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中等硬核游戏的成功要素之盈利性

发布时间:2013-11-26 17:58:54 Tags:,,,,

作者:Michail Katkoff

我将盈利性作为本系列最后一篇文章来讨论的原因在于,我认为盈利性是完善的核心循环、强大的留存率以及富有意义的社交机制三者相互作用的结果。(请点击此处查看本系列核心循环篇留存率篇、社交性篇)

盈利法则

较高水平的盈利性,其通常法则也相对简单:DAU(日活跃用户)X 转化率(%)X ARPPU(每付费用户的平均收益)。即使该法则中有三个关系变量,我们通常也会因为鲸鱼玩家(高消费用户)、售价点、DARPU、玩家数量以及开发者诱使玩家不断花钱的伎俩而更常关注后面两个变量。

我个人主张另一套方法。我真心认为要想实现可观的盈利目标,你就得忘掉那些盈利机制。而是关注留存率、游戏经济和社交机制。

我认为根据玩家在游戏中的投入时间减缓游戏进程,可以推动玩家转化率。社交机制在盈利中极为重要,因为它们会让玩家比较自己与他人的进程,并由此创造一种坚持下去的社会责任。

Slush(from gamasutra)

Slush(from gamasutra)

(当玩家的进程逐渐减缓时,他们通常会更乐意花钱,也会在游戏中通过社交联系不断比较自己同他人的进程)

而在涉及盈利性时,我认为避免使用两种方法。一种是游戏内置道具的概念,也就是让玩家花真钱才能获得道具。第二种就是游戏内部促销的概念。

1.付费道具

添加游戏内置道具(仅限硬货币购买)是创造“花钱获胜”型游戏的最常用方法。添加超级强大的道具,并向有意花真钱购买的玩家供应道具,实际上是对非付费玩家,即最庞大的玩家群体的一种歧视。

如果玩家没有其他方法赢取这些强大的付费道具,拥有这些道具者的胜利就会像是一种作弊行为。谁愿意同“作弊者”玩游戏呢?另外,如果玩家知道自己身边所有的人都花钱买了道具,谁还会有获胜的信心?

respawnables(from gamasutra)

respawnables(from gamasutra)

(Zynga的Respawnables鼓励玩家购买付费武器,这些高级武器可以消除所有游戏进程的障碍,并解琐新武器,所以会打破核心循环)

2.促销

游戏中持续运作的促销活动所存在的问题是,它们极大改变了玩家的付费习惯。当然,在促销期间你可以看到销量不断出现高峰,但促销活动结束后,相关数据就会开始急剧下滑,降至刚开始促销时的水平之下。换句话说,

这样只会培养玩家仅在促销期间花钱,并且避免在其他时间购买内容的消费习惯。

喜欢展开促销活动的产品经理,通常会强调他们在出售虚拟道具(游戏邦注:它实际上是一种无限资源)。但虚拟道具却有价值,即游戏进展。所以促销活动实际上是让投入的玩家更快取得进展,并因此增加更多内容需求。

GoW(from gamasutra)

GoW(from gamasutra)

(Machine Zone所推出的《Game of Wars》以其频繁的促销活动而得名。他们开展了太多促销活动,以至于我都怀疑玩家到底会不会购买那些非促销道具)

不过也不要误解我的意思。我并不是完全反对促销。我认为要最好采用这两种促销方式。一种是针对非转化玩家的促销。鼓励这些玩家采取首次付费行动,在他们付费之后即停止供应促销内容。第二种是季节性促销。例如万圣夜、黑色星期五、新年等假日促销。假期季促销不会影响玩家的消费习惯,因为假期准确地传递了促销活动的特殊性。

将盈利视为一种流

在我看来,可持续的盈利是出色的游戏设计、平衡的游戏经济、富有吸引力的社交机制以及一个新颖的方式所产生的结果。

我个人更情愿将盈利视为一种流。它始于玩家开始游戏之际,要为玩家创造一种这是一款很棒的新游戏,充满动作和娱乐趣味这种印象,让玩家觉得这是自己之前从未玩过的游戏。

在给予玩家这种承认之后,就要令其重返游戏,确保玩家喜欢玩游戏。逐渐向其显示令游戏体验更完美的有趣功能,最重要的是,为玩家创造一种进步的需求。

当你的玩家想获得进步时,就要插入社交机制。确保玩家可以用一种互利互惠的方式合作。此外,还要确保玩家之间的合作发生于双方都能展示自己的环境中。

当你的玩家开始喜欢玩游戏,并且想获得进展,开始合作并炫耀自己的进步时,那就说明你获得了成功。(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,拒绝任何不保留版权的转载,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

Mid-Core Success Part 4: Monetization

by Michail Katkoff

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community.

