游戏邦注：本文作者为Rune，原文发布于2010年11月29日，文中涉及时间、事件以当时为准。

我不是游戏开发者，从没想过要为#idevblogaday发表有关游戏的博文，但我最近刚刚读了本书《基于游戏的营销》，内容是营销者如何通过游戏机制培养顾客长期忠诚度。不妨参考飞行常客活动、积分卡及其他忠诚活动。

作为营销者，我觉得该书的前提十分有趣，如今几乎所有主要连锁机构都有开展各种忠诚活动（游戏邦注：就连小型企业也不例外，他们通常开展能够换得积分、信赖和地位的忠诚活动，如游戏中的成就和排行榜）。

这让我忍不住开始思考游戏开发者要如何充分利用这些服务忠诚项目的系统。例如，忠诚项目的主要内容是赚取积分、成就和地位。用户喜欢炫耀，希望获得积分，获得更高地位，即便他们从中并未能获得任何实际回馈。

所以我将在本文中讨论游戏开发商开展各种忠诚营销项目的途径。我将谈论25款热门App Store游戏普遍存在的功能，但同时希望能够挖掘这些功能的新内容。

social game marketing from runmad.com

游戏排行榜

如果你恰好读到这里，且有款游戏尚未融入排行榜功能，那么就赶紧添加吧。

游戏的一大重要乐趣是能够和好友分享分数、积分。同时能够同其他玩家或好友玩家直接进行较量。

而实现该目的的最佳方式就是植入排行榜元素。这使得玩家能够轻松追踪自己的分数和实力，同之前的得分进行比较，查看自己在全球所有好友和玩家中的排名如何（游戏邦注：或者是在某个城市、州或国家的排名如何）。

Game Center、OpenFeint之类的平台为游戏融入排行榜功能提供便捷操作和雄厚基础。这些都是优秀（且免费）营销工具。例如，我常常通过查看我的GC（Game Center）好友游戏列表发现新游戏。GC总是促使我持续回访某些游戏，因为它使我产生超越好友分数的欲望。这反过来会为游戏开发商提供交叉推广新游戏或提高其他作品销量的机会。

虽然竞争很激烈，但我还是希望更多开发商能够入驻GC或OF，而不是自己创建游戏网站或使用其他鲜为人知的平台。例如，GC刚问世时，我常常回访老游戏，目的是希望超越好友分数或获得成就。那些未采用通用系统的游戏吸引力不高，我也不会通过那些名不见经转的平台上寻找好友。

Game Center from mailigar.com

游戏成就元素

添加成就元素也是植入类似排行榜系统的一个途径。这能够延长游戏活动和乐趣。

以下是游戏成就元素方面的几个例子：

* 成就奖励是回馈玩家的便捷方式（游戏邦注：如新等级、新内容）。这给游戏提供发展道出口，添加全新等级内容。

* 需要更多行动或体验时间的成就通常能够在玩家完成所有等级后延长游戏。例如，《Cut the Rope》融入计时器和等级成就元素，而非简单采用3星级模式。快速完成某个等级的玩家能够获得更多积分，但玩家无法轻易获悉，玩家只有完成所有等级后，方能知道何种速度才能获得更多积分。另一融入成就元素的范例是《Trainyard》，游戏玩家只要使用特定数量轨道完成某城市所有车站建设便能够获得成就奖励。这两个例子的模式对硬核玩家而言是一大挑战，因为这比单纯完成某个等级要困难很多，同时不阻碍休闲目的玩家完成游戏进程。

* 切记不要使成就变得遥不可及。例如，若游戏只需花费1、2个小时便能够完成所有等级，就不要将实现成就的要求设置成“体验100个小时”。除非玩家完成游戏后游戏还有更多内容，否则不要奢望玩家会消耗如此多的时间，即便他们极其希望能够获得这些成就。

此外，Game Center和OpenFeint在植入成就及成就排行榜、好友系统方面提供强大架构。使用其中解决方案，确定成就植入方式将会使游戏变得更富趣味，更有挑战性。这些方案完全免费，能够帮助开发商省下大量工作（游戏邦注：开发商无需自行创建游戏网站）。

排行榜和成就元素添加小建议：在游戏菜单中添加按钮，方便玩家查看分数/成就。GC和OF（OpenFeint）均有提供参考模块。这样玩家就无需退出游戏查看成就或了解自己是否超越好友分数，同时开发商还能提供玩家所需信息（玩家无需通过应用本身访问GC），例如，玩家可以通过视图结构获取所需信息。

