. Discoveryisanendorphinreleaser.Useit. Beingpunishedorbeatenisnotfun.Donotrequirethisaspartofthelearningprocess. Casualgamersareusuallyascapableashardcoregamersathandlingcomplexityand intensity,butrespondmoretoagradualcurveandencouragementinsteadof

22

browbeatingandhumiliation.Whereahardcoregamermightgetboredwithagame thatrampsup,thecasualgamerisusuallyinlessofahurrytomastertheskillsrequired toplayagame. Haveaclearlearningfeedbackloop.Iftheplayerlosesorperformsbelowtheir expectations,makeitabsolutelyclearwhythathappened,andhowtheycandobetter.

GameMechanics Letyourmechanicsandthemehelpeachother.Mechanicsshouldbeconnectedto eachotherandtothethemeofthegame. ThePlayerknowswhatishappening.Eventsrelevantorcriticaltotheplayers understandingofthegameshouldunfoldonscreenratherthanoutofsight.For example,imagineavillagerisstarvingbythewaterfall,buttheplayerisoccupiedwith watchingtheconstructionofahut.Ifthathungryvillagerdies,whosefaultisit?The players?Wrongitsyours!Youmustalwayslettheplayerknowthatthereis somethingoffscreenrequiringattention. Theplayeralwaysmakesinformeddecisions.Everythingthattheplayerneedstomake adecisionshouldbeonscreenwhentheymustdecide.Makingaplayerhuntthrough multiplescreensandinterfacesfortheinformationnecessarytomakeadecisionisa poorwaytoextendgameplay.Ifbuyingcottonatfifteendollarsabagmeansthatthey aretakingaloss,thentheinformationaboutthatlossisimportantenoughtobe onscreenwhentheplayerismakingthatdecision. Agameisnotamovieoranovel.Ifyoumakeacinematic,preparetohaveitskippedor ignored.Ifthecinematicteachesconceptsvitaltothegame,makethiscontentreadily availableelsewhereorpreparetohavethegameplayedwithouttheplayerknowing theseconcepts. Agameisnotaspreadsheet.Theremaybelotsofnumbersfortheplayertotrack,and theunderlyingmechanicsmayrelyuponnumbercrunching.Butthegameandhow thatinformationisprovidedtotheplayershouldnotaspreadsheet!Theexceptionis gamesforwhichtheobjectistotesttheplayersmathematicalabilities.Inallother cases,dividethelaborupsothatthecomputerdoescomputations,andtheplayer providesimaginationanddecisionsbasedonthosecomputations. Theplayerisincontrol.Helplessnessaseventsunfoldinagameisfrustrating.There aregoodreasonstotakecontrolawayfromtheplayerfromtimetotime,suchasto haveeventsunfoldthatwouldnotnormallyhappenduringregularplay.Usethisto advanceastoryandofferrewardsratherthandoanythingthatcouldbeperceivedas punitiveorregressive(pushingtheplayerback).

23

Offerclosureatseveralpoints.Asessionwithyourgameisacasualaffairthatcanlast fromafewminutestoseveralhours.Assumethatthesessionwillonlybeafew minutes.Allowplayerstowalkawayatanypointwithoutlosingagreatdealoftheir progress.Dothisbyofferingfrequentbreaks.Aplayerconfrontedwithashortsession islikelytothinkjustonemoreround. Everymomentespeciallylosingshouldbeasfunaspossible.Iftheplayermakesa mistake,orloses,orissomehownotuptoachallenge,thegamemustremainfun. Theresnoreasontotakehardearnedgroundbackfromplayers,orforcethemto repeatanaccomplishment.Whentheplayerfails,itshouldbeobviouswhy,andhow todobetternexttime. Everythingthattheplayerdoesshouldbeprogress.Agamethatforcestheplayerto performarepetitiveactionjusttostayinplace(i.e.grindingortreadingwater)hasjust transformedfromplayintoachore. Keepthegamealiveandresponsive.Keepsomethinghappeningonscreenatalltimes, evenwhentheplayerisdoingnothing.Actiononscreennotonlytellstheplayerthat thegameisstillrunning(andnotcrashing),butalsomotivatestheplayertotakeaction, too.Andwhentheplayerdoestakeaction,acknowledgethatactionimmediatelywith someformofresponse. Favoravarietyofcontentoveravarietyofmechanicsinasinglegame.Contentis morecosteffectivethannewmechanics.Eachnewmechanicincreasesthetestingand balancingresourcesrequiredexponentiallyasallnewrelationshipsamonggame mechanicsmustbeexploredandtested.Bycomparison,newcontentincreases resourcedemandsinalinearfashion.Additionalcontentthatallowstheplayertoapply knowledgeoffamiliarmechanicsleadstogreaterfeelingsofmastery.Theclassic exampleoffavoringnewcontentovernewmechanicsisSudoku.Thereisnoendtothe contentandthemechanicsaresimple,yetmoreSudokucontentiscreatedeveryday. Favortradeoffsoverpenalties.Penalizingplayersforthingsthattheydidisaleftover mechanicfromsportsandcoinop.Oldergamesmightdosomethinglikedeductpoints fromtheplayersscoreformistakes.Atradeoffkeepstheplayersincontrol,andlets themembracetheconsequencesoftheiractionsbeforetheyhappen.Apenalty happensatsomepointinthefutureafteraplayerhastakenanaction,andis disassociatedfromanyfeelingofchoice.Theremovalofchoiceleadstoanger,and angerleadstothedarkside.Andnogamessellonthedarkside,youngSkywalker. Don'tcheat.Or,moreaccurately,dontdrawattentiontocheating.Nearlyevery gamecheats.Bytheirnature,thegameholdsallofthecards,anditsjustanillusion

24

whentheprogrampretendsnottoknoweverything.Theillusionoffairness,once broken,elicitsangerandmistrust,followedbydeletionofthegame. Favorprofilesoversavedgames.Multiplepeoplemayplaythegameonasingle installation,andifyoualreadyfavoragamewithnodeadendsandonlyprogress,then oneprofileshoulddothetrick.Theremaybeadayinthefutureaswegomoretowards aserviceindustry,wheretheprofilesresideonserverssothataplayercanplaytheir gamefromanymachineanywhere.Oneplayer,oneprofile.

AddictionandViralMarketing Playerswantadiversion.Makeacasualgamerelaxingbeforemakingitexhilarating. Createafeelingthattheplayerwishestofeelagain. Makeitreplayable.Thismediumisinteractiveandcanbenonlinear.Problemswith multiplesolutions,eventswithmultipleoutcomes,andthepromisethattheres somethingnewoverthehorizonwillencourageplayerstoreturntothegameagainand again. Allowbitesizedtimecommitments.Lettingtheplayerknowthattheycaneasilyexit thegameafteraminuteortwowillofferafeelingofchoiceandsafety.Theplayer, knowingthattheycanquitatanytime,usuallyplayslonger. Helptheplayerwin.Demonstratetotheplayerthatthegameoffersrewardsanda senseofaccomplishment.Usually,thisentailsmakingthegamedifficulttoloseatfirst. Offerimmediategratification.Therecanbedeferredgratificationintheformoflong termbenefits,buttheshorttermbenefitsmustalsobepresent. Rewardasmanyactionsaspossible,whetheradeliberateoranaccidentalor achievementonrails. Makeiteasyforonepersontoexplainthegametosomeoneelse.Thisoneistricky, andhowitsaccomplishedvariesfromgametogame.Whiletheremaybemany complexsystemsinteracting,thereshouldbesomewaytostepoutsideofallofthe systemstoofferanelegantexplanationofeverything.Thisexplanation,insomeform, ishowtheideaofyourgamewillbetransmittedfromonemindtoanother.Thiswill hopefully,inturn,compelanotherpersontotryitout. Makeiteasyfortheplayerstonarratetheirexperienceswiththegame.Ifyourplayer talkstofriendsandcoworkersaboutaninterestingexperiencethattheyhadwhile playingyourgame,theresagoodchancethatotherswillgivethegameatry,too. Makethisaseasyaspossibletodo.

25

 ArtStyle
ByIsraelEvans,iWin Styleisknowingwhoyouare,whatyouwanttosayandnotgivingadamn. GoreVidal Handsdown,thefirstthingyounoticewhenyousitdowninfrontofagameishowitlooks. Evenifallyouseeisasmallthumbnail,orperhaps,alogo,youcanthelpbutnotice,andmore importantly,beinformedby,thegamesartstyle.Agamesvisualvoicetheinterplaybetween colorandform,lineandtexturespeaksvolumestotheplayer.Eachandeveryelementofthe visualaspectservestocommunicatesomethingaboutthegameinshort,agamesartstyleis thecharacterandthesoulofthegamemadevisible.Theartstyleisavitallyimportantpartof anygame,thoughitisjustoneofmanyvitallyimportantparts,eachintegraltothewhole. Harmonybetweenthemallisessentialtotheartisticsuccessoftheproduct. Thedevelopmentofanartstyleisguidedbymanythings.Apartfrompersonaltastethereare severalothercriticalfactorsthatshouldguideyourfinalchoiceofanartstyle.Thisincludesthe games: 1. Setting 2. Theme 3. Mood 4. TargetAudience 5. Expectations 6. TargetPlatformandHardware 7. AssumedPlayerExpectations 8. AvailableResources 9. PotentialforLocalization 1. Setting: Whereisthisgametakingme? Theworldinwhichyourgametakesplacedeterminesmanyofthebasicelementsofthegame. IfthesettingistheAmericanSouthduringtheCivilWar,therearecertainartisticexpectations

26

thatmust,tosomedegree,bemetexpectationssuchaseraappropriateclothing,architectural styles,oranyotherelementsthatmakethesettingauthentic.Asidefromthebasicresearch thatneedstobedoneonanytargetsettingbeitanera,locale,orevenmotifthegameartist hasseveralpowerfultoolsattheirdisposaltoevokethegenuinefeelingsassociatedwiththeir targetsetting; A. TheWorldofStuff Ataverybasiclevel,asettingisdeterminedbythestuffthatfillsit.Fromtheskydownto theground,toallthestuffinbetween,everythingintheworld,insomeway,workstofill outandimplyalargerworldthancanbeseenbytheplayer.Themodernandtrendystyles wornbythecharactersinSallysSpaindicatethatthegameissetinthecurrentdayinthe samewaythatanattractivelysculpteddioramaofanunderwaterscenefromthegame Fishdomtellsyouthatthegametakesplaceinanaquarium. B. ArtisticElements Inadditiontothestuffoftheworld,artistscantakeadvantageofthematerials,designsand visualmotifscommonlyassociatedwiththatworld.VirtualVillagersmadeheavyuseof primitiveconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsthroughouttheuserinterface:bamboo poleslashedtogetherwithtwineanddecoratedwithsimplegeographicpatterns,words chiseledintostone,allsetagainstalushtropicaljunglebackground.FourElementschoseto usesimilarelements:weatheredstoneanddensevegetation,butcombineditwiththe gracefulcurvesandshapesassociatedwiththefantasygenretoachieveaverydifferent effect. Thesesmaller,morepervasiveelementscanreallychangethewayobjectsareperceived. Take,forexample,thesimpleandlowlycrate.Craftitoutofslabsofdriftwoodandyou couldhaveanislandstylecrate.Carveitoutofstoneandcoveritwithhieroglyphicsand youvegotanEgyptiancratelikeobject.Makeasimilarlyshapedboxoutofwhitemetaland paintaheartonitandyouvegotafriendforlifethatcomesrightoutofadarkfuture. C. RenderingStyles Objects,thestufftheyremadeofandthedesignsandpatternsthatdecoratethemarenot theonlywaystoalludetoaparticularsetting.Appropriatingthetechniquesandstylesmost commonlyassociatedwithasettingstraditionalformsofrepresentationcanalsobean excellentwaytoevokeaparticularsetting.Thiscanrangefromsettingthedialogueofa gameinsideaweatherbeatendiary,torenderingthegameoritscutscenesasif throughagrainyblackandwhitecamera. Alloftheaforementionedtechniquesforevokingaparticularsettingrelyontheshorthandthat hasbeendevelopedforvarioussettings,typesofstoriesandgenres.Thesearelargely

27

dependantonculturalexposuretothevariouselementsandanydevelopmentteamshouldbe awareofthiswhendecidingtoadoptanapproach. 2. Theme: Whatsthebigidea? Thewordtheme,especiallyasitisappliedtogamesandsoftware,isusedintworather differentways.Thefirstandmostcommonisthesurfacemeaningthevisualclothing,or skin,agamehasbeengiven.Itistheaspectoftheartstylesomeonewouldusetodescribethe gametoothers.Forinstance,agamecouldbedescribedashavinganarmytheme,adaycare theme,oramilitaristicunderwaterdaycarethemefromthefuturewithelementsofInuit culture.Thisaspectofthemeisgenerallyexpressedinthetypeofcontentinvolved;tanksand camouflage,diapersandkids,orchromeplateddolphinnannieswearingthickcoats. Thesecondmeaningisthemoreliteraryofthetwo.Ithastodowiththeessentialmessageof thegame.Thesethemes,whatevertheymaybe,canbereflectedintheartitself.Forexample, athemesuchastheconflictbetweenmaleandfemalenaturescanmanifestinthe juxtapositionofstereotypicallymasculineandfeminineelementsthroughoutthevisuals.One mightseecurvesagainstlines,softagainsthard,roughvs.smooth,oranynumberofothersuch things.Usingthedominantsymbolsandvisualmotifsthatbestemphasizethethemesinherent tothegamecanhelpintheabsorptionofthosethemesbytheplayer,andcreateagenerally moreimmersiveandmeaningfulplayexperience. 3. Mood: Howdoesitmakeyoufeel? Thegamesmoodisalsosomethingtocloselyconsider.Theunderlyingemotionalstate promotedbytheartstylecaneitherhelpmagnifyorcounteractthemoodencouragedbythe gameplay,storyorsound.Mostoftenassociatedwithcolorpalettesandlightingtreatments, thewayagameaffectsaplayersemotionalstate(quiteoftenonanonconsciouslevel)isa powerfulelementtoanyartstyle.. Thelanguageagameartistcanusefordescribingmoodsandemotionsarestronglyassociated withlightandcolor.Forexample,ifanartistisinabadmood,theymightsaythatitsadark dayandtheyrefeelingblue.Iftheyreangry,theymightbeseeingred.Iftheyrejealousof someonesbrandnewCintiq,theymightturngreenwithenvy.Thewayweusecolorandlight todescribeouremotionalstatesimpliesthestrengthoftheirpoweroverhowweseetheworld. Choosingtherightpaletteisagreatwaytosubtly(ornotsosubtly)affectanentirescene,and forthisreasonthistechniqueisusedwidelyinothervisualmedia(photography, cinematography,etc). Ifagameisbalancedsoastoprovideahecticexperience,soothingartcandowonderstokeep theplayerfromgettingtoostressed.Forexample,thepeacefullygrassymeadowsofFarm

28

FrenzyandthelaidbackidyllicneighborhoodsofBuildaLotservetogroundtheplayerand provideasaferecognizableplace,evenwhentheyarerequiredtomultitaskamidstthe mountinganticipationofwhenthenextbigchunkofmoneywillarrive. Contrarily,ariotouscollectionofbrightsaturatedcolors,busytexturesandflashyeffects provideabitoflifeandageneralfeelingofactioninagamewheretheplayerisntactually doingallthatmuch.Gamesinthehiddenobjectgenrelackmovementbutarevisuallyengaging duetotheirincrediblybusyscreensthatburstwithamultitudeofdetails.Thereareother gameswhereoncetheplayerhascompletedalevel,asinPeggle,orinitiatedahugechain reaction,asinFourElements,theyarerewardedwithscreensleapingintocolorfuland cacophonouslife. 4. TargetAudience: Whoareyoutalkingto? Youmustalwaysaskyourselfwhotheintendedaudienceis,andthencatertotheirtastes.What motivatesyouraudience,whatdoesanddoesntappealtothem,whattheyareusedto,and whatscaresthemarejustafewofthecriticalquestionsyouneedtoconsiderduringthe planningphaseofyourgame.Nothittingthesemarkshavedoomedmanyaworthygameyour productonlygetsasecondortwoinfrontoftheplayerseyesbeforetheymakeadecision,so yourartstyleneedstospeakgenuinelytotheexactplayeryouaretargeting. 5. AssumedPlayerExpectations: Isthisnatural? Whenagametacklesaparticulargenre,thereareoftenexpectationsastotherulesofthat genre.Mostpopulargenreshavedevelopedtheirownvisuallanguagesthatshouldntbe ignored.Thiscanmosteasilybeseenintheculturaliconographythatpermeatesourvisual lives.AstylizedheartinreallifebringstomindtheconceptofLovetomostpeople.Ingamesit isusuallyusedtoindicateacharactershealth.Inclickmanagementgames,heartshavecometo indicateacharacterslevelofhappinessandthelikelihoodtheyllleaveabigtipontheirwayout thedoor. Evenverybasicthingssuchascameraangle,charactersize,HUDdesignandlevelofrealismare suggestedbythestandardsofthegenre.Simsandrealtimestrategygameswillmostoftenuse atilted,topdowncameraanglebecauseitsagoodwaytoshowoffthepropsandterrainthats commontothem.AclickmanagementgamewillusuallyfeatureminimalHUD,becausethe objectsinthegamearetheinterface.Theyllalsofeaturelargercharactersrenderedina cartoonstylebecauseexaggeratedfeaturesareusefulforshowingemotionalstates,andsince alltheactiontakesplacebetweenafairlysmallnumberofelementsonasinglescreen,the characterscanaffordtobelarge.

29

Thefoundinggamesinagenrehavegreatinfluenceontheshapeandartstyleofgamesthat followthem.Thisoftenleadsplayerstoexpectacertainstyle,andtothinkintermsofthe metaphorsandtoolsestablishedbythegenredefininggames.Departingfromthosestandards mustbeapproachedcarefullyandinawaythatexpandstheplayerscomfortzone,ratherthan completelyaltersit. 6. TargetPlatformandHardware: Whatkindofrideisthat? Eventheplatform(orplatforms)onwhichgamesareplayedshapethedevelopmentoftheirart styles.Thelowminimumspecrequirementsofthecasualgamesdemographicrequirethat artistsbeveryconservativeinwhattheyattempt.Theserestrictionscallfortheuseof techniquesandstylescapablebymachinesfrom5years,andeven10years,old.FancyGPU tricksarenearlytabooandeven3disconsideredtricky.Thesituationismadeevenmore challengingbytheintroductionofsmallscreensystems;fromthehugevarietyofcellphonesto handheldgamingsystemsandsubcompactlaptops. 7. AvailableResources: Howisitgettingdone? Anadditionalsetofrestrictionscomeinwhenthepracticalmatterofproductionisconsidered. Highproductionvaluesandlargeamountsofcontentrequiregoodfundingandlotsoftime and/orpeople.Gamesmustfindtherightbalanceofqualityandquantity,andsometimes sacrificesmustbemade.Thisisespeciallytrueincasualgames,whichisafieldofever quickeningcommoditization.Thiscomesdowntothelogisticsoftheartteamitself;the compositionofwhichcanplayabigroleinthedevelopmentoftheartstyle. Thereareanumberofquestionsthatmustbeansweredwhenbuildinganartteamforagame; 1. Whoaretheyandwhatcantheydo?Considertheskillsandthetastesoftheartteam beforetheartstyleisfinalized. 2. Isyourartteamlargeenoughtodothejobinthetimeallotted?Createathorough assetlistandproductionscheduleattheverybeginningandcontinuallyupdateitbased onchangingconditions.Itmaybenecessary,attimes,toeithermakecutstotheartor bringinadditionalartiststogetthejobdone.Thenumbersofartistsassignedtoany gamecanvarywidelydependingonthenumberofassetsinvolved,theworkrequiredto createthoseassetstotheexpectedlevelofquality. 3. Whatsthebudget?Planthebudgetonarealisticassessmentoftheskillsoftheteamas wellasthequalityandquantityofworkrequiredofthem.Assessingtheactualcostsof agameandthefractionofthebudgetthatgoestowardsartishighlydependantona largearrayofvariables.Abig,artheavygame,likeahiddenobjectorclickadventure

30

title,willrequirealargerinvestmentinartproductionthanagamethatreliesmoreon gameplay.Onaverage,youshouldexpecttoseeatleastaquarterofyourgamebudget gotowardsart. 8. PotentialforLocalization: Inmycountry Oneofthegreatestthingsaboutmakingacasualgameisknowingthatithasthepotentialtobe playedallovertheglobe.Whilethisislargelyawonderfulthing,itdoesrequiregreater oversightontheappropriatenessandinternationalrelevanceofcontent.Attentionmustbepaid tothequirksofculturalnormswhereveragameislikelytobedistributed.Whatmightgoover perfectlyfineintheU.S,maynotbethoughtappropriateelsewhere.Somethingthatmightbe consideredacleverpopculturalreferenceintheNorthAmericanmarketmayflopandcause utterconfusionwhentakenabroad.Eventhebasicmetaphorladenvisuallanguageanart directorinthestatesmayusetointricatelytiethevisualstothestorymaybenextto meaninglesswhenseenbysomeonewhocomesfromadifferentupbringing. ButRememberItsCalledCasualGaming! CasualGames,bynature,shouldbemeanttoappealtoawidearrayofpeople.Eventhoughthe majorityofthemarketisgenerallyacceptedtobewomen35+,itisgenerallyinadvisableto excludeanypotentialcustomers.Thismeansthatwhileanartstylemaybechosentoappealto aparticularsubsetofthemarketforinstance,mysterylovingmoms,orclosetentrepreneurs withdreamslargerthantheirwalletscasualgamesshouldworktobeinclusive.Forthis reason,yougenerallydontfindartstylesthatstrayfarfromthemainstreamincasualgames. Swordsandsorcery,darksciencefiction,grittyhorror,andotherthemesgenerallyfoundin hardcoregamingtendtoappealtoaparticularsegmentinanexclusivefashion.Similarly, gettingtooartsyorhighconceptcanalsoturnoffthemainstreamplayer. However,noneofthismeansthatthosestylesoutsidethemainstreamshouldnteverbe attemptedinfact,itwouldbeanuttershameiftheywerenot.Forexample,justafewshort yearsago,gameartstylesweregenerallysoftandcutesy,duetotheassumptionthatthelargely femaleaudiencewouldntgoforanythingdarkerormorerealistic.Thencameagamecalled MysteryCaseFiles(MCF).Itwasdifferentartisticallythananythingoutthere,anditbearstaking amomenttolookatsomeofthereasonswhyitsucceededasitdid. Thehiddenobjectmechanicitselfsuggestsamysterytheme,whichcallsforthecreationofa realisticandslightlydarkermoodbecauseofthetraditionalprecedentsofstorytelling associatedwithmysteries(thinkAgathaChristie,SherlockHolmes,NancyDrew,andyes,the BloodhoundGang).But,thedevelopersunderstoodthatifyouplanonusinganalternative style,youneedtobeawareoftheissuesinherenttothatstyle,andworktoamelioratethem. Theyachievedthisbysofteningthedarkrealismwithaquirkyhumoroustakeonthesubjectsof thegameworld.

31

Intheendthishighqualitycombinationofhumor,mystery,andrealismhelpedmakethegame accessibletoawideaudience.Thedevelopersbroughtsomethingnewtothemarketand createdthebiggestnewgenreincasualgames.Infact,MCFreallytransformedwhatwe thoughtaboutcasualplayers,andhelpedtheindustryevolve.Justafewshortyearsagowe neverwouldhavethoughtagametitledBloodTies,whichfeaturedamurder,aprivate detectiveandhervampirebuddy,couldbeahitinthecasualspacesowevecertainlycomea longway.

AudioinCasualGames
KaneMinkus,ManagingPartner,SomaToneInteractiveAudio Audio has been an important component to casual game production since the industry first begantoemerge.Whileearlycasualtitlesheldamoreprimitivesoundtrack,itwasnotuntilthe last year or so that we began to see audio redefined in casual games. Highend audio soundtrackshavebecomenottheexception,butratherthestandardbywhichgamedevelopers arestrivingtowards.Nowin2008,thecasualmarketplacehasreachedanewlevelofmaturity andsophistication,andwellcraftedmusic,SFXandVoiceOver(VO)forthecasualgameindustry hasbecomeanexpectedpartoftheproductionchain. Withtheuseoffullorchestralscores,highlyspecializedSFX,andhighqualityVOtalent,audio production is now at the top of the list of high production assets that are contributing to the successofdownloadablegames.LonggonearethedaysofrandomSFX,stocklibrarymusic,and littleoverallattentiontothecreativecontributionofthecasualgamesoundtrack.Newergames like Peggle, Virtual Villagers, Mystery Case Files, Dream Chronicles, the Diner Dash Series, the Azadaseries,andevensomeoftheclassics(atthispoint!),suchasZumaandLuxor,allfeature carefullycraftedsoundtracks,andhavemadeastatementthataudioisanintegralpartofarich gameplayexperience.Audionotonlymakesgamesmorefun,butcanalsoacttosupportthe story line and create a branded game experience that will resonate with the user long after playing. TheTypicalSoundtrackStructure InaCasualGameyouwillusuallyfind4distinctivepartstothesoundtrack; 1.Music 2.Environments 3.EventSFX 4.VoiceOverFiles

32

Music The music can be split into two categories Music cues and Stings. Music cues are used to createthemainmusicalunderscoreforthegamewithmusic.Typicallythesearecomposedas loopingfilesthatplaycontinuouslythroughagivenlevelorsectionofthegame. Musicstingscanserveasgametransitions,orcorrespondtoeventsthatarebetterrepresented by a musical event rather than a sound effect. These could include game situations such as win/lose, level complete, high score, or over any event that is highly important towards advancingorcompletingofthegame. OftenmusicloopsinagamewillbesplitintoMainMenu/UIscreenLoopsandGamePlayLoops thatrangefrom20secsto2minutesperpiece/loop(stingsareoften35secslong).Thesemusic loopsareoftenplayedcontinuouslyonthatscreenuntilausermovestoanotherscreen.Thisis themostpopularstructureoftheuseofmusic,butanincreasingnumberofgamesaremoving towardsdifferentandmorecreativeapproaches. Onesuchapproachistowriteasoundtrackwhereacompletepieceofmusicbegins,plays,and finishesresolvingintoanenvironmentalsoundscape,orevenjustintothegameSFXwhichmay bepresent.DuringthismusicbreakonlytheenvironmentsoundsandSFXareheard,beforea newcueisintroducedafterseveralsecondsofabsentmusic.Thisisamorelinearapproachto themusic,asopposedtothetypicalloopingstylewherethemusicwillcontinuouslyloopuntil thegamemechanicrequiresanewlooptobeintroduced. Anotherapproachistotryinteractivecomponents,eitherwiththeaudioenginetechnology,or with interesting layering techniques (that fit appropriately to the game play). One example, which illustrates an attempt to have more variation in the musical underscore without increasing the total size of the music assets, can be heard in the Diner Dash series of games. These games use a looping concept but with files broken into much smaller segments so that eachcueiscomposedofseveralsmallerloopingfiles,alldesignedtoplaybothrandomly,and together. This allows for a 60 second cue, composed of six, 10 second sections, to play in random order, thus creating the illusion of a longer score before any noticeable looping is recognizedbytheplayer. Another tool used to maximize the length of a score is through the use of 3rd party audio engines, such as CADI or MOD Tracker. Some of these tools use MIDI data, loops or allow programmableinterfacestotriggerindividualmusicsamplesallowingforamuchlongersound trackbecausethemusicprogrammerisabletoprogramvariationsofacueoveramuchlonger timelinewithasmallfootprint.GameslikePeggleandBejeweledusetheMODtechnologyto allowformanymoreminutesoforiginalmusicintheirgames,asopposedtothe58minutesof linearmusictypicallyfoundinacasualtitle.However,thistechniquewithMODhasanobvious tradeoffinmusicquality,sinceallofthemusicisbasedonindividualsamplesplacedintothe

33

MOD library. CADI is a specially designed interactive audio engine for Casual Games (actually called the Casual Game Audio Design Interface), and allows for limitless possibility of high qualitymusic,interactiveSFXandenvironmentloops(seebelow)andisprogrammablebythe sounddesignerthemselves(fulldisclosureCADIisofferedbySomaEngineering,adivisionof mycompany,SomaToneInteractiveAudio). The largest complaint among developers and consumers is that the music can feel repetitive. ToolssuchasMODhavebeenusedwithmoderatesuccess,andothercreativeapproachessuch astheDinerDashapproachhavealsobeensuccessfulatextendingtheaudiosoundtrackfora casualtitle.Perhapsthegreatestimprovementintheabilitytoincreasetheoverallsoundtrack incasualgameshasbeenintheincreaseinthetotalgamesize.Casualtitlesafewyearsago wereallunder20MBsasamatterofrule.Thisforcedtheaudiobudgettocomeinat23MBs, which was a very limiting size budget. Today many casual games will be twice this size, with someevenpushing100+MBs.Thishasallowedfor515MBsofaudio(andsometimesmore), enablingdeveloperstoincludemuchlongermusiccuesandsoundtracks. Environments Environment loops are prerendered SFX loops that are designed to place the listener in a specificlocation.Forexample,ifthegameissetinthemiddleofatrainstation,onewouldhear the sounds of trains and whistles to give the sense of being there. This is an effective way of furthering the game play experience and is a low impact way to make the game come to life withouthavingtomanageheavycodingofsoundstorecreatetheexperience.Thetradeoffisa higher foot print size, as these files will need to be long enough so that the player does not notice any looping. There are some tricks to managing the files size and keeping the environmentfeelingdynamic.Forexample,letssaytheintentistocreateaforestscene.The programmer can take a base loop of the core environment sounds like wind and trees rustling and then program the timing randomization of several sweetener sounds like cricketsandfrogstocreateadynamicenvironmentwitharelativelysmallfootprint. EventSFX EventSFXareoftenspiltintotwocategoriesaswellInterfaceSFXandGamePlayEventSFX. Interface SFX are tactile sounds that work well with the style of the game, the music and the interfaceaction.GamePlayEventSFXcanvarywildlyandarespecifictoeachgameandgame mechanic.AlthoughtherearesomeoptionsforgettingCannedorlibrarySFX(versushaving craftedSFX),almostallCasualGamescontinuetohavetheSFXcraftedspecificallyforthegame tocreateabrandedsoundforthegame,apolishedsoundtrack(wherethemusicandSFXare mixedwelltogether),andimmersivegameplaythatgivesthegamearichpersonality.

34

One of the surest ways to annoy a game player is to have harsh or inappropriate SFX for repetitiveevents.Itisimportantthatanyrepetitivegameeventsaregivenspecialattentionbya SFXprofessional. VoiceOverFiles VO is the use of human speech files as sound assets in a game. These will typically cover narrators, announcers, and ingame characters. VO requires extensive production because therearemorevariablesatplay,andmorepeopleandresourcesarerequiredtoensureahigh quality end product. VO production involves casting the talent through auditions, directing, recordingandengineering,editing,andmasteringforthefinaldelivery.Occasionallyprocessing is also required to create a specific effect (such as an intercom or telephone effect). The selection of high quality actors and recording facilities, along with experienced directors and editors are paramount to getting the best results. Poor VO production is easily recognizable, andthusitisnotrecommendedthatVObehandledwithoutanexperiencedteammanagingthe production. InternalVs.ExternalAudioProduction Most audio production in the Casual Games industry is handled externally, however, occasionally a game development company will choose to keep the music and/or SFX work in house.PrimarilythisisbecausethesecompanieshavesomeoneonstaffthatcanhandletheSFX ormusic. Theadvantageofkeepingtheaudioworkinhouseismainlycostandattentiontominutedetails inthesound.However,thedisadvantagetothisislimitedresources,lowerqualityofproduction (compared to hiring a professional), and the cost of causing a team member to divert their attentionfromtheirmainjob. Theadvantageofexternalizingtheaudioworkissimilartooutsourcingart,programming,orany othercreativeservice.Havingaprofessionalteamthatcangivethesoundtracktheattentionit deserves, professional sounding results, and the creative input from an outside group all help enhancethegameinwaysthattheinternalteammaynotbecapableof.Thedisadvantageis theneedtorelyonthecapabilityandavailabilityofanexternalgroup,increasedcost,andthe challenge of maintaining the vision of the story in the game. It is suggested that each game producerworkwithateamabletomaintaincommunicationandthatcanlistentoandrespond to the creative vision. It is also helpful for the audio vendor to have a history of quality and experienceworkingongamessimilartotheirs. Voice Over Recording is almost always externalized to a professional VO studio that will cast, direct,recordandproducetheaudiorecordingsofthevoicetalent.VoiceOverproductionhas takenoffinthelasttwoyearsforCasualGames,andthistrendwilllikelycontinue.Localization of VO has also taken off as game developers have been learning that VO is actually a very

35

affordable production value that can be added to enhance the game and connect with the territoryinwhichtheyaredistributing. TechnicalRequirementsofCasualGameAudio Gameaudiotypicallytakesupnomorethen1015%ofthetotalgamefilesize.Inthepast,this equated to only 35 MBs for the music and SFX, and thus VO was not even a consideration. However, now the footprint size has been expanded. Different publishers have varying perspectives on what is most important to them. Some still feel a small size footprint is importantduethecontinued(althoughsteadilydiminishing)useofdialupinternetconnections. Others do not seem concerned with file size and are releasing games in the 100+MB range. Consequently, audio between 515 MBs is becoming more of the standard footprint. This is great,astheaudiovendorcanfocusmoreontheoptionsandlessonthelimitations;moreon whatmakesthegamecomplete,andlessonwhathastobethrownout. In order to keep the audio footprint as small as possible, OGG has been the preferred file format. OGG is a format that has extraordinary compression algorithms and maintains a very healthypartoftheoriginalsoundfromthehighrezversion(thehighrezversioniscalledWAV orAIFF).1MinuteofanaudiofileconvertedtoOGGisroughly500KBorless(dependingonthe densityofthesoundfile),comparedtothefullresolutionversionwhichisabout10megsper minute(or20timesaslarge!). WhileOGGisthefileformatofchoiceformostdownloadablegames,onlinegamesespecially flashgamespredominantlyuseaflashconvertedformat(fromtheoriginalWAV/AIFF),oran MP3.OneofthereasonsnooneusesMP3sindownloadablegamesisthatMP3swillnotloop properlyduetoaninformationtagatthetopofthefileinsertedbythecompressionalgorithm. Seamlessloopsareimportanttothemusicplayingsmoothlyinagame,sothisformatisoutthe window when that production method is chosen for music playback. (Some developers have found an effective way to loop MP3s through programming, while others choose to simply createtheaudiointheloopsinawaythatseamstocreateaseamlesseffect.) ProductionProcess Stylisticproductionchoicesarecertainlyindividualtoeachgame,buteachsoundtrackdoesgo throughthesetypicalphases: 1) Requests: Game Assets are requested and the developer originates the creative plan anddesignbasedontheGDDanddevelopmentofthegame 2) Preproduction: Choices of temporary music and soundscapes are discussed between theaudiodeveloperandthegamedeveloper 3) Creating/Writing/RecordingOriginalAssets:Theaudioprofessionalscreatethedesired assets

36

4) Submittal and First Integration: The audio developer and game developer implement theassetsandcheckfortechnicalcompliance. 5) CreativeFeedback:ThegameproducerswilloffercommentsontheindividualSFXand Musiccuessotheaudiodevelopercanmakechangesbasedonthevisionofthegame producer.Thisprocesswillcontinueuntilallassetsaredeemedacceptable. 6) Final Mix/Master/Balancing of assets and delivery as individual assets or mixed stems/pieces. The game developer can engage the audio developer at any time in game development, but mostliketoengagefromthebeginningtodiscussdirection.Others,meanwhile,liketobringon theaudiodeveloperafewweeksbeforeAlphawhenthegamehastakenmoreshapeinterms of art and mechanic. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. A decision about how importanttheintegrationoftheaudiointothegameplaywilldrivethepointofengagement. However,itisnotadvisabletostartworkingwiththeaudioprofessionalslaterthanafewweeks beforeAlpha. It is highly recommended that game developers use place holder sounds and music to ensure thegamecodeisbuilttosupportaudiofromthebeginning.EvenusingverylowqualitySFXwill allowthegameprogrammerstobegintoassignaudiotagstothegamecode,sothatwhenthe audio files are delivered they are quickly and easily swapped in to test and review. It is preferredthatopenorunlockedgamesareavailable,sothattheaudioassetsfoldercanbe easilyaccessedandalternatefilesareallowedtobedroppedinandtested.Thetimerequired toturnoveraudioassets,waitfortheimplementation,thenreceiveanewbuildisacommon, frustrating,andunnecessarycomplication.Allowingtheaudioteamtotestthefilesinabuildof thegamethatallowsaccesstotheaudiofolderwillgreatlystreamlinethereviewprocess,and allow the audio creators a chance to try sounds out before delivering, as well as test their functionalityinaproductionenvironment. LevelOfEffort Whenagamedeveloperfirstengagesanaudiodeveloper,theycanexpectamusicsoundtrack totakeabout34weeksforcompletion;24weeksforSFX(dependingonthecompletionofthe game),and34weeksforVO.Thisisforanaverageof10minutesofmusic,150SFX,250linesof VOdialogueand6orfewercharacters.Althoughcomplexitywillcausethefinaldatestovary, thistimeperiodgivestheaudiodeveloperenoughtimetoofferafewroundsofcreationand feedback.Everythingcangetdoneinacompressedtimeline,butthereisariskofsacrificingthe audiodevelopersabilitytoreallyunderstandthegameorthedevelopersvision. FinalaudioisusuallyimplementedbetweenAlphaandBeta,withafinaldeliverywithinroughly aweekofBeta.

37

ContractualSpecificstoAudioProduction Somespecificareasthatneedtobeaddressedwhendealingwithaudio,thatarenotoftenin typicaldevelopercontractsis Ownership of music, SFX & VO: ownership in the industry has mainly been a work for hire agreement with all assets as a buy out to the publisher/developer. However, therearespecificstounderstandaboutcopyrightlawwhichareoftenoverlookedinthe CasualGameIndustry,aspublishersusuallywanttoowneverythingoutright.Forevery piece of music that is written the writers share of the music royalties cannot be assignedwithoutspecificclausesthatmentionthis,anditisactuallyhighlyunusual(in any industry) to assign the writers share to a publisher. Since Casual Game music is oftennotgettingexploitedinanyotherbroadcastmediatypes(TV,Soundtracks,Films, etc.),thishasnotreallybecomeamajorconversationbetweendevelopersandwriters, butasweseecrossoverplatformsportingsoundtracksfromonetothenext,andifthe marketing ever hits broadcast TV or soundtracks, this will become an important conversation!Asadeveloper,makesuretoaddressthisandfullyunderstandyourrights as the owner and, separately, the composers rights as the writer (the scope of that conversation is too big for this paper but more info can be explored here: http://www.answers.com/topic/workforhire). VOrevisionsneedtobenotedinthecontract,asVOrecordingandassociatedpickup sessions (additional sessions to correct or add to the previously record material) are often overlooked and can be an expensive and unforeseen cost. Of course, there are contractual differences between revisions due to audio that is not approved vs. revisionsduetodesignchanges. CreativedirectionchangesCreativedirectionchangesareveryexpensiveontheside of the audio developer, and they are not usually anticipated by either side from the beginning. Thereneedstobesomeappropriateclauseabouthowtohandlecomplete directionchangessothedeveloperunderstandsthepenaltiesofchangingdirectionhalf waythrough,andsotheaudioteamknowshowitmightbehandledincaseithappens. Thisismoreofananomaly,butwhenithappens,nooneishappyunlessanagreement preexistsabouthowitwillbehandled. Ownership of assets that wont be used or are not accepted there should be consideration to ownership of the assets that will not be used or are not accepted by thegamedeveloper. UsingUnionversusNonUnionactors:itshouldbemadeclearupfrontabouttheneed tobeusingunionornonunionactorsforallVOacting.

38

Credits often overlooked, but the credits should be established before the working relationshipissolidified.

TheFutureofAudioinCasualGames Ibelievethatthefutureofcasualgameswillcontinuetoseeconsistentuseofhighqualityaudio professionalteamstodeveloprichsoundtracks.Audioisoneoftheleastexpensivepartsofthe game,andintermsofvalueperdollar,isalsooneofthemostcosteffective.

AreWritersNeededForCasualGames?
DavidFox,VPofTechnologyandCoFounder,iWin Manyhitcasualgameshavebeendevelopedwithoutastoryandcertainlywithoutanofficial writingroleinthecredits.Butasgameswithverysimilarmechanicscontinuetocompeteforthe sameheadspace,itsthewrappingaroundthegameactivitythetheme,narrative,plot,and charactersthatoftendifferentiatesahittitlefromgamethatisquicklydiscarded. Certainly,anygamewithacompellingstorywillneedawriter.Oftentimesthedesigner,artist, producer,orevenprogrammerwillfillthisrole.Butevengameswithoutstoryinvolvelarger amountsofprofessionalwritingthanmaybeanticipated. WhenAreWritersNeeded? Therearemanyoccasionswhenwritingisnecessarythroughoutthegamedevelopment process:
DesignDocuments

Manydevelopmentstudiosproduceacreativedesigndocument(CDD)orgamedesign document(GDD)beforegreenlightingagamesproduction.Muchasascreenplayservesasthe blueprintforafilm,aCDDwillaccuratelyspelloutalldetailsofafullgame. Awellwrittendocumentwilllayouttheentiregamealluserinterfaces,theexpectedartstyle, playmechanic,levelscaling,scope,audioassets,andstory.Agooddocumentwillprovide artists,audioengineers,andprogrammerswitheverythingtheyneedtoscopethework requiredtocreatethegame.This,inturn,willallowaproducertosetareasonablebudgetand scheduleforagame.

TechnicalDocuments

Manygameengineersarerequiredtoscopethetechnicalrequirementsforgamesbefore embarkingonprogramming.Generally,atechnicaldesigndocument(TDD)iscreated.This documentwillidentifytheprogramminglanguage,gameframework,development environment,classarchitecture,minimumsystemspecifications,andothertoolsnecessaryfor gamedevelopmentorleveldesign.

39

Tutorials

Manygameshaveatutorialmodetoteachthegamerulesandbasicsofgameplaytotheplayer. Often,writersarecalledintomakethetutorialtextfriendly,andconversational.
LevelProgressionorGameItems

Oftentimes,writingisneededtoguidetheplayerthroughmissionbasedlevelsorintroducethe goalofminigames.Othergames,suchastheDinerDashorCakeManiaseries,havestoresor virtualitemsthattheplayercanpurchaseorupgradeto.Alloftheseitemsneednamesand catchydescriptionstobewritten.

AIDialog,Voiceovers,orAmbientVoice

Agamemayhaveasidekickorhosttoguidetheplayerthroughtheexperience;forexample, MayorRussellinBuildalot,whoguidestheplayerthroughtheirintroductorylevels. Alternatively,agamemaymakeuseofanantagonistthattauntstheplayer.Othergamesmake useofambientvoiceseithertriggeredbygameeventsorpepperedthroughoutthegame randomlytoaddatmosphereandlivetoascene.TheWestwardseriesofcasualgames,for example,isgreatlyenrichedbymanyofthesesoundbites.

Documentation

Althoughmostcasualgamesdonotcomewithaprintedmanual,thereisusuallyahelporrules section.Thisareamustincludeaclearexplanationofhowtoplaythroughallaspectsofthe game.

Marketing

Mostcasualgameportalsrequirethatthedeveloperincludeaconcisedescriptionofthegame. Makingthisdescriptionenticingandaccurateleadstomoredownloadsandsales.
Stories

Thetypeofwritingmostevidentandinvolvedincasualgamesis,ofcourse,thestory.Stories usuallyinvolveamaincharacter(protagonist)whohastodealwithsomesortofdilemma, experiencingvariousupsanddownsbeforereachingaresolution. Astorywillusuallyhave3mainparts;anintroduction(settingthequestorchallengebeforethe gamebegins,drawingtheplayerinandpiquingtheirinterest),asecondactinthemiddleofthe game(usuallywithsomedramaticturnaroundordnouement,keepingtheplayerinterested andemotionallyinvolved),andaconclusiontoendthingswhenthegamehasbeenwon (generallyinahappywaytorewardstheplayer). Storiesincasualgamesaregenerallytoldthroughoneofthese3techniques: CutScenes:Motionpicturechaptersorvignettes,similarinstyletotelevisionorfilm. Theseareusuallyspreadthroughoutthegameaftereverylevelorothermajor milestone.Mostcutscenesincasualgamesarecreatedvia2Dor3Danimation,but

40

couldalsoconceivablybeproducedasvideowithliveactors.Mostpopularhidden objectgamesusethistechnique. ComicsorStills:Storiesaretoldviaaseriesofdynamicstillimages,withcharacter dialogexpressedwithspeechbubblesorthoughtbubbles.Sometimesvoiceoveractors willembellishthecomicswithactualaudio.Thissnappystyleworkswellwithmanytime managementgamesmostnotablytheDinerDashseries. Prose:Thestoryisprintedonthescreenviathewrittenwordfortheplayertoread through.Thismethodisrareforcasualgames,sinceitisbelievedthatmostplayers donthavetheconcentrationorinclinationtoreadlinesandlinesoftextontheir computerscreens.TheJewelQuestseriesofgames,however,providesanovellas worthofproseforanyplayerinterestedinreadingthroughit.

Thevastmajorityofcasualgamesuseahybridofcomics,voiceovers,andsomedynamictextor subtlecharacteranimationtoachieveanimmersivestorythatisalsocosteffective. WhatSkillsareRequired? Generallyspeaking,gamedesigndocumentsmustbewrittenbythegamedesignersomeone whounderstandsgamemechanicsandhowtocomposeandbalanceaninteractive entertainmentexperienceLikewise,technicaldocumentsarewrittenbyaleadprogrammeror technicalleadsomeonewiththeknowledgetoresearchandpickthebestenvironmentand toolstoachievethedesiredgame.Butothergamewritingthetutorial,marketing,ambient piecesanditemdescriptionscanbenefitfromaprofessionalwriterwhocanaddflair,voice, andconsistencytoalltext. Storywriting,especially,canbenefitfromatalentedandexperiencedcreativewriter.Forcomics orcutscenes,writerswhohaveworkedonfilmsorcomicsaregenerallymoresuccessfulat plottingoutavisualstorythannovelistsorshortstorywriters.Goodwriterscancomeupwith pleasingyetoriginalplots,tieinthemestheplayercaresabout,craftnuancedandlovable characters,andultimatelyknowwhichkeymomentstoshowtheplayer.Thatsaid,manycasual gamesselljustfineeventhoughthestoriessufferfromstockcharacters,clichplots,andtrite, flat,andsometimespoorlylocalizeddialog. TherearemanygamedevelopersoftheopinionthatHollywoodwritershavetroubleactually writingforgamessincetheylackakeenunderstandingofthepacing,mechanics,interactions, andfeedbackbetweenthegameandtheplayer.Ultimately,thegamemustcomefirst.Agood storywillnotsupportapoorgameexperience.Thebetterawriterunderstandsthegame mechanicandthemindsetofthecasualgamer(i.e.someonewhomayhaveneverplayeda computergamebeforeatall),themoresuccessfultheywillbe.

41

References OneofthebestplacestovisittolearnmoreaboutwritingingamesistheInternationalGame DevelopersAssociationsGameWritersSpecialInterestGroup:http://www.igda.org/writing/. IalsorecommendreadingVincentCarrellasarticleonstoriesincasualgames,namedWho NeedsStories,onGamezeboathttp://www.gamezebo.com/features/who_needs_stories.html.

CharactersandNarrative
Kenny Dinkin, VP & Creative Director, PlayFirst Introduction Anydiscourseonstoryandcharacter(andbyextension,narrativeandmetaphor)incasual games shouldbeprefacedbyabriefacknowledgementofthechallengesourlargerindustry facesinbrokeringthethusfarawkwardmarriagebetweeninteractiveentertainment(including consoleorcorevideogames)andcompellingnarrative(includingstorytellingandcharacter development). Therearenumerousbooksandcoursesavailableonstorytelling,characterdevelopment,and approachestonarrativestructure.Manyofthesefocusonwritingforfilm,televisionandfiction. Therearesomeoncomicbookwriting,andevenafewforgamesbutnexttononeoncasual games. Whenfolksdodiscussstorytellingsdancewithvideogamedesign,inevitablytheybemoanthe lacklusterjobwe,asgamedesigners,havedone(todate)ofseamlesslyintegratingstoryand interactiveplay.Butthecommonwisdomisthat,asarelativelynewmedium,videogamesare stillgettingtheirsealegswhenitcomestosophisticatedapproachestostorytelling,defininga compellingcharacter,or,morefamously,ofmovingaplayertotears. Thequestionis,wheredoCasualGamesfitintothislargerpolemic?Doweoperateunderthe samerulesandarewewadingthroughthesamechallengesascoregamedesigners?Or,arethe idiosyncrasiesofcasualgamesandtheirnonhardcoregameraudiencegoingtoliberatethe casualgamedesignerandgivehimorherauniquelyadvantageouspositionatthecuttingedge ofelegantlyinterpolatingstoryandinteractivity? DoesaCasualGameEvenNeedaStory? Historically,notallsuccessfulcasualgameshaveneededstoryandcharacter.Afterall,isnt gameplayeverything?Whocaresaboutstory?Whyaddcharacters?Whyaddstory?Itcosts more,right?Anditshard! Sure,agamehastohavegoodgameplayoryouresunk.Butherearesomereasonsitmayjust beworththeeffort.

42

1. Artisticmerit.Ifvideogamemakingisanartisticmedium,weshouldbeabletouseit forallkindsofselfexpression.Storyandcharacteraretoolsforentertaining,for touchingpeopleshearts,formakinganemotionalimpactbeyondthemechanicsofthe game,ahighscore,agamesinteractivity,oritspuzzle. 2. ThevalueofcharacterIP.Additionally,asourindustrymatures,theopportunityto buildcharacterIPhasanobviousfinancialupside.LaraCroft,TombRaider.Nuffsaid 3. IPandrepeatpurchase.Additionally,casualplayersareprovenloyalists.Oncebittenby thematch3,hiddenobject,ortimemanagementbug,playersoftenreturntothewell forrepeateddrinks.Charactersandstoryprovideamuchneededidentitymarkerthat letsplayersknowthatthishiddenobjectseriesfeelslikeanoldfriend,wherethatone feelslikeagenerichangeronthatkeepsshowinguptothepartyuninvited.BothJill fromCakeManiaandFlofromtheDinerDashseriesenjoywiderecognitionacrossthe casualgamesspacebelovedcharactershelpthosegamesgetnoticedandsell. 4. GoodNarrative=Crack.FromCharlesDickensVictorianmasterpieces,totodays SopranosorLost,serializedfictionisinfamousforsuckinginitsaudienceandkeeping themcomingbacktofindoutwhathappensnext.ForCasualGamesespecially,wherea freetrialoftenstandsasanobstacletoapurchase,theuseofstorymightjustbethe holygrailofconversionasitcanbeusedtokeepuserstokeepplayingespecially storieswithcompellingcharactersincliffhangersituations. 5. Donttakeourwordforit!Justlookatthetoptens!Overthelastfewyearsascasual gameshavemovedfromgemswappingandmarblepoppingtogamesabouterstwhile detectivesandspunkyrestaurateurs,ithasbecomealmostimpossibletofindahit casualgamethatdoesntincludeatleastanattemptatstoryandcharacterintegration. Fromfairygodmotherstohaplessgrandmothers,lostislanderstobankruptchocolate makers,andmysteriousdreamerstoambitiousweddingplanners,thecharacterswesee inhitcasualgamesunderscorethewaysinwhichcasualgamemakershavetakenupthe bannerofstorytellingandcharacterdevelopmentoverthelastfewyears. OK,butareweanygoodatit?Howdowerisetothelevelofstorytellingqualityseeninother entertainmentmedialiketelevisionandfilmandmoveawayfromanapproachwherethe storiesandcharactersremainatbestapoorlyintegratedafterthought? Pickingtherighttheme Arichgamemetaphorprovidesbackstory,definestheplayenvironment,addsacompelling motivetotheplayer'sgamegoals,andgivestheuseradeeperfeelingofimmersionintothe experience. Thestorygoesthatascorevideogamesfirstbegantoexplorenarrativethemes,thegame makingcommunitychosethemesthatappealedto..(guesswho?)gamemakers!Thatsright, 43

technologists!Unfortunately,technologistsarentalwaysthebeststorytellers.Whydomost gamestoriesfallshort?ToooftendeveloperslettheguywiththebiggestDVDcollectiontake overandassumeheknowswhathestalkingabout.Thustheoversaturationofspaceships, robots,archeologicaltombhuntersanddragonsthatblast,shoot,swingorroartheirway throughthegameplayersimaginativelandscape. Notsurprisingly,giventheheavyrepresentationofwomenandmomsdownloadingandplaying, casualgameshavetakenanoticeableandrefreshingdetourfromtheformulasputforthbythe traditionalcoregamermarket.Althoughcasualgamesrootsmightbeinancientarcheological lostcitiesandspacethemedgems,overthelastfewyearsweveseensomebraveexperiments emergethattestthewatersonbroadernarrativethemesandmoreeverydaycharacters.Weve seenblockbustergameslikeMysteryCaseFilesandDinerDashborrowfromthepopulararts likeprimetimetelevisionandspawnrobustcategorieswithakindofexpectedformulafor storyandcharacter. Rulesforcreatingacompellingstory [Itsworthnotingthatagooddealofthefollowingmaybesubjective.Notallstoriesworkbythe samerulesorbenefitfromthesameapproaches.Thissection,therefore,mayprovemore subjectivethan,forexample,thesectiononpublishingordistributionmodels.] Asagamedesignerthereareahostofrulestofolloworbreakasyouseefitwhentellingastory inacasualgame.Whatssodifferentaboutcasualgames?Themaindifferenceistheaudience. Whereasinacoregame,theaudiencemayforgivebaddialogue,poorcharacterdevelopment ornostoryatallinexchangeforsupercoolgraphicsandhitechthemes,theaudienceforcasual gamesismadeupofmanynonhardcoregamerswhosebarforentertainmentqualityissetnot byothergamesandnotbyspectaclespecialeffectsladenfilms,butratherbycompelling storytelling. IfyouraudienceisaMiddleAmericansoccermom,itsworthnotingthat,asarule,this demographicisnotnecessarilymovedbyspectacleinTVorFilmeither.Herearesomeoftcited oftmalignedrulesofthumbforstorytellingincasualgamemaking; 1. Immersion.Createtheillusionthattheplayerisinthestoryworld.Takecare nottoshatterthatillusion. a. Keepthetechnologyinvisible.Dontusethewordclick,anddont mentionthemouse.Dontrefertothearrowkeys.Tryhardnotto remindplayerstheyareonacomputer.Instead,immersetheuserin thenarrativeworld. b. Dontbreakthefourthwall.Trytoavoidbreakingthefourthwall(the wallbetweenthecharactersonstageandtheaudiencethusavoid lineslikeHellothereplayer!)

