Idle Chatter - GDC 2016

IDLE TITLE HERE

Idle ChatterWhat We All Can Learn from Self-Playing Games

Anthony PecorellaKongregate.com

Slides!You can download these slides right now from developers.kongregate.com/blog

Who Am I?At Kongregate for 7 years, directing our browser-based F2P virtual goods businessProducer for AdVenture Capitalist mobileAlso an indie designer, cofounder of Level Up Labs

Kongregate.com

Kongregate Publishing

Why Are We Talking About This?

Why Are We Still Talking About This?Its an adolescent genreOnly 3 years old in its modern formBeginning to mature

Cookie Clicker

Why Are We Still Talking About This?It has become extremely popular!



Why Are We Still Talking About This?Steam created an MMO Idle for its 2015 Summer Sale

Why Are We Still Talking About This?Play patterns for idle games are very different

Why Are We Still Talking About This?Fabulous retention statsSome of the best-retaining games on all of Kongregate.com

Why Are We Still Talking About This?

Why Are We Still Talking About This?Generates great revenueARPUs (average revenue per user) well-above most single-player games on Kongregate.com

Why Are We Still Talking About This?

Top-grossing single-player games by ARPU

Why Are We Still Talking About This?Top-grossing single-player games by ARPU

Why Are We Still Talking About This?It is the most exciting genre in games todayThe genre has a short gestation period (development time) and lots of hosts (developers)Result: Rapid evolution!

Idle Game Mechanics Crash Course

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseProgress without interactionLow pressure experienceConstant growth and progressThere are no lose conditions!Quick check-ins can be very profitable by shifting up the growth curveGreat for social/mobile play patterns

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseProgress without interactionCreates a celebratory moment every time you return to the gameThe longer you dont the play the game, the bigger the reason to return!Forced appointment mechanics become an unnecessary element

Tap Adventure

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseRapid growth of costs and power/rewardsHumans love big numbers

AdVenture Capitalist

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseRapid growth of costs and power/rewardsCore loop:Log inSpend all of your cashLog out, to return in a few hoursSound familiar?

Cityville

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseRapid growth of costs and power/rewardsCreates a natural energy system without the need for an energy currencyMore palatable to players (esp. gamers)Has real-world analog, makes sense Im out of cash, need to come back when I have more.Player feels more ownership over this decisionI could wait, but my time is worth more than that.

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CoursePrestiging (New Game+)Choose to reset your game to get a boost the next time throughStart back over, but with much more power than beforeProvides an interesting strategic decision for the player

Tap Titans

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CoursePrestiging (New Game+)





Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseMake It BumpySmooth curves are boring, lack surprise and delight



Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseMake It Bumpy

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Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseMake It BumpyRealm Grinder: The Infamous Reincarnation 16Getting to R16 is arduousSome players spend money, some wait it outRegardless, getting to R16 is an accomplishment, reinforced by the introduction of an entirely new mechanic

Gaminic, Kongregate Forums


Jetpack JoyrideTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CoursePrestige CurrencyPrestiging allows you to reign in growthTypically a slower, often linear-growth currency is rewardedEffectively takes a log of the main currencyGives the developer an opportunity to more easily balance and control progression

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CoursePrestige CurrencyIdle Paws

Idle Game Mechanics Crash CourseCanadian PunsAdVenture CapitalistIdle PawsCrusaders of the Lost IdolsIdle Online Universe (IOU)

Welcome back Anthony!

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MonetizationTime warpGet a percentage of current rateSpeed multipliersPermanent, stackable bonusesPrestige claimGain prestige currency without resetting


Clicker Heroes

MonetizationOne-time purchases

TrimpsRealm Grinder

MonetizationGacha system (random pulls of upgrades)

Crusaders of the Lost Idols

MonetizationBanner/Interstitial adsOpt-in adsQuick burst of cashSmall bit of premium currencyTemporary boostIncrease a reward

MonetizationOpt-in ad modelsGame-initiated: the game offers the option to watch the ad, must be accepted or declined on the spot

Bitcoin Billionaire

MonetizationOpt-in ad modelsPlayer initiated: player can choose to watch an ad on-demand


MonetizationOpt-in ad models

Realm Grinder

MonetizationOpt-in ad modelsRealm Grinder web data

MonetizationOpt-in ad modelsRealm Grinder web data

MonetizationThis is not in lieu of spending Paying players will gladly engage too A bit of hard currency wont appeal to spenders, but a multiplier or time warp couldHave value to both free and paying players

MonetizationAdVenture Capitalistmobile revenue split

MonetizationEvents


MonetizationEvents


Idle Game 2015 InnovationsSo, whats new in the last year?

