The experience of creating games for social networks
Hi, habr community.
I want to tell you about the experience of creating a social game, and perhaps there will be people who will want to play games with us. Below I will describe each stage of the work on the project before creating a prototype and the first user reviews. I am involved in the role of the product producer.
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When we conceived the project, there was practically no diversity in the social games market in the CIS. All we saw were farms and city builders. Then I thought that it would be great to make a game where people are in the same virtual city, interact with each other, helping each other to complete various tasks and rebuilding each of their own habitat and city as a whole. The idea is not new. However, at that time in social networks this was not the case and we wanted to submit the game not in the way that others give them.
Money, weighty argument for a new project. I was very lucky. I practically did not spend time searching for resources. My former business partner helped me to find the money while I was working on the idea of the project. Let's call partner M. At an early age, we managed to create a small outsourcing company that professionally engaged in the development of light, medium and complex Drupal sites.
Later, our views with partner M began to diverge strongly and I sold my share in the outsourcing company to him. Now I am fully immersed in the work on the game with partner E, who mostly financed the project. He lives overseas.
Podbivaya information on resources for the project: my task was to invest a maximum of brains and a small part of the money I received from the sale of outsourcing companies. The task of partner E was to finance most of the project.
I want to emphasize that it is extremely difficult to get money for my project without a certain background, experience in the same or related field. Even with this experience, it remains a difficult task.
Fact: Initially, we agreed on $ 40k from partner E. A little later we will realize that more funds will be needed.
To a greater degree, I immediately managed to assemble a wonderful team, which included a 3d modeler, an illustrator, a side programmer, two side developer and a game designer. Two people were later replaced, and it turned out a great dream team that knows how to do it right and is somewhat better than most other teams.
Fact: in the hometown of Zaporozhye in Ukraine, I found only 50% of the people for the team. The rest are from other cities. Yes, with smart people the situation is very complicated. I would advise you to search until you find those you need. No matter how much time you spend on it.
The first of the team who began tangible work on the project - illustrator and modeler. We decided to create a conceptual design and decide on the style of presentation of game content. This is what we got:
One of the first characters, still in the work. They say he recalls one well-known actor.
For each type of character needed different hairstyles
On one of the first locations - shocking Ukrainian courtyard
We saw what was going well and continued in this style. Characters and locations became realistic, they wanted to touch.
I want to take this issue a separate section in the article, because it is really important. So it turned out that we started developing without a completely finished document design and finished writing it on the go. I do not presume to judge it correctly or not, because there are successful examples of games and without a formal document. Especially if it is done under agile conditions.
As for us - in the end, we decided that such a document must necessarily be in detail about the game picture. Yes, these details may vary somewhat in the development process. But, I would not advise much to change the game mechanics.
In our document we quite simply and in detail told about the passing of the game, its cycles and plans for development.
Initially, we did not try to develop a project based on classical methodologies like Scrum, Kanban or Waterfall. We just did what we had to do. Negotiated the immediate tasks, recorded them in Redmine and performed. We did not set deadlines for performing tasks, we only worked as best as possible, discussing working moments only when it was necessary.
Later we tried Scrum with velocity, points, short meetings every day and other attributes. Efficiency has increased slightly, each player of the team began to feel more responsibility. The system got accustomed and works.
We wrote all server part on Python with Twisted.
Client - Action Script 3.0, PureMVC
For graphics, we all know what programs can be used.
We felt that in ideal conditions, you can make a basic version of the game for 6 months. Oriented for this period + some force majeure period. But, from experience, I will tell you how to calculate the real deadline for completing tasks if you have assembled a new team. Just multiply your time by 1.7. It will be a real number. Not everyone is completely clear how this magic works, but it works absolutely for sure. We received a running prototype of the game during this period. I focus attention - this calculation works if the team is new. Played people can set the correct dates.
We decided not to take too long and launch a prototype of the game, right with bugs, to see the first reaction of people to a project of this kind. Were very surprised that they almost did not meet negative reviews. Indeed, in the working prototype of the game, much does not work as it should. Most people admired that the game is unusually different.
