waltergillespie - Tumblr blog

waltergillespie · 2 years

Text

Making of Iron Harvest: Perfect Asymmetry in Level Design (Part 1/3)

How to create balanced Multiplayer Levels without mirroring everything.

One of the most important parts of every competitive multiplayer game is the right balancing. Countless hours are poured into making sure that no player has an unfair advantage. This becomes much harder if you talk about an RTS with several factions made up of countless units, instead of singular characters or classes. If those RTS factions also happen to be asymmetric themselves, with, among other things, different damage and range values for even the most basic units, things get even more complicated.And that’s just the characters and units. Often forgotten in these discussions are the levels themselves that have to be balanced as well. Arguably, this is somewhat understandable, after all, there is an easy solution: Just mirror it! Keep it symmetrical, either along the horizontal or vertical middle line or around the central point and that’s it! By being symmetrical, your map is guaranteed to be balanced and fair as long as your units and factions are also balanced and fair.

And while this does work very well, and there are countless games I could list here that follow this approach, it just comes with one major weakness: Those perfectly mirrored maps? They are perfectly mirrored. So much so that they often feel obviously artificial and, for the lack of a better term, “gamey”. This can be somewhat hidden with a good art direction, and, if your game places less of an emphasis on immersion or environmental narrative, even ignored in favour of competitive maps.

But with Iron Harvest, a real-time strategy game set in an alternate Europe of the 1920s, we had the added problem that we very much wanted our maps to feel like real places with real purposes.

This had been one of our guiding principles long before we really started getting into creating maps for the Multiplayer Mode of our game, and already shaped several maps of our campaign: Everything needed to have a purpose. From a gameplay perspective, but from a narrative one as well, every building needed to have a reason to exist in the way and form it existed in; every part of cover needed to have some explanation for its position behind it.

While quite arduous, this process helped give our maps an incredible atmosphere and it would have felt weird to abandon and ignore it for our multiplayer maps completely.

To add in another complication, we realized during some early tests that the mirroring of levels can be surprisingly difficult if your tools and your engine are not specifically set up for this.

And while entirely asymmetrical maps were technically an option, we did not consider ourselves up for such a challenge this early on in the project, especially since most of us did have little to no experience in this specific kind of multiplayer map design.

So here is how we managed to create balanced and fair multiplayer maps without them feeling artificial and being to obviously mirrored.

Giving the fact that we had never done an RTS before and we are all standing on the shoulders of giants, we analysed Company of Heroes 1 & 2 maps extensively and tried to figure out what makes them work.

Picking apart the Past Considering our lack of experience, we started looking into some of the greats in RTS history for hints on how they solved similar problems.

In the end, we found our answer while studying the original Company of Heroes. Similar to Iron Harvest, Company of Heroes has a setting very close to reality, and as a result, very few of its maps are perfectly symmetrical. It also is still beloved among fans even today and has a very passionate map-making and modding scene.

We spent considerable time studying those communities, both to collect data about their preferred maps and annoyances but also to look at their tools and guides for map-making. We also experimented with the official Editor for Company of Heroes, which in turn allowed us to study its maps in much greater detail without the restrictions or distractions of live gameplay.

And this is also how we found out how they solved our current problem in an equally simple yet brilliant manner: The maps were still mirrored and symmetrical. Except that this symmetry was restricted to elements with a clear gameplay purpose only. Most other elements were placed much more loosely. Additionally, they used different versions of gameplay elements that looked wildly different from each other but were identical in function at opposing locations. As a final touch, they did not measure their symmetry with a ruler, mirrored elements as it turns out, were often not perfectly mirrored after all, with a meter or two and some degrees of a discrepancy between both objects being the norm.

Proof that this worked was the simple fact that we hadn’t been able to see this without the use of the editor tools. Looking at maps just from a zoomed in gameplay perspective or a small stylized minimap full of icons this simple fact was never apparent. Only after we started using the Editor and gained the ability to zoom out and look at these maps as a whole, we started seeing the patterns.

Asymmetric Factions Already a difficult task in itself, the balancing of the Multiplayer maps for Iron Harvest was further complicated by Asymmetric Factions: Factions whose base units have different values and whose advanced units are completely different from each other, all with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The biggest difficulty was range. Each faction’s infantry units ended up with a different range in which they could attack enemies. This complicated our first attempts to place cover in a balanced way, as each faction benefited from different distances to other cover or important Points of Interest. The solution turned out to be less cover, not more: Factions with lower ranges also had higher damage values and benefitted from direct fights without using cover for themselves, so instead of trying to offer good cover for everyone, only to see some factions never use it, we reduced cover to make room for more aggressive strategies.

Parts 2 and 3 of this article as well as further “Making of Iron Harvest” articles will follow soon!

Magnus Brauckhoff Game & Level Designer

Magnus wanted to learn how to create games from a young age. After finally finishing his Bachelor’s Degree in Game Design in 2017, he moved to Bremen and started working as a Level Designer on Iron Harvest at KING Art Games. Having released the first big game he was part of, he is already eager to see what comes next.

The post Making of Iron Harvest: Perfect Asymmetry in Level Design (Part 1/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Making of Iron Harvest: Perfect Asymmetry in Level Design (Part 1/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 2 years

Text

PHP vs Python: Which One to Choose for Web Development?

