Module: Psychology of Design

Assignment 3: Recipe for a best-selling game

M.Des 1.1

Name: Harshal Desai

Lecturer: Filip Fransen

Date of Submission

20/12/2011

Word Count: 1318

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 2

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 3

RECIPE FOR A BEST SELLER GAME............................................................................... 4

FOCUS ON THE USER INTERFACE ............................................................................. 4

A STORYLINE THAT CONNECTS ................................................................................ 4

KEEP THE PLAYERS ON THEIR TOES .......................................................................... 5

CREATIVE MARKETING, BEING EVERYWHERE ........................................................ 5

KEEPING IT AFFORDABLE .......................................................................................... 6

PRIORITY ON THE PLAYERS ....................................................................................... 6

CONCLUSION................................................................................................................ 7

WORKS CITED ................................................................................................................ 7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

After a psychological study conducted on two similar games, Angry Birds and

Crush the Castle, understanding why one was exceedingly popular over the

other, this essay aims to understand if it can create a set of guidelines that

would adhere to any game.

By understanding player’s mindset, we aim to make a recipe that can create

a successful multiplatform best seller.

INTRODUCTION

Angry Birds is without a doubt, one of the most popular games available

today, comparable to classics like Mario Brothers.

While the game rose to its success due to hype and advertising is debatable,

however one cannot ignore the various lessons game designers can learn by

understanding the mechanics behind the gameplay of Angry Birds.

One has to remember that it was not a random success for the creators,

Rovio. Angry Birds was their 52nd game and Rovio was on the verge of

bankruptcy. There was an urgency to survive and create a prizewinning

game. After 51 attempts, the developers successfully analysed their previous

games and eventually came across with the multi-platform bestseller.

(Peterson, 2011)

From a psychological point, it was their unique reward system, based on

operand conditioning, which clinched their popularity and attracted millions

of players worldwide. However, there were several other considerations to

keep in mind too

1. The user interface

2. Simplistic storyline

3. Intuitive controls

4. Increasing difficulty

5. Marketing appeal

6. Potential for growth etc

Based on the research, it is possible to create a guideline for essential points

required for a game to become a best seller.

RECIPE FOR A BEST SELLER GAME

While Angry Birds may be a casual physics based game, there are some

lessons that could be learned by designers and developers that can be

applied to all genres and platforms.

To create a best-selling game, one need to ensure the following criteria are

fulfilled.

FOCUS ON THE USER INTERFACE

Building an amazing user experience certainly has its merits. It is not just the

colorful graphics that come into play; it is the right type of music, level

selection screens, recognizable background noises etc. Vibrant colors

definitely helps keep players more alert and active, a constant subtle

background noise immerses their senses within the game, generating curiosity

on what might happen next.

A STORYLINE THAT CONNECTS

Never underestimate the power of a good storyline. Picking up something

that is recent in the news and adding a satirical twist to it would definitely

boost public interest. Since swine flu was being talked about in the media

everywhere, there was a subconscious hatred towards pigs to begin with.

Rovio capitalized on that by adding another element where the pigs were

considered thieves who stole the birds’ eggs…their children. Having such

strong emotional attachments would immediately make players connect

with the game. It is essential to have that connection.

For instance, other current news would include the financial crisis worldwide,

several natural disasters that affect Philippines, Japan etc. These are stories

that influence us on a global level, whereas if one were to focus on

something like Taliban Vs United States, it isn’t something that would appeal

to the entire world.

Creating a backstory isn’t too difficult once you identify a public interest.

For instance, to create a game focused on the financial crisis a possible

storyline might include a player understanding and fixing his money stream

through a series of possible leaks. It would be similar to classic pipeline games

where ones rearranges the pipes to control the flow of water. By using the

player’s own fictional cash, it would not only generate their interest but also

make them understand the reasons behind the current crisis.

Of course, one still needs a lot more to make a successful game, especially in

terms of gameplay.

KEEP THE PLAYERS ON THEIR TOES

If anyone has played Angry Birds for a longer period, they can admit that it is

an increasingly frustrating game that can keep a player hooked for hours.

