OGDC2012 Quang Dang

1. Building an MMOG for SNS
audiences
Quang Dang – GSS
July 2012

2. Who am I?
I‟m from GSS, the studio behind TTK and
Pig Farm

3. What is this all about?
• Why and how we create an entirely new
game.
• How we went through the development
progress.
• Lessons learned.

4. Introduction

5. Introduction
• What is “MMO”?
– Massively Multiplayer Online
• But not only MMORPG…
– MMOFPS, MMOACG, MMORTS…
• “MMO” = real-time interaction between
players.
• What about “SNS” games?

6. Introduction
• What is “SNS” game?
– Base on SNS platform, simple, easy to engage,
millions of players, viral factor.
• Differences between MMO and SNS
– Hard-core players vs. first time player.
– Higher interaction & community.
– ARPPU: MMO is 10x more than SNS.
– Paying rate: MMO is 3x more than SNS.

7. Introduction
• Why we need an “MMOSNS” game?
– High ARPU + huge user base = success!
– Rapid development.
– We cannot catch up other developers without
original games.

8. Game Concept

9. How it all started?
• Preliminary analysis at the end of 2010
pointed out:
– A new trend: web based games.
– Casual games took over all game rooms.
– Huge SNS userbase.
• What our next game going to be?

10. The Ideal Game

11. Customers
• So we will have a new casual game, but
who will be our customers?
– Teen & students: from 13 to 24.
– Playing time: 2-4 hours per day.
– Spend 150k-250k VND per month.
• And they‟re interesting on what?
– Appearance, outfit.
– Bike, vehicle, phones.
– Dating, making friends.
– Music, entertainment.

12. Market Research
• Online Survey:
– 3 phases: total ~70k samples.
– Multiple direction questions, different sets for MMO
and SNS users
Độ tuổi
3%
5%
12%
Dưới 13 tuổi
18%
13 tuổi – 15
tuổi
16 tuổi – 18
25% tuổi
19 tuổi – 22
tuổi
37%

13. And the game is …
• Code name: X11.
• Kick started on April 2011.
• New genre: mixed of
– Simulation: farm, city.
– Social: interaction, help friends.
– Casual: multi-player mini games.
• Goal:
– Alpha version by end of 2011.
– ARPPU: comparable to ACG games
(>100k VND).

14. Original game loop
design
Earn money
• Do job on
interior
• Collect money
Do job
Cash
Home Cow
Collect money
Mini games Shop
Entertain
• Clothing
• Mini-game
• Pet
• Music
• Vehicle
• Video
• Interior
Pet Player
Coffee
Shop Space Vehicle Shop
Cinema
Social
Decorate
• Chat
• Apparel
• Interact
• Home
• Show down

15. Key Selling Points
• Cute art style, 3D animation.
• „SNS look & feel‟: simple gameplay, virality design.
• Real-time interaction.
• Character and house decoration.
• Room based, contents oriented, easy to expand.

16. Development

17. Timeline
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12

18. Prototype
• Technical prototype
released at the end
of April.
• Basic game design
for avatar decoration
and farming.
• 3D team slowly
move from TTK to
casual style.
• 2D team drawing
truly „2D‟ concept.

19. Timeline
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12
Pre-Production

20. Pre-Production
• Prototype looks good, but what about the
real one?
• This is what we got after 2 months.

21. Pre-Production
• Issues:
– Customizable room graphic quality is much
lower than the prototype.
– Farming with an avatar is not fun enough! 3D
is completely different!
 Work-around solution: forget the farming
and economy, just focus on avatar and home
decoration first.

22. Timeline
1st build
with UI
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12
Pre-Production
The Sims Social went
beta!

23. Timeline
1st build
with UI Announce at
PigFarm Japan
press conference
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12
Pre-Production
Server
Integration

24. Sep-Oct 11
• Improved graphics by
adding sfx and lightmap for
objects.
• Simple design for game
economy.
• Globalization framework.
• Cartoon art style redefined.
• Game server intergrated.

25. Timeline
1st build Public
with UI Alpha!
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12
Pre-Production
Not really 
Internal
Server Alpha
Integration

26. Internal Alpha
• Issues:
– Negative feedbacks on graphics quality.
– Server stress tests have not passed  Unable
to release to public alpha.
Major changes in art
– Art style: more deformed, detail texture.
– Production pipeline: 3d artists now have more
room for creativity.

27. Timeline
1st build Internal
with UI Alpha
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12
Pre-Production
The New
Server X11
Integration

28. X11 Reboot
• Art:
– New character models.
– Re-work on 70% of home decoration and outfit, 90% public
scenes.
• Tech:
– Switched from framework to feature driven development.
– Minimal download is top priority.
• Design:
– Core game loop suiatble for SNS/SLG and PvP users.
– Clear monetization points and strategy.
• Process:
– Multiple Scrum teams for features.
– Kanban for production team.

29. New Art Style

30. New Design
Aggressive
Casual users Both
users
• Do jobs • Do public • Chat, interact
• Earn money jobs • Make friend
• Buy home • PvE, collect • Invite friends
décor, outfit. skills. • Complete
• Compete by • Fusion collections
house values skill, outfit. • Gain levels
• Compete by
PvP

31. The new name

32. Timeline
1st build Internal
Alpha Closed Beta
with UI
Prototype
April June August April June
Oct 11 Dec 11 Feb 12
11 11 11 12 12
Pre-Production
The New
Server X11
Integration

33. Crunch mode for CB
• 1 sprint per 2 weeks.
• Parallel features development by 4 scrum
teams.
• Code refactor by framework team.
• Daily scrum meeting, weekly overnight
camp.
• Finally, CB launched on June 20

34. The challenge of plugin
installation

35. Open Beta – July 14

36. Lesson learned

37. Lesson learned
• Purely graphics prototype may cost you a
lot of re-work later.
• Agile process requires an Agile-supported
framework from the beginning.
• Dedicated asset management, game
balance driven really helps.
• Agile spirit (not process) worked well with
mixed engineering level team.

38. A passion for creation