Choosing the right programming language is very important for any development project. Nowadays, Python and PHP are two popular programming languages that most businesses like to use for web development projects.

When comparing these two, choosing one becomes a bit difficult. Although many websites are developed in PHP, Python has also becomes very popular in the last few years.

But, which programming language is right for your web app – Python or PHP? In this blog post, we will discuss the basics of the two languages and then will proceed to their comparison. So, let’s get started!

What is Python?

Python is an open-source programming language that aims at object-oriented programming concepts. Guido Van Rossum developed this language in 1991. Currently, it is one of the most extensively used languages, providing high-level, easy-to-understand syntax.

According to Stack Overflow Survey 2021, Python is one of the most wanted and loved languages. Many companies in the world use Python with their apps. It acts as a scripting language for web browsers, and thereby, you can use it for web app development.

What is PHP?

PHP or Hypertext Pre-processor is a suitable choice of programming language for web developers. It’s an open-source server scripting language that is used for creating engaging, user-driven website pages. PHP is the actual choice of language with some outstanding features, plugins, libraries, and add-ons to maximize colossal community support and functionalities.

Rasmus Lerdorf developed PHP or Personal Home Page in 1995. After that, it got its new name, i.e., PHP-Hypertext Pre-processor. Almost all web browsers support PHP and it is fantastic for the backend development of web apps.

PHP empowers almost every website on the web. It’s a flexible, pragmatic, and fast language that can tackle dynamic content on HTML websites, session tracking, and databases.

Features of Python

Python can run on different hardware platforms using the same user interface.

It is easy to read, learn, and maintain.

It provides a perfect structure and support for large programs.

Low-level modules are easy to include in the Python interpreter.

Python features the support for automatic garbage collection.

You can integrate Python with C, C++, and Java programming code.

Python provides high-level dynamic types of data and the support for dynamic type checking.

It assists in an interactive mode of testing and debugging.

Features of PHP

PHP is easier to employ and code than other scripting languages.

It supports different databases like MySQL and Oracle, and hence, provides database integration.

PHP gives access to log in by making a summary of the latest user accesses.

Compared to other scripting languages like JSP and ASP, PHP is more efficient.

It features a few predefined error reporting constants that create a warning or error notice.

Since PHP is an open-source language, you can download and use it for free.

Pros and Cons of Python

Here are the pros and cons of using Python programming language for web development:

Pros of Python

A general-purpose, object-oriented, and versatile language to employ across different fields

Features cross-platform code reusability

Easy to use, read, learn, and maintain

Features automatic garbage collection

Develops GUI apps

Can integrate easily with programming code of other languages like Java or C++

Has libraries like Tensorflow for math-intensive tasks

An open-source, uniformly unfolding language

Highly graphic and makes amateur favorable

WORA functionality makes it portable

Cons of Python

Not much useful in mobile computing, browsers, and mobile app development

It uses a massive amount of memory to offer ease to a developer

Works slower than other website development languages

Makes delays in the testing of web apps

Error detection becomes difficult due to dynamic typing

Gigantic for a simple and small app or website

Duck-typing causes run-time errors

A bit simpler for some specific tasks

Pros and Cons of PHP

Below are the top benefits and drawbacks of using PHP for web app development:

Pros of PHP

Sustains top-notch debugging

Features copious pluggable frameworks Open-source and object-oriented

Features a large ecosystem

Gives support for other database interfaces like No SQL, PostgreSQL, and so forth

Get supports from several operating systems and works cross-platform

Gives support for database collection modules

Flexible and platform-independent

PHP-based apps support all operating systems like Windows, Linux, and UNIX.

Features in-built SQL support

Many open-source PHP frameworks are available to use for free

Cons of PHP

Impeded and wired performance

You cannot change its core behavior

Uses weak typing that can lead to wrong knowledge and data to users

Not suitable for content-based apps

No IOT alliance

An inadequacy of security protocols and features

When to Choose Python?

Python programming language becomes more popular nowadays. Below are some of the cases when you should opt for Python:

Building websites utilizing the Django framework

Seeking deep data analytics

And working in areas like robotics and data science

When to Choose PHP?

PHP is a popular server-side scripting language among developers. Here are some cases when you can select PHP:

Less investment

Developing blogs, web applications, and websites

Working effectively on the server-side

Why Choose Python?

Python boasts many advantages, and thereby, it is these days’ technology. Here’s why you should select Python for web development:

Python eliminates the difficulty of coding and deals with garbage collection and memory addresses automatically.

Python syntax is quick to comprehend, and it’s easy to debug also. Hence, its source code is easier to maintain.

With a range of pre-built libraries, Python web development is easy.

Having a framework for the web, Python supports GUI apps. For instance, Django, WXPython, Tkinter, etc.

Since it’s a portable and versatile language, you can run Python on different operating systems or platforms.

Python considers a database-friendly interface that can store a massive. amount of data for essential commercial DBMS systems.

Python’s interactive shell aids unit testing before implementing a product.

Why Choose PHP?

Since PHP is a powerful programming language, we have some reasons to choose it:

It is open-source and free to download

It’s a scripting language that runs on different platforms like Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, and UNIX.

PHP is compatible with every server, such as IIS, Apaches, etc.

