1. Gaming on BlackBerry
JAM843
Pratik Sapra
Sujoy Ghosh
September 26-27, 2013

2. +

3. • Super easy to port C/C++ code
• Platform libraries built on open standards
• Full support from Lead Game Engines &
Frameworks
• Strong developer support channels
• Monetize with BlackBerry World
BlackBerry Native Platform

4. • Supports Windows, Mac OS X & Linux
• GCC 4.6.3 based compiler tool chain
• GDB 7.3 based debugger
• Eclipse CDT 8 based IDE (Momentics)
- In-built Debugging, Profiling and Memory
Analysis
• Command line tools!
• VMware Simulator Images
• Visual Studio Plug-in
Tools

5. • Open Standards
- POSIX , STL and C++ Sockets (libstdc++, libsockets)
- OpenGL ES 1.1 / 2.0, OpenAL 1.1 (libGLES, libOpenAL, libalut)
- Fonts, Imaging and Compression (libpng, libjpeg, libz, ibfreetype)
- XML and Database (libxml2, libxslt, libsqlite)
• Open Source Software
- Boost framework
- Lua, Box2D, Bullet,
- Cocos2d-x, OGRE, Quake3, Gameplay etc. (3D Engines/Frameworks)
- OggVorbis
- and many more at www.github.com/blackberry
Open Platform

6. • Scoreloop SDK features
- Easily integrate game achievements, leader boards and in-game
challenges.
- Create and manage global player profiles
- Store gaming data in the cloud
- Use virtual goods and currencies
- Scoreloop games are automatically featured in Games App
• The Games App
- Increases discoverability of your games with Featured games
banner with Popular, Friend’s favourites and New games section
- Timelines of all social gaming activities
- Focuses on viral marketing and social sharing
Social Gaming

7. • Out-of-the-box game pad support for
- Moga Pro
- Steelseries FREE
- Gametel
- Wii Remote
• Unity support through Joystick APIs
Gamepad Support

8. • Cordova-Based SDK Built On HTML5 Standards
– WebGL, Canvas2D, IndexedDB, Workers, Web Sockets, AJAX, Multi-touch
• Repackage Your HTML5
– Host your content directly on the device.
– 2D: Construct 2, GameMaker, cocos2d-HTML5
– 3D: Goo Engine, PlayCanvas, Verold 3D Engine (in beta)
• BlackBerry Platform Services
– BlackBerry Messenger, Push Notifications, Payment SDK
– Flurry Analytics
• Coming soon
– Web audio, Gamepad, Scoreloop and more!
HTML5

9. AIR
• AIR
- Stage 3D with BlackBerry 10.2 OS update
- Extend applications with AIR Native Extensions (ANE’s)
- Profile games with Adobe Scout
• Starling Framework
- Create 2D games that are GPU accelerated
- Open Source and Familiar API
• Away3D Framework
- Create 3D games that are GPU accelerated
- Open Source and Hundreds of Examples and Tutorials

10. Game Engine & Middleware Support

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Unity

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Marmalade

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Shiva3D

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Cocos2d-x

19. Development Considerations

20. BlackBerry Z10 BlackBerry Q10 BlackBerry Q5
Resolution 1280x768 720x720 720x720
Aspect
Ratio
~16:9 1:1 1:1
GPU Chipset A: SGX 544
Chipset B: Adreno 225
Adreno 225 Adreno 225
Input Touch Touch+Keyboard Touch+Keyboard
Hardware Differences

21. • Aspect Ratio can have a large impact on
your game
• Portrait vs. Landscape
Aspect Ratio

22. • Use a compromise aspect ratio (e.g. 16:11)
• Landscape game Z10 (~16:9) more content
on left/right, Q10/Q5 (1:1) more content at
top/bottom
• Layout UI, HUD, controls overlay relative to screen
width & height
Solution

24. • Physical Screen size
• Touch vs. Keyboard Input
Optimize for the form factor

25. The Business of Gaming
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26. The Time Machine
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27. Growth of the Gadget
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Source: http://conmoz.org/mobile-trends/mobile-devices-3g/?lang=en

28. 1980
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2000
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2002
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2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Timeline
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Genre
Innovation

29. Trends
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30. Trends: Console Gaming
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• Graphics
• Deep, Rich Storylines
• Connectivity  MMO
Massive Multiplayer
Online Games
• Downloadable Content
• Appeal to Hardcore
Gamers

31. Trends: Casual Gaming
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32. Trends: Wide Demographics
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33. Trends: Socializing
35

34. Trends: Mobile Gaming
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Low Barriers
• Cheap- $1.07 and decreasing with
freemium model
• Freemium Model- roughly 3-6%
spending on in-app purchases
Simplicity
• Game story
• Controls/ Intuitive Play
• Time & Length of levels
• 3G Connectivity- share or
download a new game any time!