44

2. Respecttheplayersimagination.Youdontneedtotelltheusereverydetail. Theywillenjoytheinteractionmoreifyouletthemparticipateinhowthestory emerges. a. Allowforclosure.Visualtheoristscallitclosurewhenanartistletsa viewerfillinthegapsofabrokencircleoronwhathappensbetween panelsofacomicbook.Asastoryteller,youdontneedtotellevery detailofyourwholestory.Allowtheusertofillintheblankswithhisor herimagination. b. Startasdeepinaspossible.Startthestoryasdeepintothenarrativeas youcan,allowingtheplayertofillintheblanks. 3. Wastenot,wantnot.Althoughproductionvaluesareontherise,smallfile sizesandsmallbudgetsarestilltypicallythegoalwithcasualgames.Soasa developmentstudio,unlessyouvegotalotofhelpfromapublisherorabig warchest,youusuallycantaffordextensivelyanimatedcutscenesortonsof castedandrecordedcharacterdialogue.However,bigbudgetsandbigfilesizes dontalwaysmeangoodstorytelling. a. Lessismore.Brutallyedityourdialogue.Writeascriptforscene,then cutitinhalfthentakeabreathandcutitinhalfagain.Itscheaper anditslikelythatyourstorywillbemoreinterestingiflessisrevealed. Mostplayersdontwanttoread.Ifyourgamehasacomicbookpage, cantheplayergetthegistofthestoryjustbylookingattheartworkand notreadinganytext? b. Naturalism.Savetimeinwritingandcasting.Gofornaturalisminyour casting,dialoguewritinganddirecting.Peopleareusedtostandardsset bytelevisionandfilm.Noonewantstolistentoanoveractedsetof affectedlinesreadinadeephoarsethroatymanner,nomatterhowevil itmakesyourcharactersound. c. ActionisKey. i. Animationisexpensive.Canyouusecomicstripsinsteadof animatedcutscenes?Ifyouregoingtoanimatemakesureits interestingaskyourselfifitsreallyworthanimating?The DinerDashandCakeManiaserieshaverecentlymigratedfrom staticcomicpanelstomorerobustlyanimatedcartoonsfor theircutscenes. ii. Usetricks.Insomecases,simpledirector/cinematography techniqueslikecamerapanningorzoomingcanmakeabig impact.Inaddition,particleeffects,interactiveprompts,and

45

metagamescanallbeusedfornarrativeimpactwithout breakingthebank. iii. Contentinthecontextofaction.Nevertellwhenyoucan show.Avoidtalkingheadswithlotsofexposition.Ifyouneed thecharacterstoconveytotheplayersomeinformation,can youconveyitwithinadialogueastheplayersarescalingawall orclimbingatree? d. RelyonAudio.Audioistypicallycheaperthananimationasatoolfor storytelling.Sometimesmusic,voiceandaudiosoundeffectscanseta moodtellthestory.Forexample,moreandmorecasualgamesuse VoiceOvertohelpdefineacharacterandimmerseaplayerinthe narrativeworld. 4. Astoryisdifferentfromalist.Ifyouregoingtotellastoryinyourgame,keep inmindthatagoodstoryisnotjust,firstthishappened,thenthathappened, nextathirdcoolthinghappened.Herearesomewaystoavoidaboringlistlike story; a. Foreshadow.Agoodstoryhasnarrativestructureandoffersthoughtful foreshadowingduringearlystagesofthenarrativetosetup expectations. b. UseaThirdacttwist.Agoodstorythenplayswithortwiststhose expectations(usuallyinthethirdactorfinalactofthegame). c. Putobstaclesinyourherospathandmakethemovercomethem!A goodstoryrequirestheherotoreachdeepinsideandcreateclever solutionsthatonlyhe/shecouldcreate. 5. Seamlessintegration.Thisismaybethehardestpart.Canyouweave interactivityandstoryaroundeachotherwithoutmakingthestoryfeel contrivedortackedonasanafterthought?Playingthegameshouldfeellike youremakingthestoryunfoldfurther.Canthestorychangedependingonthe playerschoices?Herearesometacticsforpullingthisoff: a. Gettheplayerinvolvedinthestory.Cantheplayersactionsactually unlockstory?(Forexample,findingthebottlethatwashesuponshore torevealthemessagewithin) b. UseMetaStructure.Canstoryunlockandberevealedaslevelsare won?InChocolatier,playersrevealmoreandmoreofthefamilysagaas theybuildtheirchocolateempire.InDreamChronicles,themystery andstorylineunfoldsastheplayerdecodesherwaythroughafantastic landscapeofchallengingpuzzles.InNannyMania,theplayerliterally

46

unlockscharacters(inthiscasemembersofthegrowingfamily)asthey play. 6. Revise!Revise!Revise!Noonegetsthestoryrightinthefirstdraft.Believeit ornot,gettingthestoryrightcantakeasmuchtimeanditerationasmechanics, graphics,orsound.Greatwritersoftenclaimtobelousywriters,butexceptional revisers.Samegoesforgamestories,butofcourse,thattimeneedstobe integratedintotheschedule. DefiningCharacters Herearesomestartingpoints; 1. Doyouknowwhoyourcharacteris?CreatingaRichBackstory.Trulyknowingwho yourcharacteriswillmakeitmucheasiertowritenaturaldialogueandcompelling stories.Takethetimetodefineyourcharactersbackstory,theirlikesanddislikes, familyhistory,strengthsandflawseventheirpetpeeves,quirks,andcatchphrases.If youdothisright,youwillknowmuchmoreaboutyourcharacterthanyoueverwillbe abletotellinasmallfilegame,butitwillmakethedialogueflowfreelyifyoucanreally channelyourcharacterandseeintotheirinnerworld. 2. Doyoucareaboutyourcharacter?Alot?Ifyoudontcareaboutyourcharacterthen dontexpecttheplayertocareeither! 3. Drawonwhatyouknow.Dontjustaddacharacterbecauseyouthinkyouneedone. Drawonyourownexperiencesandyourownworldtocreatemorebelievable charactersthatpeoplewillcareaboutandunderstand. a. Isyourcharactersomeonewithwhomplayerscanidentify? b. Isyourcharacteraspirational?Someoneplayersmightaspiretobe? c. Consideranensemblecast.TakealookatGamelabsMissManagementfora valiantattemptatensemblestorytelling. 4. Workwithyourartist.Thecharacterartworkshouldtellyouasmuchaspossibleabout thatcharacter(whileavoidingstereotypes). 5. Test!!!!Whatwethinkisappealingmaynotbeappealingtoouraudience.Drawout multipleversionsofyourcharactersandrunthembypotentialplayers.TEST!! CasualGenresandStoryTelling 1.HOGSandnarrative.HiddenObjectGameshaveproventobeparticularlyrifeforstory integration.FromwackycartoonfamilieslikeBigCityAdventureandTheScruffs,tomoreserious dramaslikeMortimerBeckettorTheNightShiftCode,thenotionoffindingahiddenobjectthat isanimportantpartofthenarrativeoffersanelegantwayforgamedesignerstowrestlewith

47

storyintegration.OberonsDreamDayWeddingfranchiseshowcaseshowHOGShaveprovento beaparticularlyviablegamegenreforrobuststoryintegration,andBigFishGamesMystery CaseFilesseriesoffersplayersafamiliartongueincheekdetectivestorywithvaryingnarrative themesfromgametogame. HOGshavealsoprovenaripeenvironmentforweavinginlicensedentertainmentproperties.Of notearetitleslaunchedoffofpopularpaperbacknovelfranchiseslikeJamesPattersons WomensMurderClub,AgathaChristiesDeathontheNile,andevenpopularmovieslike RighteousKill. 2.TimeManagementGamesandNarrative.Afewstorybasedfranchiseshaveemergedfrom thetimemanagementgenreandareworthnotinghere.Dinertown,isPlayFirstsstoryworld whereFlofromDinerDashlivesalongsideallhertheDinerToonCharacterpals.Dinertownis repletewitharobustcastofcharactersthathavespunoffovertentimemanagementgames rangingfromfourDinerDashsequelsandtenexpansionrestaurantstoWeddingDash,Cooking DashandevenParkingDasheachstarringitsownDinerTowncharacter.Similarly,CakeMania 3fromSandlotGameschroniclestheongoingadventuresofJill,andRealoresJane(fromJanes Hotelfame)hasmovedfromhotelmanagementtorealestateandbacktohotelmanagement. Therearemanymore. 3.AdventureGamesandNarrative.Adventuregamestraditionallydemandthegreatest attentiontodetailaroundstoryintegrationandwerelargelyabsentfromthecasualgames landscapeuntil2007whenbothDreamChroniclesandAzadareleasedtoenormoussuccess. Sincethenanumberofadventuregameshaveappeared,usuallyshowcasingmysterious(and oftengorgeous)graphicsandcinematicsoundtracks.Thisnewbreedofcasualadventuregame aimstoimmersetheplayerinthedetailsofthestoryworldastheywandertheirwaythrougha seriesofpuzzlesandminigames. PleaseBeOriginal! Inclosing,onecantconductadiscourseonstoryandcharacterincasualgameswithout mentioningtheindustrysoversaturationofthesametypeofvanillapersonalitycharactersand storylines.Wehaveanarmyofyoungwomenstartingtheirownbusinesses,ortakingover grandmasbusiness,tryingtomakeitbig.Isthisgoodfortheindustry?Isitgoodforthe developer/publisher? Asonegamedesignerrecentlyputit:IfwevegotCookieMonster,whydoweneedMuffin Monster?Itstemptingtojustplayitsafeandemulatewhattheaudiencehasalready embraced.Itshardtobeoriginal,especiallyinaformulaicmedium.Howdoyoumakeastory uniquewhenthestructureoftendemandsasimilararclikemovingfromlocationtolocation, upgradingyourvenue,etc?Theeffortsofgoingoutonalimbmayprovewellworthit,as commonwisdomdictatesthatadeveloperwillmakemoremoneywithafreshoriginalIPthat hitsabullseyeinanareaofthemarketthatisunderserved.

48

Tothiswriter,itisdisappointingtoseesuchlackofdaring,whenoneofthekeyadvantagesto casualovercoregamedevelopmentisthatdespitethefactthatbudgetsareclimbingits notcompletelycostprohibitivetotakeachanceincasualdevelopment. Itsworthnotingthatmorecomplexandmaturenarrativesarestillnearlynonexistentinthe casualmarketplace.Yes,wevebeguntobroachtheMurderMysteryairplanenovelette,andthe 1970ssituationcomedy,butsurelytherearewomenouttherewatchingshowslikeTheWire, SixFeetUnderandEntourage?Weareonlynowbeginningtoseecasualtitlesthateven approachthislevelofdaring. Sowherecanwefindnewsourcesofinspirationintheseaofnarrativesameness?Thereare greatstorieseverywhere:Newspapers,HistoryBooks,NatureShows,Fables,TheBible,Comic Books,etc.Wecanalsoexploreadvancedstorytellingtechniques:nonlineartimelines,anti heroes,multipleprotagonists.Mostly,thesewillbreakdownintherigidstructureofagame,but maybesomesmallpiecewilltakeholdandleadtosomethinginteresting. Lastly,itmaypaytokeepaneyeonthecoregamespace.GameslikePortalandBioshock,which offeradvancedstorytellingtechniques,disorientingstorytwistsandevenunreliablenarrators, maynotberightforthecasualaudiencebuttheymaystillofferinspirationandilluminationas wemakeourwaythroughthedarknessofnicheandformulatothebrightlightofmassmarket success.

QA&BetaTesting
JimStern,VPofProductDevelopment,iWin So,youvegotagreatgamethatsinthefinalstagesofdevelopmentandyouwanttomakesure thatyougiveitthebestchancetosucceed.Yougothroughyourchecklistandthinktoyourself, Ivereallydoneitthistime.Ivecreatedthebestgameanditsgoingtomakememillions!I haveagreatdesign,developedthecodemyself,integratedartandsound,playeditathousand timesoverandIdonthaveasinglebuglefttosquash.EvenmyMomlikesthegame.Imdone, right? Wrong.DoesthegamecontinuetofunctionnormallyiftheplayerreceivesanIMwhilethe gameisrunning?Willyouraveragenongameralreadyhaveallofthegamesrequireddlls? Doesthegamecrashorcometoacompletestandstillifitisleftrunningovernight?What percentageofplayerswilldropoutofthegameafterthefirsttwoorthreelevels,andwhy? ThesearejustafewofthequestionsthatneedtobeansweredthroughappropriateQAand BetaTestingtechniquesbeforeanygameisreleasedtothepublic.

49

OrganizationalStructure Yourorganizationshouldbesetupflexiblysothatyoucanscaleasthecompanygrows.Ina startupenvironmentwithaproductionteamofupto7or8people,youcantypicallybudget oneQAtestertotestyourgame.Earlyon,itsbesttokeepyouroverheaddownbyhiring contractorsratherthanemployingfulltimetesters.Asyoustartbuildingsimultaneous productiongroups,planonestablishingafulltimeQAteamagainusingoutsidecontractorsto accommodatepeaktestingtimes.Dependingonhowyoustructuretherestofyour organization,theQAteamshouldtypicallyreporttotheheadofproductionordevelopment. With3to4fulltimeQAtesters,makesureyouhaveidentifiedaQALeadwhohastheabilityto setstandardsforyourspecifictestingneeds;suchascreatingtestplans,properlymanagingbug databases,andhiringadditionalpeople.Astheteamcontinuestogrow,itwillbeimportantto haveaQAManagerwhowilldirectandsetexpectationsacrosstheentireteam,thougheachQA testershouldhavedottedlineresponsibilitiestotheProduceronanindividualgame. QACycles TimingisimportantwhenassigningaQAtestertoagame.Iftheyareassignedtooearly,the developermaygoballisticwiththebarrageofknownbugsreportedagainstatestbuild.Ifthey areassignedtoolate,thetestingmaybespotty,withgapscreatedbyatesterwhosnot adequatelyfamiliarwiththeintricatedetailsofthegame. ThebesttimetoassignaQAtestertoagameisshortlybeforethegamereachesAlpha.Forthe sakeofdiscussion,assumethatAlphameansfeaturecompletemeaningthatallaspectsof thedesignareimplementedandyoucanplaythroughtheentiregame,thoughitmaybevery buggyandstillcontainplaceholderartandsound.ThetestersshouldfullyabsorbtheGame DesignDocumentandreviewthecurrentbuildofthegametofamiliarizethemselveswiththe gameplay,scope,andpotentialrisks.Planonbudgeting23weeksforthetestersto understandthegame,anddevelopaTestPlanpriortothegamebeingsubmittedtoAlpha. Oncesubmitted,itsfairgame.Dependingonthesizeandstabilityofthegame,planon spending48personweekstestingthegame.QAshouldbeintimatelyinvolvedinreporting, tracking,andregressingbugs,prioritizingandidentifyingthosethatareshowstoppersbefore thegameisreleasedintotheBetaphaseofdevelopment.QAshouldalsobeinvolvedinall milestonereviewsfromthispointforward,presentingalistofallopenbugsbrokenoutby severity(i.e.,critical,major,minor,featureenhancement). OncethegamehasreachedBeta(forthesakeofdiscussion,assumethatBetaisfeatureAND contentcomplete),youshouldplanonspendinganadditional48personweeksoftesting.QA shouldcontinuemanagingthebugdatabaseandbeinvolvedinanyregularmeetingsconcerning thegame.IdeallythecodeshouldbefrozenbeforethegameissubmittedtoBeta,butweall knowwedontliveinanidealworld.Anyfeatureupdates,levelchanges,andevenminor improvementsneedtobeupdatedintheGameDesignDocumentandreporteddirectlytothe

50

QAanalystsotheycanverifythechangeshavebeenmadecorrectlyanddonothaveanegative impactontherestofthegame. WhenyourereadytodeclarethegameGoldMaster,againmakesureQAisinvolvedwiththe finalsignoff,identifyingallopenbugsandthosethatmustbefixedbeforeshippingthegame. Herearesomeofthecommonpitfallsyoushouldavoid: TimewasntbudgetedupfronttowriteacompleteTestPlan QAdoesnthavesufficienttestingtimebeforesigningoffonamilestone ProductionteammakeschangestothegamewithoutinformingQA Bugsarepostedwithoutdelineatingseverityorpriority Decidingnottohireatesterbecauseyouthinkthedevelopersandproducercantestit sufficiently QAteststhatfocusonlyonplayingthegamefromstarttofinishwithouttryingtobreak it,purposelylosinglevels,ortestingtheimpactofexternalapplications

BestPractices Belowaresomeguidelinesthatwillhelpmakethetestingprocessrunmoresmoothly: CreateastrongTestPlan.IfyourGameDesignDocumentiscurrentandcomplete,a TestPlanshouldbeveryeasytogenerate.Dontjustgothroughthemotionswiththe TestPlantheproducerandgamedesignershouldworktogetherandidentifythe biggestareasofconcern,andtheyalsomustsignoffontheTestPlan. Createcheatstoaccessallpartsofthegame.Thesecheatscanalsobeusedtoset parameters(i.e.,score,lives,time)thatwillhelptestedgecasescenariosthatarehard toaccessbyplayingthegamesequentially. Createachecklistthatclearlyidentifiesdifferentpartsofthegamethatmustpass testingwheneveranewbuildisreleased(whetherduetoabugfixorbuildforanew distributor). Puttogetheracomprehensivelistoffilesthatmustbeincludedwitheverybuildto ensurethatnofilesordirectoriesaremissing,mislabeled,ormisplaced. Testallaspectsofthegame(i.e.,spelling,artglitches,soundfiles,transitionscreens, EULA/ReadMefiles,minimummachinerequirements,fullscreen/windows,different operatingsystemsandhardwareconfigurations) DistinguishbetweenGamePlayTestingandApplicationTesting.GamePlayTesting shouldfocusonallaspectsofthegame,includinglevels,powerups,andstandardrules. ApplicationTestingfocusesonareasnotrequiredtogothroughthegame(i.e.,getting

51

unexpectedIMmessages,switchingfromwindowstofullscreen,rapidlyclickingon buttons,runningthegameovernighttotestformemoryleaksandgenerallytryingto crashthegame).Bothareequallyimportant. Dontskimpontesting.Itwillonlyhurtyouinthelongrun.Manyportalsarenow testinggamesbeforelaunchingthem.Iftheyarebuggy,thiswilldelaythelaunch. Otherportalsjustmakesurethegamelaunches,yetyoumaybebarragedwithahigh volumeofcustomercomplaintsifyoureleaseyourgamebeforeitsready,potentially havingthegameremovedindefinitelyuntilapatchismadeavailable.

BugTracking Trackingandregressingbugsarejustasimportantasfindingthebugitself.Ifyoudontreportit accuratelyorregressthefix,youmayaswellshipthegamewithouttestingitatall.Beloware somekeypointsrelatedtobugtrackingthatyoushouldevaluatewhensettingupyourQA team: Therearemanydatabasesthatexistthatallowyoutotrackyourbugsefficiently(i.e., Bugzilla,Jira,QuickBase).Whateveryouchoose,makesurethesystemallowsfor categorizationbyseverityandpriority,assigningowners,automaticallynotifyingkey peoplewithupdates,completedescriptions,andattachments. AllknownissuesfromAlphaonwardshouldbetrackedandaddressedappropriately Allbugsshouldbeassignedanowneratalltimes. Allbugsshouldhavecleardescriptionsoftheproblem,theexpectedresults,andthe specificstepsforreproducingthebug.Screenshotsandanyrelevantdebugfilesshould beattachedtoillustratetheissue. Savegamestatessoyoucanreproduceabugeasilyandquickly. UsethebugdatabasetotrackFeatureEnhancementsaswell.Thiswillhelpwiththe designphaseofthesequelifthegameissuccessfulenoughtowarrantanotherversion.

WhentoOutsource Asmentionedearlier,QAshouldbeoutsourcedwhenyoudonthaveenoughprojectstokeepa testeremployedfulltime.However,thereareotherinstanceswhereyoumaywanttorelyon outsidesourcestohelpwithyourtesting: ConfigurationtestingIfyoudonthaveaQAlabthatisequippedwithallthedifferent targetplatforms(includingoperatingsystem,hardwarespecs,soundcards,DirectX versions,etc.),youshouldconsideroutsourcingtoatestingfacilitythatcanruntests acrossallrelevantplatforms.Theyshouldidentifynotonlywhetherthegamefailsto

52

run,butifitdoesntperformoptimallyorprovidetheexpectedresultsonaspecific machine.Remembertohavethegametestedonlowendaswellashighendmachines, asresultswillvary. GamesportedtootherplatformsIfyourprimaryfocusisnotonasingleplatform, makesureyouhaveanexperienced(andpreferablycertified)QAteamthatcanpassthe requiredtestingcertificationsfortheadditionalplatforms(i.e.,consoleorhandheld device).Mobiledevelopment,forexample,requirestestingacrosshundredsof handsets,whichtypicallyisnotfinanciallyfeasibleformostdevelopersthatdont specializeinthatplatform. AccommodateebbsandflowsintestingcyclesEvenunderthebestofplanning, schedulesmaychangeovertimerequiringanindividualtobeonmultipleprojects simultaneously.IfthishappensduringthefinalstagesofgettingagametoGoldMaster, thismaybetootaxingforthetester.Inthiscase,youwillwanttohavesomeadditional resourcesthatcanhelponanasneededbasis. MatchuptimezonesIfyourdevelopmentteamisinadifferenttimezonethanyour QAteam,youmaywanttooutsourceQAtosynchupthetimestopromotemorereal timecommunicationinidentifyingandregressingbugsquickly.Sometimesthetime differencecanworktoyouradvantagetodofullregressiontestingwhilethedeveloper isoffline,butothertimesyouwillneedimmediateresponses.

Whenyoudouseoutsideresourcestoaugmentyourtesting,remembertokeepthefollowing considerationsinmind: AssignaninternalleadQAtesterwhowillbethemaincontactforanyquestions ProvidedetailedTestPlans(orrequirethatupfrontasthefirstdeliverable) Setupabudget(statinghowmuchoverageisacceptablewithoutprewritten authorization) Defineexpectationsupfront(i.e.,Gamevs.ApplicationTesting,hourstospendtesting thegame,methodforreportingbugs,accessforlatestgamebuilds) Decideondomesticvs.internationaltesting.Whileoverseastestingmaybelesscostly, itmayalsocausetimedelaysornotbeeffectiveinidentifyingbugswithyournative language.Thecontractshouldclearlyoutlinetheexpectationsandcommunication shouldbefrequent.

53

BetaTesting SoyourAuntEdnalovesthegame.Shemaybethediscerningcriticinyourfamily,butshemay notbethebestgaugeastohowwellyourgamewillfareinthegeneralmarketplace.What wouldhappenifnoonecouldgetpastlevel2becauseitwastoohardorhadabugthat preventedtheuntrainedpersonfromprogressingtothenextlevel?Isitreallyworthwaiting untilthegamehitsoneofthemajorportalstofindthisout? Giveyourgamethebestchancetosucceedandconsiderrunningitthroughfocusgroupsor betatestersbeforereleasingittothegeneralaudience.Herearesomestepstokeepinmind: FocusGroups o Typicallydoneinsmallgroups(310people)withconcentratedeffortspenton reviewinghowanindividualreactstothegameplayoftenincluding videotapingandfollowupquestionnairestoanalyzetheresults. o Timingisdependentonneeds TimingshouldbeearlyenoughtovalidatethegameisfunorafterBeta whenthefeaturesareinandtherulesareselfexplanatory o Internalvs.Outsourcing Costlytodoexternally,butyoucangenerallygetmorereliableand unbiasedresults o Stepstorunningasuccessfulfocustest Recruitpeople(prescreenforavailability,demographics,interestin games) Testingshouldbenomorethan3060minutesforeachsession Thetestadministratorshouldwatchinsilenceandtakenotesasthe testerplaysthegame,payingcloseattentionto: Howintuitivethegameistoplay Whetherthetesterisenjoyingthegame Areaswherethetesterisconfusedorhavingtrouble Verbalfeedbackfromthetester Allowtimetoaskthetesterquestionsabouttheirexperience,including anyquestionstargetedtoaddresspotentialconcernsaboutspecific gamefeatures Dontforgetdayofeventplanning(parking,greetingvisitors,settingup computers,providingsnacks,videocamera,questionnaires,cashfor participation) Followupiskey(analyzeresults,providefeedbacktoproductteam, keepdatabaseoftestersforfutureneeds) o Planonrunninginternalcompanymashes.Someofyourmostvocalplayers maybethepeoplesittingrightnexttoyou.Hostaninternalreviewofthe game,usingcontestsandfoodasincentivestogetpeopletoparticipate.This

54

willnotonlyhelpidentifybugs,butalsogetpeopleexcitedabouttheimpending launch.Haveacontestforthehighestscoreorthemostseverebugfound,or evenscattertriviathroughoutthegametomakeitmorefun. BetaTests o Typicallydoneinlargegroups,andthusallowsforamuchgreaterstatistical significanceoffeedback.AgoodBetaTestinvolvesafewhundredparticipants. o Generallyinvolvesprequalifiedplayersofgameswhoareinterestedin previewinggamesandprovidingfeedback. o StepstoRunningaSuccessfulBetaTest; Thegameshouldessentiallybereadyforrelease,withtheabilityto makenecessarychangesbasedonthetestresults. Recruitparticipantsthroughnewsletters,mailinglists,orpublicizedbeta programsifyouhaveaccesstoalargenumberofgamers(i.e.,ifyourun aportal).Forsmallerdevelopmenthouses,coordinatedirectlywiththe publishertosolicitfeedbackfrombetatesters. Mostbetatestersaremotivatedbytheopportunityofpreviewing gamesbeforetheyarereleased.Foradditionalincentives,consider offeringcouponsforyourgames,sendingafreecopywhenthegameis released,orrafflingoffacoveteditem(suchasaWiiconsole). Considerembeddingaleveltrackertovalidatewherethegameistoo easyortoohard.Thetrackingmechanismshouldidentifylengthof timespentineachlevel,levelreachedduringthefirsthourofgame play,andmaximumlevelreached. Createasurveytosolicitsubjectivefeedbackaswell Limitthesurveytonomorethan810questionssothatitisnot overlycumbersomeortimeconsuming Approximatelyhalfofthesurveyquestionsshouldbe quantifiablesothatyoucanreviewtheresultsinaggregate(i.e., Onascalefrom110,where1istheleastinterestedand10is themostinterested,howwouldyourankyourinterestinthe storyline?) Allowsomeopenendedquestionsthatwillallowforfeedback onwhatthetesterslikedanddidntlike,givingthemthe opportunitytoprovidefeedbackonissuesyoumightnothave otherwiserealizedwereimportanttothem o Somepublishersordistributorswhohaveanexistinginstallbaseofplayerscan helpgatherfeedbackforyourbetatest.However,youshouldclearly communicatethegameisinBetatestingandthattheplayersagreetofillouta questionnaireuponcompletingthegame.

55

LifeCycleofaCasualGame
AndyMegowan,CreativeDirector,iWin ThelifecycleofacasualgameideallylooksalotlikethecareerofaHollywoodstar.Everystars risetofameisdifferent,buttheentertainmentindustryhasmanywellestablishedstopsalong theway.Yourstarcasualgamemaynotnecessarilyhiteverysinglestage,andtermsand expectationschangeateachstudio,ineachculture,andwitheachdistributor.Acasualgame maymerelytouchonastageforafewminutes,orforaslongasayear. LetscallourhypotheticalgameoractressSuzyStarlet. PreProduction WhoisSuzyStarlet?Whyisthisyoungperformerevenhere?GivingSuzyachanceatthe spotlightwilltakelotsofplanningandeffort.Imagecountsforalotwhenmakingthatgood firstimpression.Suzymustbeattractive,withalookthatisbothfreshandfamiliar,inorderto gettheattentionofpeoplebombardedwithotherhopefulseveryday.Andtheremustbe somethingengaging,afterthatfirstimpression,toleaveaudienceswantingmore. Startwiththepitch. Ingeneralterms,whatisthenatureofthegame,andwhymustitbemade?Isitaresponseto marketpressures?Isitaboldnewinnovation?Isitanotherchapterinanengagingstory? Identifyoneormorebigideas.Theseideaswillactasguidingconceptsasthedetailsgetfilled in,andasthehooksthatwillhelpothersenvisionthegamebeforethereisanythingtosee. Makeplans. Planshelpeveryonegraspthenatureandthescopeofwhatthegamewillbecome.Createa centralrepositoryforideas,images,plans(andcontingencyplans!).Fromthiswealthofdata, applydisciplinedreasoningandthoughttoextractandorganizesomekeyinformationabout whatscoming.Thiswillbeyourstrategyformakingthegameareality.Andintheabsenceofa producttoshow,theplansforgettingthegamedoneareallthatstakeholderscanseebefore committingtoinvestinthecreationofagame.Thisplanisalsoaninsurancepolicythat demonstratesawarenessofthescopeandtherisks. Somemorecommonformsofdocumentationfallintothesecategories; Whatneedstobedone?InadditiontoelaboratingonthePitch,GameDesign Documentsdetailthemechanicsofhowthingsworkandrelatetoeachother,stories, characters,dialogue,environments,andstylisticdecisionssuchaslook,feel,andart direction.Thisdocumentationshouldalsodemonstrateanawarenessofsimilaror competitiveproductsandhowthisparticulargamewilldifferentiateitself.

56

Howwillitwork?TechnicalDesignDocumentsareblueprintsforhowthegamecode mustbeconstructed.Identifythetargetplatformandhardwarespecifications,thetools thatareneeded,fileformats,codingspecifications,andanythingelsethatallows engineerstoseethewholeandalloftheparts. HowonEarthwillthisgetdone?Writedownmanagementplansandthescopeof workinvolved.Identifythekeyplayers,theirroles,andtheirstrengths.Puttogethera schedulethatidentifiesdependencies,priorities,andhowmuchtimeisneeded(or available).Determinehowmuchitwillcosttocreatethisgame.

Production IttakesmonthsofhardworktoprepareSuzytomeettheworld,andmoreworkjusttogenerate interestinSuzyseventualdebut.Suzyismorethananindividualnow;sheisalsoanetworkof supportpeoplealldoingtheirparttomakeSuzyappealing,andgetherinfrontofasmany potentialfansaspossible.HerteamworksmonthaftermonthtorefinewhatSuzyis.Theresa wholelotofpolish,poiseandcosmeticsthatcanbebroughttobear,sothechallengeistostilllet Suzysuniquepersonalityandgenuinecharmsshinethrough,todifferentiateherfromthe swarmofotherhopefuls. GettingReady Bringtogethertheproductionteam.Iftherearelegalissuesinvolvedsuchaspatents,licenses orintellectualproperty,getthosesquaredawayassoonaspossible.Distributethedocsto everyone.Insomecases,thedocumentationisironclad,whileinothersitsapointof departure.Someteamsfavorlivedocumentationthatchroniclesandadjuststochanges. Provethatitworks(ordoesntwork) Bepractical.Ifthereisanyuncertaintythatthegamewillbefun,orappealing,orsuccessful, makethosedeterminationsfirst.Buildsomethingroughthatproves(ordisproves)thevalidity ofthegame.Catchproblemsandsolvethemasearlyaspossible.Mockupvisuals,andtryout prototypes.Determinewhatsappealingaspuremechanics,andwhatreliesuponpresentation foritsstrength. HittingtheAlphaMilestone Definitionsmayvary,butforpeopletrackingtheprogressofagameinbroadmilestones,the firstmajoroneisfrequentlycalledanAlphaabuildwhereallofthemechanicsofthegame areallinplace,andthegamecanbeplayedthroughfrombeginningtoend.Contentneednot beanywherenearfinal,althoughitisveryusefultohaveatleastoneportionlookingtheway thatitwillinthefinishedproduct.AnAlphashouldalsobecompleteenoughsothattestingand qualityassurancemakessense. HittingtheBetaMilestone Thenextmajormilestoneiswhenthegameiscomplete,butnotyetflawlesstypicallycalleda Beta.Allfeatures,contentandcodeisin.Dedicatedtestingtouncoverandeliminate hardware,performance,balanceandotherissuesshouldbegin.Workbeginsinearnestoutside

57

ofdevelopmentforthemarketinganddistribution.IfthegameisgoingtobereleasedinNorth America,begintheEntertainmentSoftwareRatingsBoard(ESRB)submissionprocess.Prepare marketingmaterialsthatshowoffthegamesuniquestyleandenvironment.Allowlimited previewstothepressandtotestgroupstofinetunethegamemechanics,pacing,and presentation. Lookingahead Duringthefinaldaysastheproductnearsrelease,laythegroundworkforwhatliesbeyond. Preparethegameforglobalizationbymakingthegameaseasyaspossibletotranslateinto otherlanguages.Lookatwhathasntbeendoneandwhatcanbedone,andagreetosetitaside forexpansionpacksorsequels.Makingthedecisionsaboutwhattoleaveforfutureproducts willhelpcontrolthescopeandfeaturesinthecurrentproduct. LimitedRelease Suzysbigdaycomesandshesseenbypeopleeverywhere.MaybenotasmanypeopleseeSuzy asmarketingwouldlike,butenoughpeopleseeherinactiontogasp,Ooh!Thisiswonderful! GiveusmoreSuzy!Theytellmorepeople,whoalsowanttoseeSuzy.Andastarisborn. Therearenecessaryevils. Nowthelifeofacasualgameleavesthehandsofdevelopersandproducers.Businesspeople securedistribution,copyrightsandtrademarksiftheyarenotalreadysecured.Marketing peopledeploypressreleases,screenshots,linkstositesthatcarrythegameandother promotionalmaterials. Therootofallevil Themotivationforadistributortodistributeagameistogetmoneytochangehands.Asofthis writing,themostprevalentmeansofmakingthishappenistodistributeagameforfreewitha timedlockthatcripplesorshutsthegamedownaftertheplayerhasseenenoughtodetermine whethertopurchasethegame.Atthistime,thedebateabouttheevilsofDigitalRights Management(DRM)andpiracyisraging,andnosinglesolutionisemergingasthewinner. Buttheresgoodnews,too. Casualgames,almostbydefinition,arereleasedfirstonlineandareeasilydownloadedby potentialcustomerseverywhere.Manycompanieswillfunddevelopmentinexchangefor controlofdistribution.Portals,forinstance,oftenfunddevelopmentinexchangeforan exclusivedistributiondealthatcanrangefromaweektoperpetuity.Ifthatsthecase,thenthe peoplewhofundedthedevelopmentarestakeholdersinthepublicityandmarketing,andwill doeverythingtheycantomaximizecoverage.Thedeveloperisresponsibleforcreatingthe product,andthedistributorisresponsibleforcollectingcustomersandexposingthemtothe product.

58

Thethreewayconversation Withthereleaseofthegame,thedeveloperordistributoropensadialoguewiththecustomers andplayers.Someonewilltakechargeofcreatingacommonforumfordiscussionaboutthe game.Ifthedevelopersanddistributorsdontseizethis,thensavvycustomerswill.Offera placeforcustomersupport,customerrelations,discussions,andotherformsofcommunitythat willemergeasabyproductofthegamesrelease.Peoplepassionateaboutthegamewillgather hereandbecomeavaluableresourcebothtoothercustomersandtothedevelopers. WideRelease Suzysworkisquicklytranslatedtoforeignlanguagestoincreaseherworldwideexposure,and themoneyandadulationsarerollingin.Ambitionincreaseswiththeaccolades,whichinturn leadstomoreopportunitiesforSuzytobeenjoyedbyaudiencesinnewways.Sheshowsupon differentmedia,andbecomesaspokesperson,usedtohelpotherstarletsmakeitbig. Newlifeinnewforms Ifthegamewasacommercialsuccessorifstakeholdersbelievethatthegamewillenjoy commercialsuccessinotherforms,thenthegameisnowportedtodifferenthardware platformsandformats.Thedistributorordevelopermayappointadevelopmentteamto rebuildthegameforsuchdiversehardwareasPCs,mobiledevices,consoles,andhandheld gamingdevices.Thegamecanhaveitslanguageandculturespecificassetstranslatedto differentlanguagesforreleaseinothercountries.IfthegamewasaWindowsorMac executable,thenanabbreviatedversionofthegameisoftendevelopedinFlashtoeasilyrunin abrowser,actingbothasaninteractiveadvertisementforthefullgameandanadvertising revenuegeneratingversion. Anotherroundofpromotion Asexclusivedistributionwindsdownandthegamehitsconsiderablywiderdistribution,the gameoftenexperiencesanewsurgeofinterestasseveraldifferentdistributorstakeaninterest inshowingthegametotheircustomers.Itisherethatmostgameshittheirpeaksales,asthey areseenbythelargestnumberofpotentialcustomers. ExtendedLifeoftheProduct Thespotlightcanonlyhitsomanycelebritiesatonce,andnewonesarealwaysbeingcreated. Suzyscareerisfarfromover,though.Theattentionanddemandarediminished,butSuzyisin goodcompanywithotherformercelebrities,puttinginmoremundaneandaccessible appearances.Theportionofthepublicthatsimmunetobuzzandfame,orwhosimplycameto knowheralittlelaterthannormal,maystillfindplacesintheirheartsforSuzy,andher popularitycontinuestoquietlyspread. TheLongTail Unlikehardcoregameswiththeir1to3monthsaleswindow,casualgamescurrentlyhavea salestailof712monthsafterinitialrelease,dependingupontheinitialcommercialsuccess.As

59

ofthebeginningof2008,thecasualgamesmarketissaturatedwithhundredsofgames featuringremarkablysimilarcontentandmechanics.Ifaconsumerenjoyedonecasualgame, theoddsarehighlyinfavorofthatconsumereventuallytryingallofthesimilarones.New opportunities,suchasadvertisingplacedindownloadPCgames,offeradditionalopportunities toextendtherevenuegeneratingwindowofyourtitle. Imnotdeadyet Whileitisnolongerthegamesheyday,withsalesthroughtheroof,anygamewithmeritwill stilltrickleintothehandsofpeoplewhoenjoyit.Somegamesthatwereinitiallydistributed onlinewillmaketheirwaytothemuchmoreexpensiveretailchannelsasboxedproducts.For variousseasonsandpromotions,manygameswillbeofferedatdiscounts,oraspartofmulti gamebundles. AsSuzyscareerslowstoamorerelaxingpace,thereisachoicetobemade.WillSuzybe reinventedadpresentedtotheworldoncemore?Willsherenewed,butretainthoseaspects thatpeoplefellinlovewithwhentheyfirstmether?OrdoesSuzyslidegracefullyinto retirement?Afterall,thereareotherstars,eagerfortheirownchancetoshine.

Localization
JimStern,VPofProductDevelopment,iWin WhyshouldIlocalizemycasualgame?ArentmostplayersusedtoseeingthegameinEnglish? Believeitornot,thereisaverysignificantmarketforlocalizedgames.Infact,localizedgames currentlycanaccounttoanadditional2540%ofyoursales,withthenumbersconstantly increasingasthemarketextendstoothercountries.Amajorityoftheincreasedrevenueis beinggeneratedbyEuropeandistribution,thoughthelocalizedreachfortranslationsinAsian andLatincountriesisquicklypickingupsteamaswell. WhilesomefolksmaytolerateplayingagameinEnglish,theyaremuchmorelikelytobuythe gameifitisintheirnativelanguage.Ifdesignedinitiallywithlocalizationinmind,thegamecan betranslatedfairlyquicklyandcheaply. Hereareafewhintsthatwillmaketheprocessmoreseamless: Padspaceinthegameforlanguageswithlongerwordtranslations,suchasGerman (50%more).Rememberthisistruenotonlyforstorytext,butforbuttontextaswell. Puttextinseparatetextfiles(i.e.,cfgorxml)sothatatranslatordoesnotneedto accesssourcecodeorcompilethegameinordertolocalize.

60

Allimageswithtextshouldbeidentifiedupfrontwiththecorrespondingpsdlayered filesforeasygeneration.Useaspreadsheettoidentifysourceartandfinalimagesthat appearinthegame. Providecheatstoaccessallpartsofgamewithtext.QAshouldhaveachecklistofall pagestoreviewwhenlocalizedversionsareprovided. WhattodowithVO?Youcaneithertranslatethevoiceoversintothedifferent languages,oryoucanprovidesubtitlesthatyoutranslateinstead.Keepinmindthat somepeopleplaywiththevolumeturnedoff,soitmaybemoreeffective(andcheaper) tofocusonsubtitles. Remembertoaccountforspecialcharacters(i.e.,umlautsandaccents)thatneedtobe supportedinthefontyouuse.Characterbasedlanguages(suchasJapanese,Korean, andChinese)requireUNICODEsupport. Useanorderindependentsystemforanysentencesortextthatisconcatenated.If yourconcatenationreliesuponfirstplugginginaverbandthenanoun,butaJapanese sentencewouldreadnounverb,youlose. Rememberthatasupportingflashgame,andanyothersupportingmaterials,willneed translationaswell Keepinmindthatlocalizationspecialiststypicallychargeperword,alongwitha managementoverheadexpense.

Languagesyoushouldconsidertranslatinginclude: EFIGS(English,French,Italian,German,Spanish) DutchandSwedish(whicharebecomingmorepopular) Characterbasedlanguages,suchasJapanese,Chinese,andKorean.However,keepin mindthatAsianmarketstreatgamesasservices,notproducts,sogamesthatrelyupon DRMwillnotmakemoney,whilegamesthatgeneraterevenuethroughtheirservice aspectswill.

Testingconsiderations: Havetheoriginaltestingteamrunthroughcheckliststoverifythatnothingbrokeinthe localizationprocess. Unlessyouareanexpertinthelocalizedlanguage,makesurethelocalizershavea qualifiedindependenttestingteamtoverifythetranslations(orhireaseparate companytodoit) Keepaspecialeyeoutfor:

61

o o o o o o o o

Commasvs.periods(especiallyinnumericrepresentation).Forexample,US billion(1,000,000,000)vs.UKbillion(1.000.000.000.000). Apostrophesandquotes(someforeignfontsdontsupportthem) Accentsandumlauts Textappearingcorrectly(i.e.,charactersdonotgettruncated,textdoesnotrun outsideoftheintendedspace) Wordorder Summarypages(i.e.,mapandhighscorescreens) EULAandReadmefiles HIPSoftsXTest.AllHipsoftgamesfeaturextestmode,inwhichallstrings readinfromatextfilearereplacedwiththeletterX.Whenthegameisrun, everythingshouldbeanX.AnythingthatisstillinEnglish,theyknowthey needtoglobalize.

OtherThingstoConsiderwhenLocalizing; TrademarksaretypicallyUSonly.Youneedtoapplyseparatelyforothercountries. DifferentcountrieshavetheirownversionsofESRBratings.Remembertoapplyfor themindividuallyasneeded.Someoftheminclude: o PanEuropeanGameInformation(PEGI) o UnterhaltungssoftwareSelbskontrolle(USK)Germanywww.usk.de o EntertainmentandLeisureSoftwarePublishersAssociation(ELSPA)British www.elspa.com o ComputerEntertainmentRatingOrganization(CERO)Japanese www.cero.gr.jp

IntellectualProperty
EricLamendola,GM,SlingoInc.andTomBuscaglia,TheGameAttorney.com IMPORTANTAbsolutelynothinginthissectionisareplacementforprofessionallegal counsel.Thiswhitepaperisheretohelpbringcertainconceptstoyourattention;a competentintellectualpropertyattorneyshouldbecontactedwheneverdealingwithIP rightsandprotection.MostoftheconceptsdiscussedhereinarebasedonUnitedStates IntellectualPropertylawsandtradebehavior.IntellectualPropertyrightsdifferbetween allcountries,howevermostofferprotectionforCopyrights,Trademarks,Patentsand otherIPrights. Definition Theterm"intellectualpropertyrights"denotesthespecificlegalrightswhichauthors, inventorsandotherIPholdersmayholdandexercise,andnottheintellectualwork itself(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property).Thislegaldefinitioncarries severalimplicationswhenitcomestothecreativeandcollectiveworkswithingames

62

throughoutthisarticle,thetermIPwillrefertothetangibleproductthatiscreatedby theauthor,whichmayincludeanyorallofthefollowing(thislistisnotintendedtobe completeorexclusive): Gamedesigns,concepts,ideasandmockupsthereof Graphicaldesigns,mockups,renderings,drawingsandconceptart Clientendsourcecode(anylanguage),pseudocode,logicbuilds,flowcharts, conceptsandmockups Serversourcecode,communicationprotocols,runtimeenvironmentsandlogic builds Completedworksindependentoftheplatformtheyweredesignedfor Essentiallyanyofthecreativeworkthatgoesintothedesignanddevelopment ofagame,whetherornotthegameisevercompletedorreleased

TheImportanceofIP IntellectualPropertyisthecornerstoneofallgamedevelopment.Fromconception throughcompletion,thereisacreativeprocessthatstemsfromoneormanypeoplein ordertodevelopagame.Everythingthatgoesintothatprocess,fromeveryone involved,istheIPofeithertheindividual,team,orthecompanythathashiredthemto dothework.ThisIP,whetherasasingularconceptorinthecollectivesense,isthe tangibleassetthatiscreated. TheIPthatiscreatedduringthedevelopmentprocesscanbebought,sold,licensed, traded,upgraded,andcanhaveatangiblefiscalvaluetoacompany.Somecompanies existalmostentirelyonthebasisoflicensingtheirIP.Infact,someoftheearliestgame companiesarestilllicensingtheiroriginalgameIPfromover20yearsago(see:Atari, Activision,Namco,etc.) RelevancetoGameCompanies TheIPthatiscreatedduringthegamedesignanddevelopmentprocessbecomesan assettothepersonorentitythatownsit.Therearesomeinherentrightsthatare grantedduringthecreativeprocess,whileothersmayhavetobesoughtorpurchased. TheserightsallowentitiesorgamecompaniestosellorlicensetheirIPtogenerate revenue. Somegamecompanieshaveputsignificantcapitalexpendituresbehindthe developmentandlicensingoftheirIP.Thesecompanieshaveextensiveportfoliosof intellectualpropertyandcontinuetobothcreateandacquiremoreduetothenatureof

63

theIPbusiness.Forexample,Hasbrohaslicensedmanyoftheirgamesintomultiple channelsMonopolybeingoneofthemostwidelyused.Monopolyisnotonlyplayed asaboardgame,butisalsofoundasacomputergame,aslotmachine,aninstant lotteryticket,andthroughoutseveralothermedia. DevelopmentofsolidIPisalsothefirststepincreatingabrand.Brandsaredeveloped overtimeandareexpandedthroughgainingconsumertrust,thereleaseofadditional productswithinthetrademark,andultimatelybycreatinguniquebrandequity.Notall brandsaremetwithwideacclaim,butthesuccessfulbrands,theirtrademarks,andthe brandequitytheydevelop,areallbasedonsolidIP. KeyStepsinDealingwithIP Thereare3mainstepswhenitcomestodealingwithIntellectualProperty; 1. CreatingIPTheactualcreationandgenerationofIP 2. ProtectingIPEnsuringthattheoriginalownermaintainsrightstotheIPandthat otherscannotinfringeuponthoserights 3. UtilizationofIPTheactualsale,licensinganduseoftheIPonceithasbeen createdandprotected 1.CREATINGIP Overview ThecreationofIPisactuallyeasierthanitsounds.Anytimeapenisputtopaper,aline ofcodeiswritten,oranoteofmusicisputintoaloop,somelevelofIPhasbeen created. NotallIPrelatedideasarecompletelyoriginaleither.Infact,manygreatworksofIP areacombinationofotherideas,orexpanduponideasthathavealreadybeencreated. Generallyspeaking,thecloseryouareinthefoodchaintoanoriginalidea,theeasierit istocreatebrandextensionsbasedontheIPyouhavecreated. CategoriesofIP Whenitcomestotheoriginalityofgameideas,therearethefollowingcategoriesto considereachwiththeirownstrengthsandweaknesses; 1. CompletelyoriginalideasFurthesttotheleftontheideaspectrum Thesearetheideasthatarecompletelyoriginalandnobodyhaseverdone before.Thesetypesofgamesareusuallythehardesttocreateduetothesheer volumesofinfluenceofothertypesofgames.Completelyoriginalgames

64

usuallyfeaturecompletelynewgamemechanics,newstorylinesandconcepts andarenotlikeanygamethathascomebeforeit.Theywillusuallyeitherpave thewayforanewgenreofgamesorfadeawayintoobscurityasplayersreject theconcept.Whiletheexpressionoftheideainthegameissubjecttothe protectionsofIP,inmostcasestheideaitselfisnot. Manygenredefininggamesarecreditedascompletelyoriginalideas,whenin realitytheyarecombinationsorderivativesofotherideas.Thereisasignificant differencebetweenbeingfirstofitskindandgenredefining.Beingfirstofits kindawardscertainkindsofIPrights(see:ProtectionofIP),whilebeinggenre defininggenerallyleadstomorenotorietyandhighsalesvolume(see: UtilizationofIP).Forexample,PuzzLoopisgenerallyregardedasthefirstofits kindmarblepoppergame,whileZumaisgenerallyregardedasthegenre definer. 2. CombinationofIdeasUsingexistingIPtocreatenewIP ThislevelofIPisbornof2ormoreexistingideas.Utilizingthebestfeatures fromotherworksorIP,orcreamskimming,allowsdeveloperstheflexibilityto analyzewhathasworkedbestinthepastandtotaketheseideasandcombine themintoanewidea.TheseareusuallygamesthatcanbedescribedasIts GameAmeetsGameB. CombiningIdeasallowsdeveloperstheflexibilityofusingtheirgamedesign talentwithouthavingtoworryaboutwhetherornotplayerswillrebelagainst theformat.ThisischieflybecausetheelementsofthenewIPwillhave characteristicsofthegamesthatprecededit,andthuswillbefamiliartothe players. WhatseparatesthisfromaDerivativeIPisthatCombinationIPgenerally createsnewIPinandofitself. 3. DerivativeIdeasIPthatcomesdirectlyfromotherIPwithsomeinnovation ThiscanbeusedtodescribeIPthatisakintostandingontheshouldersof giants.Mostsequelscanalsobedescribedasderivativeideas.Thepremise hereistotakewhatanotherdeveloperdidandmakeitbetter,ortakesome originalIPyoualreadyhaveandmakeanewgameoutofit. Usually,thesetypesofgamesareoldIPwithanewtwistsomekindofmajor modificationthatcanclearlyidentifyitasdifferentfromthepreviousIP.For instance,ifyoutookagamelikeTetrisandinverteditsothegravitymoved

65

upwards.Welltrisisagreatexample,asittooktheTetrisconceptandmadeit with4wallsinsteadofone. Developersneedtobeverycarefulhereiftheydonotinnovatewiththeirown IP,astheyruntheriskofcloningapreviousgame(see:Clones).The distinguishingcharacteristicthatseparatesaderivativeideafromacloneisthat thereisatleast1majorfunctionalchangetohowthegameisplayedthat separatesitfromthepreviousIP. 4. ClonesDerivativesofoldIPwithoutinnovation Thisisoneofthemorenefariousareasofgamedevelopment.Clonescanbe describedasnonoriginalgames,orgamesthatarederivativesofolderIP withoutanyinnovation.Theyrelyonutilizingtheworkofothersalmost exclusivelywithminimalornochanges. CloningisgenerallyfrowneduponintheCasualGamesindustry,howeverasof thedateofthisarticletherehasbeenminimallegalactionbycompaniesin ordertoprotecttheirIPfromclones.Sincethenumberofrecognizedplay actionsinthecasualgamespacenumberslessthan50(source:GameSales Charts.com),andhundredsofcasualgamesarereleasedeachyear,mostgames areeitherDerivativesorClonesofothergames. Thecloningdebatehasonesidewhichbelievesthattheonlywayforthegame industrytoexpandistocreatebettergamesbasedonolderconcepts.The othersidebelievesthatdeveloperswhoputthetime,moneyandeffortinto developinggamesshouldbeprotected,andthatPortalsshouldnotcarrygames thatareclones.Whicheversideyouarefavor,onethingisforcertaincloning IPcanhavemajorlegalrepercussionsifadeveloperisnotcarefulandinfringes ontherightsofotherIPholders. 2.PROTECTINGIP Overview ProtectingIPisnotadifficultproposition.Copyrights,forexample,areaffordedassoon aspenisputtopaper,whileothersmustbesought.Itisimportantthatifyouplanon dealingwithIPrightsthatyouconsultanIPattorneyorprofessional.ProtectingyourIP canbeacostlyaffair,butifyouhavespentthetimeandinvestmentincreatingIP,then youneedtodecideifitisworththetimeandmoneytoprotectit. Dependingonwhatsegmentofthegamesindustryyouaremakingagamefor,theneed toprotectIPcanvarygreatly.Forinstance,developingaFlashbasedwebgame requiresalmostnoprotectionandmorethanlikelywillbeclonedorstolen.Onthe