It is easy to learn and works effectively on the server side.

PHP supports a wide range of databases.

PHP vs Python: The Detailed Comparison

You get a detailed overview of the languages, their features, pros, and cons. Now here’s a PHP vs Python comparison based on different parameters!

A detailed comparison will help you decide the most appropriate language for use, how easy and efficient it is to work with and give the best result for your web development efforts.

Let’s start the cold war between Python and PHP!

1. Community Support

PHP and Python have excellent community support. Since PHP has been in the market for a long time for web app development, it has a large community of developers who can immediately offer support.

Here, Python matches with PHP closely. Since there are many Python developers who continuously building Python apps constantly, community support is excellent. So, none of them is a clear winner here.

2. Flexibility

Machine Learning powered web apps are in high demand these days. And ML is a significant point of Python also. Hence, Python provides excellent machine learning libraries, such as Pandas, Tensorflow, Theano, and Scikit-learn. These libraries are rapid, robust, and unique, and most significantly, they can perfectly function with a web framework.

Remember that Python is beneficial in several fields and not just in web development, whereas PHP is significant only when it comes to web development. So, here, Python scores more than PHP.

3. Ease of Use

Python is an open-source, portable, and versatile programming language that is easy to employ. Moreover, python syntax’s programming is also simple. Compared to PHP, coding is easier to grasp with Python.

PHP is not an ordinary programming language as it’s used only for designing dynamic website pages with HTML. It makes PHP less productive than Python. Hence, in terms of ease of use, Python triumphs over PHP.

4. Speed to Market

Python features a great set of third-party libraries, packages, and modules to finish a project quicker. For example, Django is one of the popular web frameworks written in Python. It drags the MVC pattern to enable developers to build apps fast using a great division of concerns and reusability.

PHP also boasts its set of tools, incorporating frameworks and libraries. For example, Laravel is the most famous PHP framework that accepts the MVC pattern and arrives pre-packaged with several helpful features for web development like templating, routing, authentication, and so forth.

5. Web Frameworks

Both PHP and Python provide powerful and well-designed web development frameworks. Many big companies use web frameworks that PHP offers. For instance, Symfony and Laravel are mature frameworks, and a large community supports them. Thereby, PHP makes web development easy.

Python also provides many extraordinary frameworks. The two most famous Python-based web frameworks are Flask and Django. These are highly scalable, fast, easy to use, and secure. Developers usually prefer Django over PHP-based frameworks to enjoy an easy setup and shorter development period.

6. Library Management

Python employs Pip for dealing with packages. Pip makes sure that Python app development is rapid, easy, and fulfills all development needs.

The library management of PHP is less potent than Python. Python has a broader assortment of packages and handy tools for easier web app development. Hence, Python is the clear winner here.

7. Security

In terms of security, Python is a preferred option for businesses. For example, Django boasts many pre-built security features that help safeguard the apps from different security threats. Moreover, different government entities also depend on Python as their secret hacking tool.

Although its robust community support has addressed most of the security problems, PHP is less robust than Python in terms of security. Therefore, Python triumphs over PHP at this point.

8. Environment Management

Python has been the best programming language when it comes to handling environments. Its Virtualenv system helps install different versions of the language and move among them immediately.

PHP cannot compete with Python in this matter. VirtPHP, an analog for PHP, is there, but it’s archived and not quite maintained. Hence, developers like to use containers with PHP. So, Python is a clear winner here.

9. Ease of Learning

Python is undoubtedly easier to learn. You can pick up this general-purpose programming language very quickly. It is easy to choose a programming course for beginners. Python programs are shorter and easy to write as compared to other languages.

On the other hand, PHP is made for sophisticated web apps, unlike stand-alone, simple programs. It is not a general-purpose language at all. Hence, it takes more time to learn PHP as compared to Python.

10. Debugging

PDB or Python Debugger is an in-built debugger of Python. It uses many debugging strategies. PDB features dynamic typing and allows developers to work effortlessly without announcing things straight at the beginning of a program.

PHP also provides an XDebug package for addressing bugs and error-checking the codes for developers. However, PHP development is significantly slower in discovering and removing bugs. Hence, it experiences many security problems.

Concluding Thoughts

Although both PHP and Python perform great in web development, Python triumphs over PHP in many points. However, this does not imply that you have to select Python and neglect PHP. Both PHP and Python are excellent programming languages for developing web apps.

At last, it largely depends on your project needs as well as your PHP or Python abilities, knowledge, and expertise when you are building your web apps.

FAQS About PHP vs Python

Why prefer Python over PHP?

There are many reasons to prefer Python over PHP for modern web app development like flexibility, security, high performance, easy to use, simple syntax, etc.

Which is more secure Python or PHP?

When it comes to security, Python is a preferred choice for businesses. It has many security features to develop complex apps. Where PHP has had a dreadful history when it comes to security.

What is Python mostly used for?

Python, a general-purpose programming language has a broader usage including web development, AI, ML, big data, mobile app development, game development, etc.

The post PHP vs Python: Which One to Choose for Web Development? appeared first on .

PHP vs Python: Which One to Choose for Web Development? published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 2 years

Text

Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 3/3)

KING Art’s journey from a bunch of artworks they saw on the internet to Germany’s Game of the Year.