社交互动式的分享

分享分数、成就等内容是宣传游戏和用户喜爱活动的绝佳机会。

然而，除提供Facebook和Twitter分数或成就分享按钮外，为何不深入一步，帮助玩家决定何时适合使用该按钮？例如，对玩家而言的低分或许处在排行榜前5%名单之列。完成某等级或游戏内容后，开发商应该植入基于分数的系统，充分利用此类刺激因素：“天啊！你的分数这么高，你已经名列前10%名单之列，你完全可以在Twitter或Facebook炫耀一番！”。这帮助玩家意识到他们技能和分数价值，比社交网络分数分享按钮更富有成效。

此外，发微博分享分数时不要添加链接。这样玩家会觉得你是希望借助此获得免费宣传。他们已经付费体验，还有什么义务帮助开发商谋求更多利益，即便你的游戏迄今最杰出的？

开发商在Twitter能够分享的角色不多，但切记不要仅分享分数。若我看见“John在游戏中获得1万3453分！”，我无法判断这是否是个好成绩，我无法将此成绩同自己的实力比较（游戏邦注：除非有玩过这款游戏）。但是，若我看见的是“John以1万3453分名列前5%名单当中！”若我知道我其他游戏的分数和能力与此相当，这样我会对其更感兴趣，更愿意尝试这款游戏，和John一比高下。这同时也让John和他的好友知道1万3453分是多么了不起的成绩。没有将积分同其他内容联系起来，若玩家不知道游戏背景和积分价值，就无法判断这是否是个好成绩。John公布的这个分数（相比好友分数）也许并不高，所以帮助John决定分享时间能够避免其陷入尴尬境地。

从根本上说，在分享功能中添加更多内容能够帮助开发商从玩家那获得更多尊重，同时能够促使他们间接宣传产品。

Matt Rix的《Trainyard》方案是另一分享游戏内容的方式。这个方案不仅能够帮助玩家炫耀技能，而且能够让休闲目的玩家体验游戏。硬核玩家偏好炫耀，这同时也帮助这类玩家延长游戏，因为他们总是试图挖掘新方案。不妨参考上段内容，游戏的一个功能是若方案100%独一无二，便发布小通知：“你设计的方案在Trainyard.ca绝无仅有，想要同社区分享吗？”这帮助玩家意识到自身能力同其他玩家的对比情况，同带给更为庞大的硬核玩家重玩价值，因为他们也许会重返某等级游戏，以探索社区没有的新解决方案。这本身能够帮助玩家创建独立排行版行榜（游戏邦注：这个排行榜展示的是探索并分享新方案的前50名玩家，同时完善体验，提高游戏粉丝的忠诚度）。

trainyard solution from runmad.com

游戏存档同步化

这对游戏开发商来说既是建议，又是要求。

随着iPhone、iPod touch和iPad的风靡，通行游戏开始变得更加普遍。我有iPhone，也有iPad，虽然iPad游戏几乎就是iPhone应用的放大版，但我还是希望开发商能够推出更多通用版游戏。当然从体验空间来看，不是所有游戏都能够像iPhone作品那样轻松入驻iPad，但就那些我在iPhone和iPad同时体验的游戏看来，我希望这些基于服务器的游戏存档能够同步化。但这并非针对通用应用，因为很多用户手握多种设备。若他们同时在iPhone和iPod安装某款游戏，为什么不使体验更富流动性？

这个理念的前提很简单：我下班回家途中在地铁用iPhone玩某款游戏。到家后，我会希望通过iPad继续该款游戏。我不想从头开始，我不希望重新争取自己4小时前解锁的成就。

这是80%用户所不希望看到的。玩家无需将其Wii游戏存档带到好友家中或转移至PS3游戏存储文件，才能在GT5展示其精美汽车藏品。但早在10年前，掌机游戏就已实现该目标。我始终无法理解这为何是个不常用功能，便携平台为何会缺少该元素。

这可以很简单，完全取决于游戏组成要素。添加特定数量弹药、生命值、等级积分之类的元素意味着我们开始有所进步，不论如何，这是完全可能实现的。

游戏存档能够存储在某个服务器中，然后通过邮件和密码获取。我不清楚GameKit的具体操作方式，当用户成功登陆Game Center后系统或许会提示：“您的用户名在云端有个游戏存档，您是否要同该设备达成同步，保持前进呢？

或者甚至通过蓝牙之类的技术分享游戏存档数据，促使设备同步化，通过设备独特代码分享内容，然后在其他设备键入代码取回已上传至服务器的内容。

这不过是就具体实施方案发表的几点看法，但老实讲，这个功能将使你的游戏在其他作品中脱颖而出，受到玩家追捧。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Social game marketing

By Rune

I’m not a game developer and was actually not planning on doing a game-related post for #idevblogaday, but I’m currently reading Game-Based Marketing about how marketers can use game mechanics to create and foster long term customer loyalty. Basically think frequent flyer programs, points cards and any other type of loyalty program out there.