Idle Game 2015 InnovationsPrestige VariationChange the game rules when prestigingKeeps the game fresher more engaging, rather than the same thing just faster

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsPrestige Variation

Realm Grinder

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsMeta Prestiging


Realm Grinder



Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsMeta PrestigingSo far more pre-planned progression rather than choiceHelps give clear aspirational goalsMakes for good break points for new features

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsMeta Meta Prestiging

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsMeta Meta PrestigingRealm Grinder AbdicateReincarnateAscend

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsSelective Subset Synergies

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsStrategic Selective Subset Synergies (SSSsSs)

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsStrategic Selective Subset Synergies Players choose a subset of heroes/properties to have active at a time

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsStrategic Selective Subset Synergies

Tap Cats: Idle Warfare

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsStrategic Selective Subset Synergies

Realm Grinder

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsWhat happens if we add another dimension?

Idle Game 2.0 Innovations2D Spatial InteractionsExtra layers of strategy involved thanks to spatial relationsAdds complexity to the game

Idle Game 2.0 Innovations2D Spatial Interactions



Reactor Idle


Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsSpecialized Build GoalsGive players targets to aim for beyond just making bigger numbersRequires strategy to adjust resources to best optimize towards that goal

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsSpecialized Build Goals


Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsSpecialized Build Goals

Trimps

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsCreative and ExperimentalTrue Exponential

Idle Game 2.0 InnovationsCreative and ExperimentalIdle Quotes

On Auto-clickersAuto-clickers are considered necessary by any serious idle game player.I substantially enjoyed idle games more when I broke down and installed an auto-clicker

On Auto-clickersThis is not cheating, this is an error in design.Think of Facebook games moving from clicking on doobers to mousing-over themThis is a needed quality of life improvement

On Auto-clickersRapid clicking is fine occasionally but exhausting and painful as the primary interaction

Clicker Heroes

On Auto-clickersSimplify repetitive and uninteresting tasksTap and hold rather than repeated tapping

Farm Away!

On Auto-clickersSimplify repetitive and uninteresting tasksAllow saved builds or checkpoints for complex setupsDont have the optimal strategy require clicking constantly

Online vs. OfflineMajor design challenge, especially on mobileWhat do you want the player experience to be like?

Online vs. OfflineWhy punish offline play?Timer limits, percentage limits, etc. These do pressure players to come back, but well-designed games without them have great retention anywayPlayers dont have to have your game open to be actively playing it

Online vs. OfflineAlternatives?Calculate offline the same as onlineGive players choices so they can decide if they want to do online or offline play at the momentUse the math of exponential growth as a soft offline limit

Online vs. OfflineRapid growth of costs and power/rewards









Plot?Plot and characters a largely unusedGiven the long-term relationship from players, this seems like a missed opportunity for storytelling

Spin-offs and Existing IPSpin-offs: Great way to kick-start with existing assets

Time RiftersTime Clickers


Brave TalesTap Adventure

Spin-offs and Existing IPSpin-offs: Great way to kick-start with existing assetsBush Whacker 2Crusaders of the Lost Idols


CloudstoneClicker Heroes

Spin-offs and Existing IPExisting IP

Learn to Fly Idle



Tap My Katamari

Non-Idle ApplicationsExamples and ideas for idle elements in non-idle games

Non-Idle ApplicationsIdle elements to welcome back

Metal Gear Solid V

Non-Idle ApplicationsPut an idle game in your game!The Executive. Brawler with an idle game for stats.

Non-Idle ApplicationsLaunch gamesTight-loop prestige systemsUsually no choice over prestige point

Learn to Fly 3

Non-Idle ApplicationsLaunch gamesAllow players to select their reset point

Destination Kepler

Non-Idle ApplicationsLaunch gamesConsider varying launch goals/parameters to keep launches feeling freshChallenge player to specific activities per launchRandom rule changes on a launch, with a bonus for success

Non-Idle ApplicationsRPGPrestiging came from RPGs (New Game+)

Non-Idle ApplicationsShooterTime Rifters uses this forsingle-player co-op

Non-Idle ApplicationsHigh Score Action Games

Meta Clicker

Non-Idle ApplicationsCCGBuild prestige into the core gameplaySolforge evoked this with cards leveling up mid-game

Non-Idle ApplicationsPvPWhen to prestige is an interesting tactical question, can you make it competitive?

Idle Genre BlendsIdle Puzzle Puzzle Fuzz Idle Stories

Idle Genre BlendsIdle MMORPG

Idle Online Universe

Idle Genre BlendsIdle Rhythm Groove Planet by Animoca Brands

Idle Genre BlendsIdle Dating Crush Crush

Thank You!

Check out developers.kongregate.comBrowser games: [email protected] games: [email protected]: [email protected]

Idle Chatter - GDC 2016

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Transcript of Idle Chatter - GDC 2016