Part of a class on mobile game design about what makes it different from game design for other platforms. Intended to get you thinking about all the differences and how they impact your designs so you aren't surprised! Updated a bit from the old version.

1. Mobile Game
Design
What makes it different? version 2

2. What’s this about?
● Mobile Games are different from
PC/Console
● Using the strengths and weaknesses

3. Pricing
Mobility
Duration of play
Connectivity
Social
Size limitations
What’s so different about mobile?
Updates/DLC
Control Schemes
Sound use
App Stores
Varied Devices

4. Pricing
Price Ranges
● Average
○ Free - $0.99
● Premium Indie
○ $1.99 - $3.99
● AAA
○ $3.99 - $9.99
Minecraft is special!
Don’t do Lite versions!

5. Pricing
● No retail model, but middleman still gets
30%

6. Mobility
● More portable than a game boy, but usually
used as a time killer

7. Mobility
● Mostly played during “downtime”
o Poop gaming
o Car/Bus/Train rides
o Waiting in lines
o Chillin’ in bed

8. Shorter play cycles/sessions
● Session length affects when played, use check-ins
● Easy in, hard out. Hook/Progress in 30 seconds!
● Limitations leave you wanting more!

9. Interruptions and attention
● Easily interruptible by text, calls, real life
● Keep attention requirements short!

10. Connectivity
● Always “potentially” connected
● Speed and reception erratic, great for bursts

11. Connectivity
● Local push notifications - useful to retain, but
interruptive

12. Intermittent Internet
● Multiplayer should be asynchronous only
● Communicate to servers in small bursts

13. Intermittent Internet
● Support some form of offline play/cache

14. Intermittent Internet
● Use “cloud” syncing for device switching
o Switch mobile devices or to Facebook

15. Social
● Very little face to face play

16. Social
● Good support for FB/Twitter/Game Center

17. Social
● Text and e-mail under-utilized

18. Social
● Non-multiplayer interactions with friends

19. Social
● Multiplayer w/ friends & randoms

20. Use social
● Leaderboards/Achievements are easy
o Game center is easy and free
o Infrequent FB/Twitter achievement posts

21. Use social
● Use social trading/gifting, but not spammy
● Look at viral methods that got your attention

22. Use social
● Use push notifications to keep connected

23. Size restrictions
● Small phone drives ● OTA download limits

24. Size restrictions
● Updates take space! ● Graphics/RAM limits

25. Updates/DLC
● DLC sold as In App Purchases

26. Updates/DLC
● Easier to update than consoles
● Can’t force updates unlike Steam/Facebook

27. Updates/DLC
● Updates have the gatekeeper still

28. Control Schemes
● No physical controls (mostly)

29. Control Schemes
● Touch and Accelerometer only

30. Control Schemes
● Multi-touch possible, screen size limits

31. Control Schemes
● Takes screen/GUI space, keep it simple but forgiving

32. Controlling where you play
● Accelerometer increases attention, decreases comfort, sucks to play for
long or in bed.

33. Landscape
● Good for long sessions, but requires both hands
● Touch areas on the edges, think about how you hold it!
● Common for Tablets, but tweak for Phones too

34. Portrait
● Good for burst play with 1 thumb
● Keep low for tall screens/short thumbs, no fingers covering screen
● Keep swipes simple, don’t do lots of drag-drop

35. Sound issues
● Often playing privately in public with sound
off

36. Sound issues
● Sound cues/hooks, feedback more difficult
● Tie the audio cues to visuals as much as possible

37. Don’t be annoying
● When in public, interesting or annoying?
● Short catchy music loop, get em humming it!
● Make it easy to get to the on/off setting
● Respect settings and ringer switch when opening!

38. App store markets
● Apple and Google control, at their whim
● There are some alternatives like Amazon

39. App store markets
● Charts and editorials vital to sales

40. App store markets
● Visual style matters!

41. App store markets
● Video previews only on Google Play, for now

42. Frequency of updates
● They act as a reminder, but too frequent is frustrating!
● Update frequency can hurt your chance at charts
● Updates can break multiplayer!

43. Bug Fixes
● Do hyper critical bug fixes fast and stand-alone
● Save minor fixes for content/feature pushes
● Keeps players looking forward to them, like Angry Birds
● Test well to reduce emergency updates

44. Planning/Budgeting
● Design for indie long-tail, not AAA
● You’ll make little, so spend little

45. Polishing
● Budget for polish time and lots of updates
● Beta-test using Test Flight

46. Business Model
● Pick the right business model
o Pre-pay for a more packaged product
o Use Ads to monetize cheapskates
o Use IAP when you’re willing to support the game

47. Content vs Systems
● Content is expensive in both $ and memory
● Content is like movie studio props and sets
● Rearrange, re-dress to maximize use

48. Content vs Systems
● Systemic/Procedural design has replayability
o Great for Puzzles, Rogue-likes, Sandbox

49. Questions?
Devin Becker, devin@devinbecker.com