66

otherhand,developingIPforthecasinomarketrequiresthegametocarryapatent moreoftenthannot. ItisalsoimportanttorememberthatprotectionintheUSdoesnotnecessarilyafford anyprotectioninternationally.InternationalIPprotectionissignificantlymoredifficult toobtainandmuchmorecostly.Youwillneedtoevaluatewhereyouplanontaking yourproductandifitmakessensetoprotectyourIPoverseas. Inthisarticle,themethodsforprotectingthefollowingtypesofIPwillbediscussed: Trademarks ATrademarkisusedtoprotectwords,names,symbols,sounds,orcolorsthat distinguishgoodsandservicesfromthosemanufacturedorsoldbyothers,andto indicatethesourceofthegoods.Trademarks,unlikepatents,canberenewedforeveras longastheyarebeingusedincommerce. (http://www.uspto.gov/main/glossary/index.html) The2mostcommonsymbolsthatareusedtoidentifyatrademarktothepublicare or.Thecanbeusedanytimesomeonewantstoalertthepublictoaclaim, regardlessofwhetherornotanapplicationhasbeenfiledattheUSPTO(TheUnited StatesPatentandTrademarkOffice).Theforregisteredtrademarkcanonlybeused oncetheUSPTOactuallyissuestheregistrationforthattrademark.Oncearegistration isreceived,theUSPTOrequiresmaintenancefeesevery10yearsalongwithproofthat themarkisstillinuse.Anymajorchangestothemarkwillrequireanewregistrationto befiled. Inthegamesindustry,aTrademarkisgenerallyusedtoidentifyaspecificDeveloper, Publisher,MiddlewareproviderorGame.TheTrademarkisgenerallythemostunique andmemorableidentifierforaproductoutsideofthegameitself. Trademarks Copyrights Patents NonDisclosureAgreements(TradeSecrets) LicensingAgreements EphemeralProtections(BeingFirsttoMarket&Branding)

67

Trademarkscanalsobefiledforotherelementswithinthegame,suchasacharacter spokesperson,(see:SuperMario,MickeyMouse)oradistinctelementorlogowhichis identifiabletoaparticulardeveloperorgame. ATrademarkisoneofthemaintoolstostartestablishingbrandidentityforadeveloper oragame.Companieswhohavespenttimedevelopingabrandareusuallymoreprone toprotectitlegally.Therefore,youalwayswanttoensurethatthenameortrademark youarelookingtofileisnotalreadyinuse.TheUSPTOoffersasearchtoolinwhichyou cancheckthedatabaseofregisteredTrademarkstoseeifthemarkisalreadyinuse. Thedatabaseforsearchingcanbefoundhere: (http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=ombj7.1.1) TheprocessforfilingaTrademarkcanbefoundhere (http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/workflow/start.htm) Copyrights Copyrightsymbolized""isalegalconcept,enactedbymostgovernments,giving thecreatorofanoriginalworkexclusiverightstoit,usuallyforalimitedtime.Generally, itis"therighttocopy",butalsogivesthecopyrightholdertherighttobecreditedfor thework,todeterminewhomayadapttheworktootherforms,whomayperformthe work,whomayfinanciallybenefitfromit,andother,relatedrights.Itisanintellectual propertyform(unlikethepatent,thetrademark,andthetradesecret)applicabletoany expressibleformofanideaorinformationthatissubstantiveanddiscrete. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright) TherearealsostringentlawsaroundCopyrights.TheDigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)isaUnitedStatescopyrightlawwhichcriminalizesproductionand disseminationoftechnology,devices,orservicesthatareusedtocircumventmeasures thatcontrolaccesstocopyrightedworks(commonlyknownasDigitalRights ManagementorDRM)andcriminalizestheactofcircumventinganaccesscontrol evenwhenthereisnoinfringementofcopyrightitself.Italsoheightensthepenaltiesfor copyrightinfringementontheInternet(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMCA).Since manyofthegamesthataredevelopedinthecasualgamesspacearedisseminated throughtheinternet,thereisalreadyprotectionaffordedthroughcopyrightlawandthe DMCA.Copyrighttermsvary,howevertheaveragelengthofacopyrightisthelifeofthe authorplus50to70years Inaddition,itisimportanttounderstandtheuniqueissuesregardingtheconveyanceof copyrightsspecifically,foremployeesorcontractors;

68

Inordertosellagame,thedeveloperhastoownit.Thatmeans thattheownershipofeachandeveryelementofthegamehasto be conveyed to the developer. The content of the game is governed by copyright law. And the ownership of the copyright vestsinthepersonwhocreateditatthetimeitisconveyedintoa tangible form. Moreover, ownership of this type of Intellectual Propertycannotbeaccomplishedbyaverbalagreement.Itmust be in writing. The only exception to this rule is for full time employeeswhoarebeingpaidtocreatecontent. Workdonebyemployeesispresumedtobeworkforhirethatis ownedbytheemployer.Contributorsandindependentcontractors retainallownershiprightstotheirworkunlessitisconveyedbya written agreement, sometimes referred to as a work for hire agreement, which effectively transfers ownership of the work to someoneelse;inourcase,tothedeveloper.Ofcourse,tobesafe everyone who contributes, including the owner of the company and all of the employees, should sign a written agreement conveyingtheirownershiprightstothecompany. ExcerptfromtheGameDevKit(www.gamedevkit.com) Thomas Buscaglia,TheGameAttorney

Patents APatentusuallyreferstoarightgrantedtoanyonewhoinventsordiscoversanynew andusefulprocess,machine,articleofmanufacture,orcompositionofmatter,orany newandusefulimprovementthereof.Theadditionalqualificationutilitypatentsisused incountriessuchastheUnitedStatestodistinguishthemfromothertypesofpatents (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent).Autilitypatentmustbefiledwithin1yearof disclosureoftheidea. WhenitcomestoIPprotectionthatisavailableandissuedbyagovernmentbody,thisis usuallythemostcomprehensiveamountofprotectionthatyoucanget.Theidea behindgettingapatentforagameallowsyoutoprotectanoriginalwork.However,it shouldbenotedthatpatentprotectionintheUSdoesnotnecessarilycrossoverto internationalterritoriessointernationalpatentsmayneedtobefiledineachcountry youwanttohaveprotection. Keepinmind,however,thattherearesignificantcostsassociatedwithgettingapatent. Provisionalpatentsaremuchlessexpensivethanutilitypatents,butwillstillcosta

69

certainamountoflegaltime.Acomprehensivepriorartssearch(tosearchforexisting patentsorpublicideas)cancostasignificantamountofmoneybasedonthedepthand qualityofthesearch.Therearealsofilingfeesforpatents,whicharesomewhat modest,butthebulkoftheexpenseforapatentcomesfromthecostofattorneysand theprocessforgettingapatentapproved.Adeveloperslegalcounselmayendup hashingoutdetailswithclaimsexaminersatthepatentofficeformonthsormorelikely, years,whichcanequatetohugelegalbills. Thehiddencosttopatentsisthatevenonceapatentisreceivedonaninvention, therearelegalcostsassociatedwithprotectingthepatentandthecostsofpotentially suingotherswhoinfringeonapatent.Afterasignificantinvestmentinthepatent process,itisnotuncommontoseecompaniesinvestthetimeandmoneynecessaryto protecttheirpatent. Theentireprocesscantakeover3yearsbeforeyouseeapatentgetissued(insome casesiftheinventorisover65yearsofageyoucangetspecialconsiderationtogeta patentreviewedin18months).Thelifeofapatentis20yearsfromthedatethatthe inventionwassubmittedtotheUSPTO. Onthepositiveside,patentscanalsobeadevelopersbestasset.Somedevelopersand inventorshavebuiltentirefortunesontheirpatents.EarnestMoody,forexample,has filedover50patentsformethodsofhowtoplayvarioustypesofcasinostylegames (mostlypokerrelated).MoodyhasbuiltasmallempirelicensinghispatentstoIGTand othermajordevelopersofvideopokerandslotproducts.Patentsthemselvescanbe purchased,sold,assignedandlicensedaspartofanybusinesstransaction.Some manufacturersofslotproductswillonlylicensepatentedideas. Itshouldalsobenotedthatthereissignificantdebateoverthevalueofgamepatents, andwhetherornottheyhavethepotentialtostiflethegrowthofthegameindustry. However,theyareapartoftheIPlandscapeandnomatterwhatyouthinkofthem,a smartdeveloperwilltakethemintoaccountinhisorherIPstrategy. NonDisclosureAgreements Inaworldwherethereisnosuchthingasasharedsecret,2companiescanprotect theirintellectualpropertyortradesecretbybuildingIPprotectionintotheir agreements.Alegallybindingcontractbetweentwocompaniesthatislegally enforceablecan(insomecases)providemoreIPprotectionthanpatentsorcopyrights. NonDisclosureAgreements(NDAs),bynature,stipulatesomegeneralitiesinwhat materialscompanieswillkeepconfidential.Manyofthesematerials,astheyarespelled outintheNDA,pertaintotheintellectualpropertythatthepartieswillbesharing.The

70

NDAwillspecificallyspelloutwhatinformationisconfidential,howconfidential informationshouldbetreated,andhowthepartiesaretodealwithconfidential informationintheeventthatbusinessbetweenthepartiesisterminated.Nomatter whatkindofNDAissigned,thereshouldalsobesomeTermastohowlonginformation shouldbekeptconfidential. ItisimportanttonotethatanNDAdoesnotnecessarilyavoidcompetitiononideas.In fact,somelargercompaniesandpublishersmaynotsignanNDAifitcontainsanon competeclausewhichwouldpreventthemfromworkingonasimilarideainthenear future.Thisisverycommonwithpublisherswhoworkwithmultipledevelopers. LicensingAgreements AsforanybindingAgreement,thelicensingagreementiswhere2partiescannow dictatetermsastohowintellectualpropertywillbetreated.Intellectualpropertyrights areinfinitelydivisible.Inanextremeexample,someonecouldlicensesomeoneagame foruseonaTuesday,onlyinJuly,onlyintheStateofTexas,onlyforLinux,andonly whenthesunisshining.ThisallowsthecreatororlicensoroftheIPtodictatetheterms inhowtheIPisbeingused. Thisisveryhelpfultorememberwhendiscussingplatformsforgamesandhow derivativeworkswillbetreated.Forinstance,ifyouareengaginginalicensingdealfor IPforuseasadownloadablegamewithapublisher,itdoesntmakesensetoextend themtherightsformobilephonesifthepublisherisntgoingtoexploitthoserights.A goodruleofthumbistonotlockuprightswhenitcomestoalicensingagreement, andtobesurethatanypartythatistryingtolicenseyourIPhasthenecessary experienceandbusinessrelationshipswithinthemediaorplatformstheyseektoobtain rightsto. Itshouldbenotedthatlicensingagreementsneedtobetreatedcarefully.Several agreementssurroundingsimilarIPcanstarttooverlapandsomerightsgrantsconfusion mayoccur.DevelopersshouldusecompetentIPattorneyswhendraftingandreviewing agreementstoensurethattermsareadequatelyspelledout.Youmaybeputintoa positionwherethefocusoftheagreementisontheeconomicsandtimelinesfor development,butsomeofthekeydealpointswhenitcomestoanagreementaboutIP aretheIPrightsgrantsandhowtheIPwillbeused.AcompetentIPattorneyshouldbe abletotellyouiftheagreementisabaddealorgrantsmorerightsthanarenecessary inordertomakethedealfunctional. EphemeralProtections

71

ThefinalmethodsofprotectingIParentlegalprotection,butactuallyagroupof methodsthatyoucanusetostakeaclaimwhenitcomestoyourIP.Thefirstmethod isbeingfirsttomarketwithanoriginalIP.Ifyoucanreleaseaproductquicklyyoucan possiblybecomeagenredefiner,settingthestagethatyourIPistheprimaryIPinthat genreandthateveryoneelseisacopycatorcloner. Beingonthebleedingedgeandbeingapioneerinthemarketplacecomeswithitsshare ofrisks,butthepayoffcanbebigifyouareattemptingtopositionyourIPasadominant forceinthemarketplace.Thisisalsoreferredtosometimesasdevelopinginavacuum. WhennobodyelseisdevelopingagamequiteliketheIPthatyouaredeveloping,you haveachancetoestablishyourselfasamarketleaderjustbybeingfirst,andinturn creategreatbrandvalueforyourstudio.Bewaryassometimesthedeveloperwhois secondcanovertakewhowasfirst(seeFacebook/MySpace). Thisleadstothesecondmodelofnonlegalprotection,whichisbranding.Effective brandingcanalsoprotectfromimitatorsbyestablishingconsumerconfidencewithyour brand.Googlemaynothaveinventedthesearchengine,butthroughtheireffective brandingandbecomingamoderncolloquialism,theyhavedominatedthemarketplace andmadeithardforimitatorstoabsorbmarketshare. 3.UTILIZATIONOFIP OnceyouhavecreatedsomeIPandhavetakenthenecessarystepstoprotectthatIP, younowhavesomechoicesastowhattodowiththeirIP. SelltheIP Intellectualproperty,onceagain,isanassettoanycompanyordeveloper.Asanasset ofacompany,itstartstoappreciateinvalue.Somebusinessesarebuiltonthesole conceptofholdingaportfolioofqualityIP(seeHasbro). ThisIPcanbesoldbyitselforaspartofamergeroracquisition.Eitherway,aspartof thetransaction,theIPshouldbeassignedavalueasithasnowbecomeatangibleasset ofthedeveloper. YoushouldNEVERtreatIPasvalueless. LicensetheIP IfyouarenotreadytosellyourIP,youmayhavetheoptionoflicensingyourIPtoa varietyofchannels.DependingontheIP,youmaybeinapositiontolicenseagame,a gameconcept,agameengine,thebrandofagame,oranyoftheotherIPthatwas createdaspartofthedevelopmentprocess.Forexample,evengameaudioasaRing Tonecanbelicensed.

72

Licensing,versusoutrightsale,isalsoagoodwaytocreaterecurringlongtermrevenue offofasingleIP.Sincetherightsareinfinitelydivisible,youcanlicensethesameIPover multiplechannelsinmultipleterritoriesforwhateverdealtermsyoucannegotiate. Suddenly,thevalueoftheIPincreasesasthesamecontentcanbelicensedoverand over. SomecommonlicensingoptionsforIPinclude: AsaGame Online/Downloads/Mobile/CoinOp/Console/Handheld

AsaTrademark/Brand Apparel/Candy/<<InsertAnythingyoucanLogo>>

AsaGamingDevice SlotMachines/TableGames

AsanEngineforDerivativeWorks Onegamecreatesmany

Overseas ForeignmarketsItsnewtothem

Licensingoptionsareendlesswheresalesarefinal,howeverthatdoesntmeanthata saleofIPwillyieldlessrevenuethanalicense.Themostimportantthingtoconsideris thebestinterestofbothparties,andhoweachwillderivevaluefromthetransaction.

TechnologyIssues
KenTabor,LeadProgrammer,TheMethod GraphicsandGameEngines Whenagamedevelopmentgrouptakesthetimetobreakdownagamesdesignintoitsvarious components,milestones,andtaskstocreateaproperschedule,itwilloftenshowjusthowhard gamesaretomake.Itrarelymatterswhattypeofgameitisbecauseattheendoftheday, developingsoftwareisaveryunpredictablematterwithaveryunpredictableschedule. Choosinganengineisonedecisionthatcanhelpmitigateavariablescheduleandbringinthe enddateforanovertaskedteam.Takingonalibrarythathasprovenitsworthbysuccessfully

73

creatinggamessimilartoonesownhelpsreduceunknowns,andgoodtoolsgiveprogrammers aheadstartonbuildingtheneededtechnology.Agoodengineallowsdesignersandartiststo createhighlyusablecontentasquicklyandeasilyaspossible.Furthermore,ifthetoolsare robustandoffersufficientfeatures,thegamecouldbebuiltwithlesspeoplethanotherwise neededhelpfuliftheprojectbudgetoracquiringtalentarechallenges. Inthissectionwetakealookatvariousgameenginestoseewhatfeaturestheyofferthetypical casualgame.Developmentteamsmaybeinclinedtouseoneoftheseifthereisareasonable overlapinfeaturesofferedandrequirementsdemanded.Eachsectionprovidesachartto educateyouhoweachengineisbestusedorsuitedforagivenroletohelpyoumakeinformed decisions.

74

EnginesBreakdownTable
2D Graphics 3D Graphics Networking Animation

Particles

Name Blade 3D Blitz 3D C4 Engine Director/ Flash Facebook SDK Game Editor Game Maker Panda 3D Playground SDL Torque Unity

Physics

Sound

X X X X X X X X X X X X

X X X

X X X X X X X X X X

X X

X X X X X

X X X

X X X X X X X X X X X

X X X X X X X

X X

X X

X X

Target Platform XP, Vista, 360 Win Win, Mac Win, Mac, Web Web Win, Win Mobile, Unix Win Win, Linux Win, Mac, Web Win, Mac, Unix Win, Mac, Unix, Wii, 360 MacX, XP, Vista

Programming Language C++. C# C, C++, C#, Basic C++ Actionscript C++, Java, Python, PHP, Ruby C-like Custom GML (Custom), PHP C++ C++ C, C++, many others C++ n/a

Name Blade 3D Blitz 3D C4 Engine Director/ Flash Facebook SDK Game Editor Game Maker Panda 3D Playground SDL Torque Scripting Pricing Target Users URL

C# No Visual,Custom n/a PHP,CSS,Custom ClikeCustom CML(Custom),PHP Python Lue No Custom

$15$99/mo. $100 $350 $999 Free $95 Free/$20 Free Free OpenSource $100$1495

Prog,Art,Des Prog Prog,Des Des,Art,Prog Prog Des,Art Des Prog Prog,Art Prog Prog,Des

http://www.blade3d.com/ http://www.blitzbasic.com/ http://www.terathon.com/c4engine http://www.adobe.com/products/di http://developers.facebook.com/ http://game-editor.com/ http://www.yoyogames.com/make http://panda3d.org/ https://developer.playfirst.com/ http://www.libsdl.org http://www.garagegames.com/

DataCompressionLibraries Achievingthesmallestdeliverysizeaspossibleforagamesinstallationpackagewillincreasecompleteddownloads topotentialcustomers. Fundamentallythedevelopmentprocessshouldincludeawaytoautomaticallycompressdatafilesaspartofthe conversionpipelinefromrelativelylargesourcefilesintoefficientruntimeformats.Suchdatafileswouldclearly includeartwork,uncompressedaudio,andanygeneraldatafile. Ontheruntimeside,thegamesfileinputroutinesneedtoprocessthecompresseddatafilesthroughthe decompressionSDKAPIs,producingtheflattenedversionoftheexporteddatathatthegameexpects.Becausethe uncompresseddataisstoredinRAM,thegamemustcreateroutinesthatcanhandleeffectivelymemorymapped files(asopposedtodiscresidentones.)ThereisaplethoraofinformationeasilyfoundontheInternetregardingsuch strategies.

75

Thefollowingcompressionlibrariescanserveasexamplesforyoutoevaluateasyoudecideonthebestsolutionfor yourneeds. Name Zlib LZMASDKZZip RAR DirectXSDKvs.O/SVersions ChoosingtosupportMicrosoftWindowsisaneasydecisionformostdevelopersthemostobviousreasonbeingthe largeinstallbase.Thatsaid,DirectX,theMicrosoftgameSDK,hasmanyversionsandsupportingallofthemisnotthe easiestchallenge,andmaynotbethebestuseoflimitedresources.Manydevelopersdecidetolinkagainstanolder versionoftheDirectXSDKinordertomaximizethelargestpotentialselectionofplayersbecausesomanypeople havePCswitholderoperatingversionsofXP,andevenWindows2000systems. ThisbriefoverviewshowsalistofwhatversionsoftheDirectXSDKshippedoneachparticularflavorofMicrosoft Windows.DecidewhichversionofthatO/SthatyouwanttosupportandfindtheSDKversionontheMicrosoft MSDNwebsitetobuildyourapplicationagainst. FindthisDirectXSDKVersion DirectX6.1 DirectX7.0 DirectX7.1 DirectX8.0 DirectX8.1 DirectX9 DirectX9.0c DirectX10.0 DirectX10.1 Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX ToSupportthisO/SVersion Windows98SE Windows2000 WindowsMe Windows2000,lastforWindows95 LastforWin WindowsXP WindowsXPSP2 WindowsVista WindowsVistaSP1 URL http://www.zlib.net/ http://www.7zip.org/ http://www.rarlab.com/

76

TryandBuyDownloadableGames
SectionEditor:DanPrigg,DirectorofProgrammingandPublishing,RealGames

WhatIsaTryandBuyDownloadableGame?
ByAndrewLum,CEO,Fugazo TryandBuyDownloadableGameshavebeenthemeatandpotatoesoftheNorthAmericancasualgamemarketfora numberofyears.DeveloperscreateastandaloneexecutablefileinnativeWindowsorMaccode.Thefilecontainsa complete(typicallysingleplayer)casualgame.Usersdownloadthefilefromtheinternetandarefreetosamplethe gameanddecideiftheywanttopurchaseit.Typicallythismeansthattheywillbeabletoplaythegamefor60 minutes.DigitalRightsManagementsoftwareensuresthatusersareforcedtoeitherabandonorpurchasethegame (usuallyfor$20)oncethetrialhasexpired.Thistypeofgameiswidelydistributedbyinternetportals;many developersalsooffertheirgamesfordownloadfromtheirownsite. Thishasbeenthedominantdistributionchannelforcasualgamesforanumberofyears.Somehardcoregameshave alsobeguntofocusondigitaldownloadsfordistributionthroughchannelslikeSteamandGreenhouse.Thissection doesnotdealwiththosehardcoregames. InoffensiveThemes IntheconsoleandcorePCspaceitsnotuncommontofindgamescenteredonviolentthemessuchaszombies (ResidentEvil)organgcrime(GrandTheftAuto).Incontrast,downloadablegamesofteninvolvethemesof exploration(JewelQuest),entrepreneurship(DinerDash),orintrigue(MysteryCaseFiles).Thisisnottosaythatall consolegameshaveoffensivematerialbuttopointoutthatdownloadablegamesrarelyifeverhaveoffensive themes. SimpleControls ThelargemajorityofpeoplewhoplaydownloadablegamesarenotfamiliarwithusingthekeysW,A,S,Dtocontrol movement.Mostdownloadablegamesareplayedusingonlythemouseandmanygamesonlyusetheleftmouse button.In2007,alloftheTop10Downloadablegamesusedmousecontrols. LowSystemRequirements ItshardtobelievethatanyoneisstillrunningWindows98orWindows2000,butmanydownloadablegamesarestill supportingtheseoperatingsystems.Mostdownloadablegamesarestrictly2DaffairsthatonlyrequireDirectX7.In fact,thePopCapFrameworkstillrunsperfectlyusingDirectX7.AlmostalldownloadablegamesalsowillrunonPCs withlessthan256MBofRAM. Thismeansthatvirtually100%ofallPCownerscanplaydownloadablegamesontheircomputer.Incontrast, BioShock,arecentlyreleasedcorePCgame,requiresatleast1GBofsystemRAM. Whatarethecommongenresindownloadablegames? TheTop3mostcommongenresareMatch3,TimeManagement,andHiddenObject.In2001PopCapcreated BejeweledthefirstHitdownloadablegameandalsostartedthegenrewenowasMatch3.In2004DinerDash (developedbyGameLab,publishedbyPlayfirst)becamethefirstHitTimeManagementgamethoughBettysBeerBar cameoutbeforeit.HiddenObjectGamesarerelativelynewtotheDownloadableScene.MysteryCaseFilescreated byBigFishGameswasnotreleaseduntil2005.HiddenObjectGamesarecurrentlythemostpopulargenre.

77

Howdoesonebuyadownloadablegame? Downloadablegamesareavailableonalargenumberofportals.RealArcade,BigFishGames,Yahoo!,andMSNare someofthelargestportalswheredownloadablegamesarepurchased.Typically,downloadablegamesemployaTry BeforeyouBuyModel.Inmostcasesthegameisfullyplayablefora60minutetrial.Uponthetrialexpirationthe playermustbuythegameiftheywanttocontinueplaying.Theuserpaystheportaldirectly(andmostofthemhave accountsandclubssetupforrepeatpayments)andtheportalpaysaroyaltytothedeveloperand/orpublisher. Whatistheaveragebudgetforadownloadablegame? In2004itwouldbesafetoanswerthatmostDownloadablegamesweredevelopedforunder$100,000.Asthe downloadablegameindustrymaturesthecostofdevelopmenthasgoneup.Theaveragedevelopmentcostformost gamesiswellover$100,000.Largerpublishersarecreatingdownloadablegameswithrecordbudgets.Ina2007 speechatCasualConnect,DaveRoberts,PopcapsCEO,statedthatPegglehadadevelopmentbudgetinexcessof $1,000,000. Howbigaredownloadablegames? In2004,mostdownloadablegameswereunder10MBandveryfewgameswentover25MB.Thesizeofgameshas goneupfortworeasons.First,morehouseholdsareadoptinghighspeedinternetallowingdeveloperstobuildbigger games.Secondly,asproductionvaluesgoupfordownloadablegamesfilesizehavenaturallyincreasedtosupport higherresolutiongamesandalargernumberofassets.BigFishGameslatesthit,MysteryCaseFiles:MadameFateis actuallyover100MB. Howbigistheaveragedevelopmentteam? Similartofilesizetheaveragedownloadablegamesteamhasincreasedinnumberoverthepastfewyears.Ifyou lookatZumareleasedinDecember2003,youllseetheteamwasextremelysmall:1GameDesigner,1Level Designer,1Programmer,and1artist.Soin2003,PopCapwasabletodelivera#1DownloadableGamewithateam of4.Incontrast,GoGoGourmetwasreleasedbyOberonMediain2008with:2GameDesigners,1Programmer,4 Artists,and1LevelDesigner.Theirteamwas8employees. Howmuchdodownloadablegamescost? Traditionally,thecosttopurchaseaDownloadableGamewas$20.However,theaveragepriceofadownloadable gamehasdroppedsubstantiallyasmanyPortalsareofferingdiscountpricesthroughGameClubsandMonthly Subscriptions.Playerscanpay$9.99amonthtojoinRealArcadesGamePassprogramwheretheyget1freegamea monthandpay$9.99forallothergames.OnBigFishGames,playerscanjointheGameClubwheretheypayonly $6.99pergame!AsaresulttheaveragepricepointforaDownloadableGameisnowsomewherebetween$10and $15. AdvertisingRevenue Asthedownloadablegamesmarketmatures,newwaysofmonetizingtheconsumerhaveemerged.Ingameads placedbetweenlevelsallowtheplayertoplayformoneythan60minuteswhilethepublisheranddevelopercanstill generaterevenue.Ingameadsaretypically15or30secondstreamingcommercialsthatplayevery1215minutes betweenlevels.SomeofthefirstadoptersofingameadsincludeSuperCollapse3andCakeMania. Accordingtotheresultsofasurveyof1,500gamersbyRealNetworks,nearly90%saidtheywouldprefertowatch videoadsbeforeandduringnaturalbreaksincasualgamesratherthanpaytoplay.Inaddition,34%saidtheywould takefurtheractionandclickontheingameadstolearnmoreabouttheadvertisedproductorservice. HollywoodReporter.com

78

StillveryfewDownloadablegamessupportingameads.Ofthe500+gamesonRealArcadeabout40ofthemsupport ingameads.SomesitessuchasNeoEdgeNetworksMostFun.comofferunlimitedplayonalltheirgamesthroughin gameads.However,timewilltellhowsuccessfulingameadswillbeingeneratedrevenuefordevelopersand publishers. TheFutureofdownloadablegames Despiteincreasingdevelopmentcostsandadecreasingaveragepricepoint,downloadablegamesarestillaviable andgrowingbusiness.TheCasualGamesMarketReport2007estimatesthatdownloadablegameshavea20%year overyeargrowth.Itsuptousaspublishersanddeveloperstomakethisestimateareality. References Casualgameslooktoadsupported'TVmodelTheHollywoodReporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/columns/e3ie4bd24ee9875ae56648ed58f504348d fByPaulHyman,March21st2008 CasualGamesMarketReport2007 www.mobygames.com www.mostfun.com www.casualcharts.com

ArtHistoryofDownloadableGames
ByAndrewLum,CEO,Fugazo Since2001therehasbeenwelloveronethousanddownloadabletitlesreleased.Thisarticlesinglesoutafewofthe downloadablegamesfrom20012007thathavepushedtheindustryforward. 2001
Bejeweled

Developer:PopCap URL:<fillinURL> TheBejeweledSeries,developedbyPopCap,isstillandwillalwayslikelyremainthe#1BestSellingCasualGame Franchise.BejeweledandBejeweled2havecollectivelysoldmorethan10millionunitsacrossnumerousplatforms, andhavebeendownloadedmorethan300milliontimesinthepastsixyears.Thesimplegameplayofswappinggems tomatch3similarlycoloredobjectshasevolvedintoawholegenreofdownloadablegames.Additionally,thanksto someadvicefromAstraware(aHandheldGamePublisher),PopCappricedBejeweledat$20settingthepricepoint fordownloadablegames.

Collapse

Developer:GameHouse URL:<fillinURL>

79

ThepremisebehindCollapse,developedbyGameHouse,isdeceptivelysimple.Playersclickonadjacentclustersof3 ormoreidenticallycoloredblocks,removingblocksandcausingthestacktocollapse.Everyfewseconds,anewrow ofblocksslidesintoviewfromthebottomandpushestheblocksupwards.Whentheboardfillstothetopthegame isover.Farfrombeingmindless,strategicclickingallowsplayerstoclearmoreblocksfromthescreensimultaneously. CollapsehasspawnednumeroussequelsandbeenreleasedonnumerousplatformsincludingPC,GameboyAdvance, Mobile,PSP,andtheNintendoDS. 2002

Scrabble

Developer:Funkitron URL:<fillinURL> WhenScrabblethedownloadablegamewasreleasedin2002itwasnotreallyinnovative.Officiallicensedversionsof Scrabbledatebackto1989.However,withitssolidgameplayandstrongproductionvaluesScrabblesoldverywell andpavedthewayformanyotherbigbrandstojointhedownloadablegamespace.Today,therearepopular downloadablegamesbasedaroundYahtzee,Monopoly,Jeopardy,andmore. 2003

Zuma

Developer:PopCap URL:<fillinURL> Zuma,developedbyPopCap,wasanintrinsicallysimpleandaddictinggame.Theplayercontrolsafrogthatshoots coloredballsatachainofmovingballs.Match3ormorecoloredballsinthechaintoremovethemfromthescreen. Ifthechainofmovingballsreachestheskullthentheplayerlosesalife.Zumanotonlyinspiredamultitudeofclones butawholesubgenretoMatch3knownasBubblePopper.Zumawentontobecomethe#1SellingGamefor RealArcadein2004.

Tradewinds

Developer:SandlotGames URL:<fillinURL> Tradewinds,developedbySandlotGames,wasoneofthefirstdownloadablestrategygames.InTradewinds,you assumedtheroleofamerchantorpirateandcollectedmoneybysellinggoodsatthelocalmarketorbybattling otherfleetsofships.Unlikemostcasualgamesof2003Tradewindshadapersistentworldwhereyoucouldcontinue toimproveyourfleetofshipsandincreaseyourwealth.ThevisualsforTradewindswerealsobeautifullyillustrated. TheTradewindsFranchisehasgoneontoproduceseveralsequelsandSandlotGameshasannouncedthataCasual MMOisintheworks. 2004

JewelQuest

Developer:iWin URL:<fillinURL>

80

JewelQuest,developedbyiWinmarksaturningpointinthecasualgamesindustry.Itwasoneofthefirstgamesto successfullyinnovateonanexistingcasualgamedynamic.JewelQuestsbasicformulaofmatchingobjectsmirrored Bejeweledbutthekeydifferencewasintheobjectiveofthegame.Bymatching3ormoreobjectsthespacesbehind themwouldturngold.Turningallofthespacesontheboardgoldwastheobjectiveofeachlevel.Thisaddeda2nd levelofstrategythathadnotyetbeenseeninamatch3game.JewelQuesthasgoneontoshipmorethan4million unitsacrossamultitudeofplatforms.

FishTycoon

Developer:LastDayofWork URL:<fillinURL> FishTycoonwasdeveloperLastDayofWorksfirstPCtitleandwasarguablythefirstsuccessfulsimulationgamefor thedownloadablespace.InFishTycoontheplayerrunstheirownvirtualfishtank.Theobjectofthegameistokeep yourfishstorefinanciallyprofitablebyraising,breeding,andsellingfish.Withover400uniquefishanditsrealtime clockgameplayFishTycoonsetthestageforthedeveloperslatertitlessuchastheVirtualVillagerseries. 2005

DinerDash

Developer:GameLab URL:<fillinURL> DinerDash,developedbyGameLab,wasactuallyreleasedinDec2004,butwasintroducedtomostgamersin2005. InDinerDashtheplayercontrolsFloaformerwhitecollarworkerturnintorestaurantentrepreneurandwaitress. Thegameplaywasabouttacklingalltheperilsofarestaurantbyoneself.AsFloyouwouldseatthecustomers,take orders,deliverfood,deliverchecks,andbusthetables.TherewasnowrongmovesinDinerDashinsteadthestrategy wasindecidingwhattaskstodofirst.DinerDashsetnewgroundindownloadablegamesandcreatethegenrenow knownasTimeManagement.TheDinerDashgamesserieshasbeendownloadedover200milliontimesonpersonal computers.

Luxor

Developer:MumboJumbo URL:<fillinURL> AfteramultitudeofZumaclones,LuxorcameoutandbreathednewlifeintotheMarblePoppersubgenre.InZuma, theballshootingfrogissetatafixedposition.Theplayercontrolswheretoshoottheballbutdoesnotcontrolwhere theballcomesfrom.InLuxortheplayercontrolsapaddlethatcanmovefreelyacrossthebottomofthescreen.The playerthenshootsballsupwardatthechainofmovingballs.WiththenewfreedomofmovementLuxoralsoadded thecatchingoffallingpowerupssimilartoBreakoutgames.Luxorhasbeendownloadedover40MillionTimes. 2006

MysteryCaseFiles:Huntsville

Developer:BigFishGames URL:<fillinURL> 81

ThedownloadablegamespacewouldbeverydifferenttodayifnotforMysteryCaseFiles.InMysteryCaseFilesthe playerhadtofindavarietyofobjectsinaclutteredenvironmentinordertosolveamurder.Thetitlesold fantasticallywellandcreatedthegenreHiddenObject.HiddenObjectgamesarethemostpopulargenreonnearly everydownloadablegameportalcurrently.MysteryCaseFileshashad3sequels.Thefirstthreetitlesintheseries hadamassedover1.2millionsales.

CakeMania

Developer:SandlotGames URL:<fillinURL> WhileCakeManiawasnotamongthefirsttimemanagementgames,CakeManiaofferedonetwokeydifferencesto thetimemanagementgamesof2006.First,ratherthansimplychainingtogetheractions,inCakeManiatheplayer hadtoassembleofcakesbyrecognizingtheuniqueordersofthecustomers.Secondly,CakeManiaintroduceda mandatoryshoppingelementtothegame.Playerswouldsaveuptheirmoneybetweenroundsandthenchoose whatequipmenttoupgradeintheirbakery.Theseuniquegameplayelementsalongwithastrongvisualstylemade CakeManiatheTopSellingGameonRealArcadein2006.

2007 Buildalot

Developer:HipSoft URL:<fillinURL> InaseaofHiddenObjectandTimeManagementGames,HipsoftreleasedBuildalot.Buildalottookthebasicsrules ofrealestateandrentalinvestmentandincorporatedthemintoagamethatataglancemightbeconsideredTime Management.However,intruthBuildalotwasinspiredbyWarcraftII.TheteamatHipsoftaskedthequestion, WhatiftherewasanRTSwithoutthefighting?"AccordingtoGameSalesCharts,Buildalotisthe#6bestselling downloadablegameof2007despitebeingreleasedhalfwaythrough2007. Conclusion Youllnoticethatfor2007Ionlylisted1downloadablegamethatpushedtheindustryforward.Whiletherehave beenmanyfunandsuccessfuldownloadablegamesdevelopedin2007thelargemajorityofthemweresequelsor iterativedesignsonestablishedgenres. Imakenoteofthisinapleafordeveloperstotakemorerisks.Herestohopingthatin2008weseeseveralnew genresemerge. References PopCapPressRelease http://www.popcap.com/press/release.php?gid=20071009 CasualGamesMarketReport2007 CasualGamesAssociation

82

Buildagame:HowHipSoftkeptworkinguntiltheygotitright http://www.gamezebo.com/features/buildagame_how_hipsoft_kept_wo.html

TheAudienceandMarketforDownloadableGames
ByAndrewLum,CEO,Fugazo TheAudienceofDownloadableGames Inanyconsumerbusinessitsimportanttoknowyourtargetaudience.InthecaseofDownloadableGamesits importanttoidentifynotonlywhatthetargetaudiencewantsbutalsowhattheydontwant.Thisarticlewill familiarizeyouwithsomeoftheattributesthatDownloadableGameconsumersshare. Thenongamer Thelargemajorityofthedownloadablegameaudiencefallsintothecategoryofnongamer.Thereare3distinctive characteristicsthatseparatethegamerfromthenongamer. 1. Doesnotplaycore(Playstation,Nintendo,Xbox)games 2. IsnotfamiliarwithmovementcontrolsusingW,A,S,D 3. Doesnotconsiderthemselvestobeagamer Essentially,allassumptionsonewouldmakeaboutagamerarethingsthatthenongamerwouldnotappreciate. Violentthemes,complexcontrols,andvolumetrichairaredefinitelyinappropriatefornongamers. WhoPaysandWhoPlays? WhenyoulookattheDownloadableGamesaudiencebygenderitsfairlyeven.TheCasualGamesMarketReport 2007statesthat51%ofCasualGameConsumersareFemaleand49%ofCasualGamesConsumersareMale. However,thebreakdownofactualpayingcustomersissignificantlydifferent.74%ofPayingCasualGamesCustomers areFemaleasopposedto26%whicharemale.Similartrendscanbeseenwithage.TheCasualGamesMarketReport 2007findsthat62%ofCasualGameConsumersareover35.However,72%ofPayingCasualGameCustomersare over35.Ultimately,whilepeopleofallagesandgendersplaycasualgamesmostpurchasescomefromfemalesover theageof35. TheMarketforDownloadableGames AfewyearsagomostDownloadableGamePortalswouldreleaseafewnewgameseveryweek.In2008,thelarge majorityofPortalsreleaseagameaday.Thats365gamesayear.366gamesin2008asthisisaleapyear.Youwould thinkthatwiththismanygamesyourchancesofgettingyourgamereleasedwouldbeveryhigh.However,many DownloadableGamessubmittedtoPortalsarerejected.InanaveragemonthiWinrejectsabout4050%ofthegames submittedtothem. Forthosegamesthatdogetaccepted,thereisstillaverysignificantamountofmoneytobemadeinthecategory. AccordingtotheCasualGamesAssociations2006Marketreport, Clone$andtheMarket Clonesareunavoidableinanyentertainmentmedium.OceansElevenwasaremake.Dreamworkscomputer animatedmovieAntzandPixarscomputeranimatedmovieABugsLifebothairedin1998.Itsinevitablethatmost successfulgameswillendupbeingcloned.

83

In2003PopCapreleasedZuma,thefirstDownloadableMarblePopperGame.Currently,onBigFishGamesthereare 25MarblePoppergamesthatsharethebasicgameplaymechanicofZuma. Inlate2004PlayfirstreleasedDinerDash.Therearecurrently65TimeManagementgamesonBigFishGamesthat sharethebasicgameplaymechanicsofDinerDash. InNovember2005,BigFishGamesreleasedMysteryCaseFilesthefirstDownloadableHiddenObjectGame.There arecurrently58HiddenObjectGamesavailableonBigFishGames.Whilehiddenobjectgamesaredefinitelythe mostpopulargenrerightnowthismaychangeinthenearfuture. Thankfully,whileclonesexist,genreinnovativegamestendtostickaroundlonger.In2008onBigFishGames,Zuma isstill#5forMarblePopperGames.DinerDashHometownHero,thelatestinthefranchiseis#8forTime ManagementGamesandMysteryCaseFiles:MadameFateis#7forHiddenObjectGames.

BusinessModels
Priortothedotcombubbleof2000,casualgameswereprimarilyadsponsored.TryandBuybecameanecessity asadvertisingrevenuedriedup.Underthismodel,consumersmaydownloadandplayatrialversionofagame. Trialsarelimitedinsomeway,mostcommonlybytime,buttrialsmayalsobelimitedbyfeatures,bynumberofplays allowed,orbysomeothermechanism. SpectacularhitslikePopCapsBejeweledprovedthatTryandBuywasauserfriendlyandwellreceivedmethodto sellcasualgames.Todate,TryandBuycontinuestobeverysuccessful,generatingremarkablerevenuesforhit titles. TryandBuyrequireshighvolumetoseedesiredprofits.Theconversionratesforthesegamesarelow;1%is consideredgood.TryandBuygamescostbetween$5to$30dollars,with$19.99beingthemosttypicalprice point.Recently,publishershavefocusedondeliveringhigherqualitytitles,insteadofhigherquantity,toincreasethe conversionrates.Regardless,theindustrystillexpectslowconversionrates.Manypublishersarealsomonetizing thethe9599%thatdontconvertbyusingadvertisingsponsoredsessions,portalsubscriptions,virtualcurrency,and microtransactions. TryandBuy Thevastmajorityofrevenuefromdownloadablegamescomesfromstandardtryandbuytransactions. TheplayerdownloadsthegameviaawebbrowsertothePC.Downloadfootprintsvarywildlyfrom5MBto120MB. Oncetheplayerinstallsthegame,DigitalRightsManagement(DRM)softwarehandlesthegamestrialperiod. TheDRMsoftwareistypicallyresponsibleforhandlingtheupsellmoment.Theupselliswhenthegame encouragestheplayertopurchasethefullversioninordertocontinueplaying.Whentheplayerwantstopurchase thegame,theDRMacceptstheuserspaymentinformationandhandingthetransactionofftoabackendpayment processingsystem.(DRMisalsoresponsibleforenforcingtrialcriteria.) Insomevariantsofthismodel,theplayermaycontinueplayingthefeaturelimitedversionindefinitely,inothersthe playermustsitthroughincreasinglyannoyingnagscreensencouragingtheusertoupsell.Othergamesopt, instead,tomaintainfullfunctionalityafterthetrialperiodbyembeddingadvertising. ProvidingtheDRMisgenerallytheresponsibilityoftheretailerorthedistributor;the

84

publishergenerallyhandsoffanunlockedversionofthegametobewrappedalongwith marketingcollateraltohelpinbuildingtheupsellscreen Underthismodel,revenuefromgamesalesbytheretaileraregenerallysharedwithpartnersupstreamwithpre determinedroyaltyratesorrevenueshares.Atypicaldeveloperrevenueshareisanythingfrom20%50%. FreeWebTrial Acommonvariantonthetryandbuymodelistoofferafreewebversionofthegamewhichcanbeplayedwithina webbrowser.Webgamescangenerallybyplayedoverandoveragain,howevertheyaretypicallyverylimited comparedtothedeluxeversions,withfewerfeatures,lesscontent,lowerqualitysounds&graphics,etc. Agoodwebgameisdesignedtoencouragetheusertodownloadthedeluxeversion.Manyusers(especiallythose withslowdialupmodems)willnotdownloadagamewithoutfirsttryingthewebgameversion,thoughotherswill onlyeverplaythewebgamesandwillneverdownloaddeluxeversionsforavarietyofreasons.Someusersare simplynotallowedtodownload&installsoftwareontheircomputer(e.g.,officeworkers).Othershavebeentold neverdownloadsoftwareontheInternetandarefearful.Stillotherssimplydontwanttoclutteruptheir computerswithlotsofrandomsoftware. Inadditionbeinganimportantsourceofsales,adrevenuefromdownloadablegamewebdemosisbeginningto becomeasignificantrevenuestreamforanumberofportals.Becausemostofthesegamesarebuilttosimplyto drivetraffictothefulldownloadablegame,theydontmonetizeaswellasadfocusedgamesofsimilarquality.On theotherhand,becausethecasualgamedevelopmentcommunityhasbeenfocusedonbuildingdownloadable,the demoversionsofthesegamesarethesolevehicleforconsumersthatwantfreeaccesstotheseproductsandcan drivemanymillionsofadvertisingimpressions. AdvertisingSponsoredDownloads Companiesmayuseinterstitialadvertisingduringfreetrialperiodsindownloadabletitles.Typically,theadvertisingis displayedaroundthegameplayinbetweenlevelssoitdoesntdisruptgameplay.Advertisingistargetedtothegame playerdemographics. Whiledevelopmentagreementsvarybetweenpublishers,developerscanexpectroyaltiesfromadvertisingrevenue. Tightlyintegratedadvertisingwillgenerateahigherrevenueshare.Sometimesadvertisingisinterwovenintothe gameplayitself,withcharacterswearingbrandrelatedgear.Thisapproachcanbackfire,however,iftheproduct placementisntelegantlyintegrated,inexchangeforanupfrontpaymentfromtheadvertiser.Forinstance,planets emblazonedwiththePepsilogowillcontinuallydistractaplayerinaspaceshootergame.Thisisapoorexperience foraplayer. Publisherscanalsouseadstoextendthegamestrialperiod.Thismonetizesplayerswhoarenotreadytopurchase thegame,andprovidesanotherupsellafterfurtherplay. Microtransactions Microtransactionenablesplayerstobuyadditionalgamecontentorcustomizationfeaturesforaverylowprice.This modelhasflourishedforyearsintheAsianandEuropeanmarkets,mainlywithfreeMMOs.Now,playerscan performmicrotransactionsfordownloadabletitlesintheUS.

85

InPlayFirstsDinerDash4:HometownHero,theplayercanpurchasenewlevelpacks,charactersanddinerthemes. Thesepurchasesgeneratenewdepthandplayerengagementwithoutrequiringextensivenewfeaturesorgameplay. Over40%oftherevenuegeneratedfromDinerDash4onPlayFirst.comisfromitemssellingfor$5.99orless Subscriptions Distributorstypicallyreportthatonlyasmallpercentageoftheircustomersbuymorethanonegameunderasingle transactionwiththetryandbuymodel.Subscriptionsareonewaytotryandearnmorerevenueperconsumerby creatinganongoingrevenuestream. Thereareseveraltypesofsubscriptionmodelsinwidespreaduse:

Allyoucaneat

Theconsumerpaysafixedamountpermonthinreturnforunlimitedplayofallgamesintheprogram.Theusermust maintainthesubscriptioninordertocontinueplayinggames;whenthesubscriptionendstheplayersaccesstothe gamesalsoends.Modelsforsharingrevenuewithdevelopers/publisherswhosetitlesareofferedwithin subscriptionsvariesbetweenvendors,subscriptiontype,andplatform.Commononesarebasedongamestarts/plays (i.e.IfaplayerplayedninegamesofgameA,andoneofgameB,ninetypercent(90%)oftheshareallocatedto developerswouldgotogameA'sdeveloper);orgametime(i.e.ninehoursloggedplayingGameAvs.onehour playingGameBwouldresultinthesamesplitasthepreviousexample).

Bookofthemonth

Theconsumerpaysafixedamounteachmonthinreturnforgettingone(ormore)gamesfree.Additionalgamescan generallybepurchasedatadiscount.VIPmembership.Typicallyconsumerspayaround$10/monthforsubscriptions ofthistype.Developersarepaidroyaltiesbasedontheactualpurchasepriceofeachunitsold. Payforplay/AdSponsoredhybrid WildTangentannouncedanewbusinessmodelforgamessoldthroughtheirWildTangentGamesNetwork(WGN). Thisnewmodelisanonlineversionoftheclassicarcadewhereyouinsertcoinsintothemachineforeachgameplay. TheWildCoinsisapayforplaymodelthatisadaptedtotheexistingtryandbuymodel.Endusersgettheirfirsttwo gamesessionsforfree(thetrialperiod),thentheyhaveachoicetospend$20andconverttoafullpurchase,or spendabout$.25forthenextgameplay,andthenext,andthenext.Anotherinterestingcomponentofthisnew businessmodelisthatadvertiserscanbuytheWildCoinsandsponsoragamesessionthatisthenfreefortheplayers. Thecombinationoffreeplay,sponsoredplay,$.25centplayandfullpurchasecreatesapaymentstructurethathas yieldedmuchhigherrevenuespergame.WildTangenthasseensignificantgrowththroughthismodel.Theyare capturingnewvaluethroughpaymentflexibility.ThisapproachrequiresanewDRMtosupportsessionbasedrights. Numbersherewouldbegood. PayPerMinute DoubleTrumphasrecentlystartedofferingapayperminuteservice.Consumersenjoya60minutefreetrialthen pay$0.01foreachadditionalminutetheyplayadownloadablegameuptoamaximumof$20.00.Oncethe consumerhasreachedthe$20threshold,theyownthegamejustasthoughtheyhadpurchaseditoutright. Thismonetizationmethodhasnotyetgainedwideadoptionduetodevelopersconcernsaboutlowermonetization levels,butDoubleTrumpassertsthattheyhaveseensignificantlybetterrevenuesfromthismodelontheirtestsite thanfromthesamegamesofferedwithtraditionaltryandbuyterms.

86

DesignPrinciples
ByMikeWabschall,<fillintitle>,Foundation9Entertainment Downloadabletitlesadheretothecommondesignprinciplesforallcasualgames.Thegamesshouldbeeasytolearn, provideimmediaterewardsandcommunicateincentivesclearly. Basicdesignprinciplesforcasualgames: Providesimple,meaningfulactionsfortheplayer Rewardtheplayerfrequently Providerulesthatareeasytolearn Guidetheplayerwithaclearandconsistentuserinterface Letdepthandcomplexityemergefromtheplayersbasicactionsratherthanrequiringtheplayertomastera largeandcomplexsetofactions Increasegamedifficultytoparalleltheplayersskilldevelopment Designforyourtargetaudience Thesedesignprinciplesapplytoalmostallcasualgames.Todesigneffectivelyforthedownloadablespace,youmust payattentiontoavarietyofotherdesignissuesdetailedbelow. KeyDesignElementsofDownloadableGames Itisonethingtoentertaintheplayerenoughtokeephimorherinterestedinplayingthefreeversion.Itismuch hardertogettheplayersoinvolvedinthegamethattheyarewillingtopaytocontinueorupgradetothepremium version. Eventhenthejobisnotdone.Thepremiumversionmustdeliveragoodvaluetotheplayer.Toaccomplishthis,the gamemusthavedepth,showplayerprogress,andkeepthecontentseeminglyfreshformanyhoursofplay.
Expandtheoptionaldepth

Optionaldepth,sometimescalledZAxisofGameplayorSecondaryStrategy,isanelementofgameplaywhichis notpartofthecoregameplayinthegame,butitaddsdepthtothegameplaybyhavingtheplayerbeabletochoose differentpathstotheendgoal,ormaketheuserhavemorethanonegoalinthegame Forexample,inDinerDash,playersmaymatchcustomercolorswithopencoloredseatstoearnadditionalpoints. Sincepointsaretheendgoalinthegame,thesebonuspointsenabletheplayertoreachthegoalquickerthrough strategicplay.However,theplayercansucceedinmuchofthegamewhileignoringthismechanicaltogether.And thepresenceofthismechanicallowstheusertomakestrategicchoicesaboutwhethertodelaycertainactions (underintensetimepressure)topursuethebonus.

ConsiderOptionalBreadth

Considerdevelopingoptionalgamemodesandrulesetstobroadenthewaystheplayercanexperienceyourcore game.Althoughhavingavarietyofgamemodesisnosubstituteforprovidingagreatcoregameplayexperience, providingadditionalwaystoenjoyyourgamecanextendthegameslifetimeoncetheplayerfeelsdonewiththe maingamemode.

87

ProvidestructureandincentivesthroughametaGame

Mostgameshaveaverysimplesetorrulesthatdefinethecoreplaymechanic.Includedinthatcoreplaymechanicis thedefinitionofawinscenarioforthelevel.Beyondthat,mostgameshavesometypeofmetagamethata playerprogressthougheachtimealeveliscompleted. Havingaclearwayoftrackinganddisplayinglongtermprogressinthegamecanbecrucialtokeepingtheplayer engagedandwantingmorethanjustwhatisofferedinthefreetrialversion.Mostgamesshouldhaveanendgame scenarioorawaytobeatthegame.Thisshouldextendwaybeyondasinglegamesession. Thegameshouldshowtheplayeralongtermgoal,andthentrackthoughprogresstowardsthatgoalvisually. Progressshouldbecarriedoverfromonegamesessiontothenextratherthanmakingtheplayerrestartfromthe beginningeachsession.Downloadablegamesshouldsaveplayerprogress. Wherepossible,theplayersprogressthroughthemetagameshouldimpactthewaytheyplaythecoregame.This cancomeintheformofplayerschoosingupgradesorpowerupsthattheywilluseinthegameorintheformofthe gameunconditionallyaddingincrementallygameplayelements.Thisvariationanddeepeningofgamemechanicsis criticaltokeepingthegamefeelingfreshandtheplayerfeelingengaged.
Makeyourcasefortheupsell

Developersmustofferacompellingplayexperiencethatcustomersfeelissignificantlyricherthanthefreewebgame demoequivalents.Sinceplayerswillfrequentlyexperiencethegameviaanonlineversionfirst,andthendownload andinstallthegameontheirPC,theremustbesignificantmotivationforacustomertoproceedtothedownloadable version.Customersaretypicallymotivatedbyoneormoreofthefollowingreasons: iDeepeningGameplayOverTime Duringthetrialperiod,thegameplayconvincestheplayerthatonewillwanttocontinuetoplaythisgame overandover.Developerswanttoensurethecustomerisntquestioning,Itwasfunforanhour,butwillit getanybetterifIpurchasethefullgameorisitjustgoingtobemoreofthesame?Thisistypically accomplishedbyshowingaconsistentpaceatwhichnewmechanicsareintroducedaswellasshowingthe playerhowmuchofthegametheyhaveyettocomplete. iiHigherQualityExperience Premiumcontentofflineplayisusuallyfullscreenandadvertisingfree,typicallywithenhancedgraphicsand sound.
Considerthetriallimitingmechanism

Thetrialversionmustbecarefullydesignedtomotivateplayerstopurchase.Itsadifficultbalancingacttomakethe freetrialversioncompellingenoughtomotivatethecustomertobuythegamewithoutgivingawaysomuch gameplayinthefreetrialthattheplayerhashadtheirfill.Developersusuallylimittheplayersaccesstopremium gamecontentwithoneofthefollowingmethods. i.ContentLimiting ThegamemayincludethefirstXnumberoflevels(orthefirstmissionpack)inthefreetrialversionand requireapurchasetoplayadditionallevels.Typicallyaplayercanreplaythesedemolevelsindefinitely.

