1. Monopoly Game App Project Proposal
Enterprise Innovation, Spring 2015
Carnegie Mellon University
Chloe Chen
Chih Chi Hu
Tangent Chang
Introduction
A traveller’s experience at the airport often contributes greatly to the overall satisfaction
of a trip. For most travellers, the airport experience is often full of surprises, mainly delays that
take a huge toll on their experience. Our goal is to enhance the travel experience for those who
are spending extra unplanned time in the airport. Specifically within the airport, we can take
advantage of the traveller’s micro location, and incorporate that into an interactive mobile app.
With current bluetooth low energy technologies such as the iBeacon, indoor positioning
systems can support real time micro location analytics. By adding this interactive feature along
with suitable incentives, a normal game of monopoly can become exciting and addictive. By
providing the travellers with a fun way to interact with one another, the shops, and the airlines,
we can enhance the overall travel experience for all parties involved.
Survey
For the first phase of the prototyping cycle, we wanted to learn about the current market
potential and opportunities for a location based mobile game. So we conducted a survey
containing twelve questions that covered the participant’s background, their relevant airport
experiences, and their preferences or interests at airports.
From the thirty-five anonymous responses gathered, we were able to identify the
following key factors to shape our interactive location based mobile application: (see Appendix
for a sample survey, as well as a summary of graphical results). The survey results really helped
to solidify our game concept and point us to a unique space of opportunity that hasn’t really
been explored yet.
1. Business Opportunities
From the participants feedback, we noticed that about 60% of the travellers have
experienced some sort of delay in the airport, in most cases due to flight delays and weather
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2. conditions. The top three activities while waiting were hanging around, using the internet, and
eating. This shows that there simply is a bigger need for interaction and activities during delays
to kill time. With this insight in mind, we determined that in addition to attracting the typical
travellers who spend about an hour of pre-boarding time in the terminal, we could attempt to
engage those that are spending hours waiting for their delayed flights.
2. Initial Target Customers
The majority of participants in the survey ranged from ages 15-35. We found that the
most common type of travel was for vacation (67%) or for business (21%). These travellers
typically travelled alone (55%) or with a group (23%), this is exclusive of children or elderly,
because that could potentially make it more difficult for a user to focus on interacting with a
mobile application. With this in mind, we decided to focus on the large number of travellers
that typically travel alone or in groups that are open and interested in physical movements
within the airport.
3. Possible Incentives and Motivation to Attract Users
We also wanted to find out the level of interaction with strangers most people were
comfortable with. In the survey, at least 66% of the participants indicated that they were open to
the idea of interacting via a mobile application and a stunningly 97% of the participants
indicated they would be open to exploring the airport. This indicates to us that people are open
to a location based mobile application. To further incentivize users, we also wanted to hear
what travellers would be most interested in if discounts or monetary incentives were included
in terms of ads or various other means. More than 50% of participants indicated that food
discounts would be the best coupon possible for a person waiting for their flight. Keeping in
mind that we could potentially get the restaurants, food stalls, stores, and airlines to
participate, we decided to focus on monetary forms of incentives rather than social incentives
for the initial prototype.
Game Design
After identifying the requirements of our initial prototype, we embarked on a journey to
design a game that could encapsulate and satisfy our customers. We intend for the monopoly
game mobile application to be attractive, addictive, and lots of fun.
1. Rules
In general, each player, in turn, rolls dice and then moves forward (clockwise around the
board) the number of spaces indicated by the sum of the numbers rolled. Effective actions
includes purchasing, upgrading, paying for others and special events.
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3. 1.1. Game Flow
Colored actions are shown in mockups (See Appendix for the UI mockups)
1.2. Map
After logging in the game, the player will be assigned to a sub-map, based on the
location using iBeacon. Sub-maps are small pieces of the whole airport. The player won’t
play the game in the whole airport but in a smaller part instead.
1.3. Money
Each player will be allocated certain amount of virtual money in the beginning.
This money can be used for purchasing, upgrading and paying for others.
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4. 1.4. Purchase and Upgrade
When a player lands on an unowned store, he/she can choose to purchase that
store. As a reward, the player will get a coupon of that store. In the next time the player
lands on his/her store, the player can upgrade it which means other players have to pay
more every time they land on this store.
