Transcript Case study Clash of Clans

Interactive Multimedia
Games Development
COM631
Clash of Clans
Lecture overview
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Overview of Supercell
Clash of Clans
Core mechanics
Monetization strategy
Company overview
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Finnish company
60 person start-up
Started developing iPad games in 2011
Free to play
http://www.supercell.net/
Supercell
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/12/26/tablet-games-developer-supercell-is-doing-super-well-revenuepegged-at-1-million-per-day/
Philosophy
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Target casual and the hard core players
Art style realism/Japanese influences
Mixture of playing styles
Hard core – leader boards
Social – chat and building
Design
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Focus on tablets
Play test extensively
Scroll/tap and optimisation (frame rate)
Didn’t port, design for target platform
Well designed but short tutorial
Approach
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Have a social element
Benchmark existing games in that genre and
find out how they work
Create a solid core loop and iterate
Add graphics
Polish with limited beta
Process
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Watch analytics and metrics for
feedback/retention
Don’t overwhelm the player, introduce new
features gradually
Introduce updates after extensive play testing
and balancing
Balance
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Hidden depth
Extensive automated testing of new features
Simulated battles
Core loop
Three major parts in core loop
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Collecting Resources
Building & Training
Battles
Each player can focus on their preferred playing
style
Core loop
http://deconstructoroffun.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/clash-of-clans-winning-formula.html
Collecting resources
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Automated farming mechanics
Coins & Elixir, two soft currencies in the game
To progress player needs Elixir Collectors and
Gold Mines
Resource production is automated
Resource production has a maximum cap
Need to upgrade storage facilities to continue
Collecting resources
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Rewarding to return to the game to harvest
resources at the start of every session.
Automated farming mechanics increases DAU
as players need to visit the game more often as
storage max’s out.
Building and training
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Everything is independent
Buildings consume coins
Troops and troops related consume elixir
Construction takes coins/elixir and time,
upgrading is essential for progress
Time increases for higher levels - Monetization!
Building and training
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Higher storage needs a higher level HQ
More storage costs more, needs more gold
production.
Start with 2 builders, third builder costs $5
Battles
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Training troops requires elixir
Better troops require more elixir
Bigger army needs a bigger camp
Bigger camp needs a better HQ
Troops are lost in battle (not heroes)
Progression and retention
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Retention is aided by the feeling of progress
Rewards for active players/notifications
Clans
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Constantly under attack means need better
defences
End goal to join a clan and beat other players
Chat feature to plan attacks
Some limitations
Clans
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Get rewards
Weekly touraments
Social and friends
No world maps
Heroes
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Premium characters that don’t die
Can be developed
Monetization
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Prices increase as you progress
ARPPU player increases with retention
Smallest purchase is £2.99
Gems can be converted to coins and elixir
Social media
Summary
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App store maturing
Very crowded space
Still room for new IP
Interactive Multimedia
Games Development
COM631
Clash of Clans