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StormyStudio
United KingdomMember Posts: 3,989
THINKING ABOUT ASYNC MULTIPLAYER
I know we don't know much detail about how async multiplayer will be delivered in GameSalad, how it will work and what limitations it might have. Though this doesn't mean we can't start thinking about what games we could design to make use of it and discuss the ways other games implement and use it to great effect.
I've been thinking and reading about it a lot recently and looking at how some of the most popular games make the most of it, particularly Zynga titles 'Words with Friends' and 'Draw Something'. Also indie word game success 'LetterPress'.
So I thought I'd start asking questions out loud just so we can discuss the current standards for setting up turn based multiplayer games what we'd like to have and what tools and techniques are used by the most successful titles. Also there's that small hope that maybe, just maybe @CodeWizard or someone might like to tease us with a few chunks of information.
Quick simplified break down of 3 games and how they do it:
• Letter Press - press new game, invite a game centre friend to play, or use AutoMatch.
• Words with Friends - Connect with friends via contacts or Facebook, or random players.
• Draw Something - Connect via Facebook (and I would assume phone contacts as well)
So with that in mind, here are some questions about async multiplayer.
Connecting players:
Will we be able to:
- invite people from iPhone contacts to play
- see a list of Facebook friends who have the game that we can play against
- Invite any facebook friends
- Be able to play against GameCentre friends
- AutoMatch - Instantly start up a game with a stranger (with the correct rules setup).
- Will it be cross platform?
Cross Platform?
The top two turn based games put a lot of their success down to being cross platform, so players on Facebook, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone can play one another. This obviously helps the game spread incredibly by reducing the barrier to entry (you can tell I've been reading to much on this, I'm sure I would'nt use the words 'barrier to entry' in real life) as so many people can have access to the game.
Bonus feature - Chat
Would a Chat function via sharing blocks of text in a table column be possible. It's not a feature I've ever used much of in Words with Friends, but it is a nice addition to be able to taunt your opposition. Also a random couple did actually get married after they met using the chat function in the game.
Success by being the first and the best
Not really a async related point, but it does seem that Words with Friends was able to completely out do the official Scrabble game, by being out first (albeit after Scrabulous which did well for a long time, before being sued and needing a name change), making the advert version of the game free with unobtrusive ads, making the paid version cheap in comparison to Scrabbles launch price, and having a very bright easy to use game design. They also kept it simple by having no 'play the computer mode'.
... anyway… thought I'd share what I've been reading up on and see what you guys have come across as well.
I know we don't know much detail about how async multiplayer will be delivered in GameSalad, how it will work and what limitations it might have. Though this doesn't mean we can't start thinking about what games we could design to make use of it and discuss the ways other games implement and use it to great effect.
I've been thinking and reading about it a lot recently and looking at how some of the most popular games make the most of it, particularly Zynga titles 'Words with Friends' and 'Draw Something'. Also indie word game success 'LetterPress'.
So I thought I'd start asking questions out loud just so we can discuss the current standards for setting up turn based multiplayer games what we'd like to have and what tools and techniques are used by the most successful titles. Also there's that small hope that maybe, just maybe @CodeWizard or someone might like to tease us with a few chunks of information.
Quick simplified break down of 3 games and how they do it:
• Letter Press - press new game, invite a game centre friend to play, or use AutoMatch.
• Words with Friends - Connect with friends via contacts or Facebook, or random players.
• Draw Something - Connect via Facebook (and I would assume phone contacts as well)
So with that in mind, here are some questions about async multiplayer.
Connecting players:
Will we be able to:
- invite people from iPhone contacts to play
- see a list of Facebook friends who have the game that we can play against
- Invite any facebook friends
- Be able to play against GameCentre friends
- AutoMatch - Instantly start up a game with a stranger (with the correct rules setup).
- Will it be cross platform?
Cross Platform?
The top two turn based games put a lot of their success down to being cross platform, so players on Facebook, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone can play one another. This obviously helps the game spread incredibly by reducing the barrier to entry (you can tell I've been reading to much on this, I'm sure I would'nt use the words 'barrier to entry' in real life) as so many people can have access to the game.
Bonus feature - Chat
Would a Chat function via sharing blocks of text in a table column be possible. It's not a feature I've ever used much of in Words with Friends, but it is a nice addition to be able to taunt your opposition. Also a random couple did actually get married after they met using the chat function in the game.
Success by being the first and the best
Not really a async related point, but it does seem that Words with Friends was able to completely out do the official Scrabble game, by being out first (albeit after Scrabulous which did well for a long time, before being sued and needing a name change), making the advert version of the game free with unobtrusive ads, making the paid version cheap in comparison to Scrabbles launch price, and having a very bright easy to use game design. They also kept it simple by having no 'play the computer mode'.
... anyway… thought I'd share what I've been reading up on and see what you guys have come across as well.
Comments
Facebook integration,
Cross Platform with Android and iOS
Random opponents.
Could be awesome.
Here's a pic I just stumbled across
But interesting.
Hero's Academy is a good example. With awesome taunts and a chat as well. I have played that for a while.
Lump Apps and My Assets
it's just easier to think about a game project slowly when time is limited by kids, work and a spot of man flu...
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