On the first day, contact gave us 8k users, a day later it was already 14k. We were not too ready for traffic, the game slowed down, various kinds of errors appeared.
Relying on stable feedback from users, we slightly reworked the design of the document, some things in the game were decided to be made easier, others were more interesting and interactive.
As for transactions, we began to receive stable payments from the very first days of launching the game. Every hour, people made several purchases and increasingly demanded that various kinds of errors be corrected.
Just at this moment, when we probably and precisely understood where to go and how to develop the product - financial problems appeared. The investor had difficulties with his main business and the cash flow of the team almost stopped.
Now we continue to work with financial interest. Some people from the team turned out to be fans and work for free, supporting themselves with the provision of professional services. Others have a temporary break. Now we are looking for partners who are ready to invest money to make the product complete. He became the way we originally conceived it. Most of all we are afraid of missing such a necessary and expensive time for us earning further development on our own.
- The support of each user gives an excellent result, the players become grateful. It is worth noting, here is the key word - each.
- I believe that you should not promise players of what you do not know for sure, for example, the timeframe for releasing new features. See what may hinder your release.
- In social games, you can quickly get on the payback of the team, if the product is complete and enjoyable. Perhaps you will not become a hit immediately, but you can provide salaries.
- Based on the previous point - the game is better to release as soon as possible, if it can be played without errors and with interest, at least for the first time. Finish the rest in the process.
- You shouldn’t conceal the hope that after the release you will immediately add one and the other features to the game in the first couple of weeks, if this hasn’t been the case before. Most likely, you will need to increase the development team and keep a very intense pace in order to deliver new game content in time.
- Users enjoy paying for additional benefits if a friendly atmosphere is created in the game.
- It is important to be able to feel when the money can run out or the investor will stop financing for any reason. The sooner you feel something is wrong, the sooner you solve this problem and do not have to stop.
Link to the virgin version of the game: vkontakte.ru/app2398358
I want to tell you about the experience of creating a social game, and perhaps there will be people who will want to play games with us. Below I will describe each stage of the work on the project before creating a prototype and the first user reviews. I am involved in the role of the product producer.
')
Spontaneous idea
When we conceived the project, there was practically no diversity in the social games market in the CIS. All we saw were farms and city builders. Then I thought that it would be great to make a game where people are in the same virtual city, interact with each other, helping each other to complete various tasks and rebuilding each of their own habitat and city as a whole. The idea is not new. However, at that time in social networks this was not the case and we wanted to submit the game not in the way that others give them.
Fast financing
Money, weighty argument for a new project. I was very lucky. I practically did not spend time searching for resources. My former business partner helped me to find the money while I was working on the idea of the project. Let's call partner M. At an early age, we managed to create a small outsourcing company that professionally engaged in the development of light, medium and complex Drupal sites.
Later, our views with partner M began to diverge strongly and I sold my share in the outsourcing company to him. Now I am fully immersed in the work on the game with partner E, who mostly financed the project. He lives overseas.
Podbivaya information on resources for the project: my task was to invest a maximum of brains and a small part of the money I received from the sale of outsourcing companies. The task of partner E was to finance most of the project.
I want to emphasize that it is extremely difficult to get money for my project without a certain background, experience in the same or related field. Even with this experience, it remains a difficult task.
Fact: Initially, we agreed on $ 40k from partner E. A little later we will realize that more funds will be needed.
Dream Team
To a greater degree, I immediately managed to assemble a wonderful team, which included a 3d modeler, an illustrator, a side programmer, two side developer and a game designer. Two people were later replaced, and it turned out a great dream team that knows how to do it right and is somewhat better than most other teams.
Fact: in the hometown of Zaporozhye in Ukraine, I found only 50% of the people for the team. The rest are from other cities. Yes, with smart people the situation is very complicated. I would advise you to search until you find those you need. No matter how much time you spend on it.
Initially, there was a design
The first of the team who began tangible work on the project - illustrator and modeler. We decided to create a conceptual design and decide on the style of presentation of game content. This is what we got:
One of the first characters, still in the work. They say he recalls one well-known actor.
