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Multiplayer Games and Mobile Communities

Multiplayer Games and Mobile Communities GDCmobile: March 5, 2003 Dan Scherlis Dan@Scherlis.com © 2003 Dan Scherlis Agenda Why massively multiplayer? Publishers & carriers 3 myths about MMOGs Challenges to MMOGs Business. Technical. Creative Learning from PC MMOGs

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Multiplayer Games and Mobile Communities

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  1. Multiplayer Games and Mobile Communities GDCmobile: March 5, 2003Dan Scherlis Dan@Scherlis.com © 2003 Dan Scherlis

  2. Agenda • Why massively multiplayer? • Publishers & carriers • 3 myths about MMOGs • Challenges to MMOGs • Business. Technical. Creative • Learning from PC MMOGs • First steps: sample games

  3. Why Massively Multiplayer? Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) • Profitable • Players pay for these • Differentiated • Most downloadables: commodity games • Sticky • Much play/month. Many months/player.

  4. Learning From Wired Games On the Internet: • “Basic” games lose money • Classic-arcade & puzzle games. • “Ad-supported.” Simple play. • “Premium” online games make money • Deeper play. More-involved development. • People pay-to-play these games. These “premium games” are MMOGs

  5. 3 Myths about MMOGs Myth 1. “MMOGs require broadband” • Don’t need hi bandwidth nor low latency • Must design for the network you have Myth 2. “MMOGs are a niche medium” • This generation are core FRPGs • The next generation will be bolder Myth 3. “Server costs are prohibitive” • No, but their development costs can be! • Server (and bandwidth) is low-risk, COGS

  6. Mobile Operators: A Better Fit? Unlike game publishers, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) … • Understand community • They know: they connect people • Do not fear servers & services • Understand the economics & operations • Prefer subscriptions to one-time sales • Optimize ARPU, not units

  7. Mobile MMOGs: Challenges What problems must we address to deploy mobile MMOGs? First, a review:The base elements of game creation (Wireless changes every element)

  8. “Holistic Content Strategy” When one of these elements is changed, you must adapt the others to fit: • Business model (Consumer-revenue model & B2B deals) • Technology (Device, network, or infrastructure) • Creative vision (Game design & concept)

  9. Business Model: Under-Rated? Examples: • Disappointing WAP-game biz results (Was lack of rev-sharing sufficient?) • 1995: Big changes in PC-MMOG designs (Online from hourly-pay, to monthly) • “TV shows” are not “movies” (Bus-model alone can define a medium) Bus-model drives design: Reward MO-SMS? Sub’n? Connect time? Downloads? Views?

  10. All Aspects of Tech Drive Design • Every aspect will shape design concept: • CPU, graphics, display, input, audio-out, network bandwidth & latency … • [Example: fighting-game type vs latency] • Example: fast J2ME device + slow net • Fast tactical play locally, dealing with effects of player/player strategic moves • Compatible types: 4X games (Risk, Empire) • Graphical landscape as a metaphor …

  11. Latency & Bandwidth • [Chart & examples of fighting-game types at different latency levels.]

  12. What To Learn from PC MMOGs Essential aspects of MMOGs: • Persistence of character, of story • Investment by player in character • Social experience (community-based) • Gameplay-focus:What does the user do?

  13. More About Social Aspects • MMOG players come for gameplay, but stay for each other. • Sizzle (attraction): Brand, graphics, etc • Steak (substance): Gameplay • Chocolate (addiction): Social experience • Two-player games, tournaments, eventsare not community • IM, chat, nicknames, boards, matchingare not community (they’re features)

  14. To Create Community • In-game interaction must be rich • Rock/paper/scissors is too ‘bot-like • Game design must foster interaction • Reward collaboration • Provide complementary roles • Balance excitement with slack time • Social contact must be supported • Not easy for mobile (and console) MMOG

  15. Social Contact: What Works? Perhaps the greatest challenge to MMOGs • Keyboard: None • Keypad: G1? hrd 2 use. • But Americans have a uniquely bad ‘tude • Voice: sure, but “multimodality” is rare • Canned or iconographic msgs: Limited • Out-of-game (voice,SMS): Challenging

  16. PC MMOGs: What Works… • Essential elements: • Persistence. Investment. Social. Gameplay. • Important aspects of MMOGs: • Ability to affect the world • Chance encounters with others • Multiple & overlapping social structures • Clear display of player status • Player control over player/player risk

  17. PC-MMOGs: What Not To Learn • Bad habits of classic role-playing games: • Up-front character design • Fussing with “experience points” • Open-ended play with unclear objectives • Rewards for length play time • Difficult gameplay. Challenging to learn • Settings associated with core gamers Beyond core gamers… to normal folk

  18. Example Games • [Screenshots & discussion of example mobile games, showing different aspects of social, persistent, community-based gameplay.]

  19. Appendices Columns from Mobile Entertainment Analyst: • Culture Clash(Issues in telecom/games convergence) • Le Jeu, C’est Les Autres(Looking for community-based mobile games) See http://www.MobEntA.com for sample issue.

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