88

 Contentlimitedisespeciallyhardtodowellinsomekindofgamessuchasactiongames.Theseplayable gamesmakeitdifficultforthedesignertodecidehowmanylevelstogiveaway. Includingtoomanylevelsinthetrialversioncanleavelittlereasonfortheplayertobuythefullversionsince thetrialissatisfying,butnotincludingenoughlevelsinthedemotogivetheplayeranexperienceofwhat makesthegamefun,candamagepurchasepotential. ii.FeatureLimiting Acommonwaytodifferentiatethetrialversionfromthefullversionistolockoutsomefeaturesinthetrial version.Theplayermustpurchasethefullversiontounlockthesespecialfeatures,suchas:Internethigh scoreposting,leveleditors,expansionpacks,orspecialcontentsuchaspowerupsoralternategameplay modes. Byallowingtheplayerfullaccesstomanylevels,theplayercanfullyappreciatewhatmakesthegamefun, butthosefewlockedoutfeaturescanmotivatetheplayermotivationtothepurchase. iii.TimeLimiting Mostlargedistributorspreferthatalltheirgamesarelimitedtoaspecificamountofplaytimeduringthetrial period.Aftersixtyminutesofplay,thegamebecomesunusableunlesstheplayerpurchasesthefullversion. Thiscanbeaveryeffectivewaytogivethecustomerafullfeaturedtrialplayofthegame.Playersare allowedtoexperienceeveryfeatureandplayeveryleveltheycanreachduringthetrialperiod. Thisgivestheplayerarealisticsampleofwhatthepurchasedgamewillbelikeandallowsthegamedesigners toshowoffhisbestlevelstoconvincetheplayertobuy,withoutworryingaboutgivingthoselevelsaway permanently;theplayerwillonlybeallowedtoplaythelevelsforashortamountoftime. Thevastmajorityofdownloadabletrialsaretimelimited,soitisveryimportanttooptimizethetrial experiencewiththismodelinmind.

Production
ByNaomiClark,IndependentProducer/Designer Productionconsiderationsforcasualgamessharemuchincommonwithproductionforlargertitles,butatasmaller scale.Wherelargescalegamesmustcopewiththeorganizationalrequirementsofmultipleteams,sometimes numberingoverahundredstaffmembersinvolveddirectlyintheproductionofagame,casualgamesgenerallyhave onlyoneteamofbetweenthreeandsevenstaffinsomecases,evenfewer!Ontheotherhand,theconstraintsof timeandmoneyforcasualgamesarecorrespondinglyscaleddown,oftenmeaningthattheresnotasmuchroomto experiment,iterate,ortest.Herearesomeimportantproductionlessonsthatapplytocasualgames. 1. KnowYourAudience Oneofthemostfundamentalprinciplesingamedesignandproductionistounderstandwhoyouredesigningfor. TheaudiencefordownloadablecasualgamesforPCandMacplatformsisquitedistinctfromtheaudiencefor

89

hardcoreconsolegames,butevenwithinthesebroadcategories,therearemanywaystosliceandtargetan audience. Whywastheparticularthemeandgameplayofyourgamechosen?Areyoutryingtoappealtofansofacertainsub genre,liketimemanagement,wordgames,orhiddenobjectgames?Whatdoyouknowaboutthisaudience? Whetheryouretryingtocreateasolidcoreenthusiastsgamethataimstobeanexemplarforaparticularsub genre,orheadingintopreviouslyunexploredterritory,itsworthaskingwhoyouthinktheproductwillappealto,and why. 2. IdentifyandCommunicateWithYourStakeholders Mostgameproducersknowthattheyneedtokeeptheirprojectsprimarystakeholdersintheloopeveryonefrom studioheadstoinvestorsorpublishersthatwanttoseeresultswhileatthesametimemaintainingenoughdistance fortheteamtogettheirworkdonewithoutanoverabundanceoffeedback,courseadjustments,andother interference.Althoughtheyresmallerinscale,casualgamesoftenhavejustasmanytypesofstakeholdersaslarger projectsdo.Inadditiontoinvestors,publishers,andstudiomanagement,casualgamedevelopersmusttakeintothe particularwaysthatcasualgamesaredistributed. PortalsandDistributorsaresometimesoverlookeduntillateindevelopment,butareperhapsthe mostimportantstakeholdersforcasualgames.Unlessyoureplanningondoingallthedistribution foracasualgameyourself,itsnecessarytogetbuyinfromthepeoplewhocontrolaccesstothe retailchannel,whetheralargecasualgameportaloracompanythatcreatesboxedproducts.Portals anddistributorsaremuchlesslikelythanpublishersorinvestorstowanttoseeyourunfinished, buggygamebutwhenyougetclosetoaworkingbetathatsreadytobeshownaround,itstimeto gettheportalsinvolved. CommunityFansareacompletelydifferentkindofstakeholder,andanexcellentresourceforcasual gamedevelopersthatcantapintothem.Althoughcommunityrelationsoftenplayalargerrolein gamestargetedatanarrowgroupofhardcoreenthusiasts,moreandmorecasualgamepublishers anddevelopershavegrowndedicatedcommunitiesoffanswhoareeagertoprovidefeedbackon games.Althoughthesefansareinvaluableinthattheyreactualconsumersofcasualgames,its worthkeepinginmindthattheymaynotberepresentativeoftheaverageuser.

3. StructureYourProcess Therearemanydifferentdevelopmentmethodologiesoutthere,fromthetraditionalwaterfallapproachinwhich eachphaseofproductioniscompletelyfinishedbeforethenextonebegins,tomoreadaptiveandflexibleagile methodologiessuchasScrumorExtremeProgramming.Casualgames,becauseoftheirsmallsizeandneedtoadapt quicklytoachangingmarketplace,canbegoodcandidatesforagilemethods,especiallywithanexperiencedteamof developers. Atthesametime,someversionsofagilesoftwaredevelopmenttendtowardsamoreopenendeddevelopment lifecyclewheregoalsandevendeadlinesaresubjecttochange.Onprojectswithverytightscheduleconstraints,a moreconventionalapproachwhereplanningisdoneupfrontandthenexecutedmaybemoresuitable.Somecasual gamedevelopershaveadaptedtheirownhybridsthatcombinewaterfallstyledesignupfrontapproacheswith agilemethods,oftenembeddingagileinsideamoretraditionalgatedstructure. 4. DontNeglecttheUserInterface Whilefocusingonthelargeandoftenexcitingunknownsinaproject,itsimportantnottoneglectseemingly mundanedetails.Althoughitmayseemlikemenuscreens,pausebuttons,andvolumeoptionsareallsolved

90

problems,duetothefactthatmanyormostcasualgamessharecertainoverarchingstructuresincommon,itcan takeasurprisingamountoftimetobuild,skin,andtestauserinterface,evenwhenbuildingontopofadevelopment platformthatoffersalotofbasicfunctionality. Itsimportanttodevotesometimetohammeringouttheseissues,bothforinterfacedesignandwiringitallupin code,sothatyourprojectdoesntenduprightbeforeamajormilestonewithabunchofincompletescreens.Pooror neglectedinterfacedesigncankillanotherwiseexcellentgameandcausemanyplayerstoquitbeforethehourof theirtrialdownloadisevencompleted! 5. ReuseandRecycle Yourgamedoesnthavetorunona3Denginewithaphysicssimulationtobenefitfromreusabletechnology!More andmorecasualgamedevelopmentteamsaretakingadvantageofmiddlewareorreusablegameengines,either developedinhouseorlicensedbyothersoftwarecompanies(MindControlSoftwaresOrbitalplatformisan excellentexampleforcasualgames).Especiallyforthesmallscaleofmostcasualgames,itsvitaltoavoidreinventing thewheelunnecessarily.Ifyourteamhasdevelopedasolutiontoaparticularproblemonapreviousproject, determinewhetheritcanbeadaptedforuseonyourcurrentone. Secondarygamemodesareanothergreatexampleofcasualgamesgettingasmuchbangforthebuckaspossible. Theyvealmostbecomemandatoryforsomegamegenres,andareworthinvestigatingforalmostanycasualgame. Withafewtweakstohowthefundamentalsofyourgameworksremovingtimers,changingthegoalorwin conditionsofyourgamecanresultinagamethatuses90%ofthesameassetsbutfeelsverydifferent.Secondary gamemodescaninvolvemorechangesandcreatemorenewrequirementsthananticipated,however,socareful planningandscopingisanecessity. 6. TestwithUsersasMuchasPossible Withshortdevelopmentlifecyclesandfrequentreuseoftriedandtruegamemechanics,casualgamesoftenneglect usertesting,whichisanunfortunateexplanationfornumerousshoveledontoaportalasfastaspossible disappointments.Anygame,evenonethatdoesntinnovatesignificantly,canbenefitfromplaytestinganddirect feedbackfromusers. Playtestingatearlystagescanbeespeciallyfrighteningforcasualgamedevelopers,sincecasualgamersareless tolerantofinterfaceproblems,bugs,andfrustrationthansay,aseasonedPCgamerwhosusedtohavingtoupdate graphicscarddrivers.Nevertheless,testingearlyandoftenisstillinvaluable.Earlyplaytestsmaybemarredbyaplay hamperingbugsormissingfeatures,whichcanpolluteaplaytesterssenseoffun.Ofcourse,ifyouwaituntilalater stageofdevelopmenttostartplaytesting,theresusualnotenoughtimeintheshortlifecycleofacasualgames developmenttomakesignificantchanges,eveniftheyrehighlywarranted. Ifyourteamhasaclearpictureofwhatcanandcantbetested,whatassumptionsneedquestioningandwhatparts oftheexperiencetheybelieveareworkingcorrectly,aplaytestcanhelpvalidatethoseassumptions,orraisered flags.Casualgameareunlikelytohavethebudgetorscheduletoconductcarefullycontrolledplaytestswithmultiple observersandrecordingofplayeractionsandfacialexpressions,butevenoneortwotestersobservedbyonegame designercanmakeasignificantdifferenceforaprojectaslongasthegamedesignercanrefrainfrominterrupting theplayertoexplainhowthegameworks!

91

7. DontForgettheFinalPrep! Attheendofacasualgamedevelopmentlifecycle,thereareaslewofnewtasksthatmustbecompletedbeforethe gamecanlaunchonportalsorbeboxedfordistributioninretailchannels.Manyfirsttimecasualgameproducersand developersarecaughtunawaresbytheselastminutenecessities,whichcanusuallybeanticipatedandstartedahead oftime.Whileprogrammersaregoingthroughthefinalthroesofdebuggingtheirworkanddeliveringseriesof releasecandidatestotheQAteam,therestoftheteamshouldmakesurethatwrittenandgraphicalassetsare preparedformarketinganddistributionpurposes. Inthecaseofgamesbeingboxedforretail,thedeadlinesforcreatingphysicalmaterialslikeboxes,manuals(ararity inthecasualgameworld)andstoragemediatendtobewritteninstoneandanticipatedinschedules.Casualgames, ontheotherhand,oftenfindtheirfirstandmostcriticalreleaseonmultiplecasualgameportals.Thankstodigital distribution,theprocessoffinalpreparationcanbemuchsimpleandquicker.Bythesametoken,itseasiertoforget thattheseneedsmustbeaccountedfor,resultinginanunnecessarydelaybeforethelaunchofagame. Everygameportalhasguidelinesforhowgamesmustbepackagedfordelivery,whichalwaysincludemarketingcopy, systemrequirements,andwebreadygraphicsatmultiplesizes.Sometimesthisprocessishandledbypublishers,but thebest(andoftenonly)sourceofcreativematerialsrelatedtothegameisultimatelythedevelopmentteam. Accordingly,itsvitalnottoletkeyteammembersvanishfromtheprojecttooearly!Ifthedevelopmentteamhas adequatecommunicationwiththebusinesssideofdecisionmakingaboutwhichportalswillbedistributingthe game,itsusuallypossibletoanticipatewhatkindsofassetswillbeneeded. Forthegrowingnumberofcasualgamedeveloperswhodistributetheirowngamesinsteadoforinadditionto workingwithotherdistributionpartners,itsalsonecessarytoconsiderDigitalRightsManagement(DRM)solutions andleaveadequatetimeforbuilding,testing,andvisuallycustomizingtheecommerceportionsoftheuser experience.Again,itscriticalnottoleavethisprocessforthelastminute,becausesomeDRMwrappershavebeen knowntointerferewithgamecode,sometimesresultinginmajorproblems.

KeyPlayers
ByMikeWabschall,<gettitle>,Foundation9Entertainment ManyofthekeyplayersinthedownloadablespaceextendintootherbusinesssuchasBrowserBasedgamesand derivativeproducts. AlawarEntertainment http://www.alawar.com/ Alawardevelops,publishesanddistributescasualgamesonlineandbyCDROMmanufacturing.Since1999, Alawarhaspublishedover150titles.TheyarethebiggestcasualgamesproviderinEasternEurope.They distributetheirtitlesontheirportalsiteandthroughtheirgameboxtechnology. BigFishGames http://www.bigfishgames.com BigFishGamesStudiosdevelopsandpublishestheindustry'sleadingbrandsforcomputers,mobiledevices andconsoles.ItsportfolioofhitgamesincludesMysteryCaseFiles,HiddenExpedition,Azadaand

92

FairwaySolitaire.Theirportaloffersanexpansivecatalogueofgames.TheirmottoisANewGameEvery Day!. ElectronicArtsCasualEntertainment http://www.pogo.com Pogo.comisthestickiestsiteontheWeb(accordingtoMediaMetrix)andisabrandofElectronicArts, theworldsleadingdeveloperandpublisherofPCandconsolevideogames.Thisgamesdestinationprovides playerswithawidevarietyoffreeonlinepuzzle,word,casino,classiccardandboardgames. Enkord http://www.enkord.com Asadeveloper/publisher,Enkordhascreatedoriginalcasualgamesforitsportalanddistributedthem throughdistributorpartnershipswithgroupslikeRealNetworksandBigFishGames.Enkordfocuseson casualgamestargetedtomaleswithgenreslikeaction,arcade,shooterandstrategygames. Gamelab http://www.gamelab.com/ Foundedin2000,Gamelabhasdevelopedsingleplayerandmultiplayeronlinegames.Theycreatedthe smashhitDinerDash.Recently,theyreleasedJojosFashionShow.. GogiiGames http://gogiigames.com/ GogiiGamesiscasualgamesPublisher/developerworkingwithdevelopersandIPownerstohelpdevelop, distributeandlicenseitsIPorproducttoretail,onlineandalternativechannelsworldwide. HipSoft http://www.hipsoft.com/ HipSoftisthedeveloper(andselfpublisher)ofthehighlysuccessfulBuildALotseriesofdownloadable games.TheyalsocreatedtheFlipWords,PuzzleExpress,andTriviaMachinegames. ITTerritoryCasual http://www.itterritory.ru/ Foundedin2004,ITTerritoryisadeveloperandpublisherofbrowserbasedmassivelymultiplayeronline games.AlongwithbeingRussia'snumberonepublisher,ITTerritoryhasdevelopedtheleadingdistribution networkinRussiaandEasternEurope. iWin

93

http://www.iwin.com iWin,Incisanonlinedeveloper,publisheranddistributorofcasualgamesforthemassmarket.iWin.comis oneoftheleadingcasualgameportals,reachingmillionsofvisitorseverymonthfromallovertheworldwho playgamestogetheraspartoftheiWincommunity.iWin,Incprovidesdownloadablegames,multiplayer games,andwebbasedgames. LargeAnimalGames http://www.largeanimal.com/ LargeAnimalGamesdevelopsoriginaltitlessuchasLegoBricktopiaandSaintsandSinnersBowling.They distributetheirgamesandothersontheirportalsite. MicrosoftCasualGames http://www.microsoftcasualgames.com MicrosoftCasualGamesnowoffersmorethan400gamesviaMSNGames,WindowsLiveMessenger Games,MicrosoftWindowsGames,XboxLIVEArcadeandsoonmobilegames,providingtheultimate playingexperiencetomorethan125millioncasualgamerspermonthandallowingplayersfromaroundthe worldtocompete,collaborateandsocializeanywhere,anytime. MumboJumboLLC http://www.mumbojumbo.com MumboJumboisaworldwidepublisher,developerandmassmarketerofpremiumcasualgamesforPCsand gameconsoles..MumboJumbogamesaredownloadableatitswebsiteaswellaskeygameportalsoperated byRealNetworks,Microsoft,Yahoo!andBigFish,orpurchasedatretailthroughmassmerchants,computer retailersandspecialtyoutlets. MTVNetworks http://www.shockwave.com http://www.addictinggames.com MTVNetworksoperatestwomajorportalsitesfocusingoncasualgames:Shockwave.comand AddictingGames.com.MTVNetworksdevelopsandpublishesover300interactivepropertiesworldwide, includingonline,broadband,wirelessandinteractivetelevisionservices. OberonMedia http://corp.oberonmedia.com/ OberonMediaprovidesDRMservices.TheOberonGameCenterplatformisusedwidelythroughoutthe casualgameindustry.Theplatformcombinescasualgamecontent,merchandizingandfeaturestofulfilleach partner'sspecificneeds.

94

PlayFirst,Inc. http://www.playfirst.com PlayFirstisafullservicepublisherofcasualgameswithastrongfocusonthedownloadablegamemarket. PlayFirstfundsanddistributestitlescreatedbytheirinternalstudiosandbyindependentthirdparty developers.TheyarebestknownfortheDinerDashproductline,buthavealsohadhitswiththeChocolatier andDreamChroniclesbrands. PopCap http://www.popcap.com Startedin2000,PopCaphasdevelopedmanyawardwinningcasualgamesforPC.Theyalsodeveloptitles formobileandconsoleplatforms.TheyvecreatedthePopCapGamesFramework,afreeengine,which developerscanusetocreategames. RealNetworks,Inc. http://www.realarcade.com RealNetworks,Incdeliversawidearrayofcasualgamesthroughitsportal,RealArcade.Recently, RealNetworks,Inc.acquiredTrymedia,anestablishedpioneerofcasualgamesyndication. ReflexiveEntertainment http://www.reflexive.com/ ReflexivedevelopsandpublishescasualgamesforPC.TheyareworkingonanewtitleforXBOX360.In additiontodevelopinggames,Reflexiverunsacasualgamesportal. SpillGroup http://www.spillgroup.com/ LocatedinEuropeandAsia,theSpillGroupmanagesnumerous,worldwidegameportals.Theyarealeader indistributionandmarketing.TheydeveloporiginaltitlesthroughtheirAsianstudios. YummyInteractive http://www.yummy.net/ YummyInteractiveInc.providestechnologysolutionsforsecuredigitaldeliveryofgamesandapplicationsvia Internet.Yummyprovidesacomplete,customizedturnkeysolutiontobroadbandserviceproviders, consumerportals,retailers,andsoftwarepublisherstodeliverandmanageGamesonDemandservicesvia theInternet.

95

Advergames
SectionEditor:BrianRobbins,ExecutiveProducer,FuelIndustries

Overview
ByBrianRobbins,ExecutiveProducer,FuelIndustries Advergamesaregameswhicharebuiltaroundabrandorproduct.Theprimarydistinctionofanadvergamefrom othertypesofadsupportedgames,isthatwithanadvergamethefullexperienceisbuilttoembodythebrandor messagingforthesupportedproduct.Advergamescanrangeinsizeandcomplexityfromverysmallwebbased games,tofullscaleconsoleexperiences.Typicallyadvergamesarefundedbybrandsasamarketingactivityandthere israrelyanydirectrevenuetargetsassociatedwiththefinalproduct. Manysmalleradvergamesarerepurposedfrompreviousgamesandgameengines,whilelargerexperiencesareoften custombuilttomeetthecampaignrequirements.Brandingwithinthegamemaybeverysmallandalmost unnoticeable,oritmaydominatethevisualsofthefullexperience. Thesuccessofanadvergameistypicallymeasuredintermsofthenumberofusers(reach),thenumberofplays (frequency),andthelengthoftimeplayed(engagement).Thesegamesarealmostalwaysavailableforfree,andmay bedistributedonbrandwebsites,gamingportals,orcustomwebsitescreatedforthecampaign. Thebiggestadvergames,areapartofanlargermediacampaignthatwilloftencrossmultiplemediaplatforms, includingTV,Radio,OutdoorMediaandmore.Inthesecampaignstheadvergamemaybethecornerstoneusedto drivethemessaging,oritmaybeonepiecethathelpstoreachaparticularaudience.

ArtHistory
ByJessicaGrundy,<fillintitleandemployer> TheconceptofAdvergaminghasexistedfornearlyaslongasthegameindustryitself.TheearliestAdvergameislikely Datsun280Zzzap 1 anarcadegamereleasedin1976promotingtheDatsun280Z.OtherearlyexamplesincludeTooth Protectorscreatedin1982forJohnson&Johnson,ChasetheChuckwagoncreatedin1982forRalstonPurinaand PepsiInvaders,createdin1983forCocaColaCompanysalesexecutives 2
1

http://kotaku.com/gaming/advergames/early-advergames-part-ii-322391.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepsi_Invaders

96

PepsiInvaders1983 1

Bythelate1980'sproductionqualityonadvergameshadincreased,andmoreadvancedgameswerebeingreleased. In1989BlueSkySoftwaredevelopedAvoidtheNoidpublishedbyShareDataandcreatedtopromoteDomino'sPizza. PlayersassumedtheroleoftheNoid,prominentlyfeaturedintheDomino'sadvertisingmessagesatthetime:

AvoidtheNoid1989 2 In1993TreasureCoLtd.CreatedMcDonaldsTreasureLandAdventurefortheSegaGenesis.
1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pepsiinvaders.JPG http://www.mobygames.com/game/c64/avoid-the-noid/screenshots

97

McDonaldsTreasureLandAdventure 1

Inthemid1990'swiththeburgeoningInternet,andprevalenceofShockwaveandotherplugintechnologies,brands begantomovetheiradvergamesonline.OneofthefirstexamplesofthiswasLifeSavers(nowWrigley's)Candystand, whichlaunchedin1997.

Candystand.comcirca1997 2

Theoverallproductionqualityonadvergamescontinuestoincreaseeveryyear.Today,manyadvergameshavelarger budgetsthancasualgames,andarereachingalevelofcomplexityandpolishequaltoorgreaterthanotherpartsof thegameindustry.Thesegamesmayincorporatevideo,prerendered3Dgraphics,orevenXbox360consolegames suchasSneakKing,PocketbikeRacerandBigBumpin'developedbyBlitzGamesforBurgerKingin2006.

1

http://www.gamefabrique.com/mcdonalds-treasure-land-adventure.html http://candystandblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/trip-down-candystand-memory-lane.html

98

BigBumpin'2006 1

StewieLive2005 2
1

http://www.dignews.com/review.php?story_id=20444 http://www.stewielive.com/

99

GettheGlass2007 1

TheMarketandAudience
ByJnasBjrgvinAntonsson,<fillintitle>,GogogicGames Theaudienceforadvergamesvariesdependingonthebrandbehindthegame,andwhatthatbrandistryingto accomplish.Somegamesmaybecreatedtoreachaverybroadgroup,includingpeoplewhonormallywouldnotplay games,whileothersmaytargetaverynicheaudience.Thetargetplayerchangeswitheveryproject,andwhen consideringtherealmofalladvergaming,trulyreachesintoeverydemographic. Theprimarydistributionmechanismisthroughwebsites,andthemostsuccessfulprojectsaredistributed"virally." Thatistheyderiveasignificantamountoftheirtrafficviawordofmouth,emailstofriends,blogandsocialnetwork posts,etc.AccordingtoaJupiterMediaMetrixsurvey,86%ofinternetuserspassedviralmessagesontoanother personwhile49%passedthemontomorethanthreepeople.Howeveritshouldbenotedthatnotalloftheseviral messageswereadvergames,asthattermalsoincludesvideosandotherpiecesofentertainment. AccordingtoarecenteMarketerreport 2 roughly$207millionwasspentonadvergamedevelopmentin2007,or41% ofwhatmarketerslaidoutonvideogameadvertisingofvariousformsthatyear.Thatsamereportalsopredictsthat variousvideogameadvertisementformswillluremarketerstoincreasetheirspendingbetween90130%by2012. Thatcouldresultintheadvergamesectorreaching$500millionannuallybefore2012.

BusinessModels
ByDeepakAbbot,CEO,Zapak.com
1

http://www.gettheglass.com/ http://www.emarketer.com/Reports/All/Emarketer_2000485.aspx?src=report1_home

100

Advergamestheoreticallyarecategorizedintoabovetheline(ATL)&belowtheline(BTL).ATLAdvergamewould includegameslikeVolvoDriveforLife(Xbox,2005)whichareintendedtomakecustomersawareofspecificproducts andfeatures.BurgerKinggamescanbecategorizedunderBTLwhichpromoteabrandbutdonotgivespecific informationaboutproducts. AdvergameisabigbusinesswithoverUS$16.4billionspentonadvertisingin200607 1 .Someofthismoneyissurely beinginvestedinAdvergames. TheAdvergameindustryaloneisexpectedtogenerate$312.2millionby2009,upfrom$83.6millionin2004, accordingtoBostonresearchfirmYankeeGroup.Withingameadvertisingexpectedtogenerate$732millionin 2009,wearelookingatabilliondollarmarketin2009. HereisveryhighleveldiagrammaticrepresentationofthevariousmodelseachpartywouldconsiderinAdvergames:

BrandsarethecenterpieceoftheentirebusinessmodelwhoidentifytheneedofAdvergame&thenconceptualize thegameplaybasedontheirbrandrequirements.Gamesaregenerallyoutsourcedtoindependentdeveloperswho wouldworkcloselywithbrandmanagerstocreateagame.Oncethegameisreadythenitsfinaldestinationisbased ontheplatformforwhichitiscreated.IncaseofconsoleorPCgame,itheadsforretailmarketwhereasawebgame goesontoeithercorporatewebsiteofthebrandorindependentportalsforquick&largeexposure. TypicalBusinessObjectives Aboveprocesshighlightsthevariousbusinessobjectivesforeachpartyinthevaluechainwhichissummarizedbelow: Brands EarnRevenuefromretailormobilesalesExperientialMarketingtobuildbrandequityamongfuture customers GenerateLeadsforproductsales

IAB UK, PwC, IAB PwC, ABVS, Future Exploration Network

101

IndependentPortalsorCarrier(incaseofMobile) Earnrevenuesbygeneratingleads(CostperLead) Earnrevenuefromsellingdownloadableversionofthegamesbykeepingashareofsaleprice. Billingbrandsforhosting&promotingthegameusingbanners,mailersetc.

Developers EarnrevenuesbypickingupWorkonHirebasis RevenueSharefromsaleofAdvergames(retailordownloadable) BrandsPerspectiveinDetail

DirectResponseAdvergames AdvergamesaregenerallynotcreatedforearningdirectrevenuesbutBurgerKingestablishedthatmodelsuccessfully in2006makingover$12millioninrevenues.Successfulbrandswithstrongintellectualpropertiescanventureinto thisquiteeasily. Anotherobjectiveforbrandsistogeneratedirectleads.Thiswouldeventuallymeanmorecustomersforthebrand whichleadstorevenueindirectly.Thisisapplicableongameshostedonindependentportalsastechnology integrationallowsportalstopasstheplayersdetailstobrands.ExampleforthismodelcanbeseenonZapak.com (http://www.zapak.com/whisper.zpk)whichcreatedanAdvergameforP&Gforthewholepurposeofgenerating leadsfromgirlsinterestedinusingWhispersanitarynapkins. Miniclip.comalsocreatedagameforChurchillInsurance(http://www.miniclip.com/games/challengechurchill/en) forthepurposeofdivertingtraffictoChurchillInsuranceswebsitewhereuserscouldknowmoreabouttheirpolicies. Asshowninthebusinessmodeldiagramabove,thishelpsbothPortals&Brandstoeitherearnrevenuesordrive customers. ExperientialAdvergames Manyadvergamesfocusonexperientialmarketingratherthandirectresponse.Theseassociativeadvergames supportbrandawarenessbyassociatingtheproductwithaspecificlifestyle.Theassociativegamehelpsinplacingthe producttopofmindfortheconsumer. HavingdescribedtheabovetwomodelsforAdvergames,itstheexperientialmarketingwhichleadsthepackwhenit comestocreatinganAdvergamestrategy.Companiescraveusersattentionandleavenostoneunturnedontheir waytomaketheuserawareoftheirproducts.Thisleadstothecreationofwhatiscalleddemonstrativeadvergames whicharecreatedtoallowtheuserstoexperiencetheproductvirtuallyandhopfullyleadstodesirestoownthe product.SomeofthebestexampleofthesewouldbegamesfromHotWheelsbasedontheirproductsDriveThru, DragonFire&TrickTracks.Thesegamesarenotonlyfuntoforkidsplaybutgenerateastrongurgetoownthese physicalproducts.MatteladoptedthesameapproachforBarbiewhenitcreatedagamesportal (http://barbie.everythinggirl.com)hostingmanygamesdirectlypromotingvariousBarbieproducts. EvenDisneysVirtualMagicKingdom(http://vmk.disney.go.com)canbepartofexperientialmarketingasittakesthe kidsonthetourofDisneylandwhichwilldefinitelyexcitethemtogothereinpersonandexperienceallthethrillsin reality.

102

 PortalsBusinessObjectives Advergamesprovidegreatbenefitstobrandholders,butbutalsoprovideagoodbusinessmodelforportalstoo. PortalslikeMiniclip.com,Zapak.comandCandystand.comareprofitablyhostingsomeofthemostinteractiveweb advergamesavailabletoday.Candystand.comlaunchedin1997byLifeSavers(nowownedbyWrigleys)attract5 millionuniqueuserspermonth.Wrigleyhasbeenusingthisnotjustasaplatformtoshowcaseitsproductbutalsoto createnewbusinessascustomeracquisitionfocusedportal. IndiabasedZapak.comhostsover30advergamesforleadingbrandslikeIntel,Logitech,McDonalds,P&G,HP, Gillette,CocaCola,Cadburys,Unilever&more.Thesegamesareplayedbyover4millionuniqueuserseverymonth makingitoneofthebiggestwebbasedgameportalsintheworld. Thereisadualbenefitforportalshereoneisthattheygetcontentfortheirevergrowingcommunityandsecondly theychargepremiumfrombrandswhowouldliketoexposetheirbrandstomillionsofusers. Portalshavetwootherrevenuestreamsbesideschargingbrandsforhostingtheirgames.Portalschargebrandsfor eachleadtheycreatewhenusersinteractwiththegames.Portalsgenerallyhavelotofdetailsabouteachofitsusers andtheycanpassontheinformationtobrandswhenusersplaythosegames(subjecttothetermsoftheportals privacypolicy).Brandscanthenusethatdatabaseforitsvariousbusinessobjectives. Morerevenuescouldcomeforportalsfromsaleofdownloadableadvergameswhicharegenerallysoldonthebasis ofrevenueshare.Thismodelisrelativelyunprovenfornonmediabrands,buthasseenheavysuccesswithexisting medialicenses(e.g.NickolodeonandCartoonnetworkproperties). GameDevelopersBusinessModel Developershavealwaysadoptedverysimplebusinessmodelstokeeptheirfocusontheircorestrengthsbeing creativeanddevelopinggoodgames. Althoughdevelopersplaythemostcrucialroleofgivingbirthtothegames,mostofthemaregenerallydontreceive prominentcreditsanddonthavestrongrevenueupside.Thereareafewexceptionstothisrulemostlyestablished advergamedeveloperslikeSkyworksandFuelIndustrieswhohavebeeninthisbusinessforalongtimeandhave createdstunninggamesforlotofleadingbrands.

103

Advergamedevelopersgenerallyadoptaworkforhirebusinessmodelwheretheyarepaidoncefortheireffortsand alltherightsareretainedbycompaniescommissioningsuchgames.Thedevelopmentcostofanadvergamecanstart fromUS$1,000&cangouptoUS$1millionforcomplexgames. Afewdevelopersareabletosecurerevenuesharedealwiththeconsumergoodscompaniesthatcommissiontheir advergames.Revenuesharedealsaregenerallydonebyasmallnumberofprominentbrandstoensurethatthefinal productqualityisnotcompromised.Thesedealsaremostlydoneondownloadabletryandbuyadvergames.Since thedevelopersrevenueisdirectlyproportionaltosalesofgame,thedeveloperhasastrongbusinessinterestin creatinggameswhichcanbecomebighitsinretailoronlinemarketplace.

AdvergameSpecificDesignPrinciples
ByJnasBjrgvinAntonsson,<fillintitle>,GogogicGames Almosteveryadvergameisbuiltforaclientwhobasicallyseesthegameasavehicleforabrandoraspecific marketingmessage.Fromtheclientsperspective,itismoreabouttheadvertisementthanthegame.Thismeansthat theclientneedstobeconvincedthatgamemechanics,overallgamedesignandthefinalresultareallinlinewith whatthegamehastoachieveasamarketingtool,ratherthanasagame.Theresultisanadditionofdesignspecific demandsthatresultfromtheextrafocusofbuildingbothatthesametimeagreatgameandgreatadvertisement. BudgetConstraints Advergamesusuallyhaveafixedbudget,beforetheygointoproduction.Inmanycasestheclientwillevenseta budgetbeforeanythingcanbeconceptualizedordesigned.Inotherwords,themarketingcampaignalreadyhasa budgetsetandaplannedadvergamehastofallintothatbudget. Thisclearlyaffectsdesigninaverydirectwaybecausetheproductionofthegamehastobebothprofitableforthe clientandprofitabletothecompany.Thebudgetcanaffectthesizeofagame,theplatform,andtheassetsthathave tobecreated,alongwitheverythingelse.Havingafixedbudgetbeforehavingaconceptis,thus,aparticularlyclear constraintwhenitcomestodesign. ConceptualConstraints Aclientsidentitycancomeintoplaywhenanadvergameisbeingdesigned.Theidentityusuallyaffectsthe underlyingconceptofthegame,wherethemostobviousexamplewouldbethatiftheclientisacarmaker,thenthe advergameshouldprobablybebuiltaroundcarsasaracinggame,forexample.Thus,theidentityoftheclienthas directimpactondesign. Thisalsoholdstruewhenanadvergameisbuiltaroundaspecificproductoranevent.Inmostcasestheunderlying elementbeingpromotedhastocomethroughwhenthegameisplayed.Thatmeansthatthegamedesignhasto centeraroundwhateverisatthecenterofattentionfromtheclientsperspective. GoalOrientedConstraints Asstatedearlier,whenaclientsolicitssomeonetobuildanadvergame,heislookingattheprojectfromamarketing perspective,wherethegoalissimplyandpurelytointroduceaspecificmessagetoanaudiencethatmightbemore receptivetogames,comparedtoothermedia,orwheretheinteractionthattheplayerhaswithagamecanbeused toreachaspecificgoallikegettingmorepeopletosignupfornewslettersornotificationsthatcanbetargetedand tailoredtotheadvergameaudience.

104

Basically,thissometimesmeansthattheclientdoesntcareasmuchforspecificgamemechanicsashecaresforhow thegamerepresentsitsunderlyingmarketingobjectivesortheimagethattheclientwantstoconvey. Theclientcan,forexample,haveissueswithhowagamefallsinplacewithanoverallcorporateimage,analready establishedbrand,preselectedcolorschemesandlayoutallthiswithoutreallyfocusingonanyspecificgame elements. Itcanbetemptingforadevelopertofocusonthegamemechanicswhilelettingtheadvertisergoalstakeabackseat, butthiscanoftenleadtocriticaldesignconflicts. Howdoesthisaffectdesign? Sincethegoalofcreatinganadvergameincludesbuildingagreatgameandgreatadvertisement,theoverallimpact isbinaryfocuswhichaffectsdesigninafundamentalway.Itintroducesadditionalconstraintsandraisescomplex issues,bothinregardtocoregamemechanicsandinregardtowhatcanbemade,howitcanbemade,howitshould lookandtowhomitshouldbeintroduced. Itismandatorytostartwithwelldefinedgoalsforthegamebothasamarketingassetandasagamethatshouldbe funandentertaining.Itisalsoveryimportanttorememberthatifagamefailsatbeinggreatasagame,itwillalsofail asadvertisement.Agamecouldevendodamagetoabrandimageifhandledincorrectlyforinstance,ifitportrays animageofwhatisultimatelybeingsold,whichiscompletelyoutoflinewithreality. Itisalsoimportanttorememberthatanadvergamethatsucceedsasagamebutfailsasadvertisementwhich happensiftheoriginalgoalsoftheclientarentmetshouldbeconsideredafailure,ratherthanasuccess.Sucha gameisnotlikelytofacilitatereturnbusinessornewclients.Acompanythatbuildsadvergamesforalivingneeds both.

Production&DevelopmentIssues
ByJeffMurray,ExecutiveProducer,FuelIndustries Introduction Advergamingisgrowingandchangingatanincrediblerate.Asbandwidthandtechnologyimprovestheproduction timesgetlonger,thegraphicalqualitygetsbetterandthegamesgetmorecomplex.Advergamingisevolving,yet somefundamentalaspectscontinuetochallengetheproductionprocess.Inthissection,wewillexplorethose aspectsandinvestigatethewaysinwhichadvergameproductiondiffersfromthedevelopmentofcasualgamesand traditionalretailtitles.Wewillexplorethegrowingnumberofdistributionmodelsandhowwhatkindsofrestrictions orbenefitsmaybefoundineach.Followingon,wewillevaluateevolvingdesignandproductionprocessesthatmay behelpfulinthisparticulararea,takingintoaccountthenumerousrestrictionsandconstraintsfoundinitsformer section. Budgetary Advergamestypicallyhaveafixedbudgetthatissignificantlysmallerthanretailgameproduction.Thatsaid,the scopeandtechnologydemandsofadvergamingisgrowing;withbudgetsgrowingtomatch.Modernonlinemarketing mayinvolveembeddedvideo,extremelyhighqualityartwork,stereosoundandinsomecasesfull3dgraphicsto keeppacewithchangingexpectationsofthemarket.Largerscaleelementssuchasthelatterrepresentnew challengesduetotheincreaseinworkloadtoproducethem.Withmoresubstantialbudgetssomepaymentsmaybe

105

possibleuponachievementofmilestones,althoughitmayoftenbethecasethatthedeveloperisrequiredtowait untilprojectcompletionforpayment,thereforeincreasingtheriskforentrylevelstudios. Productioncostsofadvergameprojectscontinuetorise,althoughnotinacomparablefashiontosimilarmediasuch asdownloadtitles.Itiscertainlyastruggleforsuchabudgettoproducethekindsofcontentthatamodernaudience expectsandinmanycases,studiosareabletoproduceadvergamesusingexistinggameengines,whichmakesit harderforstartupstudios,wholackexistinggameengines,tocompete. Asasidenote;Wemusttrytocontrolexpectationsofclients(both'internal'clientsandexternal)throughgood communicationrightfromthestartoftheprojectuntilcompletion.Itisvitaltoensure,forexample,thatyourclient isnotexpectingaAAAtitletofitintoa$70,000budgetandremainwithina50megabytedownloadlimit! Clientsandclientfocus Whenworkingwithabrand,itisoftheutmostimportancetorepresentthebrandeffectivelyandwithrespect. Advergamesneedtobedesignedaroundthebrandandrelevanttothetargetaudience.Whenadvergamingfirst cameaboutitwascommonplacetoseeaslidingpuzzlewithacompanylogoinitthankfully,advergaminghas movedon.Whendesigninganadvergame,thebrandshouldbeatthecenterofthegameuniverseineverythingfrom theoverallthemetothemovementsofgameavatars.Portrayingabrandineverymannerpossibleto'touchnerves' withviewersisthenumberonepriority,nothaphazardlythrowingcompanylogosintoexistingcontentandhoping forthebest. Whereasretailtitleshavepublishers,whendealingwithadvergamingitisalmostcertainlygoingtoinvolveaclient whetherthatisanadvertisingagencyabrandowner.Duetothenatureofthebusiness,thereisatendencyfor clientstofocusmoreontheaestheticsofthegameratherthantheactualgameexperience.Itisimportanttotryand givetheclientagoodunderstandingofthetechnologyatanearlystagesoastosetclientexpectationstoarealistic level. Theemphasisisalmostalwaysondeliveryinadvergames,ratherthanareturn.Inretail,ifatitlereachescompletion anditisfoundtobebuggyortherearegameplayissues,productionmaycontinueforseveralmonthsuntilthetitleis deemedgoodenoughforlaunch.Moreoftenthannot,clientswillbelaunchinganadvergameinconjunctionwith othermediabuyssuchastelevisionorradioadvertisingorproductlabeling.Thismeansincreasedpressuretodeliver rightfirsttime,ontime.Qualitymustbemonitoredthroughouttheprojectcarefullyandafinal,welltestedand polishedbuilddeliveredforitscompletiondate. Duringthedevelopmentprocesses,aclientwilloftendemandorberequiredtosignoffongraphicsandaudio.This canoftenimpactdevelopmentaslargerclientsmaytakedaysorevenweekstoreturnapproval.Havingaclear timelineandaclearmilestonesetupisbeneficialtobothpartiesinthissituationanditisnotuncommontosetout deadlinesonclientapprovaltokeepthingsontrack. Distributionmodels Thereareseveraldistributionmodelsavailableforadvergaming,eachonewithitsownprosandcons Downloadablecasualgamesforpurchase Lessfilesizerestriction(althoughmostdownloadproductsarekepttolessthan200mb). Brandbecomesintegratedintouserssystem,albeitinatrivialmannersuchasWindow'sStartMenu. Increasedwaittimebeforegameplay.

106

Additionalmonetization

Freedownloadablegamesavailablefromanadvertiserswebsite Lessfilesizerestriction(althoughmostdownloadproductsarekepttolessthan200mb). Brandbecomesintegratedintouserssystem,albeitinatrivialmannersuchasWindow'sStartMenu. Increasedwaittimebeforegameplay. Consolebasedpromotionalgamesdistributedthroughretailoutlets OneofthebiggestconsolebasedadvergameswasapromotionbyBurgerKingwherebycustomerscouldpurchasea boxedtitleinstoreatareducedpriceinconjunctionwithamealpurchase.Themainadvantageofthismodel: Lackoffilesizerestriction(otherthantheCD/DVD,whichissignificantlylargerthanotherdistribution methods). Knowntargetplatformsalackofcompatibilityissues. Aboxedproductbringingadvergaming'intothephysicalworld'.

Browserbasedgames Theserverclientstructuremakesitaloteasiertoaccumulateuserdataanddemographics.Forexample,inagame wherecustomizablecharactersaremadeavailabletotheplayerswecancapturethepopularityofeachcharacter, thecharacterssex,haircoloretc.togiveabetterunderstandingofanaudiencespreferences. Avisitorisexposedtothebrandandismorelikelytolookfurtheraroundthesiteandlearnaboutthe productsbeingadvertised. Sweepstakesandcompetitions.Again,theadvantageofhavingthegameonaservermeansthatthereare lessissuesinvolvedinsecuringcontenttoallowforsweepstakesorhighscorecompetitions. Email'sendtoafriend'meansthatvisitorscanquicklyandeasilypassonthegametotheirfriendsorfamily. Sinceallyouneedtorunthesegamesisabrowser,visitorscanplaythegamesathome,atwork,orfrom publicorsharedcomputerswithouttheneedforinstallationorregistration. Compatibilityissues(crossplatformorvariationofhardware) Usersmayneedtoinstallabrowserplugin. Limitationsintechnologychoice. Hugelimitationsinfilesize.

Filesize Reducingfilesizescanleadtoalossofgraphicalquality,lossofaudioqualityandlesspolish.Itisoftendifficultto meetclientexpectationsand,atleasttosomedegree,internalexpectationssuchasthoseofagraphicdesignor3d department.Reducingtexturesizesordownsizingnontransparentimagesfrom32bitcolordepthto16bitcanhelp alotwhencarriedoutwithcare,thequalitylosscanbeminimal. Audioisanotherchallenge.Producingaudioforbrowserbasedcontentcanbeaheartwrenchingexperienceforthe musicianasa32megabytefilegetscompressedtoa1megabytefilethatsoundsasthoughitwasrecordedinatube. Suchafocuspresentsinterestingconflicts,especiallywherethebrowserbasedordownloadmodelsarerequiredand suchlimitationsasfilesize,targetusermachinespecsandbandwidthlimitationshavetobefactoredin.

107

Technologychoice Pluginpenetrationratesareoftenseenasakeyfactortothetechnologychoice,sincealladvertiserswanttheir contenttobevisibletoasmanypotentialconsumersaspossible.Oneofthemostpopularchoicesfor2dbrowser basedgamesisAdobeFlash.Thelatestversionissaidtobeinstalledonaround838millionsystems,equatingto around98.8%of'MatureMarkets' 1 Thesameplayercensusshowsthat3dtechnology,ontheotherhand,hasa significantlysmallerpenetrationrate,withthemostpopularchoicefor3dbrowserbasedcontent,AdobeShockwave, citedaround59.3%penetration. Onemethodtoimproveadoptionistoprovideclearindicationsastothequalityofcontenttheuserisgoingtoget oncetheyhavedownloadedtheplugin.Theactualplugininstallationprocesswillalsobeafactorhere,sinceaone clickinstallationwillalwaystrump5clickstorefuseirrelevantadditionalcontent. Itisexpected,ifnotdemanded,thatbrowserbasedgamesrunonbothPCandMacintoshsystems.Thiscanleadto extendedtestingperiodsasproblemsmaybeencounteredononeplatformthatarenotapparentontheother. Itismoredifficulttodebugbrowserbasedcontentduetobrowsersecurityrestrictions.Theremaybetimeswhen thebrowserjustshutsdownwithnoexplanation,whereastheproductranfineintheIDE.Whilstthereareminimal debuggingtoolsavailable,sometimestheymayprovetobeineffective. Exploringtechnologiesavailablefordownloadabletitlesisbeyondthescopeofthisdocument,astechnologiesrange fromhobbyistcoderlanguagessuchasBlitz3dortheTorqueGameEnginetoAAAenginessuchasthoseseenin largerretailtitles. Gamedesignanddemographic Sinceadvertisingissuchan'immediate'medium,gettingtheusersintothegameasquicklyaspossibleisparamount. Whilsthardcoregamerswouldbewillingtodownloadgigabytestoplay,thesamecannotbesaidforthemajorityof casualgameplayers;evenmoresowhenthecontenttakestheformofanadvertisementforaspecificproduct. Inmanycases,aclientwillalreadyknowwhotheirtargetaudienceis.RFPs(RequestForProposal)oftenstateexact requirementsfortargetaudiencefocusincluding(butnotlimitedto)sex,age,hobbies,interestsandincometypes. Thisdataisoftenveryhelpfulduringtheinitialplanningstages,howeverreducingpigeonholingorstereotypingof audiencesisperhapsmoreofanartthanascience.Needlesstosay,itisoftheutmostimportanttobearinmindwho isgoingtobeplayingthegameandwhytheyaregoingtobeplayingit.Thisunderstandingshouldpermeatethe gamesdesignfromthecoremechanicsanddeliveryformattotheculturalreferencesandlifestylesrepresented. Failingtoconsidertheseissueswillmakeitverydifficulttoattractthetargetaudienceanddelivertheadvertisers messageproperly. Itisalsoworthnotingthatmostadvergamesshortdevelopmentschedulesmakeitdifficulttoinvestinexperimental orunknowngameplayduetothelongpreproductionandplaytestingcyclesrequired.(Ofcourse,wheredevelopers cangetthetimeandbudgetforthisitsgreat,butitsoftenunrealisticintheadvergamingworld.)Thismeansthat mostadvergameswillsticktoestablishedgenresandmechanicswithmuchoftheinnovationfocusedonfinding interestingwaystointegratetheadvertisersbrandandmessage.
1

http://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/shockwaveplayer/

108

Developmenttechniquesandmethodologies Despitetheadvancesinadvergamingandthegrowthofprojectsizes,therearestillanumberofsmallerprojectsthat canbemanagedbysmallerdevelopmentteams.Frequently,smallergamesmaybeprogrammedbyasingle programmerworkingalongsidescaleddowndesignteams.Thiscanbebothablessingandacurse,astheburnout rateforsingledevelopersishigh.Ontheplusside,thesesmallerprojectsareshorterbynatureandadevelopersmay maintainahighlevelofinterestlongerthanwithalongerdevelopmentcycle. Duetothetimelinesandnatureofchangeinadvergamedevelopment,itcanbechallengingtofindthemostefficient productionmethod.Agileprojectmanagementmethodologyisgainingfavorinthegameindustry;many developmentteamsfavoritbecauseofitsflexibilityandabilitytoadapteffectivelytospecificationchangesthatare typicalofgamedevelopment.. Prototyping Unlikeotherproductionmethods,itisdifficultifnotimpossibletobudgetforprototyping.Withoutprototyping,one ofthebiggestproblemsisthenumbersofrevisionsthatclientsmaycomebackwith.Ifitwerepossibletoproducea prototypeof,forexample,theuserinterfacebeforeactualproductiontime,aclientisabletoexperience functionalityfirsthand.Whenbudgetsoftendonotallowforthiskindofmodelandastudiomustbepreparedfora numberofchangesinfunctionalityalongthewaywhichcanoftencostmorethantheoriginalpreproductionwould have. QAandplaytesting QAhastotakeplaceduringproductionasearlyaspossible.Thismaytaketheformofhavingseveralpeopleplaytest thegameorofamoreformalprocess.Testingatanearlystagecansavealotoftroubleattheendofdevelopment. Testcaseplansshouldbedrawnuptoestablishfocusonparticularareasofthegame,suchasareasthatare particularlypronetobugs.Caremustbetakennottofocustoomuchononeparticularareaandtestingshould includeasmanygeneral/globaltestscasesaspossible.Oneparticularformatforatestcaseplanmightbe: Testno.1 Description:Rolloverthebutton. Expectedresult:Therollovershouldshowthebuttoninarolledoverstate. Actualresult:Thebuttondidnotchange. Testno.2 Description:Rolloverthebutton. Expectedresult:Therolloversoundshouldoccur. Actualresult:Thesoundappeared. Casesshouldbedrawnupforeveryitem.Onceatestcaseplaniscomplete,itcanbepassedontotesterstorun throughandwillensuresolidfunctionality.Inthecaseofquickanddirtyadvergamingdevelopment,itcanbe

109

difficulttoputtogetherafullandrobusttestplan,butthefinalproductquality(andcustomersatisfaction)will benefitsignificantlyfromastrongQAprocess. Crossplatform/Crossbranding Therearemanyopportunitiesforadvergamingtostretchacrossdifferenttypesofmedia.Forexample,aTV commercialmayadvertiseawebsitewhichfurtheradvertisesaTVshowandfurthermobiledownloads.All opportunitiestoexpandabrandacrossdifferentmediashouldbeexploited,suchasmobiledownloadsbeing unlockedforcompletinglevelsinanadvergameofferingsuchbonusesaswallpapersorringtones.

FundingModels
ByJonathanBankard,<fillintitleandcompany> Fundingforthecreationofanadvergametypicallytricklesdownfromaconsumerbrandsmarketingbudget.Their purposeinfundinganadvergameistobuildawarenesseyeballsthatseethegameandtoengagethecustomer peoplerememberthingsbetterthroughinteraction.SomeexamplebrandmarketersareCocacolaandToyota.The brandmarketerwillmostcommonlyfundanadvergameforaparticularproductduringitslaunchtobuildawareness. AgoodexampleofthistacticistheYarisgameforXBLA.Anotherstrategyistocreateadvergamestobuildthe overallbrand,ratherthantargetaspecificproduct.ExamplesforthatincludetheBurgerKingXbox360gamesand millsberry.comforGeneralMills. Oncethemarketerchoosestofundagame,theroutethemoneytakesvariesbycompanypreference.Itcanflow directlyfromthebrandmarketertothedeveloper,fromanadagencytothedeveloper,orthroughanadagency thenaportalandfinallytothedeveloper.Intheend,moneylandsinthelapofadeveloper.Animportant distinctionthatexistsinadvergamingisthatthedeveloperreceivesafixedamountofmoneyfordeliveringthegame. Sinceadvergamesareprovidedtocustomersfreeofcharge,developersmustbuildtheirprofitintothecontractual feeschargedfordevelopment.Thereisnomonetizationoftheenduserhereexceptthroughtheincreasedpurchase ofretailgoods.Sinceitisdifficulttoisolatewhateffectanypartofthemarketingplanhadonsales,development contractssticktoafixedfeestructure.Noneoftheretailsalesaresharedwiththegamedevelopersoproper planningisnecessarytobesurethatdevelopingthegameisawiseandprofitableendeavorversusalternativeplans. Budgetsrangeeverywherefrombelow$1,000toover$750,000,withanaverageofabout$20,000.Abrandnew gamewillbringinarichercontractthananewskintoanexistingtitle,oragamemadeusinganexistingengine. Similarly,thesalescycleforlargerprojectsgrowsquicklyaswellwithtoptierprojectspotentiallytakingmorethana yeartosign.Biggerbrandsaremorewillingtodevotelargerbudgetstogamessinceitisadropinthebucketfor theirbudget,buttheyhavemuchmorestringentlegalagreements. Developersaregenerallyapproachedbecauseoftheirpastexperienceinthisfield,whichboilsdowntodeliveringon time,inbudget,andattractingthenecessaryeyeballs.Gamedesignisnotasimportantinthesegamesbecausethe brandmarketerispayingforeyeballsandnotanawardwinninggamedesign.