The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

I left monetization as the last piece in the mid-core success series simply because I see monetization as a result of a well-functioning core loop, strong retention and meaningful social mechanics.

Thus you won’t find best tricks and tips on how to get people to spend in this final post of the mid-core series. Instead, I’ll present monetization as a flow of all 3 of the success parts introduced in previous posts.

Formula for Monetization

On a high level, the formula for monetization is actually pretty simple: DAU (Daily Active Users) x Conversion (% of payers) x ARPPU (Avg. Revenue Per Paying User). Even though there are three key variables in the formula, we tend to focus on only the two latter ones with the discussion revolving around whales, price points, DARPU, amount of payers and all those little ‘tricks’ developers employ to incentivize players to pay and pay more.

Personally, I have a different approach. I honestly believe that in order to achieve that desired financial result you have to simply forget all those monetization features. Instead of monetization you should concentrate on retention, game economy and social mechanics.

I believe that demand for players to convert is created by slowing down the rate of progress in line with time spent playing a game. Social mechanics are vital in monetization because they make players compare their progress to others’ and thus tend to create a social obligation to keep up.

Players are primed to spend when their progression slows down over time and they are constantly comparing their progress through social interaction inside the game.

The Monetization Don’ts

There are two commonly used approaches I suggest avoiding when it comes to monetization. First is the concept of in-game items, which players can only get by spending real money. Second is the concept of in-game sales.

1. Premium Items

Adding in-game items, which are sold only for hard currency, is the most-used way to create a pay-to-win game. By adding these super powerful items and offering them only to players who are willing to spend real money on the game, you’re essentially discriminating against the non-paying players, aka. the majority of a player base.

If there’s absolutely no way to earn these powerful premium items, the players who have them will be seen more or less as cheaters when they rack up wins. And who wants to play against ‘cheaters’? Also, who wants to win when everyone around him knows he paid to get the W?

Zynga’s Respawnables encourages player to purchase premium weapons, which players can get only with hard currency. These premium weapons eliminate all the need to progress and unlock new weapons thus killing the core loop.

2. Sales

The problem with constantly running in-game sales is that they significantly change players’ purchasing habits. Sure, you’ll get those nice sales spikes when the sale is running, but once the sale is over, your numbers will drop way below the levels where they started. In other words, you’ll teach your players to purchase only during sales and avoid making purchases at other times.

Product Managers, who like to run sales, tend to underline that they are selling virtual items (at least that’s what I used to say a few years back), which is essentially an infinite resource. But virtual items have value and that value is progress. So running sales actually allows engaged players to progress faster and thus increases the demand for more content.

Game of Wars by Machine Zone is notorious with their pushy sales. They run so many sales that I’m actually unsure if you can purchase something that’s not on sale.

Don’t get me wrong though. I’m not totally against sales. Personally, I like to do two kinds of sales. First are sales aimed at players who haven’t yet converted. Encouraging these players to make their first purchase, then stopping offering sales to them after the purchase is made is a sound approach. The second is seasonal sales. Halloween, Black Friday, New Year etc. Seasonal sales won’t affect a player’s purchasing habits, as the season communicates clearly the uniqueness of a sale.

Treat Monetization as a Flow

In my mind, sustained monetization is a result achieved through excellent game design, balanced game economy, engaging social mechanics and a fresh approach.

Personally, I like to look at monetization as flow. It all starts when player begins the game, by creating the impression that this is a cool new game, full of action and entertainment. It’s a game players haven’t played before.

After wowing the player and getting her to come back, it’s time to get to work. Make sure player enjoys playing the game. Gradually show all those interesting features that make the game experience so much better, and most importantly, create demand for the player to progress.

When your players want to progress, it’s time to get those social mechanics in. Make sure that players can collaborate in a way that benefits both players. Also, make sure that the collaboration between players happens in an environment where both of them can show off.

When your players are wowed from the get-go… When your players are enjoying your game and want to progress… When your players collaborate and show off their progress… Then you have a mid-core success. (source:gamasutra


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