Part 1 is here!

Part 2 is here!

Launch The months leading up to the launch and two or three months after were among the most stressful during production. Not only did we have to finish the game, we also had an open beta on our plate as well as console submissions, adjustments for multiple shops, age rating versions and all sort of marketing and PR activities.

The team worked extremely hard and kept on working after release. We did community support, monitored and optimised our online services, prepared free content updates, and did hotfixes and patches.

For the first twelve weeks after release, we released an update each and every week. We didn’t initially plan for a break-neck speed like this but since some players and reviewers felt that the game did not have enough content to justify the price tag, we released additional free content faster than initially planned. We also had some technical difficulties that needed to be addressed quickly.

Iron Harvest is not only the biggest game we did so far, it is also the most complicated. We knew developers rank RTS games among the hardest to develop and we can confirm that. The complexity is just mind blowing.

In the first six months after release, we released many new features, some of them pre-planned, some of them based on player feedback, a ton of new maps, a completely new game mode and many improvements for free. Steam reviews rose from “Mostly Positive” to “Very Positive” and sales stayed strong, especially during sales. We also released the 4-map mini campaign “Rusviet Revolution” that Kickstarter backers received for free.

During all of this, we started work on the big addon, “Operation Eagle”. The add-on introduces a new faction and a new sub-faction with over 30 new units/buildings, pushing the total to around 120 units. We also introduced a new unit type, flying units.

Some of us have worked on Iron Harvest and Operation Eagle for well over four years now, and we are proud of what we achieved. At the same time, it is time for something new. We have made a big step with Iron Harvest, and we are looking forward to taking what we have learned and start the next projects.

Besides new content player could enjoy our seasons with tricky challenges that unlock unit skins and other rewards.

What worked? Weekly decision meetings with leads turned out to be a great way to make robust decisions relatively quickly, and they helped to reduce interruptions. For our current projects we divided the meeting into three meetings (art, tech, design) to give more people the opportunity to be part of decision meetings and to reduce the amount of topics that need to be discussed in one meeting.

Marketing, PR and community work was pretty successful. We had an exceptionally successful CGI trailer (25+ Mio. views) and a big, active and overall positive community. We believe it’s important for a developer to be involved in these things and set ambitious goals together with the publisher.

The overall quality and presentation were good, especially for the first RTS we ever did. Our careful planning, the extensive prototyping and the fact that many experienced developers worked together with young talent helped to make Iron Harvest a well-rounded affair – despite the fact it was the by far most complicated and biggest game we did so far.

Iron Harvest won multiple German Game Developer Awards and KING Art won “Studio of the Year” for the second time after 2018.

What didn’t work? Communication and onboarding could be better. With such a complex project, it is hard to keep an overview of who knows what, who needs which information, and who needs to be asked to come to the right conclusions. Not everybody in the team felt they were as well informed as they should be, especially new team members who missed the initial concept phase.

Departments vs taskforces: We had a department structure for a long time but in some departments we saw the limit of this structure when 10, 12 developers needed to be organized and kept up to date by a lead. In future projects we will work more with interdisciplinary taskforces of 5-6 people.

The first Iron Harvest addon introduced a new faction, Usonia, as well as flying units and a new 7+ hours campaign. Planning began almost a year before the main game was released and production started right after the release.

The game felt smaller than it is. Some people were complaining that the game wasn’t worth full price. This surprised us because Iron Harvest was one of the biggest RTS games in terms of content at release. We had close to 100 units, 3 campaigns with over 20 hours of playtime, coop, multiplayer, multiple game modes, a big meta game… yet when you look back at it, it did not feel like it. We didn’t show off the depth of the game and many features were kind of hidden. For upcoming games, we will make sure they feel as big and deep as they are.

Team Over time the size and composition of the internal team changed but something like this was the core:

1x Creative Director

2x Executive Producers

2x Producers

4x Game Designers

12x Programmers

12x Artist

6x Level Designer

8x Animators

3x Technical Artist

1x Content Manager

2x QA

1x Community Manager

In addition, we had external contributors for 3D Art, Concept Art, Sound FX, Music, Mocap, Voice Recordings and of course marketing, PR and product people on Koch’s side.

Further “Making of Iron Harvest” articles will follow soon!

Jan Theysen Founder & Creative Director

Jan Theysen is Creative Director at KING Art and one of the two founders. He is the Iron Harvest Game Director and worked on narrative design, the campaigns and game design. He was part of the small group of people who laid the foundation for the game that would become KING Arts’ biggest project to date.

The post Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 3/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 3/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 2/3)

KING Art’s journey from a bunch of artworks they saw on the internet to Germany’s Game of the Year.

Part 1 is here!

Publisher Search Publisher search becomes pretty easy when you made an extremely successful Kickstarter. Around 15 publishers contacted us, among them some that probably would not have taken our call. We did dozens of meetings worldwide, entered early contract negotiations with five publishers and ended up with two contracts ready to sign. In the end, we signed with Deep Silver (Koch Media).

One of the main reasons we did the Kickstarter is that it enabled us to keep working on the project on our own terms and give us many months to make a deal with a publisher. That is a totally different situations compared to having your back to the wall and being forced to take whatever deal someone is offering you. We were able to keep creative control and to negotiate in general favorable deal terms.