KeyPlayers
ByDeepakAbbot,CEO,Zapak.com KeyPlayersinAdvergamecanbeclubbedundertwoheadsDevelopers&Platforms

110

Developers Blockdot(www.blockdot.com) Skyworks(www.skyworks.com) Arkadium(www.arkadium.com) ThreeMelons(www.threemelons.com) SilentBay(www.silentbaystudios.com) FuelIndustries(www.fuelindustries.com) 3rdSense(www.3rdsense.com) LabelInteractive(www.labelinterctive.com) BlitInteractive(www.blitinteractive.com) Splashworks(www.splashworks.com) Gamebrander(www.gamebrander.com) Skive(www.skive.co.uk)

Platforms(Portals&Websites) Miniclip.com Zapak.com Addicitnggames.com Shockwave.com Candystand.com HotWheels.com Barbie(Barbie.everythinggirl.com) Jeep.com

111

AdSupportedWebGames
SectionEditor:MichelleLee,<gettitleandcompany>

AdvertistingandGames
Interactivegameshavebeenusedforadvertisingforover30years,datingbacktothemid1970swhensomearcade gamesbegantobesponsoredbyadvertisers.Advertisinginhomevideogameconsolesbeganinthe1980s,when companiesbeganinsertingbrandingintoAtariVCSgames. Theuseofinteractivegamesforadvertisingcontinuestogrowinimportanceinbothcasualgamesandinthebroader gamesindustry.Today,hundredsofmajorcompaniesusegamestoadvertiseanextremelywiderangeofproducts fromcarstofinancialservicestotoys,food,apparel,communicationservices,andmuchmore.Companiesutilizing gamesforadvertisingincludeFord,GeneralMotors,Chrysler,BMW,Toyota,Kraft,Nabisco,CampbellSoup,Post, Pepsi,andNiketonameonlyafew. Thereisgreatpotentialforgrowthintheuseofinteractivegamesforadvertising.AccordingtoaJune2008report 1 frommarketanalystfirmIDC,worldwideInternetadvertisingwilltotal$65Billionin2008,accountingfor approximately10%ofalladvertising.IDCprojectsanannualgrowthrateof1520%overthenextfouryears, resultingin2011worldwideInternetadvertisingof$106billion,with$45BillionofthatintheU.S. Asignificantamountofmoneyisalreadybeingspentonadvertisinginandaroundgames.InFebruary2008, interactivemediaanalystfirmeMarketerestimated 2 2007revenuefromadvertisingingamesintheU.S.totaled morethan$500millionandprojectsgrowthtomorethan$1.0Billionin2012. AdvertisingingameshasbeenendorsedbytheInteractiveAdvertisingBureau(IAB),thelargestindustryassociation dedicatedtohelpingonline,Interactivebroadcasting,emailwirelessandInteractivetelevisionmediacompanies increasetheirrevenues.IABmembersaccountfor86%ofallinteractiveadvertisingsoldintheU.S.(See http://www.iab.net/about/index.asp) TheIABsGamesCommitteehasbeenfunctioningformorethan5yearstoarticulatethevalueofgamingasan advertisingplatform.Thecommitteecurrentlyhasmorethan75members,withrepresentativesfrommanymajor mediaandgamecompanies,includingCBS,ESPN,WaltDisney,Sony,FOXInteractive(NewsCorp),Akamai,Google, Yahoo!,Microsoft,ElectronicArts,andmanymore.Theimmediateobjectivesofthisgrouparetodevelopindustry definitions,standards,andguidelinesandeducatekeyindustrystakeholdersonthevalueofadvertisingingames. (Seehttp://www.iab.net/comm/games_comm.asp) PriortotheadventoftheInternet,advertisingingameswaslimitedtostatic,unchangingadvertisingplacementsin gamesthatwerededicatedtoasingleadvertisersproducts.GenerallyreferredtoasAdvergaming,thisapproachis similartotheearlydaysofradioandtelevisionwhenaprogramwasfrequentlyentirelysponsoredbyasingle advertiser.UnchangingadvertisingingamesisalsoreferredtoasStaticAdvertising.
1

http://idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS21304208 http://www.emarketer.com/Reports/All/Emarketer_2000485.aspx?src=report1_home

112

AmorerecentlyintroducedapproachtousinggamesforadvertisingisDynamicAdvertising,whichallowsan advertisingnetworktoinsertavarietyofdifferentadvertisementsinandaroundgames,utilizingtheInternetand mobilenetworkconnectionstodelivertheadsinrealtime.Thisapproachissimilartoadvertisingpredominantlyin useontheInternetandincommercialtelevisionandradio,wherethecontent(game,webpageorprogram)isnot dedicatedtoonesponsorandtheadvertisementscanbechangedatwill. Advertisingcanbeusedinanygenreofgamesandonvirtuallyanydeliveryplatform;gameconsole,PC,handheld game,andmobilephone.However,aspartoftheCasualGamesSIGWhitePaper,thissectionwillfocusoncasual gamesforPCs,downloadedfromorplayedontheInternet.Itwilladdressthetwodistinctlydifferentapproaches currentlyusedbygamestodeliveradvertising;DynamicAdvertisingandcustomdevelopedAdvergames,whichis alsosometimesreferredtoasStaticAdvertising.

OverviewofAdSupportedWebGames
byAlanMiller DynamicAdvertisingisarapidlygrowingmethodofusinggamesforadvertisingandpromotion.Thisapproachallows anadvertisingnetworktoinsertavarietyofdifferentadvertisementsintoandaroundgames,utilizingInternetand mobilenetworkconnectionstodelivertheadsinrealtime.ThisapproachissimilartotraditionalInternetadvertising andalsosimilartocommercialtelevisionandradio,wheretheadvertisementsarenotdedicatedtoanysingle sponsorandtheadvertisementscanbechangedatwill. TherearetwoprimaryapproachestoDynamicAdvertising;aroundgameandingame.Aroundgameadvertising referstodynamicallyplacedadvertisingthatappearsaroundgamewindowsorisdeliveredaspregame(preroll)or postgameadvertising.ThishasbeeninuseforseveralyearsbynumerousInternetgameportals.Theseadshave generallybeenprovidedbytraditionalInternetadservingnetworksandareidenticaltootheronlineadsprovidedby thosenetworks. Ingameadvertisingisamorerecentmethodofutilizinggamesinwhichadvertisingnetworksinsertadvertising messagesintothegameitself.Severalingameadnetworkshavebeenestablishedoverthelastfewyearstoprovide advertisinginthismanner.TheyincludeMassive(acquiredbyMicrosoft),AdscapeMedia(acquiredbyGoogle),IGN (acquiredbyNewsCorp),DoubleFusion,IGAWorldwide,andothers. AnevenmorerecentinnovationistheemergenceofcompaniessuchasMochiMediaandNextEdgewhoprovide morefullyintegratedservices,whichinadditiontobeinganadnetwork,alsoincludegamedevelopmentandgame distributiontoolsandservices. Regardlessofthesourceoftheadvertising,thegeneralconsensusintheindustryisthatDynamicAdvertisingcanand willcoexistingamesthatalsocontainStaticAdvertisingandprimarysponsorships,muchlikemanytelevisedsports eventsthathaveprimarysponsorshipsandstillcarry30secondcommercials. DisplayAdvertisingversusDirectResponseAdvertising GamerelatedadvertisingisgenerallyeitherDisplayadvertising,whoseprimarypurposeistocreateconsumerbrand awarenessorincreaseconsumerbrandpreferencewithnointeractiononthepartoftheconsumer,orDirect Responseadvertising,whichexplicitlysolicitsanimmediateactionbytheconsumer,suchasBuynow!

113

InDisplayadvertising,themoneypaidbyadvertiserstoanadnetworkfortheserviceofplacingtheiradsisbasedon thenumberofconsumerimpressionsmultipliedbythebasicratesthatadvertisersarewillingtopayformakingthose impressionsontheaudience.ThisisusuallyexpressedasCostPerThousandimpressionsorCPM.Thisisincontrast toDirectResponseadvertising,whichonlygeneratesrevenuewhentheconsumerperformssomeexplicitaction. ThebasicrateadvertisersarewillingtopayforDirectResponseadvertisingisreferredtoasCostPerClick(CPC)or CostPerAction(CPA),inbothcasesperthousandevents. CurrentCPMratesforDisplayadvertisingrangefrom$0.50to$20.00ormore.Generally,theadnetworkretains 20%to40%ofthetotaladrevenue. Dynamicaroundgameadsareacombinationofbothofthesetypesofadvertisingandreflectthegeneraltrendsof Internetadvertising.Incontrast,virtuallyalldynamicingameadvertisingisDisplayadvertisingandnoimmediate consumeractionissolicited.However,astheindustryevolves,DirectResponseadvertisingmightbecomemore importantforingameadvertising,whichwillnecessitateseriousconsiderationofhowconsumeradvertising interactionisintegratedintothegameexperience. ConsumerAcceptanceandContextualRelevance Itgoeswithoutsayingthatinorderforagametobeasuccessfuladvertisingvehicle,itmustbeentertaining. However,additionalobjectivesmustbeachievedinorderforagametobeasuccessatadvertising.Agamemust also: Attractanaudience Deliveranadvertisingmessagetotheaudienceinawaythatdoesntalienatetheaudience Providevariousaudienceandgameplaymeasurementmetricsbacktotheadnetwork Andultimatelychangeconsumerawarenessorcausetheactionsthattheadvertiserdesires

Advertisinginandaroundgameswillonlybeviableifitisdoneinamannerthatdoesnotalienateasignificant portionofthepotentialaudience. Acomparablesituationregardingadvertisingexistsinthetelevision,radio,andmovieindustries.Movieticket purchaserswillusuallytoleratesomedegreeofcommercialproductplacementintheactualentertainment experience.However,thoseadsmusthavesomedegreeofrelevancetothemovieandblatantadvertisingfor productsisnottolerated.Incontrast,commercialtelevisionandradiodeliversblatantcommercialmessagesevery fewminutes,buttheyaresegregatedfromtheentertainmentcontent. Aroundgameadvertisingismoreakintocommercialtelevisionandradio.Theadsdonotdirectlyimpingeonthe gameexperienceandthecontextualrelevanceortheblatantnatureoftheadvertisingisoflittleconcern. Ingameadvertisingismoresimilartothemovieindustryandthecontextualrelevanceofadvertisingisofmuch greaterimportance.Inseveralgenresofnoncasualgames,suchassportsandracing,ingameadvertisingfrequently addstotherealismoftheexperience,sinceadvertisingisusuallyasignificantfactorintherealworldexperience.For example,consideradvertisingbannersaroundsportsstadiumsandbrandlogosonracecars. However,thatisfrequentlynotthecasewithcasualgames.Aninterestingdesignchallengeincasualgamesistofind awayforadvertisingtobeacceptabletogameplayersandatthesametimetobeaneffectivevehicleforadvertisers.

114

EffectivenessMeasurementandMetrics Advertiserswantproofoftheeffectivenessoftheiradvertisingexpenditures.Commonmetricsinclude: Audiencesize Audiencecomposition(demographicandpsychographic) Frequencyanddurationofplaysessions Aggregateamountofadvertisingimpressionsandaveragedurationofadimpressions Adrecallrates Changesingameplayersbrandawarenessandpreferences Andultimatelychangesinconsumerbehavior,suchasmakingapurchase

Providingthisinformationtoadvertisersisusuallynottheresponsibilityofthegamedeveloperorgamepublisher. However,technologyfrequentlymustbeincorporatedintogamestoallowmeasurementandreportingofsomeof thesegameplayspecificmetricsbacktotheadnetwork.Gamedevelopersshouldbegenerallyawareofthe importanceofthesemetricstoadvertisers,whichareusedasthebasisforcalculatinghowmuchadvertisingrevenue anadvertiseriswillingtopayfortheirmessagestobeinoraroundagame. Althoughindustrystandardadformatsandmetricsarealreadyavailableformostaroundgameadvertising,dynamic ingameadvertisingisstillintheearlystagesofdevelopmentandstandardsarestillevolving.Forexample,the industryisonlynowapproachingagreementonthedefinitionofwhatanimpressionconsistsofforingameads. Andtheevolutionofgenerallyacceptedstandardadunitsforingameadvertisinghasfartogo. GovernmentalRegulationandVoluntaryIndustryRegulation Manylegalissuespertainingtoadvertisingandprivacyissuesmustbeconsideredwhenusinggamesforadvertising. Theseissuesarespecializedandfrequentlycomplexandtheyareinastateofsignificantflux.Failuretocomplycan leadtoregulatoryfines,civillawsuitsandevencriminalprosecution.Forexample,in2007,Mrs.FieldsCookiespaid civilpenaltiesof$100,000andHersheypaidcivilpenaltiesof$85,000forviolationsofTheChildrensOnlinePrivacy andProtectionAct(COPPA). Althoughtheburdentoensurecompliancewiththeselegalissuesappearstofallprimarilyonadnetworks,Internet gameportalsandgamepublishers,itisstillagoodideaforgamedeveloperstobeawareoftheseissues. Someexamplesofgovernmentalregulationinclude, TheChildrensOnlinePrivacyandProtectionAct(COPPA) State,Federal,andInternationalOnlinePrivacyLegislation Generaladvertisinglaw ContestandSweepstakesLaw OnlineGamblingLaws EuropeanUnionTobaccoAdvertisingDirective Inadditionaltogovernmentalregulation,severalindustrieshaveadoptedvoluntaryadvertisingregulations. Althoughwithoutcarryingthepenaltyoflaw,theseregulationsaregenerallyinforceandgamedevelopers, publishers,Internetportals,andadvertisersshouldbeawareofthem.

115

Someexamplesofvoluntaryindustryregulationinclude, CouncilofBetterBusinessBureausChildrensAdvertisingReviewUnit(CARU)(forkidsunder12) DistilledSpiritsCounciloftheUnitedStates(DISCUS)CodeofResponsiblePractices

MarketandAudienceforAdSupportedWebGames
ByAlanMiller,<gettitleandcompany> InFebruary2008,interactivemediaanalystfirmeMarketerissuedtheirVideoGameAdvertisingreport 1 ,which describesthecategoryasanexciting,fastmoving,multichannelandexplodingnewadvertisingmedium. eMarketerestimatedthat2007gamerelatedadvertisingintheU.S.totaled$502million.Ofthatamount,$207 millionwasspentondedicatedAdvergames(seesectionabove).Theremaining$295millionwasspentonstatic ads,dynamicads,productplacements,gameportaldisplayads,andsponsoredsessionsinconsolebased,PCbased, andWebbasedgames.eMarketerprojectsthateachofthesetwoareaswillmorethandoubleoverthenextfive yearsandthatannualgamerelatedadspendingintheU.S.willexceed$1billionin2012. Anotheranalystfirm,InterpretLLC,whichspecializesingamerelatedadvertisingmeasurement,statedintheirMarch 2008CasualGaming&Advertising2007Review 2 thatprojectionsfor2010U.S.spendingforinandaroundgame advertisingareintherangeof$400$700million. Manyindividualsinvolvedwithdynamicadvertisingingamesbelievethateventually,liketelevision,anyaudiencecan beofinterestandvaluetoadvertisers.Someadvertiserswanttoreachabroadgeneralaudience.Someadvertisers wanttoreachverynarrowlydefinedaudiences.Generallyspeaking,morespecificallydefinedaudiencescommand higherpricesintermsofCostPerThousandimpressions(CPM). Despitethepotentialforbroadtargetaudiences,atthispointintheearlystageofdynamicadvertising,two audiencesareprimarilybeingaddressed;thecasualgamesaudience,mostlywitharoundgamedynamicadvertising onmajorInternetgameportals,and,secondly,thehardcoremalegameraudience,mostlywithingameadvertising inconsoleandPCsportsanddrivinggames.ThisWhitePaperfocusesonthecasualgameaudience. AccordingtoInterpretLLC,thecasualgameaudienceisanattractivetargetforadvertisers.AsMattStory,Director atDenuoPlayputitWeviewgamesasahighlytargetedmedium.Thegreatthingaboutgamesisthetargetingbased onplatformandtypeofgame.Theabilitytoreachyourconsumerviaatargetedmessageisattractivetoourclients. AccordingtoInterpretLLCsresearch,Casualgamesreachauniqueaudience,especiallywhenfocusingonthosethat activelyplay.Theyarehighlymotivatedwhenitcomestofindinginformationonproductstheyreinterestedin.The abilitytoengagetheminarelevantmediavehicle,wheretheyspendanaverageof4hoursaweek,canenforcea brandmessageorfurthertheirknowledgeofbrands.Activecasualgamersare22%morelikelythanthegeneral populationtoseekoutinformationaboutnewproducts,butarealso36%morelikelytoswitchbrandsjustforthe sakeofchange.Thesecharacteristicsmakethemapotentialenvoyforlaunchingbrands,andopentoswitchingaway toacompetitivebrand.
1

http://www.emarketer.com/Reports/All/Emarketer_2000485.aspx?src=report1_home http://www.interpretllc.com/Interpret_PDF/Interpret_Casual_Gaming_White_Paper.pdf

116

Inanaverageweekcasualgamersmake2.7onlinepurchases,slightlymorethanthegeneralpopulation(2.4per week).Consideringtheirlikelinesstotrynewbrandsandwillingnesstoseekoutinformationaboutnewproducts, theyareakeytargetaudiencetoadvertisers.Butitsthesizeofthecasualgamingaudiencethatmaybemost appealing. In2007casualgamesreachedover145millionpeopleaged1265,andofthoseover71millionplaycasualgames1 ormorehoursperweek.Additionally,casualgamesarenottheonlygamesthatappealtothisaudience,with58%of themhavingplayedothernoncasualgameseitheronaPC,console,orhandheldgamingsystem. Thesizeofthecasualgamingaudienceencouragessomeadvertisinginvestment,butintodaysmarketsizematters not.Engagementhasbecomeakeyevaluationmetrictoadvertisers,andsomeoftheallurewithcasualgamers generatesfromtheirgrowingengagementwithgames.Forthosethatpreferthegenre,theaveragetimespentper weekplayingcasualgamesincreased28%(4.0hoursto5.1hours)from3Q07to4Q07.Timespentwithcasual gamesalreadysurpassesmagazines,newspapers,andotheractivitiesontheInternet. Atthesametimethisaudienceisalsobecominghardertoreachthroughmainstreammedia.Asof4Q0727%of casualgamerstypicallywatchtheirfavoriteshowsrecordedwithaDVR.Additionallycasualgamers,andinparticular activecasualgamers,aremorelikelytousenewmediawhencomparedtothegeneralpopulation.

InterpretLLChasalsoconductedresearchonthereactionofthecasualgameaudiencetoadvertising.They conclude,Atthesametimeadvertisinghasbeenwelcomedbycasualgamers.Thestrongmajorityofcasualgamers, 85%,wouldpreferfreeadsupportedgamesoverpayingfordownloads.Inamediaworldwhereaudiencesare becominghardertoreach,andconsumersaregainingmorecontrolovertheadstheycomeincontactwith,casual gamesdeliverasoughtout,adsupportedproducttoanengagedandactiveconsumer. Asinteractiveentertainmentcontinuestogarneraneverlargerportionofconsumersmediatime,andtheuseof gamesforadvertisinggrowsandevolves,itappearsinevitablethatvirtuallyallaudienceswillbecomeviableand attractivetargetsforadvertisers.

BusinessModelsforAdSupportedWebGames
ByAlokKerjiwal,<gettitleandcompany> Theadsupportedonlinegamesbusinesshasthefollowingrevenuestreamsavailabletoittoday:

117

1. Theemergenceofhighqualityadnetworksthathelpmonetizetrafficonwebsites Asignificantnumberofonlineadvertisingnetworkstodayareavailableforportalownerstoplacesimpleadvertising codeontheirwebsitesthatautomaticallyservethebestavailableadvertisementsthatarerelevanttotheaudience visitingthatwebsite.Thisresultsinaconstantsourceofrevenuefortheoperatorofthewebsite.Simultaneously becomingpopulararethemonsternetworksofnetworks(orannetworkthatmanagemanyothernetworks)whose businessitistobettertheadvertisingyieldtothepublisherbyintelligentlychoosingthecorrectadvertisingnetwork todeliveradsbasisspecificpagerequests.Howdothesenetworksmanagethesame?Theiralgorithmsunderstand countryspecificandgenrespecificperformanceofvariousadnetworksandroutethebestadstoawebsiteonthe basisofthatwebsitestargetaudienceandgeolocation.

a) Specialistadvertisingnetworksforadsupportedgamesonly

Newadvertisingnetworksthatspecializeonlytohelpmonetizeingameadvertisingarealsogivingagood supporttothegrowthofadsupportedgames.Thesenetworksworkverycloselywithbrandadvertisersand theiragenciesareabletodeliverrelevantadvertisementsintogamesthatbestsuitthegamer.Giventhat manybrandstargetingyoungaudiencesfindgamingtobeoneoftheidealsplatformforcommunication,and withadunitsingameresultingsuperiorresults,theseadnetworksareabletosignificantlyimprovetheyields toindividualgamedevelopersandspeciallythosewhomaynothavetheirowngameportals.

b) Flatlicensefeesorsponsorshipforgames

Thelargerportalsthatoperateadsupportedgamestypicallypayputlumpsumlicensefeestogame developersforhostingtheirgamesontheirsite.Theseportalsinturngeneraterevenuebyadvertising revenuesontheirportalsandviaingameadvertising.Bypayingoutafixedlicensefees,itsaquasiwayof sharingadvertisingrevenuewithindividualgamedevelopersinafarmorestructuredandmanageable manner.

c) SocialMediaGamingOpportunities

LargeSocialMediawebsiteshaveopenAPIsthatallowgamedeveloperstocreategameapplicationsand widgetsforthesesocialnetworkingsites(SNS).Thegamedeveloperscanleveragetheircreativityoftheir gamesandsnycthemwiththelargeconsumertrafficavailableontheseSNSsitestocreateadvertising revenueforthemselvesbyplacingadunitsonthesegamingapplicationsthatconsumersinstallontheir pagesandtypicallysendtotheirfriendstoinvitethemtoplayandchallenge.TheSNSwebsiteownersbenefit byhighqualityappsandcontentconstantlybeingaddedtotheirplatforms,whilethegamedevelopers monetizetheircreativitywithoutinvestinginplatformcreationortrafficaggregation SnapShotofhowadsupportedgameshaveevolved Past Present

Immediate Future

Direct efforts by the game Advertising Networks take over Network of Networks developer required to sell the job dominate and improve yields by advertising very superior targeting No Game Advertising Network In Game advertising Networks In Game advertising networks available specialists in operation get specialized basis target audiences and geo locations Social Media Networks non Social Media websites offer Social Media websites create traffic and platform - game very effective in-network

118

existent

developers free to operate their advertising opportunities that games and monetize the game developer just signs up with

Whereisthemoneyandwhogetswhat?
Background:

Asbrandsmovetheiradvertisingtotheonlinespaceinsearchforinteractiveengagementwiththeirspecific audiences,onlinegamesandtheenvironmenttheyarehostedinbecomevaluableadvertisingplatforms.
Whoandwheredothebestadvertisingvalueslie?

Inthecontextofonlineadvertisingthefollowingmatrixwouldbeasimpletemplatetoconsiderwhencalculating potentialrevenuestreams OlderAudiences

Averagerevenuesfromadvertising: Olderaudiencesplayinginthe low/lessdevelopedeconomieshave averagespendingpowerandare attractivetobrandsoperatingin thosemarkets.Howevergiventhat theyliveinlowGDP*countries,their potentialtospendislimited Bestrevenuesfromadvertising: Olderaudiencesplayinginthe mostdevelopedeconomiesare veryattractiveTGs(targetgroups) forbrandstosell cars/computers/financial solutions/leisureservicesto

Third World

Poorestreturnfromadvertising: Youngeraudiencesplayinginthe low/lessdevelopedeconomies deliverarethepoorestperformers foradvertisingrevenues.Neitherdo theyhavetoomuchmoneytospend andnordotheyliveinaprosperous economythatwillallowthemto spendsignificantlyastheygrowup

Averagerevenuesfromadvertising: Youngeraudiencesplayinginthe mostdevelopedeconomiesare attractivesincetheyareintheir formativeyearsandstartmaking brandchoices.Theirpocketmoneys arelimitedandhencetheyarenot topspendersbutimportant nevertheless

Developed Countries

Younger Audiences *GDPGrossdomesticproductasimplemeasureofacountryswealth

Wherecangamesbedistributedtogeneraterevenues?

Theanswerisasmanyplacespossible.Aslongasthegameisnotaproprietarydevelopmentforaspecificwebsite, thelargerandwiderthegamesdistributed,thebettertherevenuesthegamescangenerate Illustrationofwheregamescanbedistributed

119

Othergame portalssentthe gamebythe developerasan officiallicensee

Gamecontent onthe developers ownportal

GamePortals whostickgames without permission(with adcodesingame)

SocialMedia Websites hostinggames asapps

Whereinandaroundthegameistheadvertisingplaced?

Theillustrationbelowshowcasesatypicalwebpagehostinganadsupportedgameandtheadvertisingunitstypically placedinandaroundthegame.Ofcourselayoutsandadunitscandiffer,butitsbesttodesigntheportalandgame tosupportgenerallyacceptedandmostpopularadunitsizessothatwhenyouhandshakeyourgameanditsadunits withadnetworks,theysimplyplugintheirpipelineintobannersthataremadeasperindustrystandards

120

Webpage/Websitehostingthegame 728*90pixelbanneroutsideofthegame AdvertisingservedbyanAdNetwork TheGameArea 300*250pixelbanner outsideofthegame Advertisingservedby anAdNetwork TypicalClickThruRate

300*250pixelbanner inthegamebefore start Advertisingservedby Ad N t k

Banner Type

Whatearningscanbeexpectedfromgames?Simulationsbelow: Poor Average (ordinarygame,trafficfrom lessdevelopedcountries) Views ECPM Revenues US$* US$ 100 1,000,000 (averagegame,trafficisablend)

Good (goodgame,trafficfrom developedcountries) Views ECPM US$* 1,500,000 0.50 Revenues US$ 750

Views

ECPM US$* 0.35

Revenues US$ 350

728*90 Topof page

500,000 0.20

300*250 500,000 0.30 Sideof page 300*250 500,000 0.75 Ingame Totals

150

1,000,000

0.45

450

1,500,000

0.60

900

375

1,000,000

1.00

1,000

1,500,000

1.50

2,250

625$

Total

1,750$

Total

3,900$

*ECPMessentiallyistherevenueper1000bannerssold.Theratesmentionedabovearenettothedeveloper(the adnetworkswouldtypicallyretain5060%revenuefromadvertisersastheirownshares) Veryclearly,theleversthatwouldreallygeneratehandsomerevenuesfordeveloperswouldbedevelopingvery stickyandpopulargamesgeneratingmillionsofgameplaysformatureaudiencesindevelopedmarkets.Also,once canassumethatifthegameiswellmade,itsshelflifewillbestronghenceresultinginsmalllongtailrevenues

121

especiallysincethousandsofgameportalsliftgameswithoutthedeveloperspermissionandpublishthesegameson theirownindividualwebsites.Ifthedeveloperhasembeddedingameadcodesintheoriginalgame,itwillhelp monetizethecontentnomatterwherethegamewilltravel.

ArtHistory
EvenbeforetheWorldWideWebbecomepopular,variouskindsofvideogameswereplayedontheInternet.Butthe gameswereverytechnicallyoriented,assomeofthemwerepurelytextbasedandrequiredtheplayertoremember alotofdifferentcommands.VirtualmachineliketechnologieslikeJava,Shockwave,andFlashmadegamecreation interactiveandgraphicallyrich.Sitessuchasclassicgames.comandplaysite.comstartedgatheringplayersfrom aroundtheworld.

Classic Games (now Yahoo! Games) (1998-ongoing)

Backin1998,Java'sinteractivecapabilitieswereprettybasic.Afewyearslater,andasMacromedia'sDirectorand Flashbecamemorepopular,websiteslikeOrisinalstartedhavingmoregraphicallyrichgames.

Orisinal (2001-ongoing)

122

 Thewebbecameanexperimentalplaygroundforgamedevelopers.Interactivemediadeveloperswhohadno backgroundingamedevelopment,,begantocreategreatgameconcepts.Eyemaze'sGrowseriesisanexampleofa gamethatdefinedanewgenreofgames.

Grow (2004)

Someoftheseinnovativedevelopersexpandedtheirreachtootherplatforms,thankstotheirsuccessontheweb.In 2004,developersatNewgrounds.comcreatedAlienHominid,anactionarcadestyleofgamethatcombinedfrantic actionwithoriginalvisuals.MicrosoftthenaskedNewgroundstocreateanXboxversionfortheirXBoxLiveArcade Service.OtherexamplesofawebgamedeveloperwhohastransitionedtoConsoleGamedevelopmentisMetanet andtheirgameN(laterN+onXbox360),andThatGameCompanywithFlow(lateronPS3).

123

From left to right, top to bottom: Alien Hominid (2004), N (2004), Flow (2006)

TheWebGamethemeswereadeparturefromthecommonthemesfoundinConsoleandPCgameslikeNanaca CrashandRoseandCamelia.InNanacaCrash,theplayer'sgoalistohitapersonwhileridingabike,andmaking personflyandbounceasfaraspossible.InRoseandCamelia,theplayer'sgoalistoslapheropponentinthefaceas muchaspossibletodraintheopponent'senergy.

Nanaca Crash (2005) and Rose and Camelia (2007)

124

Thesimplicityandinnovationofthesegames,combinedwiththefactthattheywereeasilyaccessible,madeit possibleforanongamertoplayontheircomputers,peoplewhowouldn'tbothertoplaythesegamesiftheywould havetobuythem.TworecentexamplesareLineRiderandDesktopTowerDefense.LineRiderisawebtoyinwhich theplayerdrawstheshapeofahillwiththeirmouse,andthenletsapersonwithabobsleighgodownhillthroughit. LineRiderhasbecomesuchapopulargamethatMcDonaldsevenuseditforvisualsinoneoftheircommercials.And asGrow,DesktopTowerDefensehasdefinedanewgenreofgames.Similartoarealtimestrategygame,theplayer's goalinDTDistobuildasetofoftowers,andeliminatehordesofenemies.

Line Rider (2006) and Desktop Tower Defense (2007)

Today,thewebthepervasiveplatformforgamingwiththehighestnumberofgamesreleasedperyear.In2008, thousandsofgametitlesappearedonpopularportalsiteslikeMiniclip,AddictingGames,andKongregate.Thelow barriersofentryandlimitedtonodevelopmentrestrictionsongametypesmakestheweboneofthemost experimentalvideogameplatform.

DesignPrinciplesforAdSupportedWebGames
byJuanGril,StudioManager,JoJuGames Whoplaysthesegames? Whileallkindsofpeopleplaygamesontheweb,therearetwogroupsofwhichmostpeoplewhoplaywebgames canbeidentifiedwith:theEscapists,andtheChitChatters.

125

Aperfectexampleofan"escapist"typeofplayerisanofficeworkerwhoisboredattheofficeorastayathomemom whowantstogetabreakintheevening.Theymightwanttogetoutoftheirroutinebygettingshortandaccessible entertainmentthroughavideogame.TheEscapistisseverelytimeconstrained,soanyexperiencethatlastsformore thanafewminutesmaybejusttoomuchtotake.TheEscapistalsoneedsanemotionalboost.Thisisapersonwhois probablyunderstressorjustwantstoescapefromthedailyroutine,sothethemeofthegamewillplayanimportant role. Anothercategoryonemightfitintoarethe"chitchatter"types.Ingeneral,thesearepeoplewhowanttomeetother peopleandsocializeonline.Theyarefromallagesandbackgrounds,acollegestudenttakingabreakfromhisall nightstudying,ahousewifelookingtoconnectwithsomeonesociallyoraforeignerwantingtospeakwithothers fromadifferentcountryallwhileplayingagame. AsmallergrouparetheCompetitors.Theseplayerstendtogatheraroundheadtoheadmultiplayergames.Although theyaresmallerinthenumberofplayerscomparedtotherestofthewebgameaudience,theyspendaveryhigh amountoftimeonline. Themes AwebgamewithastrongthemewillhaveamuchbetterchanceofattractingtheattentionofChitChattersover otherformsofmediaaroundthem,anditwillcreateaviraleffectamongthecoworkersoftheEscapist.Humorisa perfectexample,andareasonwhysomeofthemostpopulargamesonthewebhaveahumoristictheme. Usingathemebasedoncurrenttopics(i.e.:politicalevents),orholidaysalsohelp. GameMechanics Ingeneral,mostofthegamedesignrulesapplicabletocasualgamescanbeappliedtoadsupportedwebgames. However,thetimeaplayerisengagedinamatchislessthanatypicaldownloadablePCorconsolegame.Thisgives playerstheflexibilityofgettinginandoutofagameprettyquickly,regardlessiftheystayplayingthegameforhours. Thewebaudience'spatiencelevelisslimwhenlearninganewgame.It'sveryeasyforaplayertoswitchtoanew gamebyclickingonalinkplusthereisusuallylimitedtimetoplay(i.e.:peoplewhoareattheofficetakingacoffee break).Themechanicsshouldbeseamlessandintuitiveandcontainexcellentgamecontentwhichiskeytoretain players. Presentation TheUIofyourgameshouldbesimpleandconcise.Trytodisplayonlynecessaryinformationineachscreen.Ifyour gameneedsabigUItobeplayedwith,trytoseeifyoucandesignaninterfacethatcontextuallychangesinformation basedontheplayerneedsatthetime. HaveasimpleSTART!buttoninthemainmenu,andthenrevealUIelementsasyouneedto.Thinkaboutrevealing otherpartsoftheinterfaceastheplayerprogressesinthegame. LevelDesign Levelsshouldbeshortandconcise.Themaximumtimeallocatedperlevelshouldbe3minutes.Andmakesureyou supportawayfortheplayertoautomaticallysavehisprogress.Thatwaytheplayerwillbemorelikelytocomeback

126

toyourgame. MultiplayerMatchDesign Similarlytoleveldesign,theentirematchshouldbeshortandconcise.Themostsuccessfulmultiplayerwebgames havethiscriteriaincommon. Goodmatchmakingtoolsarealsoimportant.Playersshouldbeabletocomeinandoutofagamequickly,andideally beabletoplayagainstplayerswiththesamelevelofexperience.Ifanalgorithmcannotbeprovided,thenuseatool suchasaratingpointsystemtoallowplayerstofindeachotherquickly. AsynchronousGaming Socialnetworkshavepopularizedaformofgamingthatwasusedpriorforhardcoreturnbasedgameplayers. Asynchronousgamingstartedasa"PlaybyMail"systemwherepeopleinremotelocationsplayedagainsteachother bymailingturnorderstoopponents. Socialnetworksenablethisgameconceptandletsyouplayagainstconnectedfriends.Inmostcases,gamesonsocial networkshaveasimpleleaderboardthatletsyouseewhoisthebestamongyourfriendsorplayergroup.Associal networkingcontinuestogrowandbecomeanintegralpartofaperson'sconnectedness,communicationand collaboration,gamesdevelopedforthoseplatformswillcontinuetorise.

ProductionIssues
byJuanGril,StudioManager,JoJuGames Reallyshortprojects Inmostcases,theproductionofanadsupportedwebgameisdoneinlessthan3months.Sometimestheyaredone injustafewweeks.It'skeytobuildyourtoolseffectivelysoyoucaniterateasfastasyoucan. FileSize ThefilesizeofAdSupportedWebGameshasgrownyearoveryear,from1.2megsin2002,toanaverageof4megs in2008. Todayawebgamecanhaveadditionalcontentbeingloadedprogressivelyinthebackground,sowithclevercaching andloadingmechanisms,thesizeofthegamecanbemuchhigher. PerformanceIssuesAcrossDifferentComputers Inmostcases,thetechnologyofchoiceforanAdSupportedWebGameisFlash.Unfortunately,Flashhasalotof shortcomings.Flashframeratesarenotguaranteed,thereforeplanonusingaslessresourcesaspossibletomake surethatplayerswillhaveasimilarexperienceacrossthewholerangeofdifferentcomputersoutthere.Thismeans thatyoushouldn'ttrytousethenewestcapabilitiesthatFlashprovides,andjuststicktousingtheprovenandtrue partsofFlashthatworkacrosstheboard. Accounts Toeliminatethehassleofcreatingmultipleaccounts,leveragingexistingcommunities(E.g.OpenSocial)allowplayers

127

toregisteragameaccountquickly.Makingthegamecompatiblewithavarietyofsocialnetworkplatformswillalso addvalue(seebelow). GettingYourGameOutThere Gamesonsocialnetworkshavebeenahugesuccess,soitiswisetothinkaboutthedesignofyourgameandseehow canitfitonthedifferentsocialnetworks.Ifyourgamedesigncanworkinasynchronousmode,itcanbeagood successinplacessuchasFacebook,MySpace,etc.Thedeveloper'spagesatthosewebsiteshavealotofreallygood informationabouthowtooptimizeyourgamefortheirservice. Lotsofwebsitesarelaunchingnewgamesdaily,andevenpayinglicensingfeestousethem.Makesureyouspread yourgameonasmanywebsitesaspossible. YoucanalsouseaservicesuchasMochiBottotrackwhereyourgameisbeingplayedat.

MajorCompaniesInvolvedwithAdvertisingandGames
ByMichelleLee,<gettitleandcompany> Industryanalysts eMarketer(www.emarketer.com) IDC(www.idc.com) InterpretGameasure(www.gameasure.com) ParksAssociates(www.parksassociates.com) YankeeGroup(www.yankeegroup.com) AudienceMeasurementandMetricsProviders NielsenGames(www.neilsen.com/solutions/games.html) InterpretGameasure(www.gameasure.com) comScore(www.comscore.com) InGameDynamicAdvertisingNetworks AdscapeMedia(acquiredbyGoogle)(www.google.com/intl/en/ads) DoubleFusion(www.doublefusion.com) IGAWorldwide(www.igaworldwide.com) IGN(acquiredbyNewsCorp)(www.ign.com) Massive(acquiredbyMicrosoft)(www.massiveincorporated.com) MochiMedia(www.mochimedia.com) NeoEdgeNetworks(www.neoedge.com) WildTangent(www.wildtangent.com) TraditionalInternetAdvertisingNetworks TherearedozensofactiveInternetadvertisingnetworksthatcurrentlyprovidedynamicadsaroundgamewindows. Withtheirexistingrelationshipswithadvertisers,adagencies,andmediabuyingorganizations,itseemsinevitable thatsomeofthesetraditionaladnetworkswillalsoattempttoserveadsdirectlyintogames.Leadingadnetworks thatreachmorethan50%ofUSInternetusersinclude:

128

24/7RealMedia(http://www.247realmedia.com/ENUS/) AdconionMediaGroup(www.adconion.com) ADSDAQ(ContextWeb)(http://exchange.contextweb.com) BurstMedia(www.burstmedia.com) CasaleMedia(www.casalemedia.com) CollectiveMedia(www.collectivemedia.com) DrivePerformanceMedia(www.drivepm.com) interCLICK(www.interclick.com) PlatformA(Advertising.com)(http://www.advertising.com/aboutus.php) SpecificMedia(www.specificmedia.com) TrafficMarketplace(www.trafficmp.com) TribalFusion(www.tribalfusion.com) ValueClick(www.valueclick.com)

IndustryAssociations InteractiveAdvertisingBureau(IAB),GamesCommittee(http://www.iab.net/member_center/35088)<check> MediaRatingsCouncil(MRC)(http://www.mediaratingcouncil.org/) EntertainmentSoftwareAssociation(ESA)(www.theesa.com) InternationalGameDevelopersAssociation,AdvertisingandGamesSIG(www.igda.org) MajorInternetGamePortals AOLGames(http://games.aol.com) Kongregate(www.kongregate.com) Miniclip(www.miniclip.com) MSNGames(http://zone.msn.com) Pogo.com(ElectronicArts)(www.pogo.com) PopCap(www.popcap.com) RealArcade(RealNetworks)(www.realarcade.com) Shockwave(Viacom/MTVNetworks)(www.shockwave.com) WildTangent(www.wildtangent.com) Yahoo!Games(http://games.yahoo.com)

129

ConsoleDownloads
Allarticlesby:JuanGril,StudioManager,JoJuGames;andBryantHornick,Student,UCIrvine

ArtHistoryofConsoleDownloads
BroadcastingGames Eventhoughconsoledownloadserviceshavereceivedalotofattentionlately,theideaofdistributingdownloadable gamestoconsolesisalmostasoldasgameconsolesthemselves.In1981MattellaunchedthePlayCableplatformfor theIntellivisionconsole(1).ThePlayCableserviceallowedcableoperatorstobroadcastgamecodethroughtelevision channels.CustomersconnectedtheirPlayCableadapterstotheirIntellivisionandtheircableservice,allowingthem to"download"gamestotheirconsole.Intruth,thegamecodewasbroadcastedcontinuouslythePlayCablejust waiteduntilthegamecodewasbroadcastedagainfromthebeginning,downloadit,theninstallitontheadapter's memory(2).TheIntellivisionconsolethenreaditasanormalcartridge.

PlayCable adapter

Theservicewassuccessfulforawhile,butithadalimitationofamaximumof4Kpergame.By1982alotofthe Intellivisioncartridgeswere8or16K,andcouldn'tbesupportedbytheservice. You'veGotGames! Duringtheearlyeightiestherewasanothercompanywhodecidedtoofferadownloadablegameserviceaswell. TheirproductnamewasGameLine(20),andtheycreatedapieceofhardwarethatfitintotheAtari2600cartridge. Theperipheralhadaphonejack,andpeoplewouldcall,payanddownloadgamesthatcanonlybeplayerfora numberoftimes.Afterthenumberofplaysranoutplayerswouldhavetocallandpayagain.

130

ThecompanywascalledControlVideoCorporation.Theydidn'tsurvivethevideogamecrashof1983,butthey decidedtobuildanothercompanycalledQuantumComputerServices.Lateronthatcompanywillchangetheirname toAmericaOnline. OfallthegamesthatGameLinehadinitsservice,onlyoneofthemwasdevelopedexclusivelyforit.Thenameofitis SaveTheWhales(21):

The game that started it all

AsPlayCable'sgameswereallpreviouslyreleasedascartridges,wecansaythenthatSaveTheWhaleswasthefirst consoledownloadablegameinhistory. AndThenCameSega Thepublichadtowaitmorethanadecadeinordertodownloadgamestotheirconsolesagain.BackinDecemberof 1993,SegalaunchedaservicefortheGenesiscalled"SegaChannel."Theserviceconsistedofacartridgethat connectedtotheSegaGenesis;ithadacoaxialconnectionthatyouhadtoconnecttoyourcableTVsocket.

131

Sega Channel Adapter

Foramonthlyfeeofaround$14.95(USdollars),dependingonlocation(3),youwereabletodownloadupto50 gamesamonth.Agamewouldstayinyourconsoleuntilitwasturnedoff.SegaChannel,atitspeak,hadroughly 250,000subscribersintheUnitedStates.(3)ItwasalsoavailableinAustralia,Canada,theUK,Argentina,andChile. SegaChannelwasn'tsuccessful,becauseitarrivedatthebeginningofthedeclineoftheGenesis.ByDecemberof 1994,theSegaSaturnwasreleasedinJapan,andthepublicdidn'tfeellikesupportingaserviceforadyingconsole.

NintendoWasLookingAtTheStars In1995NintendolaunchedSatellaview(4).ThisservicewasavailableinJapanonly.

Satellaview Add-On

TheservicerequiredthatcustomershadasubscriptionwithasatelliteTVserviceprovider.Playerscoulddownload gamesandrunthemfromtheprovidedcartridge'smemory.TheSatellaviewcontentwasonlybroadcastedfrom 4:00PMto7:00PMeveryday.Thatwastheonlytimewhenplayerscoulddownloadgames.Somegames,bizarrely enough,couldn'tbeplayedoutsideofthescheduledbroadcasttime.

132

From left to right: BS F-Zero 2, BS Zelda, Radical Dreamers

TheServicesofToday Inlate2004Microsoftunveiledthefirstdownloadableserviceforconsoles,accessedthroughtheoriginalXbox's dashboard,usingtheInternetforconnectivity(13).XboxLiveArcade(XBLA)letsplayersdownloadgamedemosand purchasefullgamesonline,similartocasualgamesdownloadservicesonthePC.Ayearlater,Microsoftrevamped theservicefortheXbox360.TodayXBLAistheservicewiththebiggestbreadthofcontentavailablefordownloadon consoles.

Xbox Live

ThePlayStationNetwork(PSN)waslaunchedinMarchof2007andisaccessiblefromthePlayStation3(PS3)Cross MediaBar(XMB).ThedownloadandbuyserviceiscalledthePlayStationStore.AswithXBLA,playerscandownload gamedemosandpurchasefullgamesonline.InFebruaryof2008,attheGamesDevelopersConference,Sony announcedthatthePlayStationStorewouldbeavailableforPlayStationPortable(PSP)thisyear.

133

PlayStation Store

WiiWareistheNintendoWii'sdownloadablegameservice.WiiWarewaslaunchedinMarch(Japan)andMayof2008 (US,EuropeandAustralia/NewZealand).Gamesareavailableforsale,butdemosofthegamesarenotavailable. Userswhoplayagameformorethananhourcanratethegame,andplayerscanseetheaverageratingresultsof anygame.

WiiWare

AListofthePlayersintheConsoleDownloadSpace
Thefollowingsectioncontainsthelistofconsoledownloadservicescurrentlyavailableinthemarket.

134

XboxLiveArcade(XBLA) Platform:Xbox360 Vendor:Microsoft CountriesAvailable:Australia,Austria,Belgium,Canada,Denmark,Finland,France,Germany,HongKong,India, Ireland,Italy,Japan,Korea,Mexico,Netherlands,NewZealand,Norway,Portugal,Singapore,Spain,Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan,UnitedKingdom,UnitedStates.

Features:

DRMsupport.Trialscanbefeaturelocked. Trials/demosarerequired. MatchmakingsupportthroughXboxLive. VoiceChat. Only12gamesreleasedperweek. 150MBfilesizelimit.

DevelopmentTools:

PropietaryDevKit XNA(6) TorqueX(7) Gamebryo(12)

XboxLiveCommunityGames(XBLCG) Platform:Xbox360 Vendor:Microsoft Countries Available: United States, Canda, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain. Features:

DRMsupport.Trialsaretimebased. Trials/demosarerequired. MatchmakingsupportthroughXboxLive.

DevelopmentTools:

PropietaryDevKit XNA(6) TorqueX(7) Gamebryo(12)

135

PlayStationNetwork(PSN)/PlayStationStore Platform:PlayStation3 Vendor:Sony Countries Available: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, United Kingdom, United States. Features:

NoDRMsupport,butdemosareallowed(andencouraged). Nomatchmakingsupport,butdeveloperscanmakemultiplayergamesiftheyprovidetheirownoranother partymultiplayerplatform. Nolimitofgamesreleasedeveryweek. Thereisnofilesizelimit.

DevelopmentTools:

PropietaryDevKit PhyreEngine(8) Gamebryo(12)

Platform:PSP Vendor:Sony
Countries Available: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, United Kingdom, United States.

Features:

StoreonlyavailablefromPC(PSPstorecomingin2008). Nomatchmakingsupport,butdeveloperscanmakemultiplayergamesiftheyprovidetheirownoranother partymultiplayerplatform. Nolimitofgamesreleasedeveryweek. 1.8GBfilesizelimit.

DevelopmentTools:

PropietaryDevKit Virtools(9)

136

WiiWare Platform:Wii Vendor:Nintendo Countries Available: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States.

Features:

Notrialsallowed,butdeveloperscanprovidevideosoftheirgamesforplayerstodownloadforfree. MatchmakingsupportthroughNintendoWiFiConnection. AsynchronousconnectionsandpushmessagingthroughWiiConnect24. 40MBfilesizelimit.

DevelopmentTools:

PropietaryDevKit TorqueTwii(10) Virtools(11) Gamebryo(12)

TheMarketandAudienceforConsoleDownloads
Whobuysthesegames?AretheyplayingBejeweled? WhileBejeweledisapopulargameamongconsolegamers,manyothergenreshaveachievedpopularityinthe downloadableconsolegamespace.WhereastraditionalPCdownloadshavebeenportedtoconsolessuchasXbox 360,retroandactiongameshavedonereallywellonXBLA.AgoodindicatorofthetrendsisMajorNelson'sLive ArcadeTop10Salesof2007(5):

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Game Worms UNO Bomberman LIVE 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Sonic The Hedgehog Pinball FX Geometry Wars Evolved Texas Hold 'em

Genre Arcade Card & Board Action Leisure Sports Platformer Arcade Action Casino

TMNT 1989 Arcade Action Castlevania: SOTN Action

137

ThefactthatthetopthreeiscomposedofvideogameclassicsimpliesthatconsumersonXBLAareeitherveteranor currenthardcoregamers.Interestinglyenough,nondigitalgamingclassicssuchasUNOandTexasHold'emare includedonthelist.Thisisprobablybecauseoftheonline,socialmultiplayermodesofferedinthesegames.

Uno

Itseemsthatthereisalsoaveinforindependentorlessmainstreamexperiences.GamessuchasRezHDandN+have hadgoodcommercialsuccessonXBLA.(19) OnPS3,thetypesofgamesreleasedissimilartotheXbox360.Hereisthelistoftop10salesonPSNintheyear 2008(22):

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Game Pain High Velocity Bowling

Genre Arcade Leisure Sports

Super Stardust HD Shoot'em Up Pixeljunk Monsters Strategy Flow Warhawk Aquatopia Tekken 5 Arcade Action Screen Saver Fighter

High Stakes Poker Casino Edition Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty Platform

Again,genresandgamemechanicsthataremoreappealingtohardcoregamersdominatethelist.Interestingly enough,alotofindependentandoriginaltitlesmakeupthelist,aswell,suggestingthatthePS3audiencemaybe moreopentonewexperiences.Butthiscouldbebecausethenumberoftitlesavailableatthetimeofthiswritingis significantlylessthanonXBLA.Timewilltell.

138

Flow

OnWiiWare'scase,populartitlesandgenresseemtobemoreinlinewiththecasualPCworld.Hereisthetop10 retrievedonJanuary22nd,2009(23):

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Game Tetris Party

Genre Puzzle Leisure Sports Simulation Leisure Sports Puzzle Leisure Sports Puzzle Leisure Sports

World of Goo Puzzle My Aquarium Screen Saver Cue Sports Sandy Beach Fun! Fun! Minigolf Dr Mario Online Rx Target Toss Pro: Bags Brain Challenge Midnight Bowling

OnebigdifferencecomparedtothecasualPCworldisthefactthatpeopleliketoplaysportsgames.Allofthose gamesinthetop10allowmultipleplayerstocompeteagainsteachother,somethingthatmakesalotofsenseasthe Wiiisafamilyorientedconsole. XboxLiveCommunitygamesisareallytoonewofaserviceforustomakeanevaluationofwhichtypesofgamesare successful. ThePSPstoreisjustrecentlyavailablefromthedevice.Unfortunately,toofewtitlesarecurrentlyavailabletomake

139

ananalysisofwhatgameswillbesuccessfulontheconsole. GamerDemographics Unfortunately,platformholdershavebeenreluctanttoreleaseaudiencedemographicinformationspecifictotheir digitaldistributionstores.DuringGDC2008,however,SonyseniordeveloperrelationsaccountmanagerChrisEden presentedasmallamountofstatisticaldatadescribingPSNusers.Atthattime,PSNhadover2.8millionregistered users.Ofthoseusers,92%weremale,and79%werebetweentheagesof18and34.Itisunclearwhetherthese statisticsholdtrueforXBLAorWiiware.

BusinessModelsforConsoleDownloads
AllpricesinthissectionaredeterminedinUSdollars. OnXbox360 AllgamesonXBLAareofferedwithafreedemo,makingitastandardtryandbuybusinessmodel.Asapointof differencefromPCdownloads,mostdemosarefeaturedbasednottimebased.Thismeansthatplayerscanplayas longastheywish,buttheyonlyhaveaccesstoasubsetoffeatures.Playerswhopurchasethegamemustmakea smalldownloadafterthepaymenttounlockthedemo,givingthemaccesstothefullfeatureset.Initiallyalotof gamesweresoldat$5,butnowmostofthegamesarebeingsoldat$10. Someadvergameshavebeenputupintheservice(YarisbyToyotaisagoodexample),andthosegamesareoffered forfree.Thetermsforthosegamesvary,andit'sbesttocontactMicrosofttofindmoredetails. OnPS3 ThePlayStationStoreoperatesmostlybydirectpurchase,asSony'sDRMdoesn'tsupporttryandbuy.However,Sony hasencourageddevelopersatGDC2008todevelopdemosoftheirgames.Playerswillneedtodownloadthefull gametwice,butthat'stheonlycurrentsolutionformakingavailableafreedemo.Atthetimeofthiswriting,PSN gamepriceshavegoneacrosstheboard: Interactivetoys(likescreensaversandsimplegamesforEyeToy)aresoldmostlyfor$1.99. PS3originaldownloadablegamesaresoldfrom$2.99to$12.99.