For each type of character needed different hairstyles
On one of the first locations - shocking Ukrainian courtyard
We saw what was going well and continued in this style. Characters and locations became realistic, they wanted to touch.
Design paper
I want to take this issue a separate section in the article, because it is really important. So it turned out that we started developing without a completely finished document design and finished writing it on the go. I do not presume to judge it correctly or not, because there are successful examples of games and without a formal document. Especially if it is done under agile conditions.
As for us - in the end, we decided that such a document must necessarily be in detail about the game picture. Yes, these details may vary somewhat in the development process. But, I would not advise much to change the game mechanics.
In our document we quite simply and in detail told about the passing of the game, its cycles and plans for development.
Development Methodology
Initially, we did not try to develop a project based on classical methodologies like Scrum, Kanban or Waterfall. We just did what we had to do. Negotiated the immediate tasks, recorded them in Redmine and performed. We did not set deadlines for performing tasks, we only worked as best as possible, discussing working moments only when it was necessary.
Later we tried Scrum with velocity, points, short meetings every day and other attributes. Efficiency has increased slightly, each player of the team began to feel more responsibility. The system got accustomed and works.
Technology
We wrote all server part on Python with Twisted.
Client - Action Script 3.0, PureMVC
For graphics, we all know what programs can be used.
How much time to make a game?
We felt that in ideal conditions, you can make a basic version of the game for 6 months. Oriented for this period + some force majeure period. But, from experience, I will tell you how to calculate the real deadline for completing tasks if you have assembled a new team. Just multiply your time by 1.7. It will be a real number. Not everyone is completely clear how this magic works, but it works absolutely for sure. We received a running prototype of the game during this period. I focus attention - this calculation works if the team is new. Played people can set the correct dates.
Prototype release, feedback
We decided not to take too long and launch a prototype of the game, right with bugs, to see the first reaction of people to a project of this kind. Were very surprised that they almost did not meet negative reviews. Indeed, in the working prototype of the game, much does not work as it should. Most people admired that the game is unusually different.
On the first day, contact gave us 8k users, a day later it was already 14k. We were not too ready for traffic, the game slowed down, various kinds of errors appeared.
Relying on stable feedback from users, we slightly reworked the design of the document, some things in the game were decided to be made easier, others were more interesting and interactive.
As for transactions, we began to receive stable payments from the very first days of launching the game. Every hour, people made several purchases and increasingly demanded that various kinds of errors be corrected.
And there is less money
Just at this moment, when we probably and precisely understood where to go and how to develop the product - financial problems appeared. The investor had difficulties with his main business and the cash flow of the team almost stopped.
Now what?
Now we continue to work with financial interest. Some people from the team turned out to be fans and work for free, supporting themselves with the provision of professional services. Others have a temporary break. Now we are looking for partners who are ready to invest money to make the product complete. He became the way we originally conceived it. Most of all we are afraid of missing such a necessary and expensive time for us earning further development on our own.
A few things that I brought to myself
- The support of each user gives an excellent result, the players become grateful. It is worth noting, here is the key word - each.
- I believe that you should not promise players of what you do not know for sure, for example, the timeframe for releasing new features. See what may hinder your release.
- In social games, you can quickly get on the payback of the team, if the product is complete and enjoyable. Perhaps you will not become a hit immediately, but you can provide salaries.
- Based on the previous point - the game is better to release as soon as possible, if it can be played without errors and with interest, at least for the first time. Finish the rest in the process.
- You shouldn’t conceal the hope that after the release you will immediately add one and the other features to the game in the first couple of weeks, if this hasn’t been the case before. Most likely, you will need to increase the development team and keep a very intense pace in order to deliver new game content in time.
- Users enjoy paying for additional benefits if a friendly atmosphere is created in the game.
- It is important to be able to feel when the money can run out or the investor will stop financing for any reason. The sooner you feel something is wrong, the sooner you solve this problem and do not have to stop.
Link to the virgin version of the game: vkontakte.ru/app2398358
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/131096/
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