1.
Presented by Roger Peters
Atlanta Windows Apps Meetup
February 4th, 2013

2.
Roger Peters (@SmartyP)
Independent Mobile Developer
AllMobileEverything.com
SmartyPantsCoding.com
SmartyP.net

3.
You can create games the same way
you create apps today.
Minesweeper Solitaire Alpha Jax

4.
• XAML, C#, VB, etc.
• Visual Studio / Expression Blend
• HTML5, EaselJS, jQuery, etc.

5.
More examples
Blackjack Metro Krashlander

6.
Pros
• Utilize existing app dev knowledge
• Leverage platform tools and capabilities
(databinding, animation systems, etc.)
• Apply learnings from game dev back
towards app development
Cons
• Platform specific investments
• Rendering capabilities and limitations
(3D rendering, frame rate, shaders)
• Performance

7.
Code Share
• Game resources and relative parsers
(level definitions, image and sound assets)
• POCO types, constants, and interfaces
• Game logic (via Mono)
Platform specific code investment
• All view related layouts and definitions
(ex: XAML, XIB, XML layouts)
• Code-behind layer powering the device-
specific view

8.
Create any game you want. Master the
art of game creation and coding.
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MBIES 1N IT!!!1
(Xbox Live Arcade)

9.
• Update() / Draw() loop
• Allocate all memory up front
• Utilize sprite sheets for animation
• Factor in elapsed time in game logic
ex: move 200px per second:
pos_x = pos_x + 200 * Elapsed.Seconds

10.
C++ & DirectX
• Cocos2d-x
• Box2D
• etc.
MonoGame [XNA]
• C#, VB, etc.
• Box2D.XNA
• Farseer Physics Engine

11.
Fez, Xbox Live Arcade (XNA)

12.
Meat Boy, Xbox Live Arcade

13.
Pros
• Built on basic game concept (update/draw loop)
• Great for education
• Performance
• Large community of platforms and resources
(Cocos2d-x, Box2d, Farseer, etc.)
• Cross-platform support
• Cost
Cons
• Very limited and low level operations
• No integrated physics engine, editors, etc.
• Do most things ‘by hand’

14.
Invest in tools that put creating
blockbuster titles within reach.
Zombieland USA 2 Bad Piggies

15.
Unity

16.
Game Engines
• Unity* (C#)
• Rapid 2D (C++, uses Box2D)
• Game Salad
* Coming soon, part of Unity 4.x release timeframe

17.
Pros
• Speed of game creation
• Performance and optimization
• Cross-platform support
• Built in physics and animation systems
• Mostly abstracted from platform
• Very extensible
Cons
• Licensing costs
• Learning curve
• Dependent on cross-platform support of engine

18.
• Games which are monetizing the best are
using a ‘freemium’ model. Users are cheap,
don’t be stingy.
• Industry leaders focus on RPI (return-per-
install), ASO (app-store-optimization), and
large scale user acquisition.
• Cross-platform games have a larger
potential user base, have their word-of-
mouth and social marketing go further, and
are less affected by market shifts.

19.
“Success is Where
Preparation Meets
Opportunity”
-Henry Hartman

20.
“Flashlight” earns $1400+/day today on iOS – not
because it was revolutionary, but because it was
established in the market before it was oversaturated.

21.
Design
• Never design for fixed screen sizes
• Design for a higher resolution than necessary
• Create assets in vector formats when
possible (most important for 2D games)
• Invest time in your marketplace assets
• Don’t reinvent the wheel
(utilize Unity Store, and other asset libraries)

22.
Monetization
• Get familiar with in app purchases (IAP)
• Consumables
• Unlockables
• Get familiar with IAP methods
• Virtual currency
• Virtual items
• Reward users
• Return visits
• Leaving reviews
• Sharing with friends

23.
Monetization (continued)
• Sell, sell, sell
• Ads (banner, full-screen interstitial)
• Via in-app stores, pause screens, and
popups
General
• Must go-wide for ‘freemium’ to work
• Paid apps account for only 10% of downloads
• Build an app network for cross-promotion and
multiple revenue streams
• Don’t annoy your users (limit ad frequency, etc.)
• Spend time analyzing marketplace top charts
• Read other games’ post-mortems

24.
Jumpers
Runners
Task-based games

25.
Currently #2 in all free games What’s the Word?

26.
To experiment with game ideas?
• Use the practical approach – no big investment, and
you get to see your game idea sooner
To start a new hobby? To learn something
new? Educational purposes?
• Use the Hobbyist approach or hardcore approach –
learn traditional game coding techniques, and how
today’s best game shops create their games
To make money?
• Building the game is secondary – understanding how
to monetize is tantamount. Consider outsourcing, or
leveraging existing game engines.

27.
Roger Peters (@SmartyP)
Independent Mobile Developer
AllMobileEverything.com
SmartyPantsCoding.com
SmartyP.net