One of our Executive Producers was responsible for all communication with the publisher. He worked with multiple people on the publisher’s side and was informed about everything that was going on. The same is true for external contributors: Each partner has one contact person at KING Art to minimize miscommunication.

The Iron Harvest CGI Trailer has been viewed over 25 Million times and became the Grand Winner of the prestigious NYX Video Awards.

Organization & Communication For Iron Harvest we had a classic department structure (Artists, Programmers, Game Designers, Level Designers, Animators etc.). In our experience, for every ~5 developers, you have to have a lead that spends about half their time with organizing the work of the others, answering questions and making decisions.

Most departments had daily standups and at least one representative of each department was part of the daily leads standup to act as the link between the department and the other leads.

Producers organized the collaboration between departments. They made sure every department can work efficiently and had all the info and material they need. They also kept the internal and external milestones in mind. For most of the development we had one milestone every two months or so, more at the end.

Pre-COVID, we had a weekly standup with the whole team, so everyone had the chance to talk about what they were doing. COVID ended this tradition, and we are not sure if it will come back since the meeting got rather large.

Communication is one of the biggest challenges when teams get this big and we haven’t found the best way to do it yet. At one hand, people want to be involved and know what is going on. On the other hand, you could easily spend your whole week just having meetings to keep everybody informed.

Pathfinding for units of various sizes on a dynamic map became another prototype. Some units can walk through walls, others can jump over fences and all of these objects can be build or at least destroyed by the player – a hard nut to crack. When possible, we develop our prototypes in pure C# outside of Unity and with limited visualization to speed up iteration times.

Prototypes We did a bunch of technical prototypes for Iron Harvest. A good prototype answers an important question with a relatively high degree of certainty. We start with a list of all the issues we think are important for the success of the game or that have the potential to cause huge problems during development. We then discuss if these questions could be answered with a prototype and what the simplest/smallest version of the prototype could look like. For example, we wanted to test our multiplayer technology. We knew that we couldn’t use an out-of-the-box multiplayer middleware. Instead, we needed a deterministic lockstep system that simulates the game on all computers in a match exactly the same way. Common wisdom at the time was that we couldn’t trust CPUs of different generations from different manufacturers to give us precisely the same results using floating-point operations due to rounding errors. This was a common problem older RTS experienced but our prototype showed us that we didn’t had to rely on slow fixed-point mathematics like the old RTS.

Forgify helps developers to keep an overview about the status of the project and about their tasks. Many of these tasks are generated automatically based on predefined processes. For example, if a Technical Artist finishes a character rig, the Animation Lead receives an automatically generated task to check the rig and assign an animator to start with the animations.

Tools For all our game, we are using the Unity engine and a set of tools we’ve developed over the years and new tools we add with each project. During Iron Harvest we started development at our new process management tool Forgify that will replace a couple of older tools in our upcoming projects. Tool development takes a lot of time and experience, but it can be worth the effort. As a German developer we need to work more efficient than others to make up for costs disadvantages. The right tools can help with that.

Parts 3 of this article as well as further “Making of Iron Harvest” articles will follow soon!

Jan Theysen Founder & Creative Director

The post Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 2/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 2/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Flutter for Web – The Detail Guide to Develop Flutter Web App

Google initially launched its UI library, Flutter, for creating native functional mobile apps that ensure smooth performance. The attractive features and characteristics of Flutter have attracted many developers to explore it for building apps.

Although Flutter initially focused on creating cross-platform Android and iOS apps, it no longer has restrictions to build mobile apps only. Desktop and web apps are something now you can try making with Flutter.

If you want to try Flutter for Web, this is the right guide for you. Without further discussion, let’s read on!

A Brief Introduction of Flutter

Flutter is Google’s UI library that helps build native performant apps across all devices, such as desktop, web, and mobile, via a single codebase. It uses Dart programming and combines Cupertino and Material Design to create an attractive user interface. The intriguing UI not just feels native but also can resemble the platform to perform naturally on any device.

How Does Flutter Web Function?

Flutter renders website apps similarly like it renders mobile apps for iOS and Android platforms. Flutter Web can turn a project into native code when you need to deploy it. It builds single-page web apps. However, you can have multi-pages, but if Flutter changes a web app to the native language, there will be a single index.html HTML file.

So, how can you create multi-pages web apps? The Navigator works on the Stack data structure. Although Flutter Web is a single page, it can push many pages on a similar single native page.

Measuring Flutter for Web’s Performance

The Flutter developer community actively makes enhancements and changes to improve Flutter Web’s performance and bring it to a fixed release. Mainly two things can measure Flutter Web’s performance: first, it can render and manipulate massive amounts of data, and secondly, it features effects, transitions, and animations.

Flutter developers have following two options of rendering engines to select from:

DomCanvas

CanvasKit

These engines produce Dart code that turns to CSS and HTML for the execution of widgets. Apps built with DomCanvas have a lesser payload than the ones made with CanvasKit. The extra massive size for CanvasKit improves its performance by radical changes. So, it would help if you decided whether you want your users to wait a bit more to enjoy a better user experience.

In a nutshell, in terms of performance, Flutter Web needs to improve more to meet the level of the performance of modern JavaScript frameworks and libraries like Vue, Angular, and ReactJS.