1.5. Special Event
When a player lands on a restroom or a reception, he/she will have a special
event occasionally, including being rewarded money and losing some money, going to
jail and being frozen for several turns.
2. Money & Credit
Since there are two different usage of currencies, one can be only used in the game and
another one can be convert into real rewards, such as coupon or mileages, we decided to
separate them into virtual money and credits. Virtual money can be used for purchase, upgrade
or payment; credits is used for buying coupon or exchanging other rewards.
However, according to the clickable mockups experience, this two-currency design is
annoying. The buying coupon flow, players buy coupons right after buying stores, is not smooth
since these transactions are similar and make players feel repeated.
3. Play Mode
We would like to provide two play mode: single player and multi-player. The former one
is playing with AI, and the latter one is playing with real people.
If a player choose multi-player mode, then he/she has to choose a play room which has a
capacity limit or create his/her own private room which can be shared with other friends
through FB or other social network application, and our system will assign other real players
who are in the same sub-map into this room.
However, there are a lot of problems in the multi-player mechanism, and the most
important one is execution time of each player’s turn. Player may spend a long time for his/her
turn, and others have to wait for him/her. For example, if one player want to use coupon in his
turn, he/she may spend 10 minutes to do so (buying things or waiting for coffee), but other
players can't wait so long. Hence we think that, multi-player mode is possible for the players
who are already friends, but for the strangers, we need to consider more.
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5. Business Model
The ultimate goal of this game is to build an integrated ecosystem, which involves
passengers, airport stores as well as airlines. For the passengers, our game offers them with
entertainment to kill time as well as opportunity to win coupons or other benefits; For the
stores in the airport, our game would help to increase foot traffic, thus promoting sales of the
merchant; For Airlines, our game would help to enhance customer loyalty, and reduce anxiety
within the passengers in case there is a delay because of unexpected circumstances. These three
parties are dynamically connected with each other, and a well-established ecosystem would
enhance the travel experience as a whole, as well as bringing benefits to each of them. Based on
our investigation and research, we have the reason to believe that there is significant market
potential.
Road Map
To further enhance the experience, we are going to explore the possibilities from three
different aspects as follows:
1. Integrate with Social Network
As one step further from playing with UI or travel companions, we want to provide the
option so as to link the game account with social network accounts, thus the passenger can play
with his/her friends on Facebook/Twitter/Foursquare/etc., they can compete in the game and
“brag” about achievements, which we think would enhance user elasticity.
2. Develop Client for Airport Stores
Besides the client we developed for the passenger/player, we also want to provide game
client for the stores in the airport in the following phase. The merchants can use that for
monitoring sales, coupon status, and they can monitor real-time foot traffic into the store, so as
to decide whether engaging in the game would help to boost the sales.
3. Integrate with Wearable Technology
Another interesting idea is that we may combine the game with the wearable
technology. With the recent launching of Apple Watch, wearable technology has been a heated
topic these days, and it would be very beneficial to our game as well. Imagine when someone
holds a drink in his hand and wants to continue the game, then wearable device is a good
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6. option to go. Wearable devices help to free people’s hands, so it would be a good platform for
our game app.
Conclusion
Thanks to Campbell and Professor Stuart’s feedback after our presentation in class, we
have discussed some more ideas to implement in the future.
First of all, we would like to extend the boundary of our game. To be specific, while some
passengers/players are willing to engaging in the game which requires him to walk around,
some passengers/players may prefer to sit in the waiting lobby but still want coupons. We can
explore this side of the game which doesn’t require physical movements of players.
Secondly, we may consider incorporating the idea of Asynchronous Gaming into our
mobile app. Take Facebook friends, Jack and Amy, as an example. Suppose Jack has enjoyed a
Monopoly Game during his stay in Dubai Airport one week ago, now Amy is transferring
through Dubai, while playing the Monopoly Game, rather than joining a random game
(assuming no other friends are close by), it might be more engaging for her to continue a game
that Jack was playing in. If she lands on one of Jack’s existing properties, she might be paying
Jack the fine, and Jack would receive a notification accordingly. With this idea, the interactions
within the game can become more personal to both players and serve as yet another way to
incorporate the aspect of social networking into the game.
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