what’s in the box? creating chance mechanics and rewards

a Platform-as-a-Service company

What’s in the Box? Creating Chance Mechanics and Rewards

May 3, 2023 2

Overview

• What are we talking about?• When would I want to use this?• Why would I want to use this?• Simple example – single action reward• Complex example – CCG/TCG• Cautionary Tale• Future Development

May 3, 2023 3

What Are We Talking About?

• Chance mechanisms in games• Damage amounts• Dice rolls• Card draws• Rewards!• Payout tables• Items• Random packs

May 3, 2023 4

When Would I Want to Use This?

• Rewards for achievements• Longevity bonuses• In-game purchases• Challenges/Tournaments

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Why Would I Want to Use This?

• The element of chance!• Stimulates player engagement• Everyone enjoys “what if”• Takes the stigma out of losing• You lost? Blame luck• There’s always the chance I could…• Risk and reward• Completionist bragging rights

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Simple Example: Action and Reward

• Kill a monster, get gold• Or a chest!

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Simple Example: Action and Reward

• Define a random drop table• Create a chest which uses the table

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Complex Example: CCG/TCG

• Multiple aspects• Element• Item type• Rarity

Elements• Air• Earth• Fire• Water

Accessory• Ring• Amulet• Belt• Moustache

Rarity• Uncommon• Common• Rare• Legendary

Spell• Blast• Shield• Rune• Golem

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Complex Example: CCG/TCG

• Very large catalog• Every combinatorial possibility• Build each in the base catalog• Use custom properties for global values• Instances of items can have distinct properties

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Complex Example: CCG/TCG

• Create the base level drop tables• Combine them however you need• Rarity• Type• Drop rates

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Complex Example: CCG/TCG

• Booster packs• Container built with random tables• Cartamundi distribution lessons learned

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Cautionary Tale

• Compu Gacha• Many complaints evaluated by Japan’s Consumer Affairs

Agency• Results• “Japanese Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading

Representations” (May 2012)• Result: GREE and DeNA lost ~ 20% of their stock value• What was the issue?

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Cautionary Tale

• What did we learn from this ? Only what we knew

• Delight == good• Despair == bad

May 3, 2023 14

Future PlayFab Development

• Looking for your input• Possible feature development• Random ranges – X to Y• Pseudo Random Rewards• Your ideas!• Example: Magic Online’s Vintage Masters booster packs• 10 common• 3 uncommon• 1 rare or mythic rare• 1 premium foil card (any rarity, including the extremely rare premium

foil Power Nine card); OR 1 Power Nine card

QUESTIONS?Twitter @playfabnetwork