When Does Flutter for Web Development Bring Benefits for Businesses?

When it comes to building a web app, Flutter may be the right solution. Learn when it’s worthwhile to use the Flutter web for business.

Mobile and Web Development at the Same Time

Flutter is the right solution in case of building an app for the web and mobile at the same time. With Flutter, now it’s possible to create the entire product from a single codebase using a team of Flutter developers.

Developers need to create responsive UIs, as the web and mobile apps will work on various screen resolutions and sizes. When a screen’s web version might require being entirely other than the mobile version, Flutter can support platform checks. It helps you render various screens on the web and mobile.

It saves time, as web and mobile apps share standard translations, styles, logic, UI elements, and more.

Reuse Code from an Already Built Mobile Application

Flutter brings business value if you already have a mobile app and go for Flutter for Web development. In this matter, you can use current UI elements and logic to build web apps quicker than other web platforms. Your app’s web version does not need to execute every feature the mobile version has.

Companion Applications

Flutter Web also works as a companion to mobile applications. For instance, a demo application, your mobile app’s admin panel, or proof of concept uses standard code with a broader system made with Flutter.

Should You Use Flutter Web When Mobile Apps Are Not in the Picture?

Flutter helps you create engaging and performant web apps. But, it’s not ideal for static website pages. It is perfect for single-page interactive applications with heavy UI elements and animations.

In terms of static website pages with lots of text, a higher standard website development process may result in better outcomes, quicker load times, and more feasible maintenance.

Pros of Flutter Web

Here are a few benefits of using Flutter for Web for your business:

Flutter web can render animations, transitions, and graphical effects.

It can manage massive amounts of data.

Flutter provides excellent assistance for both Cupertino and Material design UI elements.

It can execute a game engine for specific products with better physics and animations.

Flutter offers PWA support.

It renders animations in up to 60 frames/second.

You can run JavaScript code from within Flutter Web. It’s a fantastic option if there is an SDK or JS library you have to explore.

Flutter Web can integrate with current web apps as an embedded element.

It provides a massive amount of commercial and open-source libraries on pub.dev.

Cons of Flutter Web

Flutter Web has a few shortcomings also as it is still under development. Let’s have a look:

Flutter web is not SEO-friendly. Hence, in terms of product marketing on search engines, you may see better results on other web frameworks.

Flutter Web does not maximize its full support for plugins.

Since Flutter Web is still developing, you can see a slower app performance.

The Hot Reloading feature of Flutter Web is tricky. You can either type webdev serve –auto-restart in the command line or refresh the page manually.

Flutter web developers cannot modify produced JavaScript, CSS, and HTML code.

It has restrictions on the support of Flutter APIs.

Compared to classic web development, Flutter web’s load size may look poor. HTML’s minimum payload is 1.8 MB, and CanvasKit includes an extra 2MB to the payload providing better performance.

How to Run Your Current Project on Flutter Web?

Presently, Flutter Web is on a stable channel from Flutter 2.0. However, if you don’t operate on Flutter 2.0, you can still utilize it by running the commands mentioned below:

$ flutter channel beta $ flutter upgrade $ flutter config --enable-web $ flutter create .

And if you are using Flutter 2.0 but haven’t ever operated your previous project on the web, run the set of commands mentioned below:

$ flutter config --enable-web $ flutter create .

Once you implement these commands correctly, you can run your project using Flutter Web. You can find a web folder in the project directory. To operate that project on the Flutter Web, choose Edge or Chrome and click Run.

How to Build Your First Flutter Web App Project?

To build a Flutter app, you don’t need experience in Dart or other website programming languages. The official documentation will guide you with the basics of Flutter Web. Here is our detailed guide to help you create your first app project with Flutter Web:

To set up your first Flutter Web app project, ensure to have Flutter version 1.5.4 or more. Moreover, install Dart 2.3 for app development. You can type the commands given below:

$ flutter channel beta $ flutter upgrade $ flutter config --enable-web

To Make sure to update the correct version, type the following in your command line:

$ flutter doctor

It will provide the installation status. To obtain the development tools for Flutter Web, run the command given below:

$ flutter packages pub global activate webdev

Now make sure that the $HOME/.pub-cache/bin directory is in the path. It helps use the webdev command straight from the terminal. Type the commands given below for macOS:

$HOME/flutter/.pub-cache/bin

Next, restart your system.

Now choose an IDE for developing a Flutter web app. Here’s the options to select from:

IntelliJ

Android Studio

Visual Studio Code

These IDEs have various approaches. Based on your suitability, you can select your preferred one. Developers can use VS Code for web development. Open VS Code and type ctrl + shift + p for opening the command palette. After opening the command palette, type:

Flutter: New Web Project

Visual Studio Code will seek your permission for Stagehand installation. To install Stagehand, a Dart Project creator manually, type this:

pub global activate stagehand

You can develop a basic project demo by providing a location and name for your project. pubget command will run through the project automatically to load essential packages for your project.

Now, Visual Studio Code will ask permission for automatic installation of webdev. Nonetheless, you can manually install it by typing this command:

pub global activate webdev

Type webdev serve in the command line to run your project. And then, your first demo project will be accessible in the supported Chrome window.

