Don't just build a game that you think is going to be FUN. Before start building a game that is supposed to be fun. Make sure you have a pipeline for FUN. Here in my presentation I gave at PGC-London-2016, I talk about the Four keys elements of your FUN pipeline, that helps you build games that you and your players think will be FUN. Four Key elements: - Your FUN pipeline has three elements : Team/Tools, Game , Players - Your FUN pipeline starts and ends with your [Customer/Mkt] - Your FUN pipeline has two sides [Pyramid & Funnel] - Your FUN pipeline is built Iteratively [Build, Share, Measure, Refine] Make sure you are not just building a game, you might end up with a game that only you think might be FUN!

1. Building the pipeline for Fun
Amar Chittimalli
Founder/CEO - FaunaFace, Inc
@chitimalli

2. Background
- Building games for more than a +11 years
- Digipen - Game Dev - Programming
- Casual, Social, Mobile & CMO games
Smash Wars [Soft Launched]
- #SmashTillYouCrash
- Endless Surfing Fun
- CAN, AUS & IND
Game Of Suits [Pre-Launch]
- 1st PrizeWinner for 10K GDC-Next - 2014
- Match 3 meets Poker
- Casual, Mobile, Social

3. Takeaways for building the FUN pipeline
● Your FUN pipeline has three elements : Team/Tools, Game , Players
● Your FUN pipeline starts and ends with your : Customer/Mkt
● Your FUN pipeline has two sides : Pyramid & Funnel
● Your FUN pipeline is built Iteratively : Build, Share, Measure, Refine

4. What is a Fun pipeline? What does it consist ?
Your Fun pipeline is a process that Three core elements
“Team+Tools” “Game” “Player/Mkt”
Team
+
Tools
Fun Game
+
Retention Game
Market
+
Players
Ship
your Game
Player is
Acquired
Monetize
&
Retain
Use tools
Build a
Game

5. Start & keep knowing your Player and the Mkt
The Half Life of a Mobile game is ½ to 2 years - compared to other
entertainment medium (Music, Movies, Games)
The shorter the ½ life, the more power creator has, as there is
more demand for new content.
: David Helgason (Founder of Unity - Unite 2013)

6. Returning vs New Players
● Returning players monetize well
● Its easier to engage returning players
● Lowers your acquisition cost for next game
● Build a community & give player the tools to share
● Ex: Everyplay

7. Overview to build a FUN pipeline - - Its Iterative
Pre-Launch
1. Analyze the App store and identify your customer
2. Design the core game mechanics
3. Pick the right tools to start building your game
4. Prototype - Play-Test, Beta-Test & Pre-Launch your game
Post Launch
5. Launch your game
6. Measure for retention & monetization & get feedback
7. Refine by prototyping or adding features and GoTo Step:5
FUN
You cannot measure FUN
in One GO!

8. Few recommended stages to build you FUN pipeline
GAME CUSTOMER
● Prototype Inhouse & Friends
● Alpha Friends & PlayTesters
● Beta External Testers
● Pre-Launch Beta, One Language
● Soft Launch AppStore - Few countries
● Global Platform New platforms or new regions
● Full Launch Localized UI and GamePlay for Max FUN

9. Your FUN pipeline is a TWO way road!
The Pyramid [Building your Game] Pre-Launch
● Core Game
● Retention Game
● Super Fan Game
The Funnel [Operating your Game] Post-Launch
● Acquisition
● Retention
● Monetization
The Funnel side of FUN pipeline is equally important, if ignored the party is a short one

10. The Funnel - Operating GameThe Pyramid - Building Game
Core Loop
FREE
Retention Game
$
Super-Fan
Game
$$$
- Central point for engagement
-Free & unrestricted access forever
-Short, around (1 to 2) min
Ex:One Run in JetPack, Subway Surfer
-Encourages Players to Come back
-Various Game play modes
Ex:
Leveling up, New Content.. etc
Whales: Measure Time by Money
Post Launch, Multiplayer, &,
Tournaments, Higher Level
Ex: Guilds in MMO, Community,
Acquisition
Retention
Monetization
Paid install, organic, PR,
ad’s, virality, cross-
promotion
Bad retention, leads waste of $$$
spent on acquisition
-Monetization, doesn’t
limit players FUN.
-Goal is to identify
super-fans and let them
spend TIME == MONEY
Src: GamesBrief

11. Few considerations to build your game Pyramid
Once the Game Design is finalized. Make you consider some of these into
● Choose your Tech based
○ Game design
○ Art style
● Think Cross Platform - Start with one
● Consider A/B testing [Prototyping]
● Analytics is a must
● Multiplayer & Social
● Offline Support
Game
Design
ART
UI
Game
Dev
FUN

12. Few consideration to build your game Funnel
Features needed for operating your Funnel: It’s all about knowing your Player
● Player Accounts - Know your Player/Auth
● Virtual Goods Mgt - Monetization
● Data Mgt - Player and Game Data
● Cross multiplayer platform - Retention
● Social & Messaging - Virality
● Game promotions - Deals and Offers
● Analytics & Attribution analytics - Measure your cost and engagement
● Cross Promotion/News - Quality and easy user acquisition
● Many more ...

13. Consider these before picking a Service
Goals : User Acquisition + Retention + Monetization
● Cost per month
● Ease of Integration
● Designed for any game?
● Tutorials and documentation
● Custom game code?
● Server to Server interaction?
● Great dashboard
● Analytics
● Full access to your PlayerData

14. Few services for managing your game Funnel
● Playfab
○ Free, Runs on AWS, Built for game, Pay for Add-On, Server-to-Server
● GameSparks
○ Freemium, [Pay per MAU],
● Soomla
○ Free, Open Source - Need to share your game data to other games anonymously]
● Yahoo/Player.io
○ Yahoo Games Net [Player.io] [Rev Share 0% - 5% - 10%]
● Heroic Labs
○ YC company (pretty New)
● Build Your Own [non-gaming]
○ Amazon Mobile :
○ Parse.io /Facebook Compare: goo.gl/Qbz7xD

15. More Tools & Blogs for mobile game (recommended)
App Annie - Market, Appstore Insights
Pocket Gamer - Discovery/News/Events/Res
TouchArcade - Mobile Game reviews
Game Insight - Mobile/News/Discovery
Game Sauce - Interviews/Postmortem tools
Chartboost - Dev success stories
Game Analytics - Analytics & Dev Blog
Soomla - Tools/Open source
DeltaDNA - Measure, Analyze, Engage
LeanPlum - A/B Testing & Analytics
Saltr - Customize in real time
HelpShift - Mobile CRM
Soomla Grow - Analytics & Whale Report
Pre-Launch - Beta Testers

16. Takeaways for building the FUN pipeline
● Your FUN pipeline has three elements : Team/Tools, Game , Players
● Your FUN pipeline starts and ends with your : Customer/Mkt
● Your FUN pipeline has two sides : Pyramid & Funnel
● Your FUN pipeline is built Iteratively : Build, Share, Measure, Refine

17. questions ?
amar@faunaface.com / @chitimalli
Slides: goo.gl/y03rYW