A lot of games lack aspiration as users move up the levels. How would you evolve/ change the present elder game for making it more aspirational and engaging in a game like CityVille/ FishVille?
As we move the levels games go slow(Gaining of exp. takes a lots of time) and becomes boring (Doing the same thing again and again). The gamers lose aspiration because even after reaching higher level the player doesn’t get enough rewards or advantage for achieving next level extra advantage and game forces users to play game with limited resources like limited energy, etc.. Once user reaches higher level he don’t get. The games are so much dependent on friends if one’s friends stop playing games it becomes very difficult for an regular player to continue playing games without paying.
A successful game should have eight basic strategies like
- Collecting
- Decorating
- Friendship/collaboration
- Exploring
- Caring
- Competition
- Game Community
- Social Fame
Games like City Ville has most except few.
Competing: Gamers enjoy competing to others, this is a human nature and needs to be an essential part of any game. A game should have leader boards, notification of players achievements, point accumulations, levels of play achieved, etc. visible to all Gamers of the game. Send automatic notifications on a user profile about challenges or event like I gave example in above slide about CityVille awards.
Incentive: When difficulty level increases then users take it as force on self to complete and the game so dependent on your social circle that if neighbors stops playing user find it hard to play further. There somehow game administrator can help the user to come over the obstacle if user is not active from long time. How? By providing required information, resources and rewards. Example: If I stop playing and after two days I get a reward of most needed item that might bring me back into the game or if I am given a personalized virtual gift that would be more tempting to place.
Community: A sense of belongingness to a community is required to encourage gamers to frequently return to game and feel comfortable with contributing time and money while gaming. This can be achieved by growing an overall community. In many cases the game creates a community of players. Many players return to a game to rejoin the game community. Like taking the game to next level from Social circle to community level. For example in CityVille:
- Option to join a State
- People can be part of a State. One state can have lots of Cities that need not be neighbors.
- Being member of state will have some advantage
- This will not only add some social experience but also increase interaction.
Special Powers: There should be something new/special for the user at higher level. Like giving them some special powers which makes them indifferent from other users who are low in level. For example in CityVille:
- In previous example if user can have chance to become a State Governor.
- State Governor can be selected based on its manifesto and other member votes.
- Governor will have specials powers like granting relief, collecting taxes, increasing rental for cities, helping requisites, etc.