What to Consider While Using Flutter for Web?

Here are the key points to remember while using Flutter Web:

Flutter Web builds single-page applications.

A web developer can change the native code the same way they do it for iOS and Android.

It would help if you made your Flutter web app responsive so that users can open your site in any screen size.

To deploy your Flutter web app, run flutter build web command and you will find a folder web in the project directory that has native codes, incorporating index.html

Although several packages support the web, make sure to check the supported platforms before coding.

Bottom Lines

With its constant popularity and increased acceptance of business apps, Flutter has proved to bring more business values. If you have read this guide, you have more reasons to go for Flutter Web development.

MindInventory has a team of ardent, dedicated, and experienced Flutter developers knowledgeable in creating responsive apps using Flutter. If you seek to hire profound Flutter Web development services to complete a current project, contact us in no time!

FAQs About Flutter for Web

What is Flutter for web?

Flutter for web is a code-compatible version of the open-source UI software development kit that uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to generate the user interface.

Is Flutter good for web development?

Yes. Flutter is great for both mobile and web app development as it is highly compatible with current-generation web rendering technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Using Flutter, you can easily compile the existing code into a client experience, embed it into the browser, and then deploy it to any web server.

Which web browsers are supported by Flutter?

Flutter web apps can run on almost all modern browsers like Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. Chrome (on Windows, macOS, and Linux) and Edge (on Windows) are supported as the default browsers for debugging your app during development.

The post Flutter for Web – The Detail Guide to Develop Flutter Web App appeared first on .

Flutter for Web – The Detail Guide to Develop Flutter Web App published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 1/3)

KING Art’s journey from a bunch of artworks they saw on the internet to Germany’s Game of the Year.

Two years or so before we started to think about our next project, we stumbled upon a series of artworks by Polish artist Jakub Rózalski that combined classic 19th century European landscape paintings with dieselpunk mechs. The artworks looked cool and unusual, and we saved the link like we always do in cases like this.

Fast forward two years: We were working on “The Dwarves” and were thinking about the next projects. We are usually looking for niches that enable us to make potentially the best game in this niche in the year of release. So instead of making the 10th best 1st person shooter, we want to make games fans of a genre love and “need to have”. We talked about different ideas, one of which were RTS games. In 2016 they were a more or less forgotten genre. Big publishers were focusing on MOBAs, and in general, many strategy developers seemed to have moved on. A chance?

One RTS series caught our eye: Company of Heroes. Developed by Relic and published by THQ, the series was a fan favorite and very successful – but there hasn’t been a new CoH for years due to the THQ bankruptcy and the following turmoil. Could there be enough people waiting for a CoH-like RTS? But in what setting? Historical? Fantasy? Sci-Fi? Or maybe… what about the early 20th century in an alternate reality with Dieselpunk mechs! We talked to Jakub, and he was excited about the idea. In the following months, we evaluated the risks and opportunities, played every RTS we could get our hands on and started to plan a project that should become the biggest and most complicated game we ever created.

The Announcement Trailer and later the Kickstarter Trailer showed many features we planned for the game and visually they were actually pretty close to the finale game. The trailers gave everyone a goal to work towards.

Trailer-Driven Development We did four Kickstarters for our last four games and someone came up with the term “Trailer-Driven Development”, meaning that we develop features and content always for the next trailer (Announcement Trailer, Kickstarter Trailer, Feature Trailer, Release Trailer).

While this is a joke and you should definitely not only work in the realm of smoke and mirrors, being forced to present the game to an audience way before you normally would, has its merits. It helps getting everybody on the same page and early positive reactions help with team motivation.

Fundamentally, it lets you think about one of the most important questions if you want to make a successful game: How do you actually sell it? What is great about your game and how can you communicate that? What grabs people’s attention, what makes them excited? You start to think about target audiences, USPs, gameplay pillars, hooks, characters and everything else that can help you sell your product.

We think it is a good idea to do this early on, even if you are not doing a Kickstarter or plan to announce your game early.

Game Design Meetings Early on, we established a 2+ hours “Game Design Meeting” with game designers but also programmers, leads and the game director. The goal of these regular meetings was to answer questions and decide on issues anyone in the team could bring up and write on a “To Be Discussed” list.

Having all stakeholders in the meeting (sometimes supplemented by individual developers who brought up an issue) enabled us to go through the list relatively quickly and come up with solutions that worked for all departments. We found this to be extremely efficient.

Another great advantage of these regular “decision meetings” is that people don’t bring up issues all the time anymore. Instead of interrupting people multiple times a day, all these issues are getting collected and tackled in one go when everyone has time and is in the right mindset. It turns out getting solid answers once or twice a week makes more sense than getting half-backed answers right away.

We used targeted adverts to reach people who might be interested in a new RTS. Precise targeting and strong assets help to build sizeable communities even with relatively small budgets. But it is something you need to invest time and effort in.

Community Building & Kickstarter Before we really committed to making the game, we did a survey. We asked RTS players what they would expect from a modern RTS and what they were missing. We received over 16.000 responses that shaped what Iron Harvest was about to become.

These 16.000 RTS fans were also the core of our community building. We announced the game pretty early on via social media and build a community of >100k followers in a couple of months. The popularity of Jakub’s artworks helped with that as well as marketing targeted at RTS fans who rooted for “their” genre.