While operand conditioning has its own input here, another factor is the

varying level difficulty. The level difficulty should increase in a linear fashion at

first, then follow a non-linear path in order to retain the player’s interest. Think

of it as dating, playing hard to get and making the prize even more alluring

than it actually may be. (Anatomy of a Game, 2010)

Taking the previous example of a financial crisis game, one can add a timer

in a few bonus levels, suddenly making the player more alert. These levels

would have higher rewards based on how fast one can complete them

successfully. And of course, one must use positive and negative

reinforcement to condition the players and try to avoid any punishments.

CREATIVE MARKETING, BEING EVERYWHERE

One must admit, for many players the reasons behind playing a game is

because their friends are playing it. By using creative viral marketing sources

like Facebook, Youtube and Twitter, game developers can quickly generate

market potential on a global level. Rovio had created a brilliant YouTube

video animation of their game; paying homage to Warner Brothers, style of

cartoons…their video received over 42 million views (Peterson, 2011)

A financial crisis game could follow a similar example by creating an

animated infographic that would make players try to understand the money

flow. However, just like the trailer that ends in a cliffhanger where the birds

catch the pigs stealing the eggs, getting angry and then it fades to

black…the infographic animation could end in a cliffhanger, just when the

viewer begins to find out what happened to their money.

Creating curiosity is essential for any game.

KEEPING IT AFFORDABLE

Many players do not appreciate paying high amounts for a videogame. Only

platforms such as iPhones, generally any game worth more than $2.00 is often

considered pricey. This is why most of those games also have a free version

available.

A free trial game is effective because it lets the players experience the game

first, allowing them to play a few levels and then asking them to pay if they

wish to unlock more.

Another way around it is to offer ads in the free version; sometimes ads can

be such a nuisance that players would pay the full version just to get rid of

them. Either of the two tactics could be used for our game. (Oxford, 2011)

PRIORITY ON THE PLAYERS

Despite every momentum gained by media coverage and advertising, any

game is likely to slow down after a while due to repetitive gameplay. Even if

the game has varying levels of difficulty, players get tired with the overall

theme of the game.

It is essential to make sure the moment keeps going by supplying frequent

updates to new content, improvements, and newer levels. A game can even

spin off into different versions, the original one and a seasonal one. (Anatomy

of a Game, 2010)

For instance, while the original financial crisis can focus on the money at a

global level, there can be other variations that focus on finding where the

money goes during holidays…like Christmas shopping.

In addition, it is not just the updates, but their feedback too. Listening to what

the players have to say is critical since they would be telling you what they

want in the game. It may take time and patience to sit and listen, but it is

crucial for a successful franchise. (Peterson, 2011)

CONCLUSION

There are many factors influencing a game to become a best-selling success.

The market has seen few games that have shot to fame with their extreme

simplistic gameplay such as Tetris and Bejeweled. Others have a far more

complex and demanding gameplay like Farmville, yet they continue have a

strong community of players.

Overall, there has to be room for being able to adapt quickly to the

feedback received from the game.

With a little bit of advertising, a lot of focus on the gameplay and interface,

pricing strategies and potentials for expansion, a game is ideally determined

to reach multiplatform success

However, there can be no direct set of rules to create an award-winning

game and our recipe, like every other recipe, has to have room to adapt to

a creator’s unique taste.

Game developers who identify this are bound to create several bestsellers in

the near future.

WORKS CITED

Anatomy of a Game. (2010, November). Retrieved December 19, 2011, from

Apsalar.com: http://apsalar.com/blog/2010/11/anatomy-of-a-game/

Oxford, N. (2011, October 14). Lessons Developers can learn from Angry Birds.

Retrieved December 18, 2011, from Gametheoryonline.com:

http://gametheoryonline.com/2011/10/14/angry-birds-games-

developers-tips/

Peterson, S. (2011, September 26). Angry Birds: 8 Keys to Success. Retrieved

December 19, 2011, from Industrygamers.com:

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/angry-birds-8-keys-to-success/