Develop a Game - And interact with your Community | by Two Pi Team

Lecture: Develop a Game -
And interact with your Community
How close should a Korean / International
Publisher / Developer stay with their
Western Online-Gaming Community
Speaker: Thomas Lagemann, CEO and Founder at Two Pi Team

• Active in the gaming industry for more than 10 years
• A gamer myself: 20 years
• Teaching classes since 2008
• Assisting New Blood: Almost since the beginning
• Active in the gaming industry for more than 10 years
• A gamer myself: 20 years
• Teaching classes since 2008
• Assisting New Blood: Almost since the beginning
Develop a Game – Interact with the Community
About me: Thomas Lagemann
© Two Pi Team, KGC 2011, Daegu, Korea

• Established 2005
• Service Provider for Services around
Community Management
− Community Building
− Community Management
− Community Assistance
− Community Consulting
− Social Media Coverage
− Education
… and more
• Established 2005
• Service Provider for Services around
− Community Building
− Community Management
− Community Assistance
− Community Consulting
− Social Media Coverage
− Education
… and more
Introduction of the Company: Two Pi Team

We work for or partnered with:
… and more

Successful Asian MMO Games in Europe
Examples:
Perfect World, Rappelz, Silkroad, Last Chaos, Metin 2, Runes of Magic, Lineage

Example: Runes of Magic

History of MMOs

• Today the different genres often are mixed
• No matter which genre you choose
there might be the need to adapt
− Content
− Graphics
− Gameplay
• Today the different genres often are mixed
• No matter which genre you choose
there might be the need to adapt
− Content
− Graphics
− Gameplay
So meanwhile they play everything

• Of course gaming behavior is an individual thing
• You can hardly generalize this for huge communities
or even countries
• But the major and minor preferences in each country
can be figured out
• Of course gaming behavior is an individual thing
• You can hardly generalize this for huge communities
or even countries
• But the major and minor preferences in each country
can be figured out
The first thing to take a look at: Gaming Behaviour

• Some countries like to have it difficult and challenging
• Some countries want an environment that countenances
roleplaying
• Some countries want to pit their skills against each other
• Some countries do not mind bug-using and exploiting
• Some other countries doom bug-using and exploiting
• Some countries insist on playing the game in their own
language
• Some countries like to have it difficult and challenging
• Some countries want an environment that countenances
roleplaying
• Some countries want to pit their skills against each other
• Some countries do not mind bug-using and exploiting
• Some other countries doom bug-using and exploiting
• Some countries insist on playing the game in their own
language
Differences in Preferences – some Examples

• Gold-sellers are mostly not appreciated –
Unless game-design includes it in a reasonable way
• There must be a story; at least there must be a reason
to do something.
• If the player is requested to fight against something
he needs a reason to do so
−Just Grinding is too boring for most players
• Gold-sellers are mostly not appreciated –
Unless game-design includes it in a reasonable way
• There must be a story; at least there must be a reason
to do something.
• If the player is requested to fight against something
he needs a reason to do so
−Just Grinding is too boring for most players
Similarities in Preferences – some Examples

There are many religions, cultures and histories
If somebody would try to take care of all of them
in a realistic setting …
he would fail
There are many religions, cultures and histories
If somebody would try to take care of all of them
in a realistic setting …
he would fail
Cultural Aspects

There are always some animals that might be sacred
in one or the other religion.
There are always symbols, colors or other things
that might refer to difficult parts of a history.
There are always some animals that might be sacred
in one or the other religion.
There are always symbols, colors or other things
that might refer to difficult parts of a history.
There are many Traps out there

This might be the reason why fantasy or science fiction
settings are so popular:
They are fiction with no relation to reality;
nobody can feel abused.
This might be the reason why fantasy or science fiction
settings are so popular:
They are fiction with no relation to reality;
nobody can feel abused.
Fantasy Elements are a good Solution

You never can know all aspects
of a culture, a religion, a history.
But you can ask your community about that!
You never can know all aspects
of a culture, a religion, a history.
But you can ask your community about that!
Community is the best Science Book

Community is the best Knowledge Book

Oh, btw:
After a while…
they will even know more about the game
than yourself.