PSNsupportsaddonsfordownloadablegames,aswellasretailgames.Atthetimeofthiswriting,thereareafew downloadablegamesthatareofferingaddonpacks.Thepricesforthoseaddonsrangefrom$0.99to$1.99.This modelisagoodwaytodevelopadditionalcontentforashortgame. OnWii DemosarenotavailableonWiiWare,soplayerswillhavetopurchasethegameinordertobeabletoplayit. Currentlygameshavebeenofferedfrom$5to$15,andtherearesomegameswhereplayerscanpurchaseadditional itemsorscenarios. OnPSP Intermsofpossibilities,thePSPstoreisofferingthesamebusinessmodelasthePS3.Atthetimeofthiswriting,the gamepricesrangefrom$5.99to$19.99.Mostofthegamesaredownloadableversionsofretailgames,though.

140

Newer,downloadableonlygamesarecloserto$7.99inprice. SonyhasaninterestingexperimentwithApeQuest.ApeQuestisanRPGthatSonyoffersforfree.Thefreeversion containsa"featuredemo"ofthegame.Playersthencanmakethechoiceofbuyingoneofthethreeavailable chaptersofthegamefor$9.99each,orbuythebundleofallthreechaptersfor$19.99.

SpecificDesignPrinciplesforConsoleDownloads
10FootExperience(LivingRoomConsoles) Atalltimesduringtheproductionofthegame,youhavetokeepinmindthattheplayerwilllookatthegamefrom 10feetaway,andtheymaynothavea65inchscreenintheirlivingroom.EventodaytherearealotofXBLAandPSN gameswithverytinyfontsandiconsonthescreen.Whatlooksgreatonadeveloper's21inchcomputermonitorcan oftenfailtoworkforaplayersitting10feetawayfroma32inchTV.Whileitwouldn'tbeveryeffectivetodevelopa gameonaTVset,besuretomakearoutinecheckofyourlatestbuildinfrontofaTVinalivingroomsetuptomake sureit'sstillplayable. IssueswithTVs(LivingRoomConsoles) AnotherimportantfactorthatmustbeconsideredwhenyoutakeyourgametoaTVisoverscan.Overscanningisthe processbywhichaTVsetcropstheedgesoftheimagetomakesuretheentirescreenisfilled.NotallTVsdisplaythe imageinthesameway.Conventionsrecommendyoukeepallaction5%awayfromtheedgesofthescreen,andtitle screens10%awayfromtheedgeofthescreen(15).YoualsohavetokeepinmindthatTVshavedifferentresolutions andeachconsolehassupportforvariousresolutionformats.Supportingmorethanoneresolutionformatmeans moretesting,asyouhavetotesteveryfeatureofthegameineachdifferentresolutionformatssupported.Youmay wanttosticktooneresolutionifyouhavetimeorbudgetconstraints. Mostconsolemanufacturersareaskingtosupport16:9(widescreen)monitorsbydefault,butyouneedtosupport 4:3monitorsinsomecases.TakethatintoconsiderationinyourgameandUIdesign. HandheldScreenSizes At480x272pixels,thereisnotmuchroomonthePSPscreen.ThiswastheproblemmanyearlyPSPgameshad;since theywereportsoflivingroomconsolesgames,therewastoomuchinformationortoomuchgoingonforthelittle screen,thusprovidingasubparexperience. HandheldUse It'salsoimportanttotakeintoconsiderationinyourdesignwherethisgameisgoingtobeplayed.PSPgamescanbe playedanywhereonthetrain,outdoors,inbed,etc.Gamesthatrequireheavycoordinationthroughtheuseof variousbuttons,orquickreflexes,maybeaproblemforthatplatform.OneofthereasonswhyturnbasedRPGsand strategygamesaresosuccessfulonhandheldconsolesisbecauseplayerscansettheirownpacewhileoperatingthe game.Gameplaythencanbeinterruptedbyexternalfactorswithoutlosingthematch. Anotherimportantfactortokeepinmindisthathandheldplayisgenerallycomposedofshortsessions.Itis importanttodesignagamewithasetofachievablegoalsthatcanbecompletedinminutes.Thatwayplayerscan savetheirprogresscontinuouslyandnothavetoreplayalevelbecausetheirplaytimewasinterruptedbyexternal factors.

141

 Controllers Consolecontrollershavemanyfeaturesgamedesignerscanusetocreateagame'scontrolscheme.Butit'simportant forcasualgamestosimplifytheinterfaceandminimizethenumberofbuttonsnecessarytoperformingameactions. Complexcontrolschemesarehardforplayerstounderstandrightaway,oftencreatingahighbarriertoentryfor casualgamers.Eachcurrentgenerationconsoleshasacontrollerwithitsownuniquecharacteristics.Alothasbeen writtenaboutthem,soit'snotnecessaryforustorepeatit,butforeachcontrolleryoushouldkeepthesethingsin mind: Xbox360Controller:Theleftanalogstickisusedmostcommonlytocontrolmovementandnavigation,whereasthe A,B,X,andYbuttonsaretiedtoactions.Therearefourbuttonsonthetopofthecontroller,andtwoofthemare analogtriggers.Thedpadhasareputationforbeingunresponsiveandimprecise,althoughit'ssuitablefornavigating menus(oragridbasedturnbasedgame).Remember,though,thatnotallbuttonsneedtobeused.The360 controlleralsosupportsrumble/controllervibration.

PS3Controller:ThePS3SIXAXIScontrollerissimilartotheXbox360controllerintermsofbuttonlayout.Asanadded plus,theSIXAXIScontrollerfeaturesaccelerometersinsidewhichsensesrotationsandgesturesmadebytheplayer. Becauseoftheshapeofthecontrolleritmaynotbethatcomfortabletoswingaround,butracingandflyinggames havebeendonesuccessfullywithit.WhiletheSIXAXISlacksrumblefunctionality,theDualShock3,whichhassince replacedSIXAXISasofApril2008,doesfeaturerumble.

142

WiiController:TheWiiremoteissignificantlydifferentfromthe360andPS3controllers.TheWiiremote,asthe namesuggests,isshapedlikeasmalltelevisionremote.Itcanbeheldinonehand,likeaTVremote,orintwohands whenrotatedsideways.Thecontrollerfeaturesmotionsensingaccelerometersaswellaspositionalinfrared technologywhichdetectsthedistanceandangleoftheremoterelativetothetelevisionscreen.Mostcasualgamers aregettingaccustomedtoswingingthecontrollerandpointingittowardsthescreen;asagamedesigneryoumay wanttoconsidertheseconventionalapproachestocontrollingWiigames.Becausemostplayersareaccustomedto grabbingthecontrollerandholdingitlikearemote,theAandBbuttonsarebotheasilyaccessible.Gamesthatmake theuseoftheNunchukcontrollerextensiondon'tseemtobeaspopularasthosethatusejusttheWiiremote.

PSPController:TheuseofanalogcontrolsonthePSPhasbeenverysuccessfulinmanygames.Generally,theuseof theanalogcontrolisthesameasthedpad.Tokeepthegamecasual,yourbestbetistohavethedpadreactthe samewayastheanalogcontroller,anduseoneortwobuttons.Morebuttonscanbeused,butbesuretokeepthe controlschemeassimpleandintuitiveaspossible.Keepinmindthat,dependingonwheretheplayerisplayingthe game,itmaynotbecomfortabletobemanagingtoomanybuttonsatthesametime.

DesigningforAchievements Achievementsarebadgesthatplayerskeepintheirprofile.Achievementsareawardedwhenaplayercompletesa gamespecificgoal.ThisfeatureisveryimportantonXbox360.TodayeverygamereleasedforXbox360has

143

achievementsinit;asinglegamecanawardupto1,000achievementpoints.Theyhavebecamesopopularthat somegamersjustbuygamestounlocktheirachievementsandgrowtheirGamerscorethetotalnumberof achievementpointsearnedbytheplayer. It'simportantthatyoudon'tleavethedesignofAchievementsinyourgamefortheendoftheproduction. Achievementsformostgamersasecondarysetofobjectivesinagameandtheyarerewardingwhenobtained.Ifthey arewelldesigned,theywilladdmorelifetoagamethatcanprobablybeendedinjustafewhours,hencegivingthe playersmorevaluefortheirmoney. CurrentlyachievementsandgamerscoresarespecifictotheXbox360.However,Sonyhasannouncedasimilar initiativeforthePS3.AspartofPlayStationHome,avirtualworldforPSNusers,playershaveaccesstotheirpersonal HallofFame.TheHallofFameincludesaTrophyRoomthatdisplaysallofthetrophies(thePlayStationequivalentof achievements)theplayerhaswoninvariousgames.PlayStationHome,alongwiththetrophyfunctionality,isstill underdevelopment(18).

ProductionIssues
Developingaconsolegamehasahigherlevelofrequirementscomparedtothedevelopmentofdownloadablegames onaPC.Herearesomeoftheissuestokeepinmind. 3DEngines Mostgamescanbeprototypedprettyeasilywhenworkingin2D.However,asmostseasoned3Ddeveloperswilltell you,evenifyouuseanexisting3Dengine,youwillneedtodevelopadevelopmentframeworkoradditionalengine infrastructurethatisspecifictothegamemechanicyouaretryingtoimplement.Whereasin2Dyoucouldbuilda prototypeofaplatformgameorapuzzlegamewithanexistingdevelopmentframework,workingin3Drequiresthat youa)learntheengine,andb)customizeitforyourneeds.Youneedtoallocatemoretimefordevelopmentofthe customizationofyourenginepriortothestartofaprototype. Controller Ifyouaregoingtousespecialfeaturesofthecontroller(e.g.,themotionsensingcapabilitiesoftheWiiremoteand PS3SIXAXIS),youneedtoallocatetimetodevelopthetechnologytoreadtheplayer'sgestures.TheAPIprovidedby theconsolemanufacturermaybetoogeneralandnotprovideyourexactneeds.Youwillhavetomakealotoftests withsubjectsofdifferentagesandsizestodetermineallthedifferentwaysplayerswillperformagivengesture.That willtakeasignificantamountofdevelopmenttime. Team Yourteamislikelytogrowduringthedevelopmentprocess.3Dmodelsandanimationstakesignificantlylongertime toproduce.Youaregoingtoneedtwicetheamountofartistsatleast.Andifyouproduceconsolegamesonaregular basis,youmayneedtoreorganizeyourcompanyasifyouhavefixedsizeteamsyou'llhavealotofpeopleidle duringsomepartsofthedevelopmentprocess. Hereisanexampleofwhatamountofpeopleyoumayneedastheprojectprogresses:

144

Month 1 2 3

Resources 1 programmer 1 programmer part-time producer/game designer 1 programmer 1 artist part-time producer/game designer 1 programmer 1 artist part-time producer/game designer 1 programmer 2 artists part-time producer/game designer 1 programmer 2 artists part-time producer/game designer 2 programmers 2 artists part-time level designer part-time producer/game designer 2 programmers 2 artists part-time level designer part-time producer/game designer 2 programmers 2 artists full-time level designer part-time producer/game designer 2 programmers 1 artist full-time level designer part-time producer/game designer 2 programmers 1 artist full-time level designer part-time producer/game designer 2 programmers 0 artist full-time level designer

Description You are developing the development framework you need to build the game.

You start prototyping.

You need an additional artist to build props.

Online game feature development starts. Full production of levels.

Lots of gameplay testing and tweaks made to the game. QA Testers get involved. One less artist needed, as most art is done.

10

11

12

Bug fixing, so artist is not needed anymore.

OnlineSupport Mostconsolegameshaveatleastsomekindofonlinesupport.Ifyourgamewillsupportonline play,youneedtoallocateasignificantamountoftimefordebugging.Becauseofthenatureof

145

hownetworksbehave,therearemanyscenariosthatwillcauseyourprogramtocrashbecause ofnetworkissuesifyoudon'tanticipatethem.Yourfirstpassdevelopingtheonlineplayfeature willtakeafewweeks,butscheduleabouttwotothreetimesthatjustfordebuggingandbug fixing. WithXBLAandWiiWare,you'llbeusingtheirmatchmakingservice(XBoxLiveinXBLA,WiFi ConnectioninWiiWare).HoweverwithPSNyouneedtobringyourownmatchmakingservice. QA Someconsolemanufacturerswillnotputyourgameupifitwasn'tthoroughlytestedbyQA experts.Eveniftheydon'trequireit,andespeciallyifyouhaveonlineplaysupport,it'sbestto planyourbudgetsoyoucanhireaprofessionalteamwhocantesteverylittledetailofyour gameandmakesurethatit'sasclosetobeingbugfreeaspossible. Thentheywilltakethegameundertheirowncertificationprocess.Youneedtoplansignificant timeforQA.Bugswillnotjustbeaproblematthispoint.Theconsolemanufacturermayreject gamesbasedonvisualsorsoundsthatdon'tcomplywiththeirguidelinesforexample.

References:
(1)http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/playcable_tech.html (2)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayCable (3)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Channel (4)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellaview (5)http://majornelson.com/archive/2008/01/04/topxboxlivegamesof2007.aspx (6)http://creators.xna.com/ (7)http://garagegames.com/products/torque/x/ (8)http://www.scedev.net/ (9)http://www.virtools.com/solutions/products/virtoolspsp.asp (10)http://www.garagegames.com/products/torque/twii/ (11)http://www.virtools.com/solutions/products/virtoolswii.asp (12)http://www.emergent.net/en/Products/Gamebryo/ (13)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_Live_Arcade (14)http://www.gamasutra.com/phpbin/news_index.php?story=17707 (15)http://www.jkpi.net/glossary.php#O (16)http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173525.html (17)http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp (18)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playstation_Home#Hall_of_fame (19)http://www.vgchartz.com/news/news.php?id=1209 (20)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameLine

146

(21)http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/savethewhales/savethewhales.htm (22)http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/19/top10downloadedpsngamesof2008/ (23)http://www.wiiwareworld.com/news/2009/01/top_20_wiiware_games_in_usa_21st_jan

147

Skillgames
EntiresectionbySteveMeretzky,VPofGameDesign,YouPlusPlus

Overview
Skillgames,orskillbasedgames,referstoonlinegamesofferedupastournaments.Playerspay acashentryfeetoenteratournament,andtheplayerwiththehighestscorewinsacash(or cashequivalent)prize.Inlargertournaments,theprizemaybesplitamongmultipleplayers. Theskillgamesprovidermakesmoneybycollectingapercentageofeachplayersentryfeein exchangeforhostingthegames,matchingupplayers,andfurnishingaprize(orprizes)oflesser valuethanthetotalamountcollectedinentryfees. Thetermskillgamesemphasizesthefactthatachievingahighscorerequiresskill,asopposed torandomchanceorluck.Thisisanimportantdistinctionbecausetournamentsbasedonluck orrandomchanceareillegalinmanyjurisdictions. Skillgameprovidershaveadoptedcertainaccommodationstoavoidlegalconflict.Tournament outcomesarebasedsubstantiallyontheplayersabilityandperformance..Furthermore,skill gamesprovidersactasimpartialtournamenthostswithnovestedinterestintheoutcomeof eachcompetition.Playersalwayscompeteagainstoneanother,andneveragainstthehouse. Evenwiththeseaccommodations,skillgamesarenotlegalineverystateandeverycountry. Althoughtheirbriefplayingtimesmakescasualgamesparticularlysuitablefortheskillgames model,thereisnothingpreventinghardcoregamesfromalsobeingofferedinsimilaronline tournaments.However,asofMay2008alleconomicallysuccessfulskillgamesiteshavebeen thosethatoffercasualgamesasthebasisoftheirtournamentofferings.Severalcompanies haveattemptedtousethesameeconomicmodelwithhardcoregameofferings,suchasfirst personshooters,buthavefailedandsubsequentlyshutdown.A2008additiontothespace, SkillGround,iscurrentlyofferingonlinecashtournamentsforfairlyhardcoregamesinthe sportsandshootercategories,butitistoosoontoknowifthiscompanywillbreakthroughthe hardcorebarrier. Skillgamingisnotanareafavorabletoinnovativedesign.Instead,themostsuccessfulskill gameshavegenerallybeendirectportsofalreadypopularcasualgames,suchasBejeweledand Luxor;orclonesoffamiliargames,suchasWorldWinnersSwapIt!;orgamesthatmakeuseof popularboardgameorTVgameshowintellectualproperty(IP),suchasWorldWinnersFamily FeudandSCRABBLECubes. Therearetworeasonsforthis.First,playersaremorelikelytopaytoentercontestsbasedon familiargameswithwhichtheyarealreadyconvincedoftheirplayingability.Second,successful skillgamesrequireacriticalmassofplayers,sothattournamentsfillupandclosereasonably

148

quickly,andsothatrankingsystemscanmoresuccessfullygroupplayerswithinanarrowskill range.Anewgamewithunfamiliargameplaymaysufferfromalownumberofplayersduring thecrucialfirstfewdaysafterlaunch,andneverachievethisnecessarycriticalmass.

History
Theskillgamesmodelfirstappearedaround2000.Aswiththeoverallcasualgameresurgence ofthe1990s,theemergenceofskillgameswasledbytheclassicsolitairecardgameKlondike. TwooftheearliestcontendersinthespacewereWorldWinner,whichofferedanarrayofcasual gamesledbythehighlysuccessfulSolitaireRush,andSkillJamTechnologies,whichstartedasa musictriviasite,butquicklybeganemulatingWorldWinnerslineupofgames. Asthemarketforskillgamesgrew,bothcompaniesclonedfamiliarcasualcard,word,and matchthreegames.TheybothalsolicensedexistingIP,withWorldWinnerformingdealswith FreshGames(Cubis,WordMojo)andMumboJumbo(Luxor),andSkillJaminkingadealwith PopCaptobringskillgameversionsoftitlesincludingBejeweledandChuzzletoSkillJamssite. Athirdmajorplayeremergedin2003,intheformofaU.K.basedcompanycalledMidasplayer. Thesebigthreeskillgamesitesfoughtforplayersandpartnerships,drivingupthepriceof dealstothedetrimentoftheprofitabilityofallthreecompanies. In2004,FUNTechnologies,aCanadiancompany,acquiredSkillJam.Twoyearslater,FUN acquiredWorldWinner,andsubsequentlymergedthetwositesundertheWorldWinnerbanner. FUNisnowwhollyownedbyU.S.basedLibertyMedia.Inthemeantime,Midasplayer,still privatelyheld,hasrebrandeditselfasKing.com. Mostofthesmallerplayersatthistimeeitherwentoutofbusinessorchangedtheirfocusto otherbusinessmodels.Attheendofthisperiodofconsolidation,theworldwideskillgames businesswasdominatedbyLibertyownedWorldWinner(www.worldwinner.com),King (www.king.com)andGermanysGameDuell(www.gameduell.de).AccordingtoScreenDigest, by2006thesethreevendorshelda76percentshareoftheskillgamesmarket.

Audience
Theaudienceforskillgamesisremarkablysimilartothatoftheclassiccasualgame demographic:adultsintheirthirtiesandforties,abouttwothirdswomen.Thisisthetypical demographicforplayersofthetypesofgamesofferedbyskillgamesites,andthetournament modelapparentlyhasverylittleimpactontheshapeofthedemographic.

149

Manycompanieshaveattemptedtobroadenthedemographicwithmoremaleoriented offerings,suchasmilitarythemedactiongames,golfgames,orfantasysports.Through2008, theseattemptshavenotbeenfruitful.Someindustryexpertsbelievethattherearenotenough playersonthesenicheskillgamesitestocreatethecriticalmassneededtosupportthese games.Possiblythesegameshaveneverbeentriedlongenough,withenoughvarietyof content,orwithenoughmarketingeffortbehindthemtoattracttheyounger,moremale audience.

Businessoverview
Businessmodel Theskillgameseconomicmodelinvolvesplayerspayingacashentryfeetoenteratournament andplayagame.Thetournamentcanbeassmallastwoplayers,oraslargeasthousandsof players.Aplayer'sscoreispostedonaleaderboard(seescreenshotbelow),andthewinner(or, inlargertournaments,winners)getsacashormerchandiseprize.

150

 Thetournamentprovidermakesmoneybykeepingaportionofthecumulativeentryfees, ratherthanreturningalltheentryfeesasprizes. Example1: Tournamentsize:5players Entryfee:$1.00 Cumulativeentryfees:5x$1.00=$5.00 Prize(s):$4.00forfirstplace Tournamentprovidersrevenue:$5.00$4.00=$1.00

151

Example2: Tournamentsize:10players Entryfee:$1.50 Cumulativeentryfees:10x$1.50=$15.00 Prize(s):$8.00forfirstplace,$4.00forsecondplace Tournamentprovidersrevenue:$15.00$12.00=$3.00 Legalitybyjurisdiction Inordertobelegal,theoutcomeofthegamesmustbesubstantiallyskillbased,ratherthan relyingonluckorchance.However,thelawsgoverningskillbasedgamesintheU.S.areona statelevel;thereisnoapplicablefederalstatute.Evenwithscoringbasedonfactorsofskill ratherthanluck,skillbasedgamesarenotlegalineverystate.Theexactstateswhereskill basedgamesareproscribedvaryfromprovidertoprovider,basedonthereadingsofeach stateslawbytheirrespectivelegalcounsels;seethemapbelow.

152

(WorldWinnerslegalexpertshaveinterpretedtheMaineandIndianastatelawsastreatingskill gamesinvolvingcardsdifferentlyfromotherskillgames.) Theinternationalpictureisasimilarpatchworkquiltoflegality,furthercomplicatedbyrampant creditcardfraudincertaincountries.Skillgamecompaniestendtoavoidofferingtheirservices inthesecountries.Forexample,asof2008,WorldWinnerdoesnotallowplayersfromthe followingcountriestocreateaccounts: Afghanistan Bulgaria Egypt Indonesia Lithuania Macedonia Malaysia Nigeria Pakistan Romania Russia Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Yugoslavia Marketsize Thereisadearthofaccuratemarketdatapublicizedonthisnascentandcloselyheldindustry. AccordingtotheCasualGamesMarketReport2007 18 ,200millionpeopleplaycasualgames onlineeachmonthovertheInternet.Thereportalsoestimatesthecasualgamesindustrytobea $2.25billionmarket,reflecting20percentyearoveryeargrowth.Asasubsetofthecasualgames industry,ScreenDigestestimatedconsumerspendingonskillgamesat$315millionin2006;a50 percentincreaseover2005. Althoughstillnotwidelyknown,skillgamesareincreasinglypopular,basedonthesectors revenuegrowth.Majorskillgamecompaniesarebeginningtobroadentheirmarketingefforts, butarguablythebiggestcontributorstothisincreasedconsumerawarenesshavebeen mainstreamcasualgamesportals,whichhavedevelopedanappreciationfortheskillgames businessmodelandtranscendedtheirinitialregulatoryconcerns.AsofMay2008,thenetwork
18

The Casual Games Market Report 2007, 2007 Casual Games Association. www.casualgamesassociation.org

153

ofportalspartneringwithatleastoneskillgameserviceproviderincludesYahoo,AOL,Pogo, MSN,Lycos,RealNetworks,ShockwaveandMiniclip.Mosthaveexclusiverelationshipswitha singleskillgameprovider,andpartnershipswithunalignedportalsarekeenlysoughtafterby skillgamecompanies. Playerconversion Thetypicalwayofmonetizingaplayeronaskillgamessiteistoencouragehimorhertocreate anaccountandmakeadepositofUS$5to$20usinganonlinepaymentmethodsuchasacredit cardorPayPal.Entryfeesforenteringatournamentarethenwithdrawnfromthisaccount,and anycashprizewinningsarecreditedtothisaccountandcanbewithdrawnatanytime.Iffunds runlow,theplayercanmakeadditionaldeposits. Mostsitesofferaperiodoffreeplaytoletnewplayersbecomefamiliarwiththegamesandthe sitebeforeconvertingthemtopayingmembers.Skillgamecompanieshavetriedavarietyof techniquestospurfreeplayerstomakeaninitialdepositandbecomemembers,suchaslimiting thenumberofgametitlesthesefreeplayershaveaccessto,limitingthecontentwithin availablegames(suchasthenumberofshufflesinacardgameorthenumberofquestionsina triviagame),orbysimplycuttingplayersoffafterapredeterminedamountoftime.Inaddition, skillgamecompanieshaveexploredotherwaystomonetizeplayerswhodonotparticipatein cashtournaments,suchasdisplayingadvertisementsalongsidetheirgames. Newbusinessopportunities Becauseoftheimportanceofacriticalmassofplayerstothetournamentmodel,andbecause allthemajorportalswherecasualgamerscongregateontheWebarealreadypartneringwithat leastoneoftheleadingskillgamecompanies,newskillgameprovidersfacesignificantbarriers toenteringthismarket.However,therearestillseveralbusinessopportunitieswithintheskill gamesspace. Abusinessinterestedingeneratingrevenuefromtheskillgamesspacemight: BecomeanaffiliatedsiteIfabusinesshasaWebsite,particularlyonetraffickedby casualgameplayersorasimilardemographic,thatbusinesscanpartnerwithaskill gameprovider.Sitevisitorswouldbeenticedbyalinkorlinkstogamesontheskill gameproviderssite.Foreachplayersenttotheproviderssitewhobecameapaying customer,thebusinessthatdirectedthatplayertotheskillgamesitewouldgeta revenueshareonthatplayerslifetimespendingontournamententryfees. LicenseintellectualpropertyIfabusinessownsasuccessfulcasualgamebrand,that businesscouldpartnerwithaskillgameprovidertocreateaskillgameversion.The developmentworkofcreatingthisspecialskillgameversionmaybedonebythe businessthatownstheintellectualproperty,byaninternalteamattheskillgame provider,orbyathirdpartydeveloper.Oncethegameisliveandearningmoneyfrom

154

tournaments,theownerofthegamebrandwouldshareaportionofthegamesskill basedrevenuestream. ProvidethirdpartydevelopmentAlthoughmuchofthedevelopmentworksofarfor skillgameofferingshasbeendoneinternallybytheskillgameproviders,thereare opportunitiesforworkbyoutsidedevelopers,andtheseopportunitiesmayexpandas theskillgamemarketexpands.

Designprinciplesofsuccessfulskillgames

OutcomenotbasedonluckInordertobelegalinmoststates,aplayersscoreinaskill gamemustbesubstantiallybasedonskill,andnotonfactorssuchasluckand randomness.Skillgamecreatorshaveemployedavarietyoftechniquestoturn otherwiseluckbasedgamesintoskillgames.Forexample,inagamewheretheinitial setupofthegamewouldhaveahugeimpactonthescoringsuchastheshuffleof cardsinacardgameallplayersinatournamentcouldreceivethesameshuffle. CheatresistantBecausemoneyisatstakebasedontheresultofatournament,the impetustocheatinskillbasedgamesisfarhigherthaninotheronlinegameofferings. Skillgamesneedtobedesignedandimplementedinwaysthatmakeitimpossibleeven forfairlytechnicallysavvyplayerstocheat.Companiesemployavarietyofmostly proprietarytechniquestofoilandcatchcheaters. ShortplayingtimeExperiencehasshownthatgameswithashortplayingtimehave generatedthemostmoneyforskillgameproviders.Thereasonisthatskillgame revenuescomefromarelativelysmallnumberofplayers(relativetotheentire populationofcasualgameplayersontheweb)whotendtoplayrepeatedly.Ashort gamelengthmeansagreaternumberoftournamententriesperunitoftime.This explainswhychesswhichseemslikeanaturalfitforskillgaminghasnotbeen economicallysuccessful,sinceithasafairlylonggamelength.Anotherpieceofproofis theWorldWinnergameBrickout,whichwasredesignedtoshortentheplayingtime fromabout15minutestoabout3minutes;revenuefromthegamethereafterincreased morethantenfold. HighlyreplayableAgain,becauseskillgamesneedtobeplayedmanytimesbyeach payingplayertobecommerciallysuccessful,theadvantagegoestogameswhosedesign and/oramountofcontentmakesthemhighlyreplayablewithoutseemingrepetitious. Examplesofhighlyreplayablegameswouldbesolitaire,inwhichthemillionsof potentialcardshufflesmakethegamedifferentwitheachplay;aBogglestylegame,in whichthelayoutofthelettersaddsvarietyfromplaytoplay;orajigsawpuzzlegame,in whichalargesupplyofdifferentshapedpiecesandimageskeepsplayersinterested. NarrowscoringrangePlayersaremostlylikelytokeepplayinginskillgame tournamentswhentheybelievetheycanwin.Sodevisingascoringsystemforagame thatkeepsafairlynarrowmarginbetweenthemostskilledandleastskilledplayerswill promotereplayabilityandavoiddiscouragingnewer,lessskilledplayers.

Playerranking Inordertogivelessskilledplayersachancetowin,successfulskillgamesitesemployaranking systemofsometypetomatchplayersofsimilarskilllevelintotournaments.Thus,veryskilled

155

playersplayonlyagainstotherveryskilledplayers,playersofmoderateskillplayonlyagainst otherplayersofmoderateskill,andsoforth. Asexplainedearlier,theoutcomeofonlinecashcompetitionsmustbebasedprimarilyonskill, andnotluck,tobelegal.Thus,aplayer'sscorerangeinacertaingamewilltendtofallwithina narrowband.Ifallplayerswereallowedtocompeteinthesamecompetitions,ahandfulofthe bestplayerswouldwineverychallenge.Thiswoulddiscouragethelosingplayersfromplaying onthesite,whichwould,inturn,hurteventhebestplayersbynarrowingthefieldofpotential competitors. Segregatingplayersintogroupsbyskilllevelisdifficult.Oneissueishowtomeasuretheskillof aplayer.Ifitisdonebyaveragescore,aplayercanthwarttherankingsystembydeliberately scoringlowinlowprizetournamentsinordertoeasilywinhighprizetournaments.Toavoid thissituation,rankingsystemsrelyoncomplexformulasthattakeintoaccountmanyfactors, suchaswinratios,lifetimewinnings,averagescores,andnumberofcashcompetitionsplayed. Anotherissuethatmakesrankingsdifficultishowtohandlenewplayers.Ifnewplayersstartout atamiddlerank,butarenotverygood,theywilllosealloftheirinitialcompetitions,get discouraged,andleavebeforethesitehascollectedenoughinformationtorankthemmore accurately.Butifnewplayersstartoutatalowrank,andarealreadyskillfulinthegivengame, theywilldominatethecompetitionuntiltheirrankadjuststoamoresuitablelevel.Thetypical waytodealwiththisproblemistomakeanewplayer'srankmuchmorevolatilethanaveteran player'srank,inordertomovethemmorequicklytoasuitablelevel.Anotherstrategyisto prohibitbeginnerplayersfromenteringhighprizetournamentsuntiltheirrankhasbeenmore solidlyascertained. Afinalissueishowtousearankonceitisestablished.Arankcanmerelybeapubliclydisplayed numbertobeusedasaguidelineinanenvironmentwhereplayerschoosetheirownopponents, suchasinalobbybasedmatchingsystem.Or,arankcanbeanunseennumberusedinternally bythesystemtofunnelplayersintocompetitionsofsimilarlyrankedplayers. Butwhatdoes"similarlyranked"mean?Ifdefinedtoonarrowly,therearetoofewplayersto formacompetitivecommunity,andtournamentsfilluptooslowly(describedwithinthe industryaslowtournamentvelocity),creatinganunsatisfactoryexperienceforplayers.If definedtooloosely,anunfairenvironmentexistswhereincertainplayershaveaslimchanceof winning.Achievingtheappropriatebalancerequiresconstantmonitoringbythetournament managersattheskillgamesprovider,andharddecisionssuchaswhethertoleantoward fairnessortowardtournamentvelocity.

156

Internalrankingsystemsworkbestwhentherearealotofplayersbeingmatchedandalotof tournamentsinwhichtomatchthem.Thisallowsskillgameproviderstocreatenarrowmargins ofskillwithinagiventournament,increasingthepercentageoftimethatalowerskilledplayer canwin.Thussiteswithhightrafficvolumeareabletoprovideamorefairexperiencefortheir players. Tournamenttypes Overmanyyearsofexperimentation,skillgameprovidershavesettledonahandfulof tournamenttypeswhichhaveproventobethemostsuccessful. Standardtournamenttypesinclude:

Limitedentrycompetitions(alsocalledormatchedcompetitions)Theidentifying characteristicofalimitedentrycompetitionisthatitcontainsapreestablishednumber ofcompetitors;generallybetweentwoandtenplayers.Thecompetitionendswhenthe finalplayercompletesplayinghisorhergame.Thus,whilethenumberofplayersand thefinalprize(orprizes)areknowninadvance,thedurationisnot.Alimitedentry competitionmightremainopenforonlyafewminutes,orfordays,dependingonthe numberofplayersonthesiteandthepopularityofthegameinquestion.Playersrarely enteralimitedentrycompetitionmultipletimes. Progressivecompetitions(alsocalledprogressiveprize,progressivejackpot,or progressivecashcompetitions)Thesearetournamentswheretheendingtimeissetin advance,butthereareanunlimitednumberofparticipants.Playersareencouragedto entermultipletimes,andgenerallydo.Progressivecompetitionsgenerallylastfora periodrangingfromonedaytooneweek.Theprize(orprizes)risewitheachentry,so whiletheendtimeisknown,thefinalnumberofplayersandthefinalprize(s)arenot. Progressivecompetitionsinpopulargamesfrequentlyattracthundredsoreven thousandsofparticipants. Unlimitedentrycompetitions(alsocalledguaranteedjackpotorguaranteedcashpot competitions)Thesetournamentsaresimilartoprogressivecompetitions,inthatthe endingtimeisestablishedinadvanceandthenumberofentrantsisnot.Thedifference isthattheprize(orprizes)isfixed,ratherthanrisingasthenumberofentrantsrises. Theprizeisoftenintheformofmerchandiseratherthancash,suchasconsumer electronics,jewelry,giftcertificatesortravelpackages. Challengecompetitions(alsocalledlobbycompetitions)Thesearetwoplayermatches playedinrealtime,withplayerstakingturnsjustasingameslikechessorbilliards. Playersselecttheiropponentsviasometypeofgamelobby(seescreenshotbelow).Ifa rankingsystemisused,itismerelyasaguidetohelpplayerschoosetheiropponents, ratherthanrelyingonasoftwaredrivenmatchingsystem.Therecanalsobetwoplayer tournamentsissuedasachallengefromoneplayertoanother,eithertoabuddyora stranger,andplayedasynchronously.

157

LaddercompetitionsAladderisapermanent,oratleastongoing,competition composedofmanysubcompetitions.Playersarearrangedontheladderfrombestto worst,basedeitheronapreliminaryseedingtournamentorametricsuchasrankor lifetimewinningsinthatparticulargame.Oncequalified,aplayercanchallengeanother playerwhoisabovethemontheladder.Typicallytheyareonlypermittedtochallenge thosewhoareseveralrungsabovethem.Ifthechallengingplayerwins,orifthe challengeisignored,thetwoplayersswappositionsontheladder.Ifthechallenger loses,bothplayersretaintheirpositions.Thus,playersattempttobattletheirwayto thetopoftheladder.Inadditiontoprizesforindividualladderchallenges,theremaybe prizesforthetopplayerorplayers,aswellasthebraggingrightstheleadersgainfrom holdingthetopspots.

158

Bracketcompetitions(alsoknownassurvivalcompetitions)Abracketisaseriesof twoplayercompetitions,withwinnersplayingeachotherinaprogressivelynarrowing field,untilafinalcompetitiondecidesthewinnerofthebracket.Becauseofthe structure,thenumberofparticipantsmustbeapoweroftwoi.e.16,32,64,128,and soforth.Unlikeatraditionalbrackettournament,survivalcompetitionsareplayedasan asynchronousbracket,whichpermitsuserstoplayassoonastheyjointhecompetition. Asaresult,thereisnoneedforaqualifiereventorprecompetitionregistrationperiod. Thereisalsononeedtomanageatimelineoftherounds.Oneplayercouldbeplaying theirfifthroundgamewhileanotherplayerisjuststartingoutinthefirstround.Ifa playeriseliminatedandtherearestillspotsopen,theplayercanreenter.Aplayer couldconceivablymakeitallthewaytothepenultimateround,lose,reenter,andgo ontowinit.Playershaveasetperiodoftime,suchas24hours,toplaytheirbracket game.Ifthegameisnotplayed,theyforfeitthegameandtheiropponentmoveson. Likeprogressivecompetitions,bracketcompetitionscaninvolvemanyplayersandlarge prizepools.Unlikeprogressivecompetitions,however,whichrewardasinglestellar performance,bracketsrewardplayerswhomaintainconsistentlygoodlevelofplay. TopthiscompetitionsThisisaoneplayercompetition.Aplayerisgivenatarget scorebasedonhisorherownpastperformanceinthegame.Theplayerthenattempts tobeatthattargetscore.Iftheplayerbeatsthetargetscore,aprizeisawarded.This typeofcompetitionisnotofferedtobrandnewplayersbecauseoftheneedtocollecta historyofplayerscoresinordertoestablisharelevantstretchtargetscore.

Casestudy:WorldWinnersFamilyFeud
Introduction 100peoplesurveyed;thetopfouranswersareontheboard...Nameoneofthemostpopular televisiongameshowsduringthepast30yearsSurveysays...FamilyFeudtypicalnarration fromtheABCgameshowFamilyFeud Sincethesummerof1976,thegameshowFamilyFeudhasentertainedmillionsoftelevision viewersacrosstheglobe.Theformulaissimple:pittwofamiliesagainsteachothertoanswer themostpopularresponsestoaseriesofsurveyquestions.Addprizesandacharismatichost andyouhaveagameshowthathasstoodthetestoftime. WorldWinner,inpartnershipwithFremantleMediaEnterprises,licensorofFamilyFeud, translatedthistelevisionshowintoaskillgamewherecasualgamerscancompeteforcashand prizeslikecontestantsontheshow,butfromthecomfortoftheirhomes. Objective CreateaskillbasedversionofFamilyFeudforcashtournamentplayontheWorldWinner platform.

159

 Goals Formatthegameasasingleplayerexperience,incontrasttotheTVshowsformatof twocompetinggroupsofplayers;theplayeroftheskillgamewouldgetascorebased onhis/herindividualperformance,whichwouldthenbeusedtodeterminehisorher tournamentstanding.ThisisarequirementofallWorldWinnergames,assynchronous multiplayergameshavenotproventobesuccessfulintheskillbased,cashtournament model. CreateagamethatconsumersfamiliarwithFamilyFeudwouldrecognize,andnew playerscouldquicklylearn. Includeasmuchoftheiconographyofthetelevisiongameshowaspossiblecolors, logos,decorativesetelements,andsoforth. Minimizeoreliminatetheluckfactor,asisrequiredforthegametolegallyqualifyas skillbased. Createanentertainingandcompellinggamethatwillengageplayersonanongoing basis. Gameoverview WorldWinnersversionofFamilyFeudisasingleplayerexperience.Theplayerdoesnotplay withoragainstotherhumanplayersorcomputercontrolledopponents;instead,theplayers scoreisenteredonatournamentleaderboardandusedtodeterminetheplayersprizefrom thetournament,ifany.Eachgameconsistsoftworounds.Inthemainround,theplayer attemptstodeterminefouranswerstoasuppliedFamilyFeudsurveyquestion.Inthebonus round,theplayerattemptstoidentifythemostpopularofthefouranswerstothesurvey questiongiveninthemainround. Primarydesignchallenge TheprimarydesignchallengefortheskillgameversionofFamilyFeudwastoavoidafree response,typeininterface,asisusedinotherPCorwebversionsofFamilyFeud.Atypein interfacewouldrequireWorldWinnertoaccountforaseeminglyendlessnumberofacceptable synonymsforeachanswergiven. AnexampleofthelimitationsofafreeresponseinterfacecomesfromoneoftheexistingPC versionsofthegame:Thequestionwas,"Whenyoubuyanewcar,whatdoyoudowiththeold one?"Theanswer"THROWITAWAY"resultedinabuzzerandared"Xindicatinganincorrect answer.Thegameultimatelyrevealedthatoneoftheanswerswas"JUNKIT.Aplayerwhopaid acashentryfeetoenteratournamentwouldmostcertainlycomplainanddemandarefundfor thatgame.Asaresult,thisapproachwasnotviableforWorldWinner.Thissynonymproblem wouldhaveanumberofnegativeconsequences:

160

Significantprelaunchcostsassociatedwithreviewingthedatabaseofanswersinan attempttoincludeasmanyacceptablesynonymsaspossibleforeachanswer. Increasedpostlaunchcustomersupportcostsassociatedwithrespondingtothe foreseenseaofcomplaintsaboutinstancesliketheexamplecitedabove. Costsassociatedwithrefundedentryfeeswheninstancesliketheexamplecitedabove occur.Inafiveplayertournament,refundingasingleentryfeewouldnegate WorldWinnersrevenueforthattournament. Anegativeplayerreactiontothegameresultinginreducedplay.

ThereplacementinterfaceWorldWinnerdesignedallowsplayerstorevealoneletteratatime andthentypeintheremaininglettersoncetheyhavefiguredouttheanswer.Inthesimplest terms,itisahangmanstylegamewheretheplayerdoesnotguessletters,butratherreveals themuntiltheyrecognizetheanswer.Asaresult,thereisstillanelementofdeterminingthe mostpopularsurveyresponses,whileeliminatingtheissueofhavingtoguessthecorrect spelling,wordingorsynonymfortheanswer. Gameplaymainround Themainroundbeginsbydisplayingthesurveyquestionandafterabriefdelay;asingleanswer fieldappears.Thegameclockstartsaftertheanswerappearsintheformofboxesrepresenting thelettersintheanswer.Itcountsdownfrom2:00(thatis,120seconds).Themainround consistsoffouruniquescreens,labeledXof4whereXisthecurrentpollanswer(e.g.3of 4).Thegamedeliversthesurveyanswersinrandomorder,andnotintheactualorderof popularity.

161

 Thegameonlyrevealsonerandomletterineachansweratthestartoftheround.Forexample, ifthequestionwasNamesomethinganactorhopeswonthappentohimrightbeforeabig audition.andtheanswerwasFORGETHISLINEStheplayermightsee: _________S_____ Thereafter,theplayercanrequestanadditionalletterbyclickingontheRevealLetterbutton. Soafter6requeststorevealaletter,thephrasemightlooklikethis: F__G____IS_I_E_ Assoonastheplayerhasdeterminedtheanswer,heorshecanclicktheSolvebutton.This willchangetheSolvebuttontoaSubmitbutton.Theplayeristhenrequiredtotypeinthe

162

remainingletterstocompletetheanswerandsubmitit.UponhittingtheEnterkeyorclicking theSubmitbutton,thegamecomparestheplayersanswertotherealanswer;ifitisnota match,alargeredXappearsonthescreen.Ifitisamatch,asoundeffectsignalstheplayers success,theplayersscoreincreases,andthegamerevealsanewscreencontainingadifferent answerwithboxesandthefirstletterfilledin. ThemainroundendsunsuccessfullyiftheplayerreceivesathirdXatanypoint,oriftheclock countsdownto0:00beforetheplayerhassuccessfullycompletedeveryanswer.Theround endssuccessfullyuponcompletionofthelastanswer.Iftheroundendsunsuccessfully,the gameisover,theplayerispresentedwithananimationofthefourcorrectanswersandthen thefinalscoresummaryscreenisdisplayed.Ifthemainroundendssuccessfully,theplayer continuesontothebonusround. Gameplaybonusround Thebonusroundstartswithamessageinstructingtheplayerto"Choosethe#1mostpopular answerfromtheanswersbelow!"Thetimerissetto20secondsandbeginscountingdown.

163

Theplayerthensimplyclicksononeofthefouranswers,whichisthenhighlighted.Theanswer's popularityrankamongtheotheranswersisrevealedandtheplayerisawardedtheappropriate numberofbonuspointsasshown: MostPopularAnswer=75 2ndMostPopularAnswer=50 3rdMostPopularAnswer=25 4thMostPopularAnswer=0 Forinstance,iftheplayerweretoselectthethirdmostpopularresponsebasedonthesurvey results,heorshewouldreceiveabonusroundscoreof25. Marketresponse OnSeptember27,2007,WorldWinnerlaunchedthegametoitsentirecommunityofplayers. Thisincludedplayersfromacrossitslargepartnernetwork,includingAOLGames,MSNGames, PogoandGSN.com(formerlyTheGameShowNetwork).Thegamereceivedanimmediateburst ofplay,whichistypicalofanynewlylaunchedgameontheWorldWinnersite.Alsotypically,the majorityofthegamesrevenuecamefromitsofferinginlimitedentrytournaments.Less typically,thegamehasproventobeaverypowerfultoolforacquiringnewplayers.As anticipated,thousandsofplayerswereenticedbythepopularityofthetelevisionshowandthe familiarityofthebrand. Inthesevenmonthssincelaunch,theskillgameversionofFamilyFeudcontinuestobeatop acquisitiontoolfordrivingnewplayerstotheWorldWinnerplatform,basedonclickthrough ratesfromlinksandbanneradsonWorldWinnerspartnersites.WorldWinnersolicitsplayer feedbackregardingthegamemechanic,contentandlengthofthegame.Manyplayershave requestedalongergamewithadditionalrounds,andWorldWinneriscurrentlyconsidering enhancementstothegametofurtherimprovetheplayerexperience.

Marketplayers
Skillgameproviders:

GameBonus(www.gamebonus.com) GameColony(www.gamecolony.com/) Gamedek(www.gamedek.com) GameDesire(www.gamedesire.com/) Gameduell(www.gameduell.de/) Gamezaddict.com(www.gamezaddict.com) Greentube(www.greentube.com/) King(www.king.com/)

164

MoneyGaming(www.moneygaming.com/) SkillGround(www.skillground.com) SkillMoney(www.skillmoney.com) TournamentGames(www.tournamentgames.com) WorldWinner(www.worldwinner.com/)

KeyIPholderswhohavelicensedIPtoskillgameproviders: Keygameportalswithpartnershipdealswithskillgameproviders: AOL(www.games.aol.com)WorldWinner GameHouse(www.gamehouse.com)King GSN(www.gsn.com.games)WorldWinner Lycos(www.gamesville.com)WorldWinner Pogo(www.pogo.com)WorldWinner RealArcade(www.realarcade.com)King YahooGames(www.games.yahoo.com)King MSNGames(www.zone.com)WorldWinner PopCap(www.popcap.com)Bejeweled,Chuzzle,Zuma,others FreshGames(www.freshgames.com)Cubis,WordMojo PlayFirst(www.playfirst.com)DinerDash MumboJumbo(www.mumbojumbo.com)Luxor Hasbro(www.hasbro.com)SCRABBLE Fremantle(www.fremantlemedia.com)FamilyFeud,AmericanIdol,ThePriceIsRight

165

MicrotransactionSupportedGames
EntiresectionbyRomanNouzarethandCaf.comstaff Therearemanychallengesdevelopersfacewhendevisingnewgamesandplatforms,notthe leastofwhichishowtocreatesomethingthatappealstoawiderangeofusers,iseasily accessiblebysaidusersandstillturnsaprofitforthegamepublisher. Inthissection,wewilldiscusshowthemicrotransaction(MTX)systemaccomplishesthis,and benefitsbothdevelopersandusersbyprovidingalowcostandeasilycustomizedexperienceto playerswhileatthesametimegeneratingahighreturnforthegamepublisher;waysinwhich thebusinessmodelhasalreadybeensuccessfullyimplemented;andwhatroleMTXwillplayin theemergingfuture.

WhatisMTX?
MTX(MicroTransactions),alsoknownasitemsales,isabusinessmodelintroducedinKoreain thelate1990stoderiverevenuefromonlinegamingcommunities.Insteadofrelyingon packagesales,downloadsalesorsubscriptiontogeneraterevenue,MTXgamessellvirtualitems orservicesthatenhancetheuserexperiencewhilebasicaccesstothegameremainsfree. ObjectsofMTXscantakemanyforms.Theycanbepurelycosmetic(e.g.avatarclothes,game backgroundcustomization),impactgameplay(e.g.doubleaccumulatedexperienceforalimited amountoftime,provideaburstofspeedinaracinggame,etc)orprovideextraorspecial servicestoaplayer(e.g.theabilitytoresetonestrackrecordinashootinggameonceonehas achievedExpertlevelandwishestoclaimbeingundefeated).Itemscanalsobeusedasgifts (virtualflowers)oradditionalcontent(Newmaps,levels,music,etc).MTXmustnotbemistaken withRMT(RealMicroTransactions),whichisthebuyingandsellingofitemsbetweenplayers usingrealmoney. MostMTXbasedgamesorsiteshavetheirownvirtualeconomies.Aplayerusessmallamount ofrealworldmoneytopurchasealargersumofingamecurrency,whichisthenusedto purchasegoodsandservices(Avataroutfits,gamepowerups,etc).Developingavirtual economyischallenging,butisvitalforuserexperienceaswellasforrevenuegeneration.

Originsofthebusinessmodelingames
IntheEast,afterthereleaseofLineagein1998,onlinegamesgainedhugepopularityinKorea andlaterintherestofAsia.Lineageuserspaidamonthlysubscriptionfeeof29,000KRW($29 USD)toaccessthegame,andbecauseplayerswererequiredtoconnecttoaserverinorderto play,thegamesrevenueswerenotaffectedbypiracy.FollowingthesuccessofLineagemany newonlinegameswerelaunchedandcompetitionbecamesointensethatmostofthemfailed toreachthecriticalusermassnecessarytorecoupdevelopmentandoperationscost.TheMTX modelemergedasananswertotheresultingchallenge:howtomonetizeanonlinegame,while

166

removingbarrierstoentrysoastomaximizethenumberofusersandtheirretention?MTX accomplishesthisbyprovidingfreeaccesstogamesandservicesandchargingonlythoseusers preparedtopayextraforamorecomprehensiveexperience. Atthesametimeanduntilrecently,theWesternmarketexistedinapureTryBeforeYouBuy model,atrendwhichtookadownturnaftertheindustryrealizedthatthe1%industrystandard conversionratio(thatis,thepercentageofuserswhopurchasedagameaftercompletingthea trialrun)wassimplynotproducingenoughrevenuetomaintainacompetitiveplayingfield.

AsianExperiences
Onlinemultiplayercasualgamesplayedhosttothefirstinitialexperimentsofmicro transactions,withthefirstmajorsuccessbeingBnBCrazyArcadebyNexon,aBombermantype onlinegamethattoppedthechartsinKoreaandChinaforafewyears(700KPCUinChinain 2004).BnBsitemsarepurelycosmetic,customizingthingslikesizeandcolorofgameelements, anddontaffectthegameplay. MTXsoonbecametheobligatorybusinessmodelforonlinecasualgamesinAsia,andwas successfullyimplementedinmanycasualandadvancedcasualtitlessuchasKartRider(online racinggame),Freestyle(basketballgame),Pangya(casualgolfgame),SpecialForce(FPS), Audition(rhythmgame),andmanyothers(Hangamegames,QQgames,etc). In2006,leadingChineseonlinegamepublisherShandaappliedthesamethinkingtomore advancedhardcoregamesandmoveditsportfolioofMMOsfromasubscriptionmodeltoMTX, leadingtoaboostinuseracquisitionandretentionaswellasanincreaseinAverageRevenue PerUser(ARPU)(companyprofitwasup49%to$338millionin2007Error!Bookmarknot defined.). Inasimilaraction,AmericanpublishinggiantElectronicArtsbecamethefirstWesternpublisher toattempttheMTXmodelinAsiawhen,inpartnershipwithleadingKoreanonlinegame companyNeowiz,itreleasedFIFAOnlineinMay2006.FIFAOnlineisanadaptationofthe popularFIFAsoccerfranchiseforPCandconsolesthatfocusesonmultiuserplayandincludes anonlinebackendthatmanagesplayerstatistics,tournamentinformation,microtransactions andsoforth.MTXisusedforvariousenhancements,suchasallowingtheusertoextendthe careerofastarplayer.Thegamehasquicklybecomethenumberoneonlinesportsgamein Korea,withoverfivemillionregisteredsubscribers,andsold700Kenhancementunitsin7 months.Buildingonthissuccess,EAwillbereleasingBattlefield:HeroesasaglobalMTXrelease insummer2008. ExampleofaSuccessStory:KartRider(Nexon) 15millionsubscribersinKorea(25%ofthecountriestotalpopulation). Reach220KPCUs(PeakConcurrentUsers)inFebruary2006.

167

Soldover20millionvirtualcars. Decorativeitems:from$0.60to$1.80 Functionalitems:from$0.80to$5.00 Decorative+functionalitems:$0.60to$10.00

Westernexperiences
SinceitsinceptioninAsia,theMTXapproachhasbeentriedbyseveralcompanies,eitherasa standaloneorincombinationwithanothermodel.Inthecasualsegment,Pogo.comstarted sellinggemstoitsClubPogomembersattheendofyear2006.Thesegemscanbeusedto purchasebadges,badgealbums,anditemsforavatars.EAannouncedthatgemsalesin2006 producedanextra1015%revenueontopofthatgeneratedfromClubPogosubscriptions(1.5 millionsubscribers). Alsoin2006,Boonty,Inc.purchasedaBeijingbasedstudiotodevelopCafe.com,anonline destinationwebsiteforcasualandsocialmultiplayergames,withabusinessmodelbasedon MTXwhichlaunchedinJanuary2008. Onthepublishingend,inSeptember2007casualgamepublisherPlayfirstlaunchedDinerDash HometownHero,thelatestinstallmentinitspopularDinerDashfranchise,withanMTXheavy systemofferingawiderangeofproducts(500+clothing&decoritemsatvariousprices,aswell asadditionalrestaurantsavailablefor$4.99).Thegamehasbeenahugesuccess;morethan1/3 ofallrevenueforDinerDash:HometownHerohasbeenfromitemsalesandoverall,anditem salesareincorporatedinonlyonegameoutof~500. PuzzlePirates,apiratethemedMMObyThreeRings,initiallyofferedusersthebestofboth worldsbyemployingbothsubscriptionandMTXbasedpricingplans,andallowingplayersto choosewhichtoutilize.Thesubscriptionmodelwaseventuallyabandonedduetothepopularity andsuccessoftheMTXmodel. MTXhasalsobeenemerginginthehardcoresegmentlately,mostlyonconsoles:Ontopofthe costofastandardXboxLivesubscription,Microsoftearnsanextra10%inrevenuebyselling cosmeticupgrades,extracontentforgames(referredtoasdownloadablecontent),andmore. PlayersofMTVsrockmusicsimulatorgameRockBand,availableonPS3andXbox360, downloadedmorethan2.5millionsongsatabout$2eachinonlythefirst8weeksofitsrelease.

