Retaining Unfamiliar Audiences: Content Design For Ages 6-12
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The powerpoint deck from a 2011 LOGIN Conference presentation. http://www.2011.loginconference.com/session.php?id=269984
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Retaining Unfamiliar Audiences: Content Design For Ages 6-12
- 1. Retaining Unfamiliar Audiences: Content Design for Ages 6-12 Brian Giaime – The Amazing Society
- 3. Retention via Content Design
- 6. Source Material: Marvel Super Hero Squad Online We built a Marvel MMO for all ages, specifically 6 – 12. Our content was made to be played many times over. We watched a lot of kids play the game. We learned lessons applicable to any all-ages MMO.
- 7. So how do we retain these players?
- 8. Goal: Retention! Good Retention = more dedicated fan base Good Retention = more monetization per user Good Retention = more hours per day per user Dedicated users playing content repeatedly for long stretches of time = good retention So how do we increase retention?
- 11. Wants to show off competence
- 12. Utilizes text in the UI without issue
- 14. Can’t use keyboard with mouse
- 15. Doesn’t know what a health bar is
- 16. Barely reading, never under duress
- 18. Longer lifetime, more replays for your game
- 20. Meme "Meme“: An idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture -Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- 22. Tanks
- 23. DPS
- 24. Quicktime Events
- 25. Pausing
- 26. Scoreboards
- 27. Respawning
- 28. Deathmatch
- 29. PvE, PvP
- 31. Typical 12 Year Old Game literate Good motor controls Familiar with a computer
- 33. Typical 6 Year Old Little to no mouse control / dexterity Little to no game literacy Inconsistent control assumptions No knowledge of right mouse button
- 35. Behaviors – Age 6 They’ll repeatedly try without getting discouraged They’ll (try to) play with only one hand They’ll invent their own meaning for your UI
- 36. Solutions
- 37. UI – What Didn’t Work Originally, had a moderate amount of text Usually large fonts, small words Choices communicated via rollover “Click here to start”
- 38. UI - Conclusions Iconography proved generally necessary Rollover text is not read Text didn’t communicate much, if anything
- 40. Multiple tiers of “Winning”
- 41. Younger players tend not to acknowledge tiers
- 44. Mechanics – What We Tried Offered new ways to “solve” combat encounters Players would… Skip past unique gameplay Beat up enemies with regular attacks Explore unique gameplay without viable targets Incorrectly “learn” these elements did “nothing”
- 46. Gated progression until players demonstrated understanding of new elements
- 47. “Gently” added challenge to new gameplay
- 49. Takeaway Younger demographics respond to... Over-rewarding in place of reward + punishment Systems providing evidence of mastery Feedback in unsubtle, non-text form Mechanics which can be learned through use, rather than instruction
- 50. Final Thoughts Age 6 vs. Age 12 is a lot like Casual vs. Core = =
Editor's Notes
- ThesisWho we areRetention via Content DesignWhy content design?Why is content hard to make for ages 6-12?Mental modelsWhat behaviors do 12 year olds exhibit during play?What behaviors do 6 year olds exhibit during play?What can we assume the player knows at both ends of the spectrum?Solutions, attempted and successfulWhat solutions have we tried to serve this age range?What worked, what didn’t, and where did we end up?
- To make compelling content for ages 6 to 12:Usability & Interface must be toppriority, Avoid text wherever possible.Don’t punish failure, over-reward successDon’t introduce new elements when the player is stressed.
- We built a Marvel MMO for all ages, specifically 6 – 12.Our content was made to be played many times over.We watched a lot of kids play the game.We learned lessons applicable to any all-ages MMO.
- Better play experienceUsers become more engaged, more immersed Longer lifetime, more replays for your gameDeus Ex, Morrowind, Mass Effect, Oblivion, FalloutMore sharable momentsDowning your favorite raid boss, telling the tale
- In order to understand how to make something fun, for ages 6, 12, and everything in between, we’re going to need a good model of how our players think.In order to build better models, one more data. After a year’s worth of focus tests, I’ve got a lot of data to share. : )
- Games have lots of moving parts. In order to better describe them, we often come up with language unique to games. These are gameplay memes.Designers like to assume that some of the more basic elements here are understood by their players. However, one of the first things one learns working with younger demographics, is that they are far less literate of game mechanics than more mainstream, older demographics.I’ll bet I could pass a sheet of paper around this room, and, in five minutes, have over a hundred ideas like these. Do that in a room full of focus testers, and you’ll be lucky if you get ten.
- Game LiterateThis won’t be their first gameBasic RPG and Puzzle tropes are inferredOften to the detriment of your elements which differ from the normGood Motor ControlsBy this point, on PC, they’ve got a good handle on how to click what they want without missing.
- They’ll assume your game works like the closest thing they’ve played“You tank the boss, I’ll kill the adds!”Quote from a 12 year old playtesterOur game doesn’t have an aggro/threat systemGood luck telling him thatThey’ll derive entertainment from mastery“I GOT A GOLD MEDAL!” vs “ I WON!”Performance based reward systems understood
- They won’t require as many play-throughs to understand your contentThey won’t take long to master it completelyThey won’t mind replaying a unit of content repeatedly to level up (grinding)
- Little to no mouse control / dexterityLittle to no game literacyNo knowledge of: Health, Energy, bosses, XP, high scoreInconsistent Control AssumptionsZ,X + arrow keys, arrow keys + mouse…Will try to move with keyboard, select with mouseNo knowledge of right mouse buttonIf they’re playing on PC, they’re playing flash games
- (left) Click things to attack them(left) Click places to go thereSometimes you fall down (get KO’d)Sometimes you use a special moveUser could not reproduce these when asked, believed them to be random
- They won’t read while engaged with the gameThey won’t read under duressThey’ll never finish reading text that fades outThey won’t wait for other players, or auto-matchmaking, if they have the option of being impatient (i.e. a “Go!” button)
- They’ll repeatedly try, over and over, despite consistent failure, without getting discouragedThey’ll (try to) play with only one hand, none on the keyboard, or none on the mouseThey’ll invent their own meaning for your UI
- Originally, had a moderate amount of textUsually large fonts, small wordsChoices communicated via rolloverTried “Start Mission”, “Begin Mission”, “Go” to message “click here to start”
- Iconography proved generally necessaryRollover text is not read – kids tend to move the mouse around too quick to bother readingText didn’t communicate much, if anythingText didn’t communicate much, if anything FX, glowy, supporting iconography ftw
- Younger players tend not to acknowledge tiersThey enjoy merely completing contentOlder players try to optimize, exercise masteryThey tend to pursue higher performance ratings
- Failure is in the eyes of the playerDon’t add frustration to the experienceMake it plainly obvious that better performance = more rewards In our case, extrinsic rewards, ala currency, XPOver-communicate the awesomeIf the player did a good job, exercise no subtlety in letting them know
- Tried offering new ways to “solve” combat encountersPlayers would…Skip past unique gameplayBeat up enemies with regular attacksExplore unique gameplay without viable targetsIncorrectly “learn” these elements did “nothing”
- Minimized hostile entities on screen when new gameplay was presentGated progression until players demonstrated understanding of new elements“Gently” added challenge to new gameplayUtilized discipline in offering challenging content
- Require mechanics before suggesting them Build safe places for exploring new mechanicsBe cautious when increasing demand for masteryYounger demographics only learn basic elements - understand that pushing this button kills stuff, not that it kills stuff *in a radius around it*
- Younger demographics respond to...Over-rewarding in place of reward + punishmentSystems providing evidence of masteryFeedback in unsubtle, non-text formMechanics which can be learned through use, rather than instruction
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