1. ECONOMY BALANCING WORKSHOP Mariana Turchiari Boucault

2. GAME DESIGNER
▪8 years in the industry (+ Mobile)
▪Published 20+ games
▪Balanced 10+ games
▪First Workshop!
@maricroft
http://www.maricroft.com/

3. GOALS OF THE WORKSHOP
 Learn basic economy concepts
 Showcase tools and tricks to create a simulation
 Talk about basic excel formulas
(no coding required)
 Answer the question: Where should I start?

4. Economy: The management of the
resources of a community, country,
etc., especially with a view to its
productivity.
http://www.dictionary.com/

5. Simulation is the imitation of the
operation of a real-world process
or system over time.
Jerry Banks

6. WHY SIMULATE YOUR ECONOMY?
Game
Duration
Content
Planning
Easier to
Tweak
Variable
Definition

7. BUILDING GAME
▪XP Curve
▪Lots of Buildings
▪Different Currencies
▪Timers
▪Battles
▪Random Events
Clash of Clans

8. COMMON TERMS / ECONOMY ELEMENTS
RESOURCES:
CURRENCIES
MATERIALS
STRUCTURES:
BUILDINGS
TROOPS
ACTIONS:
COLLECT
BATTLE
UPGRADE
Gold Mine
Elixir Collector
Barracks
SINKS
&
SOURCES

10. MY STEPS TO CREATE A SIMULATION
1. Create Core Loop
2. List Player Actions
3. List Resources
4. List and Adjust Sinks and Sources
5. Create Simulation Structure
6. Define Variables
7. Balance Systems

11. Collect Resources Build & Train Battle
Complete Achievements or
Purchase Packs
CORE LOOP
Gold Mine Elixir Collector Barracks CannonElixir Storage Archer Tower
Ranking
Elixir
Coins
Gems
Elixir
Coins
Elixir
Coins
https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/
https://mobilefreetoplay.com/

12. LIST PLAYER ACTIONS (VERBS NOT NOUNS)
▪Build Structures
▪Train Troops
▪Battle Opponents
▪Collect Resources
▪Complete Achievements
▪…

13. LIST RESOURCES (NOUNS NOT VERBS)
▪Ranking
▪XP
▪Builders…
Currencies
(values increase and decrease)
▪Elixir (Soft Currency)
▪Coins (Soft Currency)
▪Gems (Hard Currency)
▪Time
Unlocks
(values serve as gating)
Time
(universal currency)

14. LIST SOURCES & SINKS
Small Exercise:
Based on the created core
loop, add a +1 for when
each resource increases
(source).
Add a -1 for when each
resource decreases (Sink).

15. CREATE SIMULATION STRUCTURE
Varies from game to game:
SIMULATION TAB
SINKS AND SOURCES
+ GAME SYSTEMS
 STRUCTURES
 TROOPS
 XP CURVE
 IAP
 …

16. DEFINE VARIABLES
NAME
ELIXIR COST
BUILD TIME
SPEED UP COST
PRODUCTION RATE
TOWN HALL LEVEL REQUIRED
…
Gold Mine

17. EXCEL TRICKS
NAMED TABLES
INDEX MATCH
HELP SECTION
COLORS

18. RECAP: STEPS TO CREATE A SIMULATION
1. Create Core Loop
2. List Player Actions
3. List Resources
4. List and Adjust Sinks and Sources
5. Create Simulation Structure
6. Define Variables
7. Balance Systems