MTXMarketOverview
Dependingonthesources,theglobalonlinegamesmarketisforecastedtoreachbetween$12 and$13billioninrevenuesby2011.

168

AsianMarket InAsiatoday,revenuesfromMTXgamesaregreaterthansubscriptionrevenues,andis consideredthemandatorybusinessmodelforallnewgamereleases. TheMTXgamemarketisatitsstrongestandmostmaturestateinAsia.Keyplayersincludetop casualandhardcoregameoperatorssuchasNexon(MapleStoryKorea)andNHN(Hangame gameportal&ijji.com)inKorea&Japan;Shanda(MapleStoryChina)andTencentCorp(QQ gameportal)inChina;andNeowiz(Pmanggameportal)inKorea.LargeWesternpublisherswho usedtolicensetheironlinetitlestoAsianoperatorsunderasubscriptionoraboxsalemodelare nowbeingforcedtomovetoanMTXmodelinordertopenetratetheAsianmarket.As mentioned,ElectronicArtswasthefirsttosuccessfullydosowithFIFAOnlineinKorea.To furtherbuilduponitssuccess,EAplanstolaunchFIFAinotherAsianmarketsandtolaunch moreMTXversionsofitssuccessfultitlesinthefuture. PerhapsmostpertinentisthefactthatMTXisincreasingrapidly,andlargelyattheexpenseof subscriptionmodels.Casual,mid,orhardcore,MTXisnowthestandardforonlinegamingin Asia.Allnewsuccessfulgamesusethismodelasconsumersbecomemorereluctanttocommit toupfrontpurchasesorsubscriptionplans.ThesizeoftheMTXmarketinAsiaisdifficultto estimateasmanycompaniesareprivatelyheldanddonotpublishfinancialinformation,but PearlResearchforecaststheonlinegamesmarketinChinawasworth$2billionin2007andwill exceed$3billioninthenextfewyears,havingalreadygrown60%in2007alone,drivenby diverse,freetoplaygamesandagreaterdemandforaleisurely,casualexperience19 . Onthetitlelevel,asuccessfuladvancedcasualgameorMMOinKoreasuchasKartRideror MapleStorywillhaveaPCU(PeakConcurrentUser)ofaround60,000to80,000usersandan activeuserbaseof300,000to500,000.Some,suchasSpecialForceortheaforementioned MapleStory,haveasubstantiallylargerfanbase. FormostgamesinAsia,ARPUisgenerallycalculatedat$5peractiveuserpermonth,butthis revenueactuallycomesonlyfromadedicatedfractionoftheuserbasewhilethemajorityof playersneverpayacent.In2007certainonlinegamesbegantoreach$7to$12ARPU,butthe mostsuccessfulgamesmaycollectupto$25USDperuserandmonth.OverallasuccessfulMTX gamewillgeneratemonthlyrevenueofUSD$1.5$3.5millioninKoreaalone.
Korea

CJInternet:OperatestheNetMarblegameportal,witharound100,000concurrentusersin Korea.TheirallowingonlypeoplepossessingSouthKoreancitizenshipregistrationnumbersto joinmayputadamperonfuturegrowth.

19

Pearl Research Market Research and Consulting Services, China April 2008 Update

169

Neowiz:OperatesthePmangportal,whichspecializesinmidsessioncasualgames.Neowiz claimstohaveanactiveuserbaseof6millionpeopleinKorea.Neowizpartneredwith ElectronicArtstocodevelopandoperatetheMTXversionofFIFAOnline,andIn2007EA acquired17%ofthecompany. NexonCorp:OperatesthelargestonlinegamingportalinKorea,with18millionsubscribersin thecountry(55%ofKoreanInternetPopulation).Gamecataloguerangesfromflashminigames toMMOsandincludeseverythinginbetween.AllgamesuseanMTXmodel.Nexonestablished officesintheUSin2005.TheirmostpopulargameinthewestisMapleStory,whichhas attracted2millionuserssinceitslaunch.In2005,Nexonposted$230millioninrevenue,with 85%generatedfromvirtualitemssales. NHNCorp:OperatesHangame,thenumberonecasualgamingportalinKoreaandJapan. Hangamehasabout150,000concurrentusersinKorea,100,000inJapan.Gameofferingsvary fromcountrytocountrybutgenerallycoverabroadscopeofonlinegamegenresfromshort sessioncasualtomidcoretofullfledgedMMO.MostgamesuseanMTXmodel.
China

NHNCorp:OperatestheOurGameportal,simliartoitsKorean/JapanesecounterpartHangame. Shanda:Onethetop4onlinegameoperatorsinChinaItstartedbyoperatingMMOsandlater beganofferingshortandmidsessioncasualgames.Early2006,Shandamovedallitsproducts includingMMOstoMTXwithpositiveimpactonusergrowth,userretentionandoverall revenue(profitswereup49%in2007,garneringanimpressive$338millionUSD). TencentCorp:TencentCorpsQQgamesportalisthelargestcasualgamingportalintheworld withover30millionactiveusersinChina.AllofitsgamesusetheMTXmodel. Tencenthasover250millionactiveusersinChinaandgenerated$100+millioninQ12007.65% oftheirrevenuecomesfromvirtualgoodsandservices. TencentislistedontheHongKongstockmarket(StockCode:700) Westernmarket InNorthAmericaandEurope,MTXrepresentsanewapproachformostoftheindustryplayers. SuccessfulMTXmodelsinthewestsuchasHabboHotel,ClubPenguin,PuzzlePirates,Pogo, Cafe.com,Stardoll,King.comandmore,haveproventheviabilityofthenewbusinessmodelfor Westernaudiences,provokinganindustrychargetowardsMTXforattractingnewplayers. Becauseofthisnewmodel,itispossibletoofferagameforfreeandmakeupthelostrevenue byhavingtheenduserpaywhattheyarewillingandpreparedtoforasmanyorfewextrasas theywish,withoutforcingthemtopayforunwantedcontent.Thiskeepstheplayerhappier, interested,andmorewillingandabletopurchaseadditionalcontent.Asanaddedbonus,the

170

(oftenmultiplayer)gamesgainamuchlargeruserbaseaswordofeaseofplayandlowtono costspreadamongsocialgroups. Oneneedslooknofurtherthanthenumbersgeneratedbytopplayersinthefieldtoseethe truthofthesestatements.InFebruary2007,NorthAmericanplayersspent$1.6millionon 600,000virtualproductswithinMapleStory;FromNovember2006toJune2007,$6.7million worthofvirtualgemswerepurchasedtoupgradefeaturesonPogo.com;King.comcollected$27 millionfromgamingmicrotransactionsin2006.HabboHotelhasmorethan75millionavatars worldwide(7.5activeusers),andmorethan90%ofitsrevenues(estimated$77millionin2006) comefromvirtualgoods;50%oftransactionsmadeonDinerDashtodayarebelowthe$4.99 pricepoint.Afull36%oftherevenuesfromDinerDashHometownHeroarecomingfromMTX, therestbeingdownloadsales;ThreeRingsdid$3MinDoubloonsaleslastyearwithaprice pointgoingfrom$2.95to$99.95withaveragesaleat~$20andARPUforapayinguserof~$50 inaparticularmonth,lifetimenorthof$100;andoveratCafe.com,42%oftheearliestusers haveutilizedmorethan5purchasableitemspergamesession. 20 Onthehardcorefront,ElectronicArtswillsoonbereleasinginEuropeandNorthAmericathe aforementionedfreeonlineversionofthepopulargameBattlefield,tobesupportedentirelyby advertsandmicropayments.Gamerswillbeabletobuyitemsthatcustomizetheirappearance inthegame,butwillnotbeabletoseekanadvantagethroughbuyingweapons.EAexpect95% ofplayerswillneverpurchaseextracontent.InSouthKorea,thecompanysfreeonlineversion ofFifaearnsmorethan$1mamonththroughingamesales. AlsohelpingtoexpandtheMTXmodelintothewesternmarketisthatby2007,manyKorean& ChinesecompaniesopenedUSbranchesanddestinationsites,includingIjjibyNHN,QQUSA, NexonUSA,etc. Facebook.com,whichwhilenotagameisneverthelessastellarexampleofMTXsuccess,uses themodeltosellgoodsthroughtheGiftoftheDayapplication,simpledigitalpresentsusually costingaround$1.Facebookapplicationsandapplicationdevelopers(Zynga,SGN,thewildly popularScrabulous,etc)arestartingtheMTXintegrationbutitismostlikelysomethingtheywill developmorein2008/2009.
US

Cafe.com:OperatedbyBoonty,Inc.,Cafe.comisadestinationwebsiteforuserstoplayfree games,winprizesandmeetfriends.Thesitewasinitiallylaunchedin2006,andrevealedits completelyrevampedversioninFebruary2008.

20

Boonty, Inc., Internal cafe.com data, June 2008

171

K2Network:OperatesAsianonlinetitlesintheWestsuchasGlobalMUOnlineandSwordof theNewWorldseveralofwhichusetheMTXmodel. NHNUSA:HangameandOurGameoperatorNHNCorplauncheditsgameportalintheUSas Ijji.com,andaEuropeanreleaseissettofollowin2008. NexonUSA:TheirpopularSouthKoreandevelopedgameMapleStory,afreeofcharge2Dside scrollingMMO,reliesentirelyonrealmoneyMTXtogeneraterevenue,andbyFebruary2006 hadalreadygenerated200millionUSDinSouthKoreaalone. Playfirst:IncorporatedMTXinthenewmultiplayerinstallmentofitspopularDinerDash franchise,DinerDashHometownHero,launchedin2007.InapressreleasePlayfirstCEOsaid thatHometownHerowasthemostpopularDinertitletodateandthat36%oftherevenue camefromMTX,withtheremaindergeneratedfromactualgamesales. ElectronicArts(Pogo.com):EAsPogo.comcasualgamingsiteusesMTXasasourceof additionalrevenuefromitsclubPogoservice.TheitemssoldonClubPogoarepurelycosmetic anddonotaffectgameplay. TencentQQUSA:AfunctioningexampleofplayerspreferencefortheMTXsystem,in2002the chatandgamingserviceQQbeganrequiringnewuserstopayaregistrationfee,butreturned tothefreesystemin2003underpressurefromtheirpartners.Currently,paidpremium membershipsareavailableinadditiontothefreeservice. ThreeRings:ThreeRingsisastartupdeveloperofpersistentworldonlinegames,basedinSan Francisco,California.TheyarethepublisherbehindPuzzlePirates,Bang!Howdy,andWhirled.
Europe

FewEuropeancompaniesfocusexclusivelyonMTX,butseveralnowintegratesomedegreeof anMTXmodel. Bigpoint:DevelopsandoperatesMTXmidsessioncasualgames.Bigpointhasover13million registeredusersinGermany.InJune2008,theePeacockEquityFund,ajointventurebetween GEandNBCUniversal,announcedadefinitiveagreementforthemajoritybuyoutofBigpointfor 70M FranceTelecom:GOA:FrenchtelcothatlaunchedtheGOAportal.TheyoperateAsianMTXmid sessioncasualgamessuchasPengya. GiventhesuccessofthemodelinAsiaandintheWestitislikelythattheMTXmodelwillbe morewidelyusedinEuropeinthefuture.Thebenefitsespeciallyforcasualgamessitesare toogreattoignore:themodelrepresentsanopportunitytoattractalargeaudienceandhigher revenuethanapureadvertisingortrybeforeyoubuysystem.

172

Communitygamingsitesinparticularhavealotofpotentialforgeneratinghighamountsof ARPUthroughitemsfocusingoninteractionbetweenplayers.TheAsianexperiencesuggests thatonceoneofthesecompanieshasaresoundingsuccesswithMTX,itwillbedifficultfor anyonetoforceamorerigidsubscriptionorsalesperdownloadmodelonusers,andMTXwill likelyquicklygainalargemarketshare.

MicrotransactionAudience
IfthereisonethingthatcanbesaidofMTX,itisthatithastrulytransformedhabitswithinthe onlinegamingworld.Audiencesofbothcasualandhardcoregameshavebeenquickto embraceandintegratetheusageofmicrotransactions.Thisisbecause,asMinhoKim,Director ofGameOperationsforNexonAmericasaidinaninterviewwithGamasutra.com: Thegreatthingaboutmicrotransactionsisthattheyarescalable.Youcanspendas littleaszerodollarsbutasmuchasyouwant.Yourenotlinkedtoacertainscale. 21 Fortheplayers,therationaleforusinggameswithmicrotransactionsissimple:Afreegame removesthebarriertoentry,connectingaplayertoasmanyfriendsandotherusersaspossible. Playersmayeasilyfindthemselvesspendingmorethan$10amonthviaonedollarandfifty centimpulsepurchases,andbemorecomfortablewithitthanpayinganequalpricedmonthly fee. AkeyfeatureoftheseMTXgamesissocialnetworking,andplayersarereadyandwillingtofork overyenandyuantotweaktheirappearancetotheirliking.AtHangame,Japan'snumberone internetgameportal,customerscanspendanywherefrom30centsto$10anitemtocustomize thelookoftheiravatarvisibleduringsocialinteractionsandintheotherwisefreegames. AccordingtoNexon,playersofthecasualracinggameKartRiderhavepurchasedsome20 millioncarsinthegame,andtheycanrecordandposttheirracesandscoresonacommunity website,alongwithscreenshotsoftheircars.Thisencouragesuserstopurchasehigherend upgradesandcustomizations. ThelargestdownsidetoMTXarepaymentissuessuchasnothavingaccesstoacreditcard.In ordertowidenthetargetedaudiencetokidsandteensandotherpeoplewhomaynothave accessto(ordontwanttouse)abankaccountorcreditcardalternativemethodsofpurchasing andpaymentcanbeused,suchasphonebilling,premiumSMS,prepaidcards,andevengift cards.

Minho Kim, Interview with Gamasutra.com, http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15425 (September 2007)

21

173

Thesuccessful,subscriptionfreecasualMMOMapleStorytrumpedthisissueparticularlywell, makingprepaidcardsavailableforpurchasetoitsaudienceofmostlynoncreditcardaged users.ThesameexamplecanbeseeninEuropewithHabboHotel.

GameProductionandDevelopment
Itemsthatprovidepowerupstousersorcosmeticupgrades&customizationarenothingnew togamedevelopers.Theseitemshavealwaysbeenheavilyintegratedintogameplay,and especiallyintheMMOsandothermultiplayergamesthathaveexperiencedarecentupsurgein popularity.Asthetrendincasualgamingcontinuestorise,wewillmoreandmoreseecasual usersenteringwhataregenerallyconsideredhardcoregames,andbeingunabletocompete properlywiththesegamestraditionaluserbase.ThisphenomenonisespeciallytrueinMMOs, inwhichpersonalinvestmentmustofnecessitybeparticularlyhigh.Byunsolderingpowerups fromthegamedesign,however,certainrewardsandsuchcannowbeavailabletoplayerswho maynothavethetimeorinclinationtodevotehoursonendtogrindingandfarmingthe requiredgold/reputation/experience/insertrequiredpointsystemhere.Thisallowsthemore casual(orotherwiseoccupied)playertocompetewiththemorededicatedones. Surveysleadpublisherstothinkaboutmonetizingthesegameplayelementsasenhancements, whichcouldallowplayerstobecompetitivewithotherplayersthathaveinvestedalotoftime intothegame.ThisphenomenonisespeciallytrueinMMOs,inwhichpersonalinvestmentis particularlyhighbutthetrendincasualgamingisincreasingquicklyaswenowseecasual playersplayingasmuchashardcoreplayers. Thiskindofsystemcomeswithsomerisks,however.Besidesbringingadvantagestoplayersand enhancingthegameplay,itemsshouldntunbalancethegame.Theyshouldbehelpfulenough toinciteplayerstobuythem,withoutcreatingfrustrationinthoseplayerswhoareputtingtime aneffortintothegameinsteadofbuyingpowers.Thegameneedstoremainasourceoffun, andrewardthemostskilledplayers,nottherichestones.Agoodgamedesignwillpreventthe possibilityforaplayertosimplybuysuccess. Itemshavetoenhancethegameplaybykeepingagoodbalanceandmakesurethatbenefit worththeprice.OneneedlooknofurtherthantherecentBattlefield:BadCompanyfiascoto seeplayersfeelingsonmatterclearlyillustrated.Whenthegamesbetawasinitiallyreleased,it wasapparentthatfivesuperpoweredweaponswouldbeavailableeitherthroughpurchaseon XBoxLive,orimmediatelyoutoftheboxforthosewhopurchasedthegamesGoldEdition22 . Basically,thisamountedtoanalmostinsurmountableleguponthecompetitionforanyplayer willingtoshellouttheextracash.Luckily,thepublicbacklashwassuchthatthegames
Xbox 360 Fanboy Blog [Internet] [2007 March 21]. http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/03/21/ea-charging-for-weapons-in-bad-company-beta/
22

174

publisherElectronicArtsreverseditsdecision,makingthegunsavailableforfreeinthegames basiceditionforthosewhocompleteditallthewaythrough.IntermsofitsrelationshiptoMTX, populargamingnewssiteKotakusummedupthelessoninthisscenarioquitesuccinctly: Whatthisbasicallymeansisthatpeoplewillingtodropalittleextracash,beit inthestoreoronXboxLive,willhavemoreweaponstochoosefromthan someonewhoscrapestogetherjustenoughtopickupthegameitself.Thisisnot thewaymicrotransactionsshouldbeused.Cosmeticadditionsandextramaps areallwellandgood,butallowingplayerstopayinordertogetaleguponthe competitionisjustslimy 23 Conversely,agoodexampleofawellbalancedpowerupsystemthoughitmakesuseofthe ingamecurrency&pointsystemratherthanreallifeMTXisthePVPrewardsystemin BlizzardspopularMMORPGWorldofWarcraft.ThegameemploystwoseparatePvPpoint systems:PointsawardedthroughstandardPvPinBattlegroundsandviaspecialquests;and ArenapointsearnedthroughparticipationintheBattleArena.Specialpowerfulsetsofarmor andweaponsareavailableimmediatelyforacertaincosttoplayerswhosucceedintheArena; however,beinganArenafighterrequiresahugeamountoftimeaswellasahighlevelofskill, neitherofwhichtheaverageplayerpossesses.Intheinterestoffairness,attheendofeach ArenaseasonthesepowerupsbecomeavailabletoanyoneparticipatinginnormalPvP,anda newspecialsetisaddedfortheArena.Thebenefittothissystemisthatplayerscanchoose betweenalargetimecommitmentandquickergratification,orwaittoearnthearmorlaterata cheaperrate.Eitherway,thepowerupsareeventuallyavailabletoall,withanevencostoftime versusmoney;makingitdifficultforalowlevelplayertosimplybuytheirwayintotheupper ranks,yetgivingthemafightingchance. Inregardstocasualgaming,thereisaschoolofthoughtthataddingitemsandpowerupsofany kindautomaticallybringsagametoamoreadvancedorhardcorelevel,thoughthesebelievers ignorethefactthatclassiccasualslikeBejeweled,Collapse,etchavebeenincorporatingsmall powerupsofsomekindsincetheirinception.EvenmoreinvolvedtitleslikeNintendosMario Kartsuccessfullyintegratepowerupsthatgreatlyenhanceplay,inagamethatcanbeplayedas casuallyorintenselyastheplayerswish.Theitemsdonotmakeplayharderforplayers,asthey areeasytoobtain,use,anddonotgeneratestressorfrustration(exceptperhapsforthe legendaryblueshell!).Studiosmustbecautiouswhenaddingitemstoagame,astheyrunthe riskofdenaturizingthecoreofthegameplay.Ifauserhadtoworkashardtopickupanextra iteminMarioKartastheydotosay,pickupanultimateweaponinamoreadvancedgamelike UnrealTournament,theactoftryingtogetthatpowerupwilldestroythecasualexperience.
23

Kotaku.com, http://kotaku.com/370694/ea-charging-for-bad-company-weapons (March 2008)

175

TherearemanydifferenttypesofitemsthatcanbeintegratedinanMTXgame.Nevertheless,it iscrucialtorememberthattheseelementsshouldntruntheriskofunbalancingthegame, perhapsslantingtheoddssolopsidedlyinoneplayersfavorthatvictoryininevitable.Toavoid thiskindofissueandstillenabletheuseofMTXdevelopersshouldthinkaboutintegrating environmentalandcosmeticitems,ratherthanonesthatenhancegameplay(atleastinadirect sense).Theseupgradesarejustasusefulinimprovingthequality,diversityandinterestsofa game,withoutworryingaboutanykindofadverseeffectonplay. Itemsmaybeusedtoopenmorecontenttotheplayer(levels,quests,songs,etc),enabling longerplayandenhancingtheexperiencewithoutactuallychangingplay.Withthiskindof contentthereistheriskthataplayerwhobuysanewmapmayfindhimselfunabletoplaywith hisfriendwhohasnotpurchasedthenewcontent.Onesolutionmaybegivingthosewho purchaseexclusivecontenttheabilitytoshareitwithalimitednumberoffriends,perhaps somethingsimilartothesongsharefunctionontheZune,MicrosoftsflagshipMP3player. Alternatively,ifthecontentisattractiveandconsistent,thescarcityandexclusiveconceptcould actuallyhaveapositiveviraleffect. Intermsofcosmeticenhancements,newavatarmodesworkwell,likesportsstars,US presidents,famouscelebrities,etc.Alsopopulararenewskinsandaccessories,suchasnew clothes,physicalattributeslikeeyecolorandhaircuts,accessoriesforavatarsinsidethegame, aswellasnewbackgrounds/skins,orsoundeffectsallowinggreaterplayerinteractionthrougha chatsystem.InDinerDash:Hometownheroforexample,themostpopularitemsaretheskins thatplayerscanapplytotheirrestauranttogiveitapersonaltouch,makingtheircreation uniquetothemselves.Playersenjoybeingdifferentandshowingofftheirpersonality,which makesthiskindofelementverypopular. PlayerenjoymentandpromotionisaperfectopportunityforMTX.Optionslikevideosofplay,a screenshotoftheplayersteamasitgloriouslycapturestheenemiesbase,streamingmusicfrom aplayersPCforotheruserstohear,andothersuchdeviceshelpimmersetheplayerinthe game,andaddtothesenseofcommunity.Obviouslythesekindsofextrasarenotnecessaryto gameplay,butcanhaveagreatimpactonplayerenjoyment.Forexample,assaultinganenemy teamfromtheairinBattlefieldisthatmuchsweeterwhentheplayerissimultaneously broadcastingFlightoftheValkyeriestoallhisunsuspectingvictims. Asculturesareverydifferentandlanguagebarriersarealissue,itisextremelybeneficialto localizeandcustomizeitemsinrelationtorealworldeventslikeChristmasandHalloweento provideadeeperimmersioninthegame.WorldofWarcraftsannualWickermanFestival(on Halloween)andFeastofWintersVeil(onChristmas)eventsareprimeexamplesofthispractice. Morethanamarketingconcept,itmeanswrappingplayersintoauniverse,inwhichtheyare comfortableandwillingtospendmoretimein.

176

Besidesallthesenongameplayelements,aboveallitemsmeaninteractionsbetweenplayers duringasession,whetherbyimprovingtheirskills,inconveniencinganopponent,ordefending againstthoseopponentsattacks.Itbearsrepeating,balanceandMTXpricingmustbediligently paidattentionto. TakingCafe.comasanexample,threetypesofitemsreferredtohereasboostshavebeen developedforthegames: Attack:Aplayerusesaboostonanopponentthatdisadvantagesthatopponent.Ex: PlayerAsendstheSmokeScreenboosttoPlayerB,whichblursPlayerBsscreenfora limitedamountoftime. Beneficial:Aplayerusesaboosttogivehimselfanadvantage.Example:The MastersightboostinSudokuwhichallowsaplayertoseethecontentsofsquaresfora limitedamountoftime. Social:Usersendsaboosttoanotherplayer,notrelatedtothegameplay,similarto systemsalreadyinplaceonsocialnetworkingsiteslikeFacebook.Example:PlayerA sendflowerstoplayerB

Whateverthecase,MTXgamesshouldbeplayablewithouttheseboostsandupgrades,butbe justchallengingenoughtoencourageaplayertodesiretopurchaseapowerup.OnCafe.com,it iscommonforaplayerwhohasbeenbeatenthroughuseofbooststoimmediatelypurchase saidboostsforthemselves. Asgamesincreasetheirappealtothegeneralpopulaceandmovefurtherintothemainstream, itwillbecomeincreasinglyimportantthatdeveloperscreateasfewbarriersaspossibletothe averageuser,whilestillremainingloyalthehardcorefanbase.Microtransactionswillserveas oneofthekeyelementsinthisbalance,increasingaccessibilityforsomeandprovidingawell rounded,customizedexperienceforall.

Listofkeyplayers
China CGN:http://www.cgn.net NeteaseInc:http://corp.163.com/ Ourgame:http://www.ourgame.com/ PerfectWorld: http://www.perfectworld.com/ Shanda:http://www.snda.com/en/index.jsp Tencent/QQ(Chinese): NorthAmerica BigFishGames: http://www.bigfishgames.com BlizzardEntertainment: http://www.blizzard.coms Cafe.com:http://www.cafe.com ClubPenguin:http://www.clubpenguin.com Facebook:http://www.facebook.com

177

http://games.qq.com/ Tencent/QQ(English):: http://qqgames.com/ The9:http://www.corp.the9.com/ Korea CJInternet(Korean): http://www.netmarble.net Neowiz(Korean):http://www.neowiz.com/ NexonCorp(English):http://www.nexon.net NexonCorp(Korean): http://www.nexon.com NHNCorp(Korean):http://hangame.com NHNCorp(Japanese):http://hangame.co.jp NHNCorp((English):http://www.ijji.com Europe Bigpoint:http://de.bigpoint.com/ GameTribe:http://www.gametribe.com/ GOA:http://www.goa.com/# HabboHotel:http://www.habbo.com

K2Network:http://www.k2network.net King.com:http://www.king.com MicrosoftXboxLive:http://www.xbox.com NCsoft:http://www.ncsoft.com/global Playfirst:http://www.playfirst.com Pogo:http://www.pogo.com SGN:http://www.socialgn.com SoftWorld:http://www.softworldinc.com/ StarDoll:http://www.stardoll.com ThreeRings:http://www.threerings.net Zynga:http://www.zynga.com

178

DerivativeProducts
SectionEditor:DaveRohrl,CreativeDirectorCasualGames,Zynga Themoderncasualgamewasoriginallyinventedasacommittedwebendeavor.Small,browser basedgameswerebuilt(usuallyinJavaorDirector/Shockwave)andpostedonwebsites.Ifthe gamewasntbuiltasabrandingvehicle,thenthedevelopermademoneythroughdisplay advertisingembeddedonthepagehostingthegame.Thismodelworkedwellenoughuntilthe firstdotcombubblebegantorupturein2000/2001. Asthedotcomsvanished,sodidtheonlineadvertisingdollarstheyusedtobuildtheirtraffic. Astheonlineadmarketbegantosour,itbecameobvioustovirtuallyeverydeveloperthatthey neededtodiversifytheirrevenuestreams. Developersinitialeffortsinthisareafocusedonavarietyofbusinessmodelslinkedtoonline delivery.Thefirst(andperhapsmostimportant)ofthesewasthetryandbuydownloadablePC game.Othernewtypesofonlinerevenuemodels(likeconsoledownloadsand microtransactions)followedovertime. Asdeveloperssawcasualgamesappearinginmoreandmoredifferentonlineforms,itoccurred tomanyofthemthattheymightbeabletodrivesignificantadditionalrevenueandbrand awarenessbybringingtheirgamestoavarietyofadditionalmediathattooktheirgames beyondinternetconnectedPCs. Giventhatcasualgamesaredesignedtoappealtoawidevarietyofplayers,useverysimple userinterfacesandcontrolschemes,andfairlylowendtechnology(particularlyrelativetothe highCPU/GPUrequirementsimposedbymodernhardcoreconsoleandPCgames),casual gamesnaturallyadaptwelltoavarietyofplatformsanddeliverymechanisms.Thissection exploresseveralofthewaysthatcasualgamemakersaretakingtheirgamesbeyondthePC (andthenewlyimportantconsoledownloadspace).

CasualGamesonMobilePhones
ByDonaldBahlman,xBlitzEntertainment Mobile,ComingofAge Sincethedebutofthefirstcellphonein1984,weighinginatawhopping2poundsanddubbed TheBrick,mobilehasliterallycreatedaworldofchange,bothinhowwecommunicateand howweliveourlives.Aswebegan2008,wenotonlywitnesseda22%annualgrowthrate,but weachievedthe50%globalpenetrationmilestonewithmorethan3.3billionmobileuser subscriptions.AndaccordingtoTelecoms.com,subscriptionswillkeepgrowingfromthenow 3.9billionto5.6billionin2013.Alsoby2013,3Gwillaccountforhalfofalltheglobal subscriptions.SusanWelshdeGrimaldo,senioranalyst,WirelessNetworkStrategiesatStrategy

179

Analyticssays,"3Gtechnologieswillreachcriticalmassinmoreregionsin2008,driving worldwidesubscribernumberscloseto500millionbyyearend.Nextyear,morethanonethird ofallservicerevenueswillbegeneratedby3Gtechnologies,eventhough3Gaccountsforonly oneinsixsubscribers." MobileCoverageandPenetration Informaestimatesthatbymid2007mobilenetworkswerecovering90%ofourplanets population.Remainingstill,40%ofthepopulousiscoveredbyanetwork,butnotconnected; leaving10%neithercoverednorconnected.However,justbecausewevereachedthis50% globalmilestone,doesnotmeanthateveryotherpersonyouseeiswalkingaroundwitha mobile.Thisisthenumberofmobilesubscriptionsthatareintheworldtoday;andquite honestly,manyofushavemorethanonemobileaccount.Accordingtoanewsurvey conductedinEurope,24%ofEuropeanhouseholdsuseonlyamobiledevice.Andanother22% (addingtothestrainontraditionalphoneserviceoperators)usetheircomputertomakecalls overtheInternet. Bytheendof2007mobilephonepenetrationintheUSwasabout84%;onitswaytoa100%by 2013,saysSNLKagan.AndaccordingtoRealNetworksCEORobGlaser,"Mobilepenetration won'tstopat100%."Hepredictsthat"itwillgoto200%becausethenotionofasingledevice thatdoesitallisn'ttheway[themarket's]goingtogo."Infact,reportsMobileActive.org,bythe endofSeptember2007,59countriesalreadyhadmobilepenetrationofover100%,even thoughanother27hadlessthan10%."Themobileindustryhasconstantlyoutperformedeven themostoptimisticforecastsforsubscribergrowth,saidMarkNewman,chiefresearchofficer atInformaTelecoms&Media.Forchildrengrowinguptodaytheissueisnotwhethertheywill getamobilephone,it'saquestionofwhen.Thisseemstobethecasewiththe36millionkids andtweeners(ages3to11)growingupwiththiscuttingedgetechnology.Newmancontinues, itisdifficulttoimaginehowamoderneconomycouldfunctionwithoutmobiletelephonyanda numberofrecentstudieshaveshownthatthemobilephoneishavingahugelypositiveimpact ontheeconomiesofemergingmarkets." MarketShareamongMobileManufacturers Soamongstallthisgrowth,whohascarvedupthemostmarketshare?Wellaccordingto Mobref.com,asofJune2008,Nokiaistheglobalkingwitha48.92%marketshareoverall.A distantsecondisSonyEricssonat12.71%,followedbyMotorola(5.18%),Samsung(4.35%)and LG(0.9%).AcloserlookatNorthAmerica,isNokiaagainat9.85%,withMotorola(7.73%), BlackBerry(5.33%),SonyEricsson(4.78%)andSamsung(3.42%)roundingoutthetopfive.Asis nosurpriseNokia(40.82%)alsoleadsinEuropeaswellfollowedbySonyEricsson(18.54%), Samsung(3.54%),Motorola(2.47%)andSharp(0.69%).AndinAsia,youguessedit,Nokiaowns acomfortable44.81%ofthemarket.Theothertopfivelooklikethis:SonyEricsson(7.73%), Motorola(2.88%),Samsung(1.93%)andHuawei(0.65%).

180

MobileSalesandPopularHandsets BytheendofQ1/2008morethan294.3millionmobilephoneshadbeensoldglobally.Nokia stillledthetopfive,shipping115.2millionhandsets.Samsungcomesinatnumbertwowith 42.4million.ThirdisMotorola(29.8m),showinga37%dropinsalescomparedtojustayear ago.LGandSonyEricssonfinishoutthelistwith23.6mand22.1m,respectfully.ForNokia customers,thehandsetofchoiceistheN701at6.44%overallotherNokiamodels.Sony EricssonsmostfavoredmodelistheW810i(0.99%).ForMotorolaspeoplemostoftenreach fortheSLVRL7(0.51%),forSamsungitstheSGHE250(0.96%)andforLGweliketheKG200 (0.15%).Heressomefoodforthought.Inarecentstudy,Nokiafoundthatonly3%ofpeople recycletheirmobilephone.MarkusTerho,DirectorofEnvironmentalAffairsatNokia,saidthat, ifeachofthethreebillionpeoplegloballyowningmobilesbroughtbackjustoneunuseddevice wecouldsave240,000tonsofrawmaterialsandreducegreenhousegasestothesameeffectas taking4millioncarsofftheroad.Anamazing44%ofoldmobilephonesaresimplybeingkept athomeandneverusedagain.Andinterestingstill,just4%findtheirwayintolandfills. MobileGamesKeeponGrowing Surfingthiswaveofgrowth,andlookingprettygoodonmobile,isthevideogameindustry. AccordingtoMobilePhoneBlog.org(poweredbyMovaya),2008willgodownasTheYearofthe MobileGame.Andthatmayjustbe,asmobilegamerevenuesareontracktohit$4.5billion thisyear.Thatsup16%fromlastyears$3.9billion,accordingtoGartner,Inc.Addtothat consumeruptake,thegrowingnumberofgamers,maturingbusinessmodelsandthecontinued advancementoftechnologyindevicesandweshouldexpecttoseerevenuesoarto$6.3Billion in2011.Itisalsoforecastedthatthenumberofmobilegamersshouldgrowtoanaverageof 134millionuserspermonthby2010,thatstriplethe38millionmeasuredbackin2005.iSuppli creditstheadoptionofgamingcapablewirelesshandsetsandservices,particularlyinChinaand India."Althoughcurrentconsumerinterestin,andusageof,mobilegamingisgenerallylow,the potentialforgrowthremainslucrative,withthemarketskewedtowardlowerincomesegments, mobileworkersandsmartphoneandpersonaldigitalassistant(PDA)users,"saidTuongHuy Nguyen,principalanalystatGartner."Thefactthatmobilegamingprovidesgoodvalueforthe moneyisonereasonforthehealthygrowthrate,"continuesNguyen."Forarelativelysmall sum,consumerscanenjoyagameoverandoveragain,whichisparticularlyrelevantin emergingeconomieswherepenetrationofconsolesandPCsislower." RegionsofGrowth TheAsia/Pacificregion(includingJapan)isbyfarthelargestmarketformobilegaming.Gamers willspendatotalof$2.3billionin2008,growingto$3.4billionby2011.Themobilegame markethasoutshonethePCandconsolegamemarketsinAsia.Indiaisexpectedtoleadin termsoftotalmobilegamingrevenuefrom$80millionin2007to$450millionby2012.And accordingtoeMarketer,BRIC(Brazil,Russia,IndiaandChina)beingthehometoover40% oftheworldspopulationrepresentthenextgreatgrowthcurveforbothmobile telecommunicationsandinteractivemarketing.

181

WesternEuropewillalsogrowfrom$701millionin2008to$862millionby2011.AndinNorth Americanthemarketshouldincreasefrom$845millionto$1.2billionin2011.TheMobile gamingrevenuegapbetweenNorthAmericanandWesternEuropeanisexpectedtowidenover thecomingyearsasmoreAmericansembracemobiledataservices."Asvoicerevenuesdecline, mobileoperatorsneedtofindwaystooffsetthisdownwardtrend,andmobilegaminghas considerablegrowthpotential,"commentedNguyen."Mobilegaminghasevolvedfrombeinga bundledfreebietoastandalonevalueaddedservice,aswellasagrowingsourceofdata revenueforoperatorsandpublishersalike." CasualLeadsMobileContent Fortheforeseeablefuture,optimismlayonthesideofcasualgames.SaysYuanzhe(Michael) Cai,Director,BroadbandandGaming,ParksAssociates,"Inthemobilegamingindustry, consumerawarenesslagsbehindtechnologicaladvancements.New3Dandmultiplayermobile gameslookgreatindemos,butcasualgamesarewherethemoneyisandwillbeforthenext fewyears."AccordingtoParksAssociates,lessthan10%ofmobilegamerswanttoplaya consolegameontheirmobile.However,55%wanttoplaycardandpuzzlegames,andnearlya thirdwantwordandarcadegames.Andwhyisthis?IntheUnitedStatesalone,therearemore than90millionwomenwhocarrymobilephones.Womenplaygamesjustasfrequentlyas menontheirmobilephone,saysKristinMcDonnell,chiefexecutiveofficerofLimeLifeInc.But theyareonlyonethirdofthe[game]purchasingmarketrightnow,andwethinkthatsbecause ofwhatsoutthere.Rightnow,alotofwhatsavailableonthemobilephonesareactiongames, sportsgames.Andweknowfromourexperiencehavingbeeninthegamesindustryforso longthatwomenlikewordgames,puzzlegames,cardgames. SaysScottRubin,VicePresidentofSalesandMarketingforNamcoNetworks,it[mobile phones]istheonlydevicemaybebesidesthePCwellletsputitthiswayitistheonlymobile devicetheonlywirelessdevice,outtherethatisamassmarketdevice.Overthepastfew years,Namcohaslearnedsomeveryinterestingthingsaboutthemobilemarket.Forexample, during2007casualgamesreachedover145millionpeoplefromages1265.Alsotheaverage timespentperweekplayingcasualgamesincreased28%,growingfrom4hoursto5.1hours, fromQ3toQ4.Mostinterestingisthat33%ofcasualgamersplayedonlinewithanother person.Andasweknow,casualgamesappealfarmoretofemalegamersthantraditional(or hardcore)games,aswellasaslightlyolderaudience.Addtothat,gamepublishersandmobile operatorsaregettingbetteratworkingtogetherandbecomingmoreactiveinthemobile gamingspace,"saysNguyenfromearlier. Itsbynosurprisethen,thathardcoregamersdontconsidermobiletobeaviablegaming platform.Eventhoughmobiletechnologykeepsadvancingrapidly,consumersstillperceivethe mobilemarkettobeacasualhaven.AndaccordingtoParks,casualgameswillremainthe mainstayofthemobilemarketasthesearelowpricedofferingsthataregenerallyJavabased.

182

Currently,Javaaccountsformorethan74%ofmobileplatforms,globally.Otherplatforms includeWindowsMobile,Linux,Palm,Brew,Brew,Symbian,BlackberryandiPhone. BarriersStilltoHurdle However,justunderthesurfacetherearepotentialbarriersthatcouldhamperthegrowthof mobilegames.Amongtheseisalackofconsumerawareness,theeverpresentdifficultyin findinggamesinthefirstplace,thecomplexityofdownloadinggamestomobiledevices,high datafeeswithlackofcosttransparency,andmobilegamepiracyespeciallyinAsia.Andletus notforgetthecostsandcomplexitiesofdevelopinggamescompatiblewithhundredsofmobile handsetmodelsthroughouttheworld.Anotherhurdletosizeupisthesimplefactthatgames arentalwaysassexyasell,asmobilevideo,musicormaps(withGPS).Itseemsatleastin somecases,mobilegaminghastakenabackseat.Thisputsagreaterburdenonmobilegame publisherstoincreasetheexpenseofmarketreach.Italsomakesitharderforpublishersto providegameplacementwithmobileoperators.Hence,mobilegamedeveloperswillneedto bemuchmoreaggressiveinexpandingtheirroleinthemobilemarket. Conclusion Mobileisobviouslythefutureforanytime,anywheregameplay.Butgamedevelopersand publishersstillneedtodoabetterjobatconnectingwiththemobilemarket.Andnotonly connectingincontentbutalsoindeliverytodevice.Growthinthemobilewebisourbesthope forovercomingsomeofthesebarriersinthenearfuture.ABIreports,openInternetbrowsers formobileshouldgrowfrom76millionin2007tonearlyto700millionin2013.Butinthis segment,atleastfornow,mendominatemobilebrowsingby9to1.AccordingtoOpera,more than14.7milliontotalusersbrowsed2.9billionpagesinMay2008alone.Andletsnotforget aboutSocialNetworkingasakeycontributorandpotentialgamemarket.Thissegmentalone accountsforalmost40%oftheglobalmobilewebtraffic. Thepotentialisoutthere.Thequestionremainswillgamecompaniesstayaggressiveenoughto outshineoratleastshineasbrightasourclosecousinsintheothermediamarkets.Certainly, themomentumalongwithconsumerperceptionisonourside.Onethingiscertain,likethe Internet,mobilesareheretostay.Whoknows,maybewellevenseemoregreenmobiles. Well,atleastitwouldmakeforaniftybrandingstrategy.Inshort,itallspellsopportunityfor thecasualgamebusiness,ifwetakeit.

CasualGamesatRetail
ByGregZesinger,eGames Introduction Atpresent,distributionofcasualgamesattheretaillevelisaverydifferentanimalfromonline distribution.Online,alargenumberofportalsspecificallycatertocasualgamecontent,offering ahugenumberofcasualgamestoconsumers.Inthephysicalorbrickandmortarworld,the situationismoreofamixedbag.Whilecasualgames,beginningwithtitlessuchTetrisorPac

183

Maninthe80sand90s,followedbytheBejeweledsandDinerDashesoftheworldinthe2000s, haveexperiencedindividualsuccesses(e.g.Bejeweled2Deluxehassoldover440,000unitsasof Jan2008sourceNPD),thecasualgamesspaceasawholehasnotquitedevelopedatthestore level. Casual games are often found side by side or mixed in with core games. The trend appears to be changing however, as in early 2008, major retailers including Target and GameStop have indicated an increased push for casual games, with the prospect of retail sectionsspecificallymarketingcasualgamesaveryrealpossibility,althoughitisunclearwhen these sections will officially appear. In any event, as the casual space at brick and mortar storefronts continues to evolve, retail distribution of a casual title remains a viable and occasionallylucrativesupplementtoonlinesales. ABriefHistory Theoriginsofcasualgamesasweknowthemtodayatretailarehardtodefine,inpartbecause the term casual games has no universally accepted definition 24 . By most accounts, casual gamesatretailarosethroughcollectionsofshareware,originallydistributedonlinebeforebeing packagedandsoldonshelves,usuallyintheformofjewelcases(JCs)ata$9.99pricepoint.In 2004,PopCapbroughtBejeweledDeluxetothemarketplace,andcompanieslikeMumboJumbo beganpackagingproductsinboxes,sellingthemat$19.99beforethetitlestrickleddowntothe JClevel.JCslotsweremuchmoreplentifulatthistimecomparedtothecurrentenvironment. Forexample,theworldslargestretailer,WalMart,atonetimestockedapproximately300JC titlesperstore.Today,thatnumberhasbeenreducedto30,andeven15slotsdependingon the location. Conversely, competition for those slots has increased as more developers enter thespace. PCgamepackaginghasundergoneametamorphosisaswell,withboxes evolving from a mixed bag of shapes and sizes to a much more streamlined,uniformlook.Overthepastthreeyears,movementsforan industry standard for PC box packaging have launched, most notably supportedbyElectronicArtsandMicrosoftwithitsGamesforWindows initiative. The Games for Windows initiative, featuring a stylized look withspeciallogosisdesignedtoleveltheplayingfieldbetweeninstore PC game and console retail sections, establishing Windows as a gaming platform mentioned in the same breath as the Playstation, XBOX, and Wii. While not widespread as of yet, Games for Windows packaging and marketing may be foundinmostmajorretailersin2008includingGameStopandTarget.

Per the 2006 IGDA Casual Games White Paper (http://www.igda.org/casual/IGDA_CasualGames_Whitepaper_2006.pdf), p. 9

24

184

MarketandAudience Thetypicalcasualgameretailconsumerwouldseemtobeverysimilardemographicallytothe onlinecustomer,headlinedbyfemales35+. 25 Bothsetsofcustomerstendtohavesimilartastes in terms of genre, favoring hidden object, time management, and match three games. However,retaildoescaptureaportionoftheaudiencethatiseitherunwillingtousetheircredit card for online purchases, lacks the knowledge and/or Internet access to purchase a downloadablegame,orisinterestedinpurchasingaphysicalgifttheycanputabowon. Themajordifferencebetweenthetwocustomertypesistheamountoftimetheycandevoteto anindividualtitle.Onlineretailershaveaseeminglyinfiniteamountofshelfspace,withsome sitescarryinginexcessof500titlesatatime.However,thisapparentendlesssupplyofspaceis deceivingasthecustomerisonlyinitiallyexposedtothehandfuloftitlesthatarefeaturedon eachportalsfrontpage.Customersmusthaveatleastadecentideaofwhattheyarelooking for in order to seek out a specific game that is not on the front page. Retail shelves, on the otherhand,canexposethecustomertohundredsofboxesatatime,iftheshopperiswillingto spendthetimetorevieweachindividualpackage. Hereinlaysthemaindifference.Oncetheshopperfindsatitlethatappealstothemonline,they willgenerallydownloadanhourtrialandtestoutthegameattheirleisure.Attheretaillevel, thegameanditspackagehaveonlyamatterofsecondstocatchthecustomerseyeamongsta virtual sea of other titles. The game and its packaging must be compelling enough that the customerwillnotonlytakethegameofftheshelftoreviewit,butthepackaging,iftheshopper hashadnopreviousexperiencewiththegamebeforeonlineorviaadvertising,mustconvince themtowalkthegametothecashregisterandmakethepurchase,allwithoutthebenefitofa trial. Retailpurchasesinthecasualgamescategory,particularlyatthe$9.99level,areoftenimpulse buysforthecustomer,meaningthattheshopperwalksintothestorewithoutplanningtobuy thespecificgame,butiswonoverbyanyofacombinationofpackaging,price,branding,game concept,orpromotion. BusinessModels According to the Casual Games Market Report 2007, developers report an additional 10% in revenue distributing their downloadable games at the physical retail level. This percentage, along with the corresponding publishing deal, can vary greatly depending on the game. Typically, a publishing deal grants a percentage of sales revenue to the developer less cost of goods sold. Cost of goods sold (COGS) can include packaging and disc replication costs,
http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/realnetworks-casual-games-are-the-new-daytimetv/?biz=1
25

185

fulfillment(productstorageandshipping),andmarketingcosts.Theroyaltyratetendstorange from050%andfluctuatesdependingonthesize/presenceofanadvance. An advance is often (but not always) offered to the developer as part of the agreement, paid against future sales of the game. Advances can fall anywhere between $0 and $100,000, occasionallycreepingbeyond.Forexample,GameDeveloperXreachesapublishingagreement withPublisherZfora40%shareofrevenues(lessCOGS)anda$20,000advanceIfthegameis sellingat$19.99,thedeveloperwouldreceive$8perunit(lessCOGS),generatingnetrevenue ofapproximately$35perunitata40%share. Costofgoodsandothertermswilldifferfromcompanytocompany,butshouldbespelledout withinthecontract. GameSelection Competitionforshelfspaceisfierceattheretaillevelandwhetheragamegetsplacedatthe retailleveldependsonamultitudeofreasons.Thefollowingfactorsarekeyinpresentingatitle toretailersforpotentialdistribution: 1. OnlineSuccessRetailersareincreasinglyinterestedintheonlineconversionratesfor games,showingapreferencefortitlesthatperformatahighlevelontheportals. 2. Packaging Retailers look to their suppliers to provide packaging that will overcome theircustomersshortattentionspan.Thepackagingmustsellthegame.Additionally, some retailers have specific requirements for the type of packaging merchandised in theirstore. 3. Brandand/orLicenseAgamefeaturinganestablishedbrandorlicensecanhelpsella gametoaretailer,capitalizingonpastsuccessandestablishedbrandawareness. 4. Retail Familiarity with Developer/Publisher All things being equal, a new title presented by a publisher who has already established a positive relationship with a retailer stand a better chance of placement than a game presented by a previously unknownentity. 5. Price Point Space for boxed titles tends to be slightly more competitive than jewel case space, if for nothing else, the opportunity for increased revenue on a per piece basis. PresentationandProduction After a game has been selected for retail distribution by a publisher, sales presentation materials and packaging must be generated. In most cases, high resolution artwork from the game (or created specifically for the sales collateral) is used. Depending on the retailer and buyer, games can be informally presented at any time, but generally, each retailer has a few formalgamereviewseachyear,coincidingwiththenumberoftimestheirstore(orspecifically, thelayoutoftheirPCgamesectioncalledaplanogram)turnsoverintheyear. Forexample,ifBigBoxRetailerAsPCgameplanogramchangesoverinMay,theywillholda formalgamereviewseveralmonthsinadvancetochooseanynewadditionstothespace.The

186

successofthecurrenttitlesintheplanogram,alongwithhowmuchinventorytheretailerhas on hand (and how much the publisher can/will take back), helps dictate the number of new titlesthatareaddedtothemixinthenextgoround.Retaillaunchesdonotnecessarilyoccur within a set number of months following online launch. In some cases, a game could be available online for over a year before gracing the retail shelves. For example, TikGames InterpollaunchedonlineinAugust2007,buttheretailversionwasnotpublishedtoretailuntil latefall2008.eGamesBurgerIslandfirstappearedonlineinMay2007,butcheckedinonretail shelvesthatOctober. Before reaching those shelves, packaging must be produced and discs must be burned. Typically,thousandsofpackagesanddiscsarecreatedinitiallytocapitalizeonvolumediscounts. Intheeventthatdemandforthegamedoesnotmeetexpectations,theseextrapackagesand discscanbeconsigned,soldatadiscount,orevendestroyed. Dependingontheretailer,inadditiontoproductioncosts,thepublishingpartywillalsoneedto invest marketing dollars in slotting fees (an upfront cost retailers require for placement on shelves), and advertising (for casual games, usually in the form of weekly or monthly store periodicals). InternationalPublishing Dependingonthenegotiatedtermsoftheagreement,thepublishermaylooktodistributethe gameinternationallyandrequirelocalizationofthetitle,whichusuallyinvolvesprovidinganew version of the game translated into any number of languages including, but not limited to, Spanish,French,German,Italian,Russian,Portuguese,andDutch. KeyPublishers,Distributors,andRetailers
Publisher

BrighterMindsMediawww.brightermindsmedia.com Cosmiwww.cosmi.com eGameswww.egames.com ElectronicArtswww.ea.com ElephantEntertainmentwww.elephantentertainment.com Encorewww.encoresoftware.com iWinwww.iwin.com MumboJumbowww.mumbojumbo.com PopCapGameswww.popcapgames.com Valusoftwww.valusoft.com VivaMediawww.vivamedia.com
Distributors

Activisionwww.activision.com Atariwww.atari.com Navarrewww.navarre.com

187

TakeTwowww.take2games.com
MajorRetailers

WalMartwww.walmart.com Targetwww.target.com BestBuywww.bestbuy.com CircuitCitywww.circuitcity.com GameStopwww.gamestop.com EBGameswww.ebgames.com OfficeMaxwww.officemax.com OfficeDepotwww.officedepot.com Stapleswww.staples.com ToysRUswww.toysrus.com

CasualGamesontheMacintosh
Howwouldyouliketoincreaseyourgameslifetimerevenueby5to15%withonlyacouple moreweeksworthofwork?SupportMac!Dontleavemoneyonthetable.Gamesdeveloped inFlash(orotherportablebase),canusuallybequicklyportedtoMacintosh.Insomecases, existingproprietaryAPIsmightalsoneedtobeconvertedforcompatibility,howeveroncethis workisdone,yourentirecatalogofFlashgamescanbereleasedtothenumerousMacportals. MostofthelargerdeveloperssimplyincorporateMacAPIsintotheirSDK,makingthetransition fromPCtoMacalmostseamless.Andyes,weknowthatnothingiseverseamless! Sales Asolidsingleplayer,downloadableMactitlecansell10to25unitsperdayonthelargergame sites,withaninitialcurveofupto50unitsperdayutilizingatrybeforeyoubuydownload. MultiplythisacrossthetopMacportalsandthenagainacrossthevariousavailablegamesin yourcatalogandthiscouldbeanexcellentrevenueopportunity,whichcouldscoreyouan additional10%(ormore)insales! WorkingwithApple YoushouldbecomearegisteredMacdeveloperifyouareseriousaboutreleasingMactitles. RegistereddevelopersgetyouaccesstocurrentSDKs,AppleDeveloperSupport,Mac DeveloperMailinglistsandbestofall,theADCLab(CompatibilityLab).EveryMacdeveloper whohastimetotraveltoCupertinoshouldtakeatleastoneoftheirapplicationstoApples compatibilitylab.ThisgreatresourceoffersahugerangeofMacsaswellasolderApple systems,suchastheLisaandAppleIIGS. ConversionRate ItiscommonknowledgethatMacownersaresomeofthemostloyalcustomersaround.This extendsintotheirpurchasehabitsofcasualgames.Whenqueried,themajorMacportalsall statedthatMactitleshaveatleastashighofaconversionrateasPCtitles,andinmany instancesupto3.5timeshigherthanPC.