• Most countries have different languages –
And many of them want to be addressed in their language
• Most countries have different languages –
And many of them want to be addressed in their language
Languages

•Despite that MMO communities meanwhile are used to get
the game localized only in English, French and German
•Other than Browser-Communities:
Those want to have their game in their language
•If you localize a game, make sure that it is a proper localization,
done by native-speakers of the respective language
•Despite that MMO communities meanwhile are used to get
the game localized only in English, French and German
•Other than Browser-Communities:
Those want to have their game in their language
•If you localize a game, make sure that it is a proper localization,
done by native-speakers of the respective language
Languages

Visual preferences – A Monstrous Example
It is not only about the preferences itself -
It is what people associate with special things!
Attributes for character creation:
 Cool
 Cute
 Beautiful
 Ugly

Monsters in western games primarily have to be ugly or scary.
If they start to get beautiful, cute or cool
players might wish to play on their side.
Monsters in western games primarily have to be ugly or scary.
If they start to get beautiful, cute or cool
players might wish to play on their side.
The Evil looking Evil

• There is one thing western gamers are keen on:
They want to be involved!
• They will be glad to help and they will be very helpful in the
end if you bear some things in mind:
− Each person feels individual, so you might get as many
different answers as people you ask
− Not those who yell the loudest are necessarily those
who represent the opinion of the masses
• There is one thing western gamers are keen on:
They want to be involved!
• They will be glad to help and they will be very helpful in the
end if you bear some things in mind:
− Each person feels individual, so you might get as many
different answers as people you ask
− Not those who yell the loudest are necessarily those
who represent the opinion of the masses
Options to involve Western Communities
into the Development Process

In which Aspects of a Game
should the Community be involved?
Caution!
Action Replay!

They can be involved in many parts including
Story
Gameplay
Content-Design
Character-Design

• It really depends on the game – in some cases it might not be
necessary to change a lot, but in some cases it might be
• If your game for example is a manga style, western people
most likely will appreciate its visuals like they are or with only
small changes.
It will not be the bulk of the western players, but there
actually are huge and growing fan groups for manga
meanwhile
• It will be appreciated if you for example take down the need to
grind and give the story more importance
• Interact with your community and they will tell you
what they like
• It really depends on the game – in some cases it might not be
necessary to change a lot, but in some cases it might be
• If your game for example is a manga style, western people
most likely will appreciate its visuals like they are or with only
small changes.
It will not be the bulk of the western players, but there
actually are huge and growing fan groups for manga
meanwhile
• It will be appreciated if you for example take down the need to
grind and give the story more importance
• Interact with your community and they will tell you
what they like
So is there the need to change a lot?

At which stage does it make sense
to involve the community?
Try to involve them as early as possible!


• Involve the community in the early process to use their
feedback to find gaps in level progression
• In the best case, this will result in an overall improved
progression experience
• Missing content can be identified and masked if necessary
• Involve the community in the early process to use their
feedback to find gaps in level progression
• In the best case, this will result in an overall improved
progression experience
• Missing content can be identified and masked if necessary
Example: Involving the Community regarding
Level Progression

• Focus tests are a good option - run them as early as possible.
• Best is to have a row of them
• Even after launch it might be useful
to set up special focus tests
• Focus tests are a good option - run them as early as possible.
• Best is to have a row of them
• Even after launch it might be useful
to set up special focus tests
Active Testing

• Keep communicating about things you want to improve
• Keep communicating about things you are not sure about
− Example: Localization
If you are not sure about a term in its context or
how to name a place or a character…
Ask the community what they would prefer
• Keep communicating about things you want to improve
• Keep communicating about things you are not sure about
− Example: Localization
If you are not sure about a term in its context or
how to name a place or a character…
Ask the community what they would prefer
As always: Communication is the Key

• Set up test-servers where players can test and give feedback
for updates
• You will get great plaudit if they can meet the developers
directly on those servers
• It might even be useful to start with a marketing campaign in
an early stage in addition, to show people what they can
expect
• Try to find the right ones to test your game
• Set up test-servers where players can test and give feedback
for updates
• You will get great plaudit if they can meet the developers
directly on those servers
• It might even be useful to start with a marketing campaign in
an early stage in addition, to show people what they can
expect
• Try to find the right ones to test your game
Give them a Home

You need to find people who:
• Are not only keen on just testing another game for free
• Give reasonable feedback
• And above all who will explain why they do
or don’t like something
You need to find people who:
• Are not only keen on just testing another game for free
• Give reasonable feedback
• And above all who will explain why they do
or don’t like something
Who are the Right Ones?

