STEPHEN JARRETT, VP GAME DESIGN @ ARKADIUM STEPH PHEN N JARRETT - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Finding the Fun: Playtesting Your Way to Success.

STEPHEN JARRETT, VP GAME DESIGN @ ARKADIUM

STEPH PHEN N JARRETT VP P Game Desi sign gn NE NEW YORK CROSS PL PLATFORM GAME ST STUDIO UDIO

How do do we te test st if our ga games s reta tain use sers? s?

SO…

Has

s str strong g enga gage gement? t? How do do we find d th the fun?

WE DID THIS WE WERE WRONG

WE DID THIS TOO

X2

½ Million use sers s pe per month th

Games we are currently testing

GATHERED DATA AND USED IT!

10 10 COL COLLECT ECT DAT DATA TWEAK POOR STATS ENGAGING GOOD STATS REJECT? (Y/N) SUCCESS!

TWEAK-TEST-TWEAK

Questions we would ask

• Is the mechanic fun?
• Is there strong engagement?
• Do players connect with world and

characters?

• Does the game monetize?

Lets look at some Data!

JIG JIGSAW BLAST SAW BLAST

Jigsa gsaw ga game where th the pl player match tches s one pi piece ce at t ti time.

JIG JIGSAW BLAST SAW BLAST

• No

No way to to lose se

• All abo

bout t pe performing g ch chains s

• Sco

core ba base sed d

• Relaxing

g musi sic c

• Time spe

spent t – 11 11 mi mins ns i in 2 n 2 se sessi ssions s a week pe per uniqu que use ser

JIG JIGSAW BLAST SAW BLAST

• Adde

dded d ti time limit t –

• Pl

Players s ca can now lose se! Enga gage gement t incr crease sed d to to 60 60 mi mins ns pe per week in an average ge of 6 se sessi ssions s

CHALLENG NGE IS A MOTIVATOR MOTIVATOR FOR FOR ENG NGAGEMENT NT

15 15 mi mins ns 45 45 mi mins ns 9 9 mi mins ns 42 42 mi mins ns

Stunt Armadillos

• A ti

timed d Characte cter ba base sed d flick ck ga game

• Flick

ck inco coming g armadi dillos s to to sm smash sh

• bsta

bstacl cles s and d earn sco score

• The more sco

score you ge get t th the more armadi dillos s you earn

Stunt Armadillos

Enga gage gement t –

1hour 55 1hour 55 mi mins ns Average ge pl play se sessi ssion 22mins s

Stunt Armadillos

• We made

de it t harde der to to earn Armadi dillos s

• Game se

sessi ssions s be beca came sh shorte tened. d.

• Enga

gage gement t Just st unde der 4 hours (3hours s 49mins) ) With th Average ge ti time pe per pl play se sessi ssion 12mi 12mins ns

KEEP P THEM HUNG NGRY FOR MOR MORE – LE – LET TH T THEM TAKE M TAKE A BR A BREAK AK

• We incr

crease sed d ads ds

• n our Face

cebo book ga game

• Ads

ds every 3 pl plays s

We go got t a 4X enga gage gement t bo boost st

Stunt Armadillos

Could d we incr crease se enga gage gement t even furth ther by by impr proving g art and d po polish shing g th the ga game?

Stu tunt t Armadi dillos s

Time spe spent: t: 3:55mins s

Time spent: 3:45 mins

GAME PO POLISH DID NO NOT INC NCREASE ENG NGAGMENT NT TO AN N ALREADY ENG NGAGED USER BASE

Rota tate te th the bo board d to to match tch in- co coming g bu bubbl bbles s

10 10 mi mins ns pe per enga gage ged d use ser $7 co cost st pe per insta stall 30 30 mi mins ns pe per enga gage ged d use ser $3 co cost st pe per insta stall

THEMES ARE MORE APPE PPEALING NG TO NO NON- N-ENG NGAGED PL PLAYERS

Afte ter 2 month ths, s, we removed d Stu tunt t Armadi dillos s and d Flick ckadi dillos from G from GDG DG

This s is s what t happe ppened… d…

“Every day i come to GDG i still have my fingers crossed - waiting for the return of the armadillos . . .” “I wish they would bring back stunt armadillos” “I think there are many armadillo addicts suffering withdrawals. There could be a mutiny; possibly an incredible uprising. The GDG

• ffices could be picketed or

maybe even stormed!”

“Bubble board is ok, but I need Armadillos!”

CULTS MAY FORM ON N GAMES WITH HIGH ENG NGAGMENT NT MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A PL PLACE TO COMMUNI NICATE

RECAP

1.

• 1. Create

te a si simpl ple pr proto toty type pe and d te test st early

2.

• 2. Find

d a pl place ce where you ca can obse bserve pl players s

3.

• 3. Be pa

pati tient t with th te testi sting g and d obse bserve pl players s for 1 month th

4.

• 4. TWEA

TWEAK/TES K/TEST/TWEA T/TWEAK K

5.

• 5. Keep

p co costs sts low on your pr proto toty type pes s

6.

• 6. Release

se an upda pdate ted d versi sion and d te test st aga gain

• CHALLENG

NGE IS A MOTIVATOR FOR ENG NGAGEMENT NT

• KEEP

P THEM HUNG NGRY FOR MORE – LET THEM TAKE A BR A BREAK AK

• MAKING

NG A MORE PO POLISHED GAME DID NO NOT INC NCREASE EGAGEMENT NT TO AN N ALREADY ENG NGAGED USER BASE USER BASE

• THEMES ARE MORE ENG

NGAGING NG FOR USERS WHO ARE NO NOT ALREADY ENG NGAGED

• CULTS WILL FORM ON

N HIGH ENG NGAGMENT NT GAMES IF PL PLAYERS HAVE A PL PLACE TO PO POST

• ADDING

NG CHARACTERS AND ND PE PERSONA NALTY TO YOUR GAMES WILL INC NCREASE ENG NGAGEMENT NT

• Don’t

t use se spa space ce th themes s for ca casu sual pl players s

• Pl

Players s LOVE leade derbo boards ds and d have 2X more enga gage gement t as s ga games s th that t do don't t

• Rese

search ch th the market t be before pr proto toty typi ping g

• Unde

dersta standa dabi bility ty

• Intr

trodu duce ce new mech chanics cs over ti time to to keep p th the ga game fresh sh

EXTRA TIPS

STUNT NT ARMADILLOS Coming g th this s Spr pring! g!

AND FOLLOWING ALL THESE RULES! OUT NOVEMBER 2013

STEPHEN JARRETT VP GAME DESIGN ARKADIUM @STEPHENJARRETT4