1.
Qualities of
Virtual Goods
Martin Nerurkar & Volker Boenigk
BGF 2010

2.
Martin Nerurkar Volker Boenigk
Twitter
Web
Blog
@MNerurkar
www.martin.nerurkar.de
www.gamearch.com
@PoweredByPixels
www.poweredbypixels.de
blog.poweredbypixels.de
E-Mail Martin.Nerurkar@Gameforge.com Volker.Boenigk@Gameforge.com
System TricksQualities

3.
Overview
System Qualities Tricks

4.
Overview
System Tricks
System Qualities Tricks
Qualities

5.
Overview
1. The basics of our system
System Tricks
System TricksQualities
Qualities

6.
Overview
1. The basics of our system
2. Describing the 6 qualities (+ Examples)
System Tricks
System TricksQualities
Qualities

7.
Overview
1. The basics of our system
2. Describing the 6 qualities (+ Examples)
3. Additional tricks
System Tricks
System TricksQualities
Qualities

8.
System
System TricksQualities

9.
The System
Use-Value
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
System TricksQualities

10.
The System
Duration
Artificial ScarcityUse-Value
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
System Tricks
Availability
Qualities

11.
The System
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Perceived
Value
Artificial ScarcityUse-Value
Duration
Availability
System TricksQualities

12.
The System
=+ + + + +
System TricksQualities

13.
Qualities
System TricksQualities

14.
The 6 Qualities
• Quality represents value to
the player
– High Quality = desirable
• Quality strength is
dependent on the game
System Tricks
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
Qualities

15.
Advantage
System Tricks
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
Qualities

16.
Advantage
• Increased performance
– Better equipment
– XP boosts
• The payer has a gameplay advantage over
non-payers (Careful!)
• Exclusive bonuses can feel more unfair
than earnable bonuses
System TricksQualities

17.
Advantage Example
Battleknight Guards
Use Values
• +25% Defense
Scarcity
• Limited duration
System TricksQualities

18.
Advantage
• How big is the performance
increase?
• Is it a direct or indirect gain?
• How competitive is the game?
• Will it break the game?
System TricksQualities

19.
Aesthetics
System Tricks
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
Qualities
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdecomite/

20.
Aesthetics
• Audiovisual value
– Hairstyles
– Unique clothes
– “Vanity items”
• Very dependent on the type of game
System TricksQualities

21.
Aesthetics Example
Europe 1400 Avatars
Use Values
• Unique looks
Scarcity
• Permanent
System TricksQualities

22.
Aesthetics
• How visual is the game?
• How desirable is the effect?
• Is the effect customizable?
• Does it represent an affiliation?
System TricksQualities

23.
Comfort
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
System TricksQualities
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinevan/

24.
Comfort
• Making life easier for the
player
• Cuts the parts that are
not enjoyable
– Automatization
– Improved interface features
System TricksQualities

25.
Comfort Example
Ikariam City Overview
Use Values
• Easier to keep an
overview over your
cities
Scarcity
• Limited time
System TricksQualities

26.
Comfort
• How annoying is the normal
task?
• Does the feature require less
effort?
• Does it save the player time?
System TricksQualities

27.
Content
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
System TricksQualities
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/depone/

28.
Content
• Adds new playing options
– New areas
– New quests
– New classes
• Allows to extend the experience
System TricksQualities

29.
Content Example
Hypothetical New Class
Use Values
• Perfectly balanced
• Unique premium class
Scarcity
• Permanent
System TricksQualities

30.
Content Example
Metin 2 Dungeons
Use Values
• Exclusive content
• Faster levelling
• Better drop chances
Scarcity
• Limited use
System TricksQualities

31.
Content
• How much time can be spent
with the new content?
• How well created is it?
• How dependant is the game on
content?
System TricksQualities

32.
Duration
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
System TricksQualities
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbie73/

33.
Duration
• How long does the good
last or how often can it
be used?
• The higher the duration,
the higher the perceived value
• Permanent goods can be problematic
System TricksQualities

34.
Duration
• How long does the item last?
• Is duration in harmony with
effect and presentation?
System TricksQualities

35.
Availability
Duration
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Availability
System TricksQualities
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/villamon/

36.
Availability
• The rarer a good is, the
more valuable it becomes
• Different ways to modify
availability
• Stronger if players can display rare goods
System TricksQualities

37.
Availability
• How hard is the good to get?
• Can the good be collected
and/or displayed?
• Is availability in harmony with
the presentation?
System TricksQualities

38.
The Qualities
=+ + + + +
System TricksQualities

39.
Tricks
System TricksQualities

40.
Rating System
System TricksQualities

41.
Rating System
System TricksQualities

42.
Player Needs Matrix
Laziness
Keep up
Be better
See everything
Have everything
Be unique
To belong
System TricksQualities

43.
Whitespot Analysis
System TricksQualities

44.
Whitespot Analysis
System Tricks
What?
Who?
Qualities
Image: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/yarranz

45.
Wrapup
System TricksQualities

46.
Wrapup
System Tricks
Advantage
Comfort
Aesthetics
Content
Perceived
Value
Artificial ScarcityUse-Value
Duration
Availability
Qualities

47.
Contact Us
Martin Nerurkar Volker Boenigk
Twitter
Web
Blog
@MNerurkar
www.martin.nerurkar.de
www.gamearch.com
@PoweredByPixels
www.poweredbypixels.de
blog.poweredbypixels.de
E-Mail Martin.Nerurkar@Gameforge.com Volker.Boenigk@Gameforge.com
System TricksQualities