Getting value from a free-to-play game is everything for a gamer, as they want to make sure they get the most from their purchases. But it’s also equally beneficial to a developer, because an app needs to produce a good profit in order to be considered successful. So what goes into value exchange

Chris Early, vice president of digital publishing at Ubisoft, recently brought this topic up during his Apps World 2015 panel this week in San Francisco, asking the question, “What kind of value exchange is there when we talk about game devs and game players ”

Pocket Gamer broke down a number of valid points from the presentation, as Early talked about how gamers wish to be entertained, and how it’s the developer’s key role to make sure that entertainment is delivered.

There are a number of resources that come into play, according to Early. Gamers have a good amount of resources to spend, and creating the right kind of game experiences means giving them a chance to invest in the experience overall – something to keep them driven.

Time also plays a part when it comes to value exchange. “The more time (players) spend playing our games, the more they’ll like it, and away it goes from there,” said Early.

Keeping attention is also a big plus, and works oppositely from time, as a long-term benefit instead of short-term. Playing a game now is one thing, but returning to the game later is completely another.

Early explained that a benefit to a good game is allowing players to use one or more resource to personalize their overall experience, while extending play time, enhancing the gameplay so that it offers more reward; or accelerating progression so it makes the player feel like they’re getting somewhere.

An example was brought up, with players having a lot of money, but not much time. Early believes that they might be more willing to spend on gear that could take weeks or months at a time to earn within the game itself.

But what about the opposite The game should provide ways for players to really get into the game, rather than punishing them if they don’t make a purchase. “We have to consider whether or not the player has the resources to complete the game that we’ve made, and if they don’t, how can we change our design to let them expend the resources that they do have to play the game,” said Early.

To conclude his presentation, Early brought up some interesting bullet points for developers to take under advisement:

 

  • Consider if the player has the resources to “play” your mechanic
  • Consider different ways to categorize players and design for their “player resource index”
  • Consider designing for both archetypes and resources
  • Consider implementing needs and mechanics that allow players to spend the resources they have in abundance

 

It’s certainly food for thought when it comes to the development of a free-to-play game – and one that doesn’t require a hefty purchase fee to continue onward.