game tuning and design tips iphone apps todajima 20090604

Introduction to Game Tuning and

Design Tips for iPhone Apps

Ninjava Meeting 2009/06/04Taisuke Odajima

• My name is Taisuke Odajima

• Former employee of Sarugakucho, a Game Tuning Company

• Actually helping the business operation of APPLIYA

Who am I?

• Introduction to game tuning

•Design tips of iPhone apps

•Overview of iPhone apps market

Today’s topics

Introduction to game tuning

Core Concept of game tuning

Improve game quality to fit various needs from different types of consumers.

Main topics:

-Game design

-Usability

Game design key points

Game design key points

Create player motivation

Convincing objectives

Create connection between player and the characters

Offer rewards

Game design key points

Final goal

Passing point

Passing point

Passing point

Passing point

Keep

motivating

the us

ers

Game design key points

Appropriate to the main target

Choice of the platform

Adjust learning curve

Culturalize

Game design key points

“Less is more”

Usability key points

Make things explicit

Draw attention to what the player has to do next

Emphasized reactions

Use animations

Usability key points

Usability key points

Be consistent

Same color same meaning

Don’t change the control

Usability key points

Always react to user’s input

Usability key points

Don’t forget to use “sounds”

A perfect example

Design tips of iPhone apps

Cardinal Rules

Easy to understand

Short round Sure progress

Record oriented

Addiction

Rule 1: Easy to understand

Simple rule Simple control Clear obejective

Rule 2: Record oriented

Remind record Easy to compare Intuitive score

Rule 3: Short round

Can play anytime Want to repeat Can show to friend

Rule 4: Sure progress

More than luck Open to anyone Time > Skill

Other tips

• Make sure the user can resume game

• No time rag after user’s input

• All necessary information inside the app

• Make the user want to show the app to friends

Overview of iPhone apps market

Apr. 2009

Stabilize

Most sustainable apps in Japan

Jan. 2009

StabilizeMost sustainable apps in US

Number 1 app in Japan

15 days max, mostly less than 10 days

Number 1 app in Japan

FingerPiano 2008/11/14 2008/11/29 15

WifiTrak 2009/02/12 2009/04/25 13

LCD Clock 2008/12/07 2008/12/18 12

Wobble 2009/01/30 2009/02/11 10つぼ 2009/04/14 2009/04/24 10Flight Control 2009/04/05 2009/04/13 9

Top 100s by Year 2008/11/05 2008/11/13 9

Enigmo 2009/04/30 2009/05/08 8iClouds 2008/10/27 2008/11/03 8Resident Evil 2009/05/14 2009/05/21 8

Number 1 app in US

Usually more than 10 days, can go more than 25days

Flight Control 2009/03/29 2009/04/23 25The Moron Test 2009/05/05 2009/05/28 24Pocket God 2009/03/06 2009/03/28 21Ocarina 2008/11/12 2008/12/01 19Enigmo 2008/12/02 2008/12/19 18iShoot 2009/01/13 2009/02/07 18Moto Chaser 2008/10/21 2008/11/05 16iFart Mobile 2008/12/23 2009/01/12 10StickWars - Siege

2009/04/24 2009/05/04 10

LightBike 2009/02/08 2009/02/16 9

Number 1 app in US

Genre

Top 100 apps genre in Japan

Top 100 apps genre in US

Pricing

Average price of top 100 titles

Japan US

TOP 100 apps price

Japan

Japan US

TOP 100 apps price

Japan

TOP 10 apps price

Japan US

TOP 10 apps price

Options to consider

• Sell a lot for a cheap price in the US

• Sell small but for an expensive price in Japan

APPLIYA’s strategy

Application Platform (Engine)

Contents

APP

Basic plan

66

間違い探しカレンダー 音楽プレーヤーパズル クイズ

スケジュールメモ帳 電卓神経衰弱 時計

Engines we have

Application Platform (Engine)

Many apps using same application platform

Reward to the developers

Pay the developer based on the accumulated DL

Reward to the developers

Thank you for listening

todajima@appliya-inc.com