作者：Denys Medianyk

虽然我当游戏设计师的日子还不太长，但我对一般的游戏结构有了些心得体会。在这篇小短文里，我将概述社交玩法及其相关的基本元素。我们从社交的角度思考一款好游戏应该是怎么样的。首先，我们应该想到的是病毒扩散性。所谓病毒性，就是一个玩家觉得某游戏有意思，然后将其介绍它给朋友，从而发展出更多玩家。好游戏必须激励玩家将它扩散到自己的社交网络中。如果玩家不能从这种扩散活动中捞到任何好处，他可能就不会邀请朋友来玩。与此类似，如果发布某个活动不能带来明显的好处或乐趣，玩家就不会发布任何东西。因此，社交游戏的所有功能都应该经得起病毒性的检验。如果某种功能特征能够增加游戏用户那就是好的。否则，我们就得另想能增加用户数量的新功能。

invite-cityville-friends(from cegamers.com)

关于社交应用的基本特点：

1.好友列表：如果游戏不能显示好友列表及其进程、你在好友圈当中的地位、最强大的好友，那就说明这款游戏缺乏社交性。

2.交流：如果你在游戏中没有什么要和好友分享，也没什么可表现自己，那么这款游戏算不上社交游戏。你的每一步进程都应该有能够与好友分享的东西。

3.好友互动：你必须能感觉得到自己在朋友圈中的价值，能确定朋友知道你的帮助，即便只是拜访拜访好友的农场。

4.限制性：最好能够让玩家即使无事可做，也仍然想继续玩游戏。例如，向玩家展示目前还不能购买的东西。有必要适时地限制游戏时间，以免游戏过早变得无趣。

5.奖励：鼓励玩家的每一项活动。

6.定期更新：有必要每周更新游戏内容。可以只是简单的调整或视觉上的优化。大规模更新可以两三周进行一次，每次补充一些新功能。

7.社区活动：疑难解答的质量及有效性、论坛和集体游戏对游戏的早期发展非常重要。有必要设置论坛和群组，根据用户数量分配版主、奖励版主的工作、组织比赛。

8.惊喜：给予玩家惊喜，始终给予玩家各种各样的礼物，尤其是在他们意想不到的情况下。这种喜惊有助于保证用户留存率。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Basic Social Mechanics

by Denys Medianyk

I have been working as a designer not so long but I have already a few thoughts about the organization of games in general. In this short article I would like to outline a small basis of my subsequent reflections on the core of social gameplay and everything concerned with it.

So, let’s think a bit about a good game in its social sense. To begin with, we should mention virality. A good game in terms of virality is one that brings on the 1st player 3 more just because the players are interested in it. The game must motivate players to spread it among their social links. If a player does not have any benefit from spreading the application among his social links he will not invite anyone. Similarly – if posting in activity feed doesn’t bring apparent benefit or pleasure the player will not post anything. Consequently, all the features being developed for social game must pass through sanity check of virality prism. If the feature provides the increase of game audience then the feature is good. If not – we have to think about implementing new features that could increase the number of users.

In a few words about social applications:

Friend List. If the game does not show the list of your friends with their progress, your status among your friends, top of the strongest – this game has lack of sociality.

Exchange. If you have nothing to share with friends and express yourself, then the game is not a social one. Every step of your progress must give something to your friends to.

? Interaction with friends. You have to feel yourself useful for your friends and be sure in notifying them about your help, even if it’s just a routine visit to the farm.

Restrictions. The players should have desire to continue playing the game, even if it is nothing to do. For example, it is possible to show people things which they still can not buy. It is also very important to limit gaming session in time, because the game can be bored.

Rewards. The player should be encouraged for every his action.

Updates in the game. It is necessary to update the content weekly. It can be simple and visual changes. Big update – every two or three weeks with new features done.

Work with the community. The quality of the FAQ and its availability in the first hours of life are crucial for game. Forum and group games are needed in the first hours of life. It is necessary to moderate the forums and groups, assign moderators from the number of users and reward them for their work, organize competitions.

Surprise. Surprise player, pile all sorts of gifts all the time, especially when they did not expect it. In some cases it will help to hold a player in the game.（source:gamasutra）