As a marketer, the premise of the book is quite interesting, and today almost any major chain will have some sort of loyalty program – even in smaller businesses you will find sorts of loyalty program through which you can earn points, loyalty and status amongst peers (much like achievements, leaderboards, etc. that you’ll find in games).

It got me thinking a bit about how game developers should try and utilize the same kind of systems that are in place for loyalty programs. For example, a big part of loyalty programs is earning points, achievements and essentially status within a certain program. People love showing off and they love earning points and higher statuses – even if it doesn’t really get them anything in return.

So in this week’s post I’ll discuss various ways game developers can implement different strategies that are found in loyalty marketing. I’ll discuss features that are well known and quite common in most top 25 App Store games, but at the same time, I hope to bring to light some aspects of these features.

Leaderboards

If you’re currently reading this and have a game in which you do not have a leaderboard, stop right now and start integrating one immediately.

A great part of the fun of playing games are being able to share with your friends your scores, points, etc. Also, being able to compare yourself directly with other players or friends playing the game is an important part of the fun.

The best way to do this is through an integrated leaderboard system. This allows the player to easily keep track of their score and abilities and compare them with their previous scores and how they rank amongst their friends and other players worldwide (or perhaps even cities, states, countries, etc.).

Game Center, OpenFeint, etc. provide easy-to-implement and solid foundations for leaderboards. These are also awesome (and free) marketing tools. For example, I have found myself looking through my GC friends games lists to find new games to play. It has also kept me coming back to certain games because GC has provided an opportunity to indirectly challenge me to continue playing the game to beat certain friends scores. This in return provides you as a game developer to cross-advertise your new game releases or sales for your other games.

Although competition is great, I wish more developers would integrate GC or OF (which also offer built-in GC integration), instead of trying to roll their own or using a less popular social game network. For example, when GC was released, I found myself revisiting old games to beat my friends’ scores or earn achievements. Those games that still do not offer a widely-used system just doesn’t draw enough attention, and I cannot be bothered to find out my friends’ usernames on the not-so-well-known social game networks.

Achievements

Achievements are also a great way to provide a leaderboard-type system in your game. It also helps prolong the experience and fun with your game.

A few examples of use of achievements in games:

• Achievements provide an opportunity to easily reward the player throughout the game. Levels, new upgrades, etc. This helps create a path for your game and a path for completion.

• Think of achievements that would require more practice or more time playing, basically ones that would prolong the game for players for after they’ve finished all levels. For example, Cut the Rope could use a timer and an achievement for finishing certain levels in certain amount of time, instead of just the three stars. You do earn more points for finishing a level fast, however this isn’t apparent, and after finishing the levels I cannot see how much faster I should have been in order to earn more points. Another example of achievements is Trainyard, which could give an achievement for finishing all stations in one city by using only X amount of tracks. These two examples provide a way to challenge the more hardcore players since they’re considerable more difficult than pure completion of a level, and it also does not hinder the completion of the game for the more casual players.

• Be careful not to make achievement nearly impossible to obtain. For example don’t make an achievement for “Played 100 hours” if your game basically takes an hour or two to finish all levels. Unless there’s a lot more to your game after having finished it, you can’t expect anyone to want to spend so much time playing it – even if they love going for those achievements.

Again, Game Center and OpenFeint provide great frameworks for integrating achievements as well as achievement leaderboards and friending systems. Use one or both of the solutions and think of ways to achievements into your game to make it more fun and challenging. They’re completely free and helps save you a ton of work instead of trying to roll your own.

Small side-note to leaderboards and achievements: Add a button somewhere in your games’ menus that let’s the user see their scores and/or achievements. Both GC and OF offer modal views for these. This way the user doesn’t have to leave the game to check an achievement or whether they’ve now trumped their friend’s top score, and you also help bring them right to the information they’re seeking – not leaving them to go to GC via the app itself, for example, and drill through the view hierarchy in order to find what they’re looking for.

Social Sharing

Sharing high scores, achievements, etc. is great opportunity to advertise your game and something that players love to do!

However, instead of just providing a Facebook and Twitter button for sharing a score or achievement, why not go a littler further and help the player out with deciding when it’s appropriate to do so? For example, what might seem like a low score to one player, may turn out to be in the top 5% of the leaderboards. After completion of a level or game, the developer could integrate a system that looks up the score and based on various factors it may say something like “Holy shit, your score was super high, you’ve just entered the top 10%, you should totally brag about it on Twitter and/or Facebook!” – or something like that. This helps the player realize the worth of their skill and score and may actually be more effective than just having a button that enables sharing of a score on social networks.

Also, don’t just tweet a score plus a link. Players will look through this as a pathetic attempt from you to get some free advertising out of them. They already paid you money, why should they help you out more, even your game is the most awesome one ever made?