35. Trends: In App Economy
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36. Trends: Genre Fragmentation?
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37. The Kitchen!!!
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38. 6 Key Steps To A Successful Game
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Production
Distribution
User
Acquisition
Engagement
Retention
Monetization

39. Production:
What Makes a Good Game
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40. Game Mechanics
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Games tell a story
• What is the setting?
• Who is the hero?
• Who is the villain?
• What are the hero's desires?

41. Game Mechanics
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Cues
• Visual
• Audio
• Dynamic

42. Addicting Game Components
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• Make the game easy and fun
• Lots of short levels
• More content they can unlock
• Depth- building up from a simple to difficult game play

43. Appropriate Game Controls
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Controls
• One touch/swipe controls
• Multi touch controls
• Gyroscopic Games

44. Top Games
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• One touch controls
• Virtual Currency
• Great Graphics
• Unlocks and power-ups

45. Top Games
• Simple controls
• Physics based interactions
• Many short levels- increasing
difficulty makes more interesting
over time
• Fantastic Character and level
design

46. Distribution
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47. BlackBerry World
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Carousel
Featured Image
Micro Banner
Left, Right
Top Lists
Trending
Grossing
Paid
Free
New
BFB
Home Screen Item Details Screen
Screen Shots
Long
Description
Icon, Name,
Price

48. • The Games App is a preloaded application
on the home screen of BlackBerry 10
• Central gaming experience, enhances
social and viral discovery of Scoreloop
enabled games.
• Connect with other BlackBerry 10 gamers
• Find friends on BBM
• Discover your friends’ games
• See friends' gaming activities
• Compare gaming skills with friends 50
The Games App

49. Apps
81%
Games
19%
BlackBerry 10 Category Breakdown
Content Distribution
License Distribution
Action
11%
Arcade
14%
Board
Games
7%
Cards
4%
Children’s
Games
15%
Combat
1%
Movies &
TV
1%
Puzzles
33%
Space
2%
Sports
4%
Strategy
8%
Free
68%
Paid
32%

50. Payment Trends
25%
49%
56% 55% 53% 53% 54% 52% 48%
42%
22% 20% 22% 23% 22% 22% 24% 28%
2013-01 2013-02 2013-03 2013-04 2013-05 2013-06 2013-07 2013-08 2013-09
Monthly sales by Product type (%)
Application Game
10% 14% 16% 19% 23% 26% 28% 29% 33%
90% 86% 84% 81% 77% 74% 72% 71% 67%
2013-01 2013-02 2013-03 2013-04 2013-05 2013-06 2013-07 2013-08 2013-09
Payments-Virtual goods vs. One Time
Virtual Goods One time
• Paid apps are more likely to
be purchased on BlackBerry
10 platform than BBOS
• Trends in last 3 months
indicate sales are increasing
at a higher rate for
BlackBerry 10 purchasers

51. Know the Funnel
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• User reads a review or hears about your app
• Searches for app on the store
• In Store Optimization
• Your app appears in search
• User evaluates your app name, icon and rating
• Interested - clicks on your app for more
• Reads description, browses screenshots and reviews
• Download!

52. Measure the ROI
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1) Establish - a Baseline to measure results
2) Create an Activity Timeline
Activites, Social Data, Web Data, Transactions
3) Monitor – Sales Revenue
How often customers make transactions.
How many customers you are reaching.
How much customers are spending.
ROI =
Cost of Investment
(Gain from Investment - Cost of Investment)

53. Engagement & Retention
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54. The New Battle Ground
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• Game mechanics that set
“appointments” - The need to water
plants every nine hours, get users
back into games
• Leverage the Social Channels or
create your own
• Incentivize Friend Invites within the
game
• Daily Rewards – Bigger or exclusive
rewards, later on. Show them what
they earned and also show them
what is coming up
• Look at your “Whale” activity data
very closely
Source: Flurry

55. Monetization
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56. The Moment of Truth
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Source: Flurry
Higher
Impressions
Subscriptions
In App
purchases
Ad Inventory for
cross
promotions
PPD
Ad on In App
Goods
PPD

57. Freemium: Why Pay?
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• Expanded features and capabilities (77 percent)
• Remove ads (44 percent)
• Trial expired (35 percent)
• To support the developer (22 percent)
• Curiosity (16 percent)
Source: Clickz Stat

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Marketing Built for BlackBerry Apps

59. 323.45% Average Increase
Free daily downloads
Source: BlackBerry World Analytics
Value of Built for BlackBerry
483.33% Average Increase
Paid daily downloads
401.40% Average Increase
Daily revenue

60. THANK YOU
JAM843
Pratik Sapra
Sujoy Ghosh
September 26-27, 2013