GDC12: Social Gaming

Social Gaming with Scoreloop & BBMVolker Hirsch (@vhirsch)Director, Global Head of Business Development Games

1. Social Games2. What is Social?3. Value Propositions4. Scoreloop & BBM

Metric-driven design

Sources & Sinks $$ $http://www.revivevending.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/vending-machines.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fountain_by_slonecker.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Storm_Drain_Dryden.JPG

Social?http://www.revivevending.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/vending-machines.jpg

Social Games Seem Not So Social...

Coercion is Evil ...http://www.theargonath.cc/characters/saruman/pictures/saruman2.jpg

Or do you want to be him?Courtesy of the US Department of Justice

What is Social?

Social refers to theinteraction of organisms withother organisms and to theircollective co-existence [...]Source: Wikipedia

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhgs_crowd.jpg

I amWhite (good) skierMale (poor) golferMiddle-Aged Book loverAtheist School GovernorGamer EuropeanParent LiberaliPhone user TravellerBlackBerry user Jazz fanPlayBook user EntrepreneurMobile Geek TEDx Speaker

So why are you still here?

You need context!http://flickr.com/photos/nolifebeforecoffee/124659356/

Object-Centered Sociality Jyri Engeström Founder, Jaiku & Ditto Prof Dr Karin Knorr-Cetina, Sociologisthttps://svn-create.freedesktop.osuosl.org/public/create/docs/logo/images/light_bulb_off3.jpg

ObjectSocial is interaction in contexthttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Petanque_players_in_Cannes_(France)_2003.jpg

Make sure you’re relevanthttp://gapingvoid.com

?http://www.revivevending.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/vending-machines.jpg

Quid Pro Quo The exchange of valuable consideration [...] required for the formation of a valid contract between individuals. This requirement of mutual consideration, or the exchange of something of value, indicates the sincerity of the parties intent to adhere to the contract between them.http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/quid+pro+quo

Human Value Drivers: SexHope MoneyBelongingFeeling ImportantSecurityGetting more out of Life

Social changes value perceptionhttp://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/quid+pro+quo

Experience Economy Orchestrate memorable events for users.That memory itself becomes the product. B Joseph Pine II & James H Gilmore, “The Experience Economy” (1999)http://the4thstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/prod-development-ux-team-plan-2008pptx1.jpg

Q: What is the essence of your game?http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/quid+pro+quo

Quid Pro Quo The exchange of valuable consideration [...] required for the formation of a valid contract between individuals. This requirement of mutual consideration, or the exchange of something of value, indicates the sincerity of the parties intent to adhere to the contract between them.http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/quid+pro+quo

Got that?

OverviewScoreloop powers mobile social gaming across platforms 125m+ registered users

For all Games From big-brand blockbusters to indie hits. From hard-core to super-casual. All mechanics, all designs...

Approach Discover Engage MonetizeIncrease installed Increase user Increasebase activity revenues Analyze Optimize game mechanics and revenues

Discover Social Network PublishingFriend Finding • Unified posting of stories (high scores, unlocked• One-touch scanning of address book, and social achievements, player challenges) to integrated networks social networks• Integrated with Facebook and Twitter • Augmented messaging with pictures and links• Friends-only views for leader-boards • Story modification process from default to• Friend invitations (with rewards like coins) publisher to player• Friending via leader-boards or after a Player • Automated story posting based on game-specific Challenge events (eg. achievements) • Server-to-server communication allows for story posting in native game dialogs Localization • Designed for localization to speak to users natively • Localize key aspects from in-game Cross-Promotions / Friend functionality to email campaigns and Recommendations push notifications • Cross-promotions as friend recommendations • Various message streams for recommendations from news feed to activity lists • Message streams can be fed by customizable server messages or news

Engage (1) LeaderboardsOnline Profiles • Global leaderboards contain each players’ best• User profiles storing all Scoreloop related scores information from scores to coin balance to friends, • Geo-aware scores with player location recognition games played and avatars • Custom ‘Smart Lists’ to filter the global• Skill comparison based on game-independent leaderboard (eg. 24h, country, user demographics) algorithms to automatically render a winning • Optional game-specific information in addition to probability and identify other players with like skills scores• No user data required to sign up. Requirements • Live score comparisons to show progress (like email) are optional. compared to others while playing the game • Support for • levels and modes • major/minor scores • ascending/descending scores Achievements • Custom achievements with custom unlocking mechanisms • Unlocking achievements can be linked with virtual goods and currencies • Achievements comparisons are publishable stories on social networks

Engage (2)Push Notifications (iPhone only) & Player ChallengesCustom Emails • Asynchronous between any user• Automated notifications for (wherever users are shown) or challenge events asynchronously with skill matching• App Icon badge to alert of awaiting algorithm direct challenges • Challenge history to track success • Ghost challenges shows contestant’s progress in same game instance • Direct messages turn challenges into a type of communication Location Awareness • Scores, challenges, etc. can be associated with explicit GPS data (from OS) or implicit IP resolved location data. • Location data can be used to access specific downloadable content from the server. Eg. background images, themes or complete game levels can all depend on where the user is located.

MonetizeVirtual Goods/Services & Downloadable Virtual CurrenciesContent • Purchasable through platform dependent• Virtual goods are hosted through payment options Scoreloop’s servers • Internal accounts system tracks all sources and• Virtual goods are versioned. SDK capable sinks as transactions of downloading new versions upon • Unlimited number of currencies version checks. • Dual currency: Custom credit events in• “Feels-like-local”: SDK takes care of gameplay (eg achievements) and/or monetary connection problems and provides access • Can be associated to virtual goods to data as if it was local • Custom currency scope (one game, multiple• Caching mechanisms to store data locally games, all publisher, global)• Virtual goods/services can be purchased • Currency exchange between games as cross with virtual currency or through direct promotion tool payments Competitive Currencies • Currencies can be associated with challenges to let users earn currencies by playing against Piracy Prevention their friends and other users • Use server checks to • Winner of Player Challenges takes the prevent illegal use of currency placed on the Challenge less a rake the game to fight inflation

Attachable Features Feature A + Feature B = Feature C e.g. Virtual Good + User = Gifting Virtual Currency + Challenges = Skill gaming Challenges + Virtual Goods = Themed challenges Achievements + Virtual Currencies = Activity driven currency Scores + Game State = Tag team gaming Invitation + Virtual Currencies = Invitation rewards etc …

BBM55m active users. Powerful social graph.Drives usage and uptake by 15x on average.Social discovery, asynchronous multi-player, chat with your friends.API to integrate into games.

Thank you! +44 7795 970 191 @vhirsch vhirsch@rim.com http://vhirsch.com

GDC12: Social Gaming

by Volker Hirsch

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