I realize you don’t have a lot of characters to work with on Twitter, but including more than just the score is important. If I see “John just scored 13,453 in [some game]!”, I don’t really know whether it’s a good score and it doesn’t provide me with a way of relating this score to my own skills (unless I have played it). However, if I see something like “John just placed in the top 5% in [some game] with 13,453 points!” I would be more interested and perhaps more inclined to try out the game and beat John’s score if I know we have similar skill and scores in most games. It also gives both John and his friends a better understanding of just how awesome getting 13,453 points is. Without relating the points to anything, no one can see whether it’s actually a good score if they don’t know the premise of the game and the value of those points. John might actually be tweeting a super low score (compared to his friends’ scores), so helping John decide when it’s an appropriate time to share his score helps him save the embarrassment of tweeting a humiliatingly low score.

Basically, adding more substance to your sharing feature gives you more respect from your user (surprise and delight) and also makes them more likely to actually indirectly want to help you advertise (which you have to admit; you’re adding this feature more for yourself to advertise than actually just scoring some random score).

Another great way of sharing content from your game is something like Matt Rix‘s Trainyard solution sharing system. It works both as a way for players to show off their skills, but also helps more casual players progress through the game. Hardcore players love showing off and it also provides a way to prolong the game for hardcore players as they may try and find new solutions that haven’t yet been done. Linking this with the previous paragraph, one thing the game could do was to provide a small notification if a solution is 100% unique by saying “You have created a unique solution not yet available on Trainyard.ca, would you like to share with the community?” This helps the player realize their skill compared to others and again provides the more hardcore gamers with replay value, as they may go back to some levels in order to make new solutions, not yet seen by the community. That in itself could create a separate leaderboard for players which shows the top 50 players who have come up with and shared unique solutions, again improving the experience and loyalty further for those committed to the game and the community that surrounds it.

Game save syncing

This is as much of an idea as it is a request to all game developers out there.

Universal games are starting to become more common, now with iPhones, iPods touches and of course iPads selling like crazy. I own both an iPhone and an iPad and love when developers take a bit of extra time to release their game as a Universal game – even if the iPad is pretty much the same as the iPhone game, just larger. Of course, not all games scale as easily from iPhone to iPad in terms of the experience with the extra space, but for games that I play both on my iPhone and iPad, I would love to see server-based game save syncing or whatever you want to call it. However, this doesn’t just go for Universal apps, since many people have several devices. If they have the same game installed on both their iPhone and iPod, why not make the game experience more fluid?

The premise of this idea is dead simple: I play a game on my iPhone on the subway home from work. When I get home and hit the couch later that night, I want to reach for my iPad on the coffee table and play the exact same game, from the exact point I left off. I don’t want to start over from level one. I don’t want to have to earn the exact same achievements I just unlocked four hours ago (especially since they’ll appear as unlocked just fine if I head into Game Center).

Again it might be something 80% of users wouldn’t need. You may never have had to bring your game saves on your Wii controller to your friend’s place or transfer your PS3 game saves to your buddies PS3 so you can show of your collection of sweet cars in GT5. But it’s something we have now seen in console games for well over a decade now. As much as it may be a less used feature, it’s something I just don’t understand why is missing on such a portable platform.

It could be somewhat simple, depending on what your game exists of. When you start adding stuff like specific amounts of bullet ammo left, percentage of health left, points in each cleared level, etc. we’re getting a bit more advanced, but it’s definitely possible, regardless.wan

Game saves could be saved on a server and retrieved using an email and password. I don’t know the exact workings of GameKit, but maybe a successful login to Game Center could prompt a “It appears you have a game save available in the cloud based on your GC username, would you like to sync this device and keep your progression in sync?”. (If anyone at Apple is reading this or if you know someone working on GameKit, please let them know to consider adding game save-syncing to Game Center.

Or even something like bluetooth sharing of game save states, bumping devices, or sharing via a unique code displayed on one device and entering the code on the other device would retrieve whatever was just uploaded to the server.

Just a few ideas of how you may be able to work it out, but seriously, this is such a great feature that would really set your game apart from others (apart from being a unique experience in itself, of course) and your users will love it.

I have yet to come across a single iOS game that does this, so if you know of one, please do share it in the comments, so other developers can check out and perhaps get some ideas for their own game.

Wrapping up

I hope I have sparked some ideas into your head as to what you can do to enhance the experience with your game and creating some loyalty amongst your customers. Some of the above ideas definitely will enhance and prolong the game experience, adding value to your game from what is actually very little work in most cases, implementing GC or OF or enhancing score-sharing on social networks.

Thanks for reading and please do leave a comment!（Source：runmad）