188

DRM UnlessyouplantosellyourMactitlesonyourownwebsite,DRMisprobablynotanissue.This isbecausemostMacdistributionpartnershavetheirowninternalDRM.AhomebrewDRM schemecanbedevelopedinaboutaweekorso,butdontexpectittobeassecureas ActiveMarkorDigitalRiver.IfyoudochoosetocreateyourownhomebrewDRM,remember thatyoullalsoneedtofindasolutionforeCommerce,asitsnotasturnkeyassellingPC games.Forexample,inPCgames,youcanhookintoTrymediaforbothDRMandeCommerce. Asofthewritingofthispaper,TrymediadoesnotsupportMac.Thereforeyoudneedtofinda waytolinkyourDRMtoonlinecommerce. DistributionPartners ThefollowingisashortlistofpotentialportalpartnerstocontactfordistributionofyourMac games.Somepartners(suchasRealArcade)requirethesamePCversionisalreadyavailableon theirsitepriortoacceptingaMactitle.OtherpartnerssellonlyMacgames. RealArcade/Gamehousegamesubmissions@real.com ReflexiveEntertainment9498301903x30 MacGameStore.comtuncer@insidemacgames.com BigFishGamesgamesubmissions@bigfishgames.com TransGaming,Inccider@transgaming.com,(416)9799900

189

AppendixACasualGamesMeetSeriousGames
ByKentonWhite,CTO,Distil

Introduction
SeriousGames,intheirbroadestsense,aregamesthathaveapurposeotherthan entertainment.Thisdoesntmeanthatseriousgamesarenotentertaining,justthatotherthere isotherobjectives. Despitethisbroaddefinition,thegenreofgamemostcloselyassociatedwithSeriousGamesis themilitarysim.Militarysimsareamongtheoldestprofessionalexamplesofseriousgamesfor manyreasons.Themilitaryhasalonghistoryofinvestinginsimulationtechnology,socoopting gamingtechnologycouldbearguedasanaturalextension.Recentadvancesingaming hardwareandsoftwaretechniques,whenappliedtomilitarysimproblems,isactuallyacost reduction.Middleware,suchasUnrealEngine,madegamecreationtoolsreadilyavailable,plus anexplosioninteamsthatknewhowtousethesetoolstomakegames.Andgamingtechnology hadfinallycomeofagewherethefidelityandrealismpossiblemettheminimummilitary requirements.Putanotherway,forthecostofa$300console,themilitarycoulddeploythe samesimulationexperiencethatpreviouslyrequiredahalfmilliondollarSiliconGraphicswork station. GamessuchasAmericasArmyandFullSpectrumWarriorsetthebarintermsofgraphicsand gameplayformanysubsequentseriousgamesinnonmilitaryfields.ProjectssuchasVirtual Leader(corporatemanagementgame)andPulse!(medicalsimulation)allfeaturedadvancedAI andafullyfunctional3Dengine.AdominantdirectionofSeriousGameswasbeingdefined. GamesinthisspacewerebeingmodeledonsuccessfultripleAtitlesfromtheentertainment world.InadditiontoFirstPersonShooters,realtimeandturnbasedstrategygameswere anotherpopulargenre. Thedeeppocketsofearlyseriousgamesadopters,organizationsliketheUSmilitary,madeit possibletopayforbudgetstomaketripleAstyledtitlesbutwithamoreseriousbent. PersuasiveGamesanotherformofseriousgamesthatfocusedonchangingpeoples viewpointsoradvocatingsocialcauseslackedtheluxuryofsimilarbudgets.Afterall,ifyour goalistomakeagametoshowcasetheenvironmentallyunfriendlypracticesofMcDonalds, suchasMcDonaldsVideogamedid,itisunlikelythatMcDonaldswillfundtheproject. Thebudgetarylimitationsnecessarilyfocusedthesedeveloperstousecheaperproduction methods.This,inturn,ledtopersuasivegamesresemblingmanyCasualgames.Flashand Directorarepopularplatforms.Mostaredistributedonline,eitherassmalldownloadablesor

190

webimbeddedgames.Manyuse2Dgraphics,andthosewith3Dgraphicshavelower polycountsandlowerresolutiontexturesthantheirtripleAcounterparts. Becauseofthesetwo,roughlyparallelpathsinseriousgames,thecasualgamedevelopment companieswereunfortunatelyleftonthesidelines.Projectsthatcouldaffordtopaydevelopers fortheirtimefocusedonconsoleandPCdevelopers.Projectsthatcouldusetheskillsofcasual gamedevelopersoftenhadnobudget. NowthetimeiscomingforCasualGamesdeveloperstotakeadvantageoftheSeriousGames space.Recentprojects,suchasCiscosBinaryGameandGameLabsCostofLife,are showingthatcasualgamesareaviablemediumforseriousgames.Thisarticleexamswhy organizationsarestartingtodeploycasualseriousgames,ratherthantripleAinspiredprojects. Italsoexamswhycasualgamesdevelopersshouldpayattentiontothisspaceandhowtheycan becomeinvolved.

ReasonsforCasualSeriousGames
WhilemanyoftheinitialcommissionersofSeriousGamesprojectspaidapremiumforconsole qualitygraphicsanddeepgameplay,newerorganizationsinterestedinseriousgamesfortheir purposesarestartingtolookatcasualgamesasagameplaymodel.Therearemanyreasonsfor thisnewinterestincasualgames. Demographics Inthemilitary,gamesworkedbecausethetargetstudentwasyoung,about19yearsold,and wasalreadyconversantinthelanguageofvideogames.Thetrainingplatformwasideallysuited forthetrainingaudience.Earlyforaysintothecorporatemarkettriedtomakeasimilar argument.Toeffectivelyreachthenewdemographicworker,traditionaltrainingmethods,such asmoviesandclassroominstruction,wouldneedtoreplacedwithamediumthatwasmorein tunewiththeyoungerworkforce. Unlessyourorganizationhadalargeworkforceintheirearlytwenties,suchaslargecommercial retailers,thecomingshiftindemographicsmadelittleshorttermsense.Sure,eventuallyyour entireworkforcewillbevideogamesavvy,butthattippingpointisstillalongwayoff.The realitytodayisthatasignificantportionofworkersneedingtrainingarenotvideogameliterate. MovingtogamesmodeledontripleAconsoletitlesmightnotbethemosteffectivewayof reachingalargetrainingdemographics. Casualgamesfitthecorporatedemographicrealitybetterthanconsolegames.One distinguishingcharacteristicofcasualgamesistheirdesignemphasisongameplayandcontrol schemesforalesshardcoremarket.Traditionalboardandcardgamemechanicsoftenserveas inspirationforcasualgamedesign.Puzzleandmatchingelementsareemphasizedovertimed andreflexbasedchallenges.ControlschemesaresimplertotheirconsoleandPCbrethren, someusingsimplepointandclickinterfaces.

191

Allofthesereasonsmakecasualgamedesignandproductionmethodologiesattractiveto seriousgamesprojects.Usingideasfromthecasualgamesspace,seriousgamescanbe effectivewithlearnerswhoarenotvideogameliterateeventouserswhoareafraidtotry traditionalvideogames. Playtimeandstructure Anotherissueforcorporatetrainingisfindingthetimetotrainyouremployees.Classroom trainingtakestheemployeesawayfromtheirjobs,whichresultsinlostproductivity.Anearly rallyingcryforseriousgameswasthatthegamingelementwouldmakeatrainingproductthat wassoimmersiveandentertainingthatemployeeswouldwanttodothetrainingontheirown time.Thisisanadmirabledesigngoalandproductsthatsucceedinthisareaaregreat.Cold StoneCreamerysStoneCity(PersuasiveGames)inspiredplayertoaddtheirhighscorestotheir MySpaceandFaceBookpages.AndemployeesattheCanadianStandardsAssociationhave beenknowntoplayafewroundsoftheiremergencypreparednesstrainingproductReponse Ready(DISTILInteractive)whilerelaxingathome. Havingemployeeswanttodotrainingontheirowntimedoesnotsolvetheproblemforthe trainingmanager.Veryfeworganizationsfeelcomfortablerequiringsalariedemployeestodo jobrelatedfunctionsathome.Hourlyemployeesmustalsobecompensatedformostwork relatedactivitiesincludingtraining.Evenifthetrainingisentertaining,itisstillsomethingthat mostorganizationswantdoneoncompanytime.Sometimestrainingisatimesensitiveactivity, suchasensuringthatallemployeeshavereceivedtrainingpriortoanaudit.Evenifthetraining ismoreentertainingandmotivating,trainingmanagersstillwanttheexperiencetotakeless time. Acommongoalistoprovidetrainingin1015minutechunks.Thissessiontimerestrictionfits verywellwithinthecasualgameframework,whichfocusesondesigningforshorterplay sessionsthantraditionalvideogames.Casualgameprogressionmodelsprovideclearly delineatedbreaksintheactionthatinvitetheusertotakeabreakandcomebacklater.Level designemphasizesashorterplaytime,witheachleveloftenbeingcompletedintenminutesor less. Whentimeisascarcecommodity,casualgamesarebettersuitedtoofferingcompelling experiencesinshortplaysessionsthanthemoretimecommitmentheavyconsoleandPC games. Networkdelivery Companiesareacutelyawareofthecostofdeployingresourcestotheiremployees.Internal supplymanagementandlogisticscanbearealheadache,especiallywhenitcomestosoftware. MostcorporateITdepartmentsprefertopreloadmachineswithrequiredsoftwarebefore providingthemachinetotheuser.Updatesandnewsoftwareareprovidedoverthelocal

192

network.Thisreducesthecostofmaintainingphysicalmedia,supportingthehandinstallation ofsoftware,andthehelpdesksupportforusershavingdifficultywithinstallation. Thesesamerulesapplytotrainingsoftware.Seriousgamesthatrequireinstallationfromadisk mayloseouttosimilarproductsthatcanbedistributedoveranetwork.Thetypeofgame experiencethatcasualgamesprovideisnotcompromisedbysmallcodefootprintsorbrowser baseddelivery.GamesthattrytobeliketripleAtitlesmayfeelcompromisediftheyare strippeddowntonetworkdeliveredsize. SomeretailgamesarebeingsuccessfullydeliveredviaonlineservicessuchasSteam.Similar servicesmayenablelargerseriousgamestobedeliveredoverthenetwork,butthiswilltake timebeforecorporationsembracethesetypesofdeliverymethods. Coststructure Finally,casualgamesbetterfitthenewcoststructureforseriousgames.Mostofthe organizationswiththebudgetanddesiretoaffordmilliondollarbudgetsforgamedevelopment havedoneso.OrganizationsthatfeeltheyneedtohavethetripleAgamingexperienceonan ongoingbasisarebeginningtorealizethatitischeapertohireinhousetalentthancommission largeprojects.Milliondollarbudgetsforseriousgamesarebecomingtheexception. Becauseofthegroundbreaking,largeSeriousGamesprojectsthathavebeendone,manymore organizationswanttomovetogamesbasedtraining.Budgetsarecomingdowntothe$50Kto $100Krange.Whilethisisapaltrysumfortraditionaltitles,thepricefitswellwiththecostof manybrowserbasedcasualgames. Withthisnewcostingmodel,customersareawarethattheymustmaketradeoffs.Theyare willingtotake2Dgraphicsover3Dgraphics.TheycanalsolivewithlesssophisticatedAImodels withinthegame.Thescopeofthegamecanbescaleddowntoapointwhereitfocusesjuston thetrainingessentials.Ratherthanpointingtothelatestrealtimerenderedfirstperson shooterandsayingIwantthat,butwithaccountants,theyarenowmodelingtheir expectationsonthelatestmatch3webdeliveredgame.

Reasonsfordevelopers
Withmanyseriousgamesprojectsgoingcasual,therearebecomingmoreandmore opportunitiesforcasualgamesdeveloperstoenterthespace.Butthisisnotagoldrushforthe nextbigthing.Whiletherearemanyadvantagestothisspace,onemustunderstandreallyhow acasualgamedevelopercanmakeadifferenceandwhyworkinginthespacecanbebeneficial. Leveragescurrentskillset Thebiggestreasonforanexistingcasualgamesdevelopertodevelopseriousgamesisthattheir inhouseskillsetisbecomingmorecloselyalignedtotheshiftingneedsofthemarket.Making casualgamesinvolvesadifferentskillsetthanthatoflargerPCandconsolegames.

193

Forcasualgamesdevelopers,seriousgamesproductioncanoverlayontheexistingproductline. Thisalignmentofcompetenciescanallowasmallcasualgamesdevelopertocompleteaproject forlessthanalargerstudio.Giventhatthecompanysmainlineofbusinessiscreatingsmall games,thecustomercanbeconfidentthattheyaregettingateamwithexperiencedelivering thetypeofcontentrequired. Therearesomekeyskillstheaveragecasualgamesstudiomightbemissing.Oneimportant personistheinstructionaldesigner.Verysimilartoagamedesigner,thisindividualdetermines whatthelearningobjectivesare,howtodesignthecontentandcurriculumtoachievethese goals,andhowtoassesswhetherthegoalsaremet.Anotherroleisthatofthesubjectmatter expert.Thesubjectmatterexpertbringsprofessionalexperiencetotheprocess,ensuringthat thecontentistechnicallyaccurate. Thegoodnewsisthatinstructionaldesignersandsubjectmatterexpertsareprobablyemployed bytheorganizationthatiscommissioningthegame.Ifthisisthecaseitmakessensetoinclude accesstotheseindividualsasaconditionondoingtheproject.Otherwiseitmaybepossibleto bringintheneededexpertiseinoncontract. Eitherway,itiscrucialtohaveahighlycompetentprojectmanager.Workingwithanexternal instructionaldesignerandsubjectmatterexpertrequiresexcellentmanagementskills.Learning goalsandobjectivesarenoteasilyretrofittedontoanearlycompletegame.Changestothe instructionaldesignortechnicalcontentmayaffectthecoregamemechanicorscopeofthe game.Theseindividualsmustbemanagedaspartoftheinternalteam,eveniftheyarealso partoftheorganizationthatwillalsogivefinalacceptanceoftheproduct. Additionalrevenuestream Makingseriousgamescanprovideanexcellentadditionalrevenuestream.Mostprojectsare oneoff,workforhirecontractswhichideallycanbescheduledinbetweenthestudioscore projects.Manycompanieswillalreadyhaveadesigndocumentcompleteandwillbelookingfor acompanytoexecute.Suchaprojectcanbefitintothepreproductionphaseofanother project.Itcankeepthedevelopmentteambusy(andpaidfor)whilethenextgamedesignis beingworkedout. Manytraditionalgamestudiosfoundseriousgamesanexcellentsourceofcashwhilewaitingfor therevenuestreamofanentertainmenttitletokickin.Inthecasualgamesspace,wheremany studiosselffundtheirprojects,a23monthdelayinrevenuecanbedisastrous.Planninga seriousgamesprojectattheendofanentertainmentreleasecanbuyafewmonthsofbufferon therevenueside. Thisadditionalrevenuestreamdoesnotcomeforfree.Theremaybelongtermcoststhathave tobefactoredin.Oneistechnicalsupportforthetitle.Thecommissioningorganizationmay nothavetheinternalskillstofixproblemsthatariseormayhaveexplicitlycontractedthe

194

developingorganizationtohandlethetechnicalsupportforthetitle.Ifthegamehasan expectedlifeofafewmonths,forexampleagamesupportingaproductlaunch,thensupportis atimelimitedactivity.Butagamethathasanopenendedlifespanmayrequirealongterm supportcommitment.Manyorganizationscommissioningseriousgameshaveneverdonea gamebasedproductbeforeandareunawareofthelongtermhiddencosts.Theyarerelyingon thedevelopersexperiencetohighlightandplanforthesecosts.Notdoingsomayeatalarge percentageoftheadditionalrevenuethatprojectbroughtin. Lightweight&localBusinessDevelopment Lastlyisthestudiosabilitytoacquirepotentialbusinessintheseriousgamesspace.Thegood newsisthatthiscanbealightweightactivitydoneonalocalscale.Manyorganizationswould liketocommissionagamebutdontknowhow.Attendinglocalbusinessnetworkingfunctions canuncovermanyleads.Mostprofessionalassociationshavelocalnetworkingfunctions.For example,Distil(theauthorsorganization)oftengoestolocalchaptermeetingsoftheAmerican SocietyforQuality,theProjectManagementInstitute,etc Manycitieshaveentrepreneurshipcenters,industryadvocacygroups,andlocalchambersof commerce.Thesegroupsoftenhostnetworkingfunctionsforbusinessprofessionals. Localgovernmentsalsomaybelookingtocommissionaseriousgameproject.Thekeywith governmentsisthatanyprojectmustgooutforpublicbidding.Byworkingdirectlywithlocal governmentsintheplanningstage,itispossibletogetthecontractrequesttailoredtoaspecific setofskillsthatmatchyourorganizationexactly.Anotherwaytoincreasethechancesof winningagovernmentbidistoworkasasubcontractorforalargerorganizationthathas experienceinthegovernmentbiddingprocess. Alargenumberoforganizationslookingtocommissionaseriousgameprojectwillattenda gamedevelopmentconferencetofindadeveloper.Conferencesthatyourstudioisalready attendingmayhavemanyopportunitiesforfindingprojects. Thekeyiseffectivenetworking.Thereisnomagicbullettoreplacethiscrucialskill.Acasual gamedeveloperwithoutaskillednetworkerwillhaveahardertimefindingbusinessthana developerwiththeseskills.Realizingthisupfrontcanbeacrucialfactorindeterminingifthis spaceisright.Withagoodbusinessdevelopmentperson,manydeveloperswillfindthatgetting someseriousgamesworkisasmallincrementalinvestment.

MarketSize
SincetheSeriousGamesmarketisstillinitsinfancy,itisdifficulttoestimateatotalmarketsize. Itexistsattheintersectionoftwolarge,establishedmarkets:elearningandvideogames.The elearningmarketis$2Bannuallywhilethevideogamingmarketit$30Bannually.Conservative estimatesputtheintersectionofthesetwomarketsat5%or$100200Mannually.Both marketsaregrowingfast,elearningatarateof20%andvideogamesatarateof40%.Arecent

195

ESAsurveyshowsthat78%ofbusinessesplantoadoptsomeformofimmersivetraininginthe next5years.Withthisprojectedgrowththemarketisexpectedtoreach$1Bby2012.

Conclusion
Seriousgamesaremoreandmorelookinglikecasualgames.Organizationscommissioning seriousgamesprojectsarefindingthatcasualgamesareabetterfittotheirneedsthanmore traditionalgamesprojects.Thismeansthatcasualgamesdevelopersarebecomingthebest choiceforimplementingmanyoftheseprojects.Withalittlebitofwork,itisnottoodifficultto fitthenewbusinessrequirementsintoanexistingcasualgamestudiosbusiness.

196

AppendixB:CasualGamesinIndia
ByDeepakAbbot,Director,CasualGames,Zapak.com

WhoistheIndiangamer?
ThereareafewstatisticswhicharequitewellknownaboutthegamersinIndia.AsperICube 2007,thereareabout2.8MilliononlinegamersinIndia,andabout75%ofthesegamersare males.ICube(InternetInIndia2007)isoneofthemostextensiveresearchesundertaken amongsttheInternetusersinthecountryandcoversabout65,000individualsacross20citiesof thecountry.(http://www.iamai.in/Upload/Research/ICube2007SummaryReportfinal.pdf) Againabout72%gamersarefromhighertwoaffluencestrata(SECA&BPeoplewith graducation&aboveareclassifiedunderthesesocioeconomicclassesandalmost80%ofthe gamerswouldbefromtheTop8MetrosDelhi,Mumbai,Chennai,Kolkatta,Bangalore, Hyderabad,PuneandAhmedabad.Interestingly99%ofthegamersarefromthemetroswhich houseonly30%ofthecountryspopulation.

Based on the level of involvement, online gamers can be further categorized into Casual gamers & Core gamers.

CasualGamers Thisgenreofgamersconstitutesofthosewhoplayforthesakeofhavingfunorforaquick break.Wheninoffice,theyfindtimeinshortintervalstoplayfor1015minutes.WheninCaf, basedonthetimeleftfortheirsessiontocomplete,theygetontogaming.Casualgames typicallymaybeclassifiedintoAction,Arcade,Board/Card,Racing/Driving,Puzzles,Sportsand Strategygames.Variousgamessiteshaveputupeitherallormajorityofthesegenreofgames. CoreorSeriousGamers Coregamersspendatleast46hoursaweekgamingandplayLANbased,MMOGs& MMORPGs.Theremaybemanyreasonswhichdrivethisgenreofgamerstogameonline.They

197

arecommunitybasedgamers,whogenerallyhaveapeergroupintogaming;theyprefermulti playergamesoversingleplayergames;andarenotaseasytounderstandastheCasualGamers. Whatdrivesthemtogame? Theyhavebeenclassifiedintofourbroadcategoriesbasedonpossiblemotivatorstogame.

InIndiaalsomostofthegamersplayCasualgames.Butunlikethedevelopedgamingmarkets, thecasualgamesmarketisyouthdrivensegment,mainlybythosemaleswhoareintheage groupof1728yearsoldandhavebeenonlineformorethan23years.Thisisthereasonthat browserbasedflashorshockwavegamesarepopularinIndiaascomparedtodownloadable gameswhicharemoredriventowardsfemaleover30.Socategorieslikeracing&actionare popularascomparedtopuzzlesorstrategy.PopularcasualgamesinwestlikeZuma,Bejewled, DinerDash,CakeManiaetc.havenotdonewellinIndiaeventhoughtheyarepricedatUS$34. MostpopularcasualgamesinIndiawouldincludeEACricket,BrianLaraCricket&NFSinoffline categoryandnumerouscricket&racingflashgamesonpopulargamesportalslikeZapak.com (Source:ICube2006).

198

Currently,thecasualgamersleadthegamingindustryinthecountry,whilethecommunityof hardcoregamers(definedasthosegamingforthan46hoursaweek)islimitedtoamere23% ofthetotalgamersinIndia.

DriversofOnlineGaminginIndia
CurrentlythedrivingforceofonlinegaminginIndiaisthestrongabovethelinemarketingpush donebycashrichcompanieslikeZapak.com.ZapakspentUS$7millioninNov2006tolaunchits casualgamesportalwhichinstantlycreatedanewgenreinIndianinternethistory.Zapaktoday hasover5.5millionuserbaseonlyfromIndiawhichisabigfeatconsideringthereareonly3 millionbroadbandconnectionsinIndia. Marketingblitzbyonecompanymaynotbesufficienttobuildtheentireindustryunlessthe entireecosystemfallsinplace.Thefactorsthatwilldrivethefuturegrowthofonlinegaming marketinIndiacanbebroadlyclassifiedas: ConsumerPull Gamedevelopmentactivitiesbymarketincumbents

ConsumerPull SizeofyouthsegmentTheyouthsegment,whichisthebiggestsegmentonthe Internet,isdrivingthedemandforgamesonmultipleplatformslikePC,mobilehandsets andconsoles.ThegamingmarketinIndiacomprisemainlyofyoungmenandcollege goingstudentsfallingwithintheagegroupof1725years.Theyformthelargest segmentoftheactiveinternetuserbase;aremoretechnologysavvyandmostofall carryanattitudetotryeverythingnew. IncreasingbroadbandpenetrationinIndianhouseholdswilldriveusageofonline gamingandviceversaasthegamingexperienceisenhancedduetohigherspeedand bandwidthwhencomparedtoDialupconnections.Internationalexperiencesuggests thatonlinegamingtookoffasinhomepenetrationofbroadbandincreasedincountries likeSouthKorea&China.BroadbandISPsarealsoofferingGamesondemandpackages touserstoencouragethemtospendmoretimeonline.Indiagames.comwhoprovides thisservicehastieupwithallleadingbroadbandprovidersandtheychargeRs.225 (US$5.25)permonthassubscriptionfee.Theyhavebeenprovidingthisservicefromlast 2yearsandwithalmost80%reachinbroadbandhomes,theyarereportedtohave around10,000monthlysubscribers.Thisnumberisreallysmallconsideringthecurrent marketsize.LotofcompaniesincludingZapak,Indiagames,Games2win&Kreedaare launchingtheircasualMMOswhichshouldpropelthedemandforbroadbandinfuture. Entertainmentseekingbehaviorontherise:Entertainmentappealstointernetusersof allage,genderandaffluence.Asagenre,entertainmentrelatedapplicationsare accessedby54%activeinternetusers(Source:ICube2006).Onlinegamingwilladd

199

anotherplatformtowhettheappetiteofIndianusers.Causalgamescanbepositioned asanotherarenaforentertainmenttoappealtononcoresegmentlikewomenand oldermen(whoarenotyetonlineinsignificantnumbers). IncreaseinMobilegamers:MobilegaminghasgrownmanyfoldinIndiaanddownloads ofmobilegamesisafastgrowingcomponentintheoverallMobileVASpie.Mobile gamingisservingtointroducealargebasetogamingandalmostallmobilegamesin Indiaarecasual.Overaperiodoftimemanyuserswhoseekanenhancedgaming experiencecanbegraduatedtoonlinegaming.

BasedonaboveunderstandingofthedynamicsofIndianmarket,herearethebroadindicators oftheIndianGamingMarket:

GamingIndustryForecastforIndia

Figure:ApplicationEvolutionCurve 1. MarketsettoexplodefromRs.500MiltoRs.4000Mil(2010) 2. Casualgamesmarkettogrow10timesfromcurrentUS$2.5MiltoRs.US$25Milby2010 3. OnlineGamingtocontributeto75%ofrevenuesofcybercafesby2010 4. Gamerbasetogrowfrom1.3Milin2006to14.1Milin2011(CAGR63%) 5. SubscriptionRevenuetogrowfromUSD1.2Milin2006toUSD72Milin2011(CAGR 126%) 6. Over550MilIndiansare<25years 7. #ofactiveInternetusersgrewfrom11%in04to25%in06

200

 *Sources:eTechnologyGroup@IMRB&IAMAI (http://iamai.in/Upload/Research/OnlineGaminginIndiaMarch2007.pdf) TheGrowthImpeders

*source: IMRB e Technology Group

ControllingtheInternetdropoutrateiskeyforstickiness.CurrentlymostISPsare reporting1015%dropouteverymonth. BroadbandpenetrationlowinTownswithpopulationlessthan1million Internetstillanurbanphenomenon ControlandMonitoringIssuesataccesspointslikecolleges&officeswheretheaccess islimitedduetofearsofmisuseandinadequatemonitoring InitiatingtraditionalsegmentsintoGaming

201

*source:iCube2007

202

*Source: IMRB online gamer Study in 5 top cities Oct 2007

WaystogrowInternet&Onlinegamingmarket
TechnologyEnablers: Broadbandmakinginhomeinternetaccessattractive. Government&CorporateDigitaldivideprogramsincreasingaccessamongstruralareas &urbanlowerSECs.

203

AccessEnablers CostofPCscomingdown Internetonmobilebecomingarealisticsolutionconsideringthereare272million mobilephonesubscribersinIndia. Cybercafspenetratingvillages&proliferatinginsmalltowns.Thereare50000 unorganizedcybercafesinsmalltowns

ContentEnablers Regionallanguageonlinecontentcoupledwithextensivereachinsuburbanareaswhere Englishisstillnotwidelyaccepted.Top8metrocitieswouldnotseemuchgrowthin gamingifcontentisavailableinlocallanguage. PCswithregionallanguageinterface Searchinregionallanguage Contentspecifictodeficientsegments

AwarenessEnablers Largescaleeducationprograms Positivewordofmouthcreatingastrongpull. Lureofconveniencepullinginfirsttimeusers

KeyPlayersinIndianMarket
ZapakLtd.(www.zapak.com)CasualGamesPortal,MMOGPublishers,GamingCafs,Game Cards Games2Win(www.games2win.com)CasualGamesPortal IndiagamesLtd.(www.indiagames.com)GamesonDemand,MobileGamesDevelopers& Publishers Hungama(www.gaminghungama.com)OnlineMultiplayerGames,MobileGamesDevelopers FXLabs(www.fxlabs.com)OnlineGamesPortal,Console&PCGamesDevelopers Kreeda(www.kreeda.com)MMOGPublishers LevelUpIndiaMMOGPublishers DhruvaInteractive(www.dhruva.com)GameDevelopers

204

JumpGamesLtd.Mobile&OnlineGameDevelopers RaptorInternationalPC&ConsoleGameDevelopers TrineEntertainmentPC&ConsoleGameDevelopers

205

AppendixCContributorBios
SectionEditors
DaveRohrlLeadWhitePaperEditor,SectionEditorforDerivativeProductsand Appendices DaveRohrlhasbeenproducinganddesigninggamesprofessionallyformorethan15years. Currently,heservesasCreativeDirectorforCasualGamesatZyngawherehemanagesthe gamedesignandstaffforZyngascasinoandcasualgameswhichattractnearly2millionunique userseveryday.HeisalsocurrentlyservingasthechairoftheIGDAsCasualGameSIGanda memberoftheAIASpaneloncasualgames.HealsoisoneofthreeorganizersofGDCsCasual GameSummit.Previously,DavefoundedandranPopCapsSanFranciscodevelopmentstudio, andfoundedandmanageddevelopmentforPogosdownloadablegamesline.Davehasled designand/orproductiononmorethan40publishedgamesincludingsuchinternethitsas WordWhompandTumbleBees,andservedasexecutiveproduceronoveradozenmore.In additiontohisworkincasualgamesoverthelast9years,Davespentmorethan6yearsbuilding leadingedutainmenttitlesforTheLearningCompany. JonathanGreechanUnderstandingCasualGames JonathanGreechanhasbeendeeplyinvolvedintheproductmanagement,licensing, distribution,productionandB2C/B2Bmarketingofonlinecasualgamemediaandtechnology since2004.Currently,JonathanisthePrincipal/OwnerofCombustibleMediaGroup (www.combustiblemediagroup.com),anonlinemediaandmarketingconsultancy.Previously, JonathanwastheProductManagerforOnlineGamesforRealNetworks,Inc,whereheoversaw thecasualgamescommunitytoolsetandcontentproductstrategy,roadmap,andexecution. JonathanjoinedRealNetworksviatheir2007acquisitionofGameTrust,aleadingcasualgames communityplatformcompany,wherehewasintegraltoboththecompany'sgrowthandexitas theDirectorofGames&Marketing.Hewasalsovitaltotheproductionandpublishingofeight downloadablecasualgames;including"Shroomz,"whichwonaBillboardawardforthe "Web/DownloadableGameoftheYear"of2004.Jonathanwaspreviouslytheyoungestmember oftheIGDA'sOnlineGamesSIGExecutiveSteeringCommittee,andhiswritinghasbeen publishedinGamasutraandCasualConnectMagazine.HegraduatedwithaB.A.fromVillanova UniversityandreceivedaGraduateCertificatefromNewYorkUniversity. MichelleLeeAdSupportedGamesSection Michellehasover11yearsofconsumerandB2Bmarketingexperiencewithhightech, publishing,gamingandconsumerproducts.Shehasbeeninthecasualgamingindustrysince 2006whereshewasthemarketingdirectorforanawardwinning,multiplayermobilegaming companyleadingkeymarketingandadpartnerships.In2007,Michelleledanoriginalmarketing campaignbridgingcasualgamingprofitstoaidsocialjusticeissuesspecificallyhelpingtoend

206

worldwidechildslaveryandtrafficking.Sherecentlyleftherroleinmarketingataleadingcasual gamingadnetworktoleadmobilemarketinginitiativesforamajorconsumercompany. BrianRobbinsAdvergamingSection BrianRobbinscurrentlyservesasGamingEvangelist,FuelIndustries.Brianhasbeenactiveinthe onlinegamingindustrysince1999andiswidelyrecognizedasoneofthemostinfluential developersinonlinegamingtoday.HeiscofounderandchairemeritusoftheInternational GameDevelopersAssociation's(IGDA)CasualGamesSpecialInterestGroup(SIG),andhasalso servedasChairfortheIGDA'sOnlineGamesSIG.Anaccomplisheddeveloper,Brianhasbeen theleadprogrammeronover70publishedtitles,withcontributionstomorethan100games. HerecentlyrelocatedbackhometoDenver,COandhasstartedastudioforFuelinitiallyfocused oniPhonegamedevelopmentwithabroadermandatetolookatallnewGamingPlatforms. DanPriggTryandBuyDownloadableSection DanPriggisGeneralManager,Publishing&ProgrammingintheGamesdivisionat RealNetworks.Mr.Priggsprimaryresponsibilitiesincludemanagingallpublishingactivities.He isresponsiblefortheprogrammingofglobalservicesfromdirecttoconsumertosyndication andworkswithmorethan160activepartnerstolaunchandmaintaintheRealGamesglobal distributionchannels.Priortothisrole,DanservedasSeniorDirectorofGamesatRealandwas responsibleforoverseeingthirdpartylicensingandpcpublishing.Danstartedhiscareerin gamingatHumongousEntertainment,andnowhasmorethan10yearsofexperienceinthe industry. JuanGrilConsoleDownloadSection JuanGrilalsowrotesignificantportionsoftheAdSupportedGamessectionandcoauthoredthe entireConsoleDownloadsection JuanservesasStudioManageratJoJuGameswhereheadstheproductionofalltitles.Joju producesCasualGamesforweb,PCdownloads,consolesandmobileplatforms,andforclients suchasRealArcade,MTVNetworks,ComedyCentral,andNickelodeon.Previously,andasone ofthefirstmembersoftheYahoo!Gamesteam,Juanwastheleadproducerforthe downloadablegamesareaandcommunitymanagerofmultiplayergames.Inthelastyearofhis tenureatYahoo!,JuanwastheheadofYahoo!GamesStudios. JuanisoneoftheeditorsoftheIGDACasualGamesWhitePaper,anadvisorattheCasual GamesAssociation,andisafrequentspeakeratindustryevents.JuanholdsaBFAinElectronic MediafromtheUniversityofIllinois. SteveMeretzkySkillGamesSection SteveMeretzky(steve@boffo.us)isVPofGameDesignforYouPlus,oneoftheleadingcreators ofsocialnetworkgames.Stevehasbeendesigninggamessince1982,startingwiththe legendaryadventuregamecompany,Infocom.HistitlesthereincludedPLANETFALL,THE

207

HITCHHIKER'SGUIDETOTHEGALAXY(acollaborationwithDouglasAdams),LEATHER GODDESSESOFPHOBOS,andZORKZERO.HecofoundedBoffoGames,wherehecreatedHODJ 'N'PODJandTheSPACEBAR.Hewascreativecontentdirectorfor5yearsforthetournament skillgamesiteWorldWinner.com,wherehecontinuestoserveasanadvisor.Stevehasalso workedforBlueFang,FloodgateEntertainment,andTHQsGameFXstudio,andhasalsodone consultingworkforActivision,Blizzard,Disney,EA,Harmonix,Hasbro,Legend,andmanyothers. SteveisaformermemberoftheboardofdirectorsoftheIGDA;hecofoundedPostMortem, themonthlygatheringofBostonareagamedevelopers;andheisacoorganizeroftheannual GameDesignersWorkshop. RomanNouzarethMicrotransactionSupportedGamesSection RomanisthecofounderandCEOofCafe.com,aworldwidecasualgamingcompany. WithhisbrotherMathieu,theybuildaleaderinsocialcasualgaming,introducingnew innovativebusinessmodelsbasedonfreemiummodels. PriortoCafe.com,the2brothersfoundedBoonty,aworldwideleaderinthedigitaldistribution ofvideogames,andoneofthelargestcasualgameplatformsintheworld,operatinginmore than25countrieswithofficesinParis,Singapore,Tokyo,BeijingandNewYork. BeforeBoonty,Romanfounded,stillwithhisbrotherMathieu,WebConcept,oneofthefirste businessconsultingcompanyinFrance.Theybuiltabusinesswhichbecameoneoftheleaders onthemarketby1999,whenWebConceptwassoldtotheIconMedialabcompanyofSweden (Euronext:icon),aleaderinitsfield.AsManagingDirectorofWebConcept,laterof IconMedialab,RomandevelopedandenlargedtheagencyuntilApril2001. RomanholdsalawdegreefromtheUniversityofParisIIAssas,andisaninvestorinseveral startups.

UnderstandingCasualGamesWriters
KaneMinkus,ManagingPartner,SomaToneInteractiveAudio Kane is one of the founding members of SomaTone Interactive Audio, one the largest game audio production companies in the world today. He has produced close to 500 soundtracks between games, films, records and interactive media campaigns. With a passion for building businesses,hewasoneofthefoundingstrategistsforthedesignofPyramind:DigitalProduction Arts Training Academy, a premier digital production school, COO and founding partner of Franklin Digital Properties, a web business management firm, EBIVE Entertainment, an artist production company, and executive coach for Fearless Wealth, an investment education company.KanecontinuestoconsultwithCEOs&executiveteamsonleadershipskills,aswell as, leads workshops in the Bay Area. He also lectures frequently on organizational behavior, increasing communication effectiveness, customer driven leadership, sales team development

208

andbrandmessaging.KaneholdsanAssociatesDegreeinFinancefromtheUniversityofIllinois, aBMinMusicBusinessandMusicProduction&EngineeringfromBerkleeCollegeofMusic,and aMastersinAudioProductionfromExpressionsSchoolforNewMedia. KenTabor,LeadProgrammer,TheMethod KenTaborisatwelveyearveteranofthevideogameindustry.Whileservinginrolesincluding leadprogrammer,leaddesigner,andproducer,hehasshippedsixtitlesonthreegenerationsof homeconsoles.Kenhassuccessfullydeliveredtitlesinsuchdiversegenresaspuzzle,character platforming,andvehicleactioninlicensedandoriginalIPworks.Keniscurrentlyservingaslead programmeratTheMethod,anindependentmobilegamesdeveloperlocatedinDallas,Texas. JimStern,VPofProductDevelopment,iWin,Inc. JimSternhasbeeninthegameindustryfor15yearsinavarietyofrolesincluding:Vice PresidentofProductDevelopmentatiWin,GeneralManagerforUniversityGames,President andCoFounderofAreYouGame.com,SeniorProduceratWorldPlayEntertainmentandAOL, andProductManagerfor3DO.InhiscurrentroleatiWin,heisresponsibleforoverseeingall gameproductionincludingPC,console,mobile,Mac,flash,retail,andlocalizedports.Jim receivedaBSinIndustrialEngineeringatStanfordUniversityandanMBAfromtheAmosTuck SchoolatDartmouthCollege,buthisclaimtofameisbeingacontestant(andwinner!)onWheel ofFortune. KennySheaDinkin,VP&CreativeDirector,PlayFirst KennySheaDinkinservesasVicePresidentandCreativeDirectorofPlayfirst,Inc.wherehe drivesthegameportfolio'saestheticsensibilitiesdirectinggamedesign,art,audio,character, andstorydevelopmentforallPlayFirstgamesincludingtheinventive,topsellingDinerDash, Chocolatier,DreamChronicles&NightshiftCodebrands.Asoneofthefirstmanagementteam membersatPlayFirst,heoversawgameproductionasExecutiveProducerforthefirst24 PlayFirstTitles.Kennybringsoveradecadeofsuccessinconsumertechnologywherehehas designed,producedanddirecteddesignonawidearrayofawardwinningconsumerproducts andinteractiveplatforms.KennyearnedaBachelor'sdegreeinHistoryfromBrownUniversity andanM.F.A.inVisualArtsfromtheUniversityofPennsylvania'sSchoolofDesign. GregMills,DirectorofGames,AOLGames AsDirectorofGames,GregmanagestheentiregamesbusinessforAOL.Heisresponsiblefor theoverallstrategyandfinancialsuccessforboththecasualgamesgroupandthevideogame editorialgroup.Gregmanagesaportfolioofgamebrandssuchasgames.com,AOLGames, GameDaily,Bigdownload.com,PlaySavvy.com,andtheGameDailyBiz.GregMillshasmorethan fifteenyearsofmarketingandbusinessexperienceinthegamingindustry.Priortohiseleven yearsatAOL,GregworkedatWorldPlayEntertainmentandatThe3DOCompanyinavarietyof marketingandbusinessdevelopmentpositions.MillsearnedhisBachelorsdegreefrom PomonaCollegeandanMBAfromSantaClaraUniversity.

209

IsraelEvans,ArtDirector,iWin IsraelC.Evanshasbeenworkingingamessince1996whenhehookedupwiththefledgling MonolithStudios.HehelpedstartupSandlotGamesandnowcallsiWinhome.Hehasbeen pushingpixels,donningmotioncapturesuitsandtalkingaboutarteversince.Whennot working,hispassionsincludeoilpaintingthegreatoutdoors,sculptingWoWcharactersoutof sculpy,readingeverythinghecangethishandsonand,aboveall,beingadadforhismost incredible,energetic,highvolume,fashionconscious,caringandthoughtful,animalloving daughter. EricLamendola,GM,Slingo,Inc. EricLamendolaisaspecialistindigitalinteractiveentertainment.Withalmost10yearsof experiencewithoneofthemostsuccessfulbrandsinonlinegames,Erichasbeenintegralin branddevelopment,deploymentandlicensingforeverydigitalinteractivemedia.Whetheritis socialnetworks,interactivecommunities,socialgamesorbridgingtelevisionandinteractive games,Erichashadrepeatedsuccessesinexecutingdistributionacrossmultipleverticals.He hasbeenintegralinthedesignanddevelopmentoftheentertainmentdestination(Slingo.com), oneofthemostsuccessfulonlinecommunitiesincasualgames.Healsohasextensive knowledgepertainingtolicensinggamebrandstotheonlinegamespace,downloadgame space,casinoslotmachinesandtablegames,lottery,mobilegames,interactivetelevisionand televisiongameshows.Beingwithoneofthefirstonlinegameportalstointegraterichmedia andvideoadvertising,Erichasdevelopedcomprehensivestrategiestoeffectivelyintegrateand maximizeonlineadvertising.Healsohasexperienceinthedesignandproductionofover35 webanddownloadabletitlesincludingtheawardwinningSlingoQuest. DavidFox,VPofTechnologyandCoFounder,iWin,Inc. DavidFoxisVPofTechnologyandcofounderofiWin,Inc.,wherehehelpedguidedevelopment ofbestsellingcasualgamessuchasJewelQuest,MahJongQuest,andFamilyFeudOnline Party.Davidhasbeenagamedesigneranddeveloperforover14years,withafocuson multiplayercasualgamesandstorytelling.Heistheauthorofseveralbestsellingbooksabout Internettechnologiesandculture,andhiswritinghasappearedinpublicationssuchas Salon.com,Gamasutra,Gamelan,O'ReilleyNetwork,Developer.com,CasualConnect,andGame ProgrammingGemsIII. AndyMegowan,CreativeDirector,iWin,Inc. AndyMegowanistheCreativeDirectorforiWinDivision90inSeattle,Washington.Hehas workedonmorethan50gamesinbothcasualandhardcoreindustries,atcompaniesincluding Interplay,IONStorm,MonolithProductionsandSandlotGames.Hebeganprogramminggames in1979,andhasbranchedoutintowriting,designandvoiceactingalongtheway.Hehasbeen aguestlecturerandpanelistattheAustinGamesConference,andattheUniversityof Washington,BothellCampus.Andwritingbiographicalparagraphsmakeshimfeelvery,very old.

210

AdvergamingSectionWriters
JnasBjrgvinAntonsson,CEO,Gogogicehf GogoicisanIcelandiccompanythatfocusesmainlyononlinegamesandcasualMMOGs.To contactJonas,pleasesendanemailtoinfo[at]gogogic.com DeepakAbbot,GeneralManager,CasualGames,Zapak.com DeepakAbbotalsowrotetheAppendixontheIndianCasualGamesMarket DeepakAbbotiscurrentlyworkingasGeneralManagerwithIndia'sleadinggamingcompany ZapakDigitalEntertainmentLimited.HeisheadingthecasualgamesportalZapak.comwhichis India'sno.1gamesportal.DeepakAbbothasover11yearsofexperienceinMedia& Entertainmentindustry.HehasearlierworkedwithIndia'stopportalIndiatimes.comfor4years mangingthecreativedutiesoftheirecommercedivision.HislastjobwithSatyamcomputers whichisamongworld'stopIToutsoircingcompanyledhimtoworkwithworld'stop organizationslikeWorldBank,Ford,Unilever,GE&manyothers.Hislast3yearsatZapakhas givenhimdeepinsightsaboutgamingindustryespeciallyinIndiawheretheentiregaming revolutionwasstartedbyZapak.com.HeiscurrentlyhelpingZapak.comtogrowinternationally bylaunchingseveralcasualgamesportalinotherpartoftheworldsbesidesIndia. JeffMurray,GameDesigner,FuelIndustries JeffMurrayisaGameDesigneratFuelIndustries,anOttawaagencythatspecializesinonline brandedentertainment.Hehasbroadexperienceinthefieldofgamedevelopmentand browserbasedentertainment,witheightyearsofmultimedia,gameprogrammingand managementrolesunderhisbelt.Jeffmanagesasmallteamofgamedevelopersspecializingin researchandgamemechanicsprototyping.TheteamensuresthatFuel'sgamedevelopmentis alwaysattheforefrontofthetechnologyandproducingtheindustry'smostoriginaland immersiveonlinecontent.Asawellknownandactivememberoftheindependentgames community,Jeffhasbeeninvolvedwithover50gamesrangingfrombrowserbasedcontentto retailtitles.Jeffhasgroundinginpublishing,computeraideddesign,businesssoftware development,andfilmandtelevisionproduction.BeforemovingtoCanadain2005specifically toworkwithFuel,heranasmall,successfulgamescompanyintheUK. JonathanBankard,BusinessManager,Microsoft JonathanisaBusinessManageratMicrosoftinthePConlinegaminggroupwhichencompasses GamesforWindowsLIVE,Windows7gaming,MSNGames,andWindowsLiveMessenger Games.PriortoMicrosoftJonathanmarketedseveralofElectronicArts'RTSfranchisesand foundedandworkedinaconsumerelectronicsstartups.HeearnedaBSfromBrownUniversity incomputersciencewithasecondconcentrationineconomicsandaMBAfromHarvard BusinessSchool.

211

TryandBuyDownloadableGamesSection
AndrewLum,CEO,Fugazo AndrewLumgothisstartinthegamingindustrybyposingnakedtogethiredfortheNintendo StreetTeambutnowwearsclothestoworkonaregularbasis.PriortostartingFugazo,Andrew workedatSandlotGameswherehewastheLeadDesigner\Producerofthecasualgamehit CakeMania.AtFugazo,AndrewhasbeentheleaddesigneronFashionFits,CookingAcademy, WorldMosaics,Fishco,andCookingAcademy2:WorldCuisine. MikeWabschall,AssociateProducer,Pogo InhisroleasAssociateProducer,MikeWabschallisintegraltotheproductionofseveralof Pogo.com'sconnecteddownloadables.Mostrecently,heshippedPictureka!MuseumMayhem onthePC,online,andatretail.Mikeisanexperienceddeveloperofentertainmentand educationtitles.Hehasproducedanddesignedhandheld,online,andCDROMtitleswithgame publisherssuchasTHQ,DisneyInteractive,andVivendiGames.MikereceivedhisB.S.inRadio TelevisionFilmfromtheUniversityofTexasatAustin.

AdSupportGamesSection
SignificantportionsofthissectionwerewrittenbyJuanGril,editoroftheConsoleDownload Section AlanMiller AlanMillerisapioneeringgamedeveloperandpublishingexecutivewith30yearsexperience developing,licensing,marketinganddistributingoriginalentertainmentsoftwaretitles.His careerbeganin1977atAtariasagamedesigner.In1979,hecofoundedActivision,thefirst independentvideogamepublisher,andservedasthecompany'sVPProductDevelopment.In 1984,MillercofoundedAccolade,aleadingentertainmentsoftwarepublisherforpersonal computersandgameconsolesystems,initiallyservingasVPProductDevelopmentand ultimatelyasChairmanandCEO.MillerhasaBachelorofSciencedegreeinElectrical EngineeringandComputerSciencefromtheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley.

MicrotransactionSupportedGamesWriters
NOTE:Allarticlesinthissectionwereacollaborativeeffort. DavidDeschaintre DavidhasbeeninvolvedintoCafe.comsincethestartoftheproject.Afteralongroadwith BoontyDigitalDistributionUnitasOnlineMarketingManagerforEurope,hedecidedtomove onandexpresshiscreativity,butalsorealizinghischilddreamtodesigngames,joiningthe risingprojecttobuildupthenumber1onlinecommunitybasedonmultiplayercasualgamesat cafe.com. BeyondthisworkaholicdemandingguylivesthepeacefulheartofaFrenchPoetforwhom

212

FranckLaval FranckjoinedtheCafe(previouslyBoonty)teaminOctoberof2004asanAccountManagerand laterasaProducerandLeadDesigner.HehasaSpecialisedMasterinManagementofNew TechnologiefromEMLyon(FrenchBusinessSchool).Hebeganworkinginthevideogame industryin2000atGfK(MarketResearchCompany)asaVideoGamesAnalyst.2yearslater,he joinedasmallcompagnyApocopeasconsultant(videogamesmarket). Inhissparetime,FranckenjoysElectronicMusic,andworkshardonhisown website:www.djkix.com seekingandsharingLoveistheArtofLife. JennaLeder JennaLederisaNewYorkCityareagameartist,andagraduateoftheSavannahCollegeofArt andDesign.Whennotcontributingtoindustrypapers,shespendsmostofhertimetoiling feverishlyonhercomputeroverlord. OlivierMathieu AsheadofCafe.comEuropeanoperations,OlivierMathieuoverseesbusinessdevelopment, marketing,portalmanagement,communitymanagement,customersupportandtechnical operationsofthecafegamingportalinEurope.Priortothisrole,OlivierservedasVPofbusiness developmentatBoonty/Cafe.com.BeforejoiningCafe.cominsummer2007,Olivierspent7 yearswithVivendiGames/BlizzardwhereheheldvariousBusinessdevelopmentandsales positionsinEuropeandAsiaPacific.HemostnotablyworkedonthelaunchofWorldofWarcraft inAsia,settingupentrystrategiesintheAsianmidcoreonlinegamingmarketsaswellasother assignmentsinretailsales,mobilegamingandcorporatestrategy. PriortojoiningVivendiGames,Olivierwasafinancialanalystinaprivateequityfund.Heholdsa degreeinbusinessadministrationfromHECschoolofmanagement.

DerivativeProductsandAppendixWriters
GregZesingerRetail GregZesingeristheProductManagerateGames,Inc.,aleadingcasualgamesdeveloper, publisherandgameportalbasedinLanghorne,PA.AformerEASportsproducerandmarketing directoratspecialtytoymanufacturerActionProducts,Zesingercurrentlywearsmanyhatsasa keymemberofthemarketingandcreativeteamsbehindcasualgamesincludingBurgerIsland, BurgerIsland2:TheMissingIngredient,PurrfectPetShop,andDefenderoftheCrown:Heroes LiveForever.Hecanbereachedatgzesinger@egames.com. DonBahlmanMobile FounderandCEOofxBlitzEntertainment,DonaldBahlmanhasalwayspursuedthemarriageof technologyanddesign.Itgoesbacktothatfirst25playofGalagain1982thatleftitsmarkat

213

anearlyage.Sincegrowingup(alittle),hehascontributedmuchtodevelopment,designand marketing,whileatMumboJumbo,MotorsportsSimulations,ParSoftInteractiveandParadigm Simulations.Beforetransitioningintogamesfulltimeinthemid90s,heworkedonanumberof commercialandmilitarysimulations.Clientsinclude:Boeing,MacDonaldDouglas,Lockheed MartinMarietta,SAIC,NellisAFB,USMC,Spain,Curacao(NetherlandsAntilles)atWillemstad, andMarineSafetyInternationalRotterdam.HisworkhasbeenfeaturedonCNN,Discovery Channel,MTVandinEurope.ButwhatDonismostproudofishisfocusonfamilyfriendly entertainment;havingneverworkedonanultraviolenttitle.Withmorethan15yearsinthe gameindustryand12titlestoshow;heisnowcarvingoutaplaceforxBlitzEntertainmentin thisfastgrowingmarketofcasualgames. KentonWhiteSeriousGames AsDISTIL'scofounderandChiefTechnologyOfficer,KentonWhiteappliesmodelsofcomplex humanandorganizationalinteractionstogamedesigntomakematerialintuitively understandableforlearners. Kentoninitiallysetouttobecomeafilmdirectorandworkedonanumberoftelevisionand featurefilmproductions.However,helatersuccumbedtothesirencallofopticalphysicsand appliedmathematics.HereceivedhisPh.D.fromtheUniversityofArizonain1999. PriortoDISTIL,Kentonledproductdevelopmentteamsdesigningmodelingtoolsand simulationsfororganizationslikeNortel,Bookham,andtheDepartmentofDefense.Hehas publishedmorethan50peerreviewedpapersinacademicjournalsandhasbeenregularly invitedtospeakatindustryconferences. MitziMcGilvrayMacintosh Mitzihasbeenactiveinthegameindustryfornearlytwodecades.Hercareerstartedatthe oncewellknowngamecompany,Epyx.There,shespenttwoyearsonthephonelisteningto customers.Sincethen,shehasheldproductionrolesatActivision,Maxis,Tengen,Electronic ArtsandTapwave.Currently,sheisVicePresidentofCasualGamesatTikGames,aleading publisherofdigitallydistributedcontentforallcurrentplatforms.

214