One Option to gain such Feedback
Involve Sub-Communities like guilds

• Though good European guilds are well organized
not all of them have a too military-like structure
• They interact and often discuss things democratically outgame
• This means you will get feedback that is not only affected by
the most powerful people in the guild
• The social aspect of an MMO means a lot to them
– playing is not working
• Nevertheless they are keen on being efficient
That means they want to have the game supporting
efficiency and therefore will help you getting there

• Though good European guilds are well organized
not all of them have a too military-like structure
• They interact and often discuss things democratically outgame
• This means you will get feedback that is not only affected by
the most powerful people in the guild
• The social aspect of an MMO means a lot to them
– playing is not working
• Nevertheless they are keen on being efficient
That means they want to have the game supporting
efficiency and therefore will help you getting there

What is so special about Guilds?

InGame communication and Socialization

• Western communities love to interact –
give them tools to do so
• Be sure that there are special features for guilds in the game
• Be sure to implement tools that allow Game Masters
to act properly
• Try to implement possibilities to entertain the gamers
not only with the game:
Implement tools that allow to build ingame-events –
epic and spontaneous ones alike
• If you even give the gamers tools to build their own smaller
events or assist them with doing so you will have most loyal
customers
• Western communities love to interact –
give them tools to do so
• Be sure that there are special features for guilds in the game
• Be sure to implement tools that allow Game Masters
to act properly
• Try to implement possibilities to entertain the gamers
not only with the game:
Implement tools that allow to build ingame-events –
epic and spontaneous ones alike
• If you even give the gamers tools to build their own smaller
events or assist them with doing so you will have most loyal
customers
InGame communication and Socialization

Most important Points of Interest
The following points are what we recommend to all of our
customers and what we remind our students to think of
when developing a game.
It is all about what communities in the western markets
want.
No matter in which part of the world the developer is
located.

• It is most important to think about localization as soon as
possible during the development-process as it will get more
difficult to implement a proper localization in a later stage
of the development process
• If possible include tools that make the work for translators
easier
• Text should not be hard-coded
• Involve your community -
Not to translate the game but to find mistakes in translations
• It is most important to think about localization as soon as
possible during the development-process as it will get more
difficult to implement a proper localization in a later stage
of the development process
• If possible include tools that make the work for translators
easier
• Text should not be hard-coded
• Involve your community -
Not to translate the game but to find mistakes in translations
Languages / Localization / Culturization

• Different languages need different space
• Do not use automatical translations
• Make sure that the translator gets the
context
• Different languages need different space
• Do not use automatical translations
• Make sure that the translator gets the
context
Technical Issue with Localisation

• Not every payment method is appreciated or even available
in all countries
• Be sure to have a good provider for payment systems
• Be sure to have a good support for payment issues
• Again involve your community.
Ask them in advance, which payment system they prefer
• Not every payment method is appreciated or even available
in all countries
• Be sure to have a good provider for payment systems
• Be sure to have a good support for payment issues
• Again involve your community.
Ask them in advance, which payment system they prefer
Payment-Systems

Conclusion
If you want your community to play your game –
give them a game they like.
You do not know what they like?
Ask them!

Owner:
Thomas Lagemann (CEO)
Nadja Bastawi (CVO)
Otto-Hahn-Str. 8
D-40721 Hilden
Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 2103 – 929 555 0
www.two-pi-team.com
Thank you for listening!
Any Questions?
COMMUNITY
The future of gaming is…
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY COMMUNITY!
Quote: David Perry on GCDC, Leipzig 2008
Member of…
COMMUNITY

Develop a Game - And interact with your Community | by Two Pi Team

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