We started a Kickstarter campaign and were able to collect over $1.5 Million. We had a good trailer, we had good press – but more importantly, we already had the big established community that was waiting to help us make the game they wanted.

We kept community engagement high, releasing over 30 “DevBlogs” and kept the community informed over social media and Discord. We released multiple Alpha and Beta versions for backers. All that is a lot of work, but we think it pays off because you receive a lot of good feedback and insights. And it is motivating to know there are people who are excited about what you are doing.

Researching Games When you want to check out what other games in the genre are doing, it is important to do it in a systematic and sensible way. Don’t trust your memory and don’t trust “the internet”. Play as many games as you can yourself.

Write notes while you are playing: How does the game make you feel? What do you like, what annoys you? What don’t you understand? You have to make notes while you are playing because your impressions of the game change all the time. Questions are being answered and you become accustomed to things you found weird or complicated before. You want these early, original impressions.

Write a short “review” of the game (a couple of paragraphs) after an hour, after 50% and one at the end of the game. If you wonder why they did certain things the way they did, write it down and discuss these points with the team. Also make sure to write down all the ideas that come naturally when you play a game. It is a great way to generate ideas, features and story bits.

Parts 2 and 3 of this article as well as further “Making of Iron Harvest” articles will follow soon!

Jan Theysen Founder & Creative Director

The post Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 1/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Making of Iron Harvest: Finding the Project (Part 1/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Form Follows Function (Part 3/3)

Game Design for Serious Games on the example of EDURINO.

Part 1 is here!

Part 2 is here!

Parents can limit children’s playtime in the Parental Gate, which is fully separated from the children’s play area, giving them control over their children’s actual playtime.

The story, the progress and the feedback system at EDURINO Because we want to avoid the overjustification effect at all costs, we did not consider classic PBL rewards (points, badges, leaderboards). Instead of external reinforcers, which motivate extrinsically, we rely on the intrinsic motivation of children to play, to help, to succeed and to progress, and we reinforce it. For this to work, that is, to reinforce children’s intrinsic motivation instead of overlaying it with extrinsic motivation and eventually extinguishing it, all rewards must be meaningfully related to the actual tasks.

To this end, I have written a simple and clearly understandable story: The child is the hero with the magic stylus and is asked for help per episode by a world traveler – the respective EDURINO figurine. In the first episode, Mika the vixen, after being awakened with the figurine on display, tells of the world of words that has been infested by the little chaos monsters. These have made a mess of everything and have confused all the guardians creatures of knowledge. Only the child with his magic stylus can help them and put everything back in order.

Meanwhile, the child sees the map of the World of Words, which is divided into four areas: the Forest of Rhymes, the Mountains of Long and Short, the Lake of Syllables and the Forecourt of All Beginnings. In each of these areas, a guardian creature is actually responsible for the respective knowledge.

Both on the map and throughout the game, the two opposing effects of magic and chaos can be seen both narratively and visually. Magic stands for knowledge, the power to create something good and right, and order. It is always visualized with white-greenish particle effects specific to magic.

Chaos, on the other hand, is not evil per se, but well… chaotic. The cute little chaos monsters make a mess of everything and leave a special pink-grey visual effect wherever they have left disorder. This is also the case on the map, where at the beginning each area, each guardian creature and each of the quests marked on it in the form of buttons are visually covered with the chaos effect.

The child now completes the quests linearly, one after the other, thus helping the creatures one by one and freeing one area after the other from the chaos monsters. With every creature the child helps and every quest the child completes, the effect of the chaos monsters on the map gradually disappears, and the children free the four areas one after the other.

In EDURINO’s Parental Gate, which is separate from the children’s play area, parents can see how their children are progressing in the various learning areas.

So in EDURINO the child is not rewarded by abstract points or the like, but by completing tasks that are clearly broken down into small tasks that make sense to the child. It helps the previously suffering creatures and sees the effect of its own good deeds and gets the thanks and recognition for it. Moreover, it can always see its progress on the map, which is gradually freed from the visual effect of the chaos monsters. In addition, when completing one of the four areas, the children are rewarded by the guardians with items and clothes for their avatars that match the areas, such as the Crown of the Forest. Because these items are closely related to the plot and to the specific performance of the children, we do not risk an effect of overjustification here.

Moreover, we use this dual effect of magic and chaos as a feedback system. For problem-based learning, it is enormously important to playfully try out what works and what doesn’t and get clearly understandable feedback on what is right and what is wrong.

Especially with more minor children, it’s not so nice to just make a loud MÖÖÖÖP! toot when the kids do something wrong ;-) Instead, we use the signature effect of magic in EDURINO universally for when the child does something right. And we use the signature effect of chaos when the child hasn’t done something right yet. This clearly communicates to the children that something is not yet “right” without giving them the feeling that they are doing something wrong or failing.

In the Mini Game “Water March”, the child must get the clogged rivers running again. To do this, the words that clog the rivers must be separated into syllables with the pen.

The character Mika as a help system We also integrated the respective figurine of the episode, which the parents buy and with which the children unlock the episode, centrally and always present via the story and the game design: The character is always a world traveler who asks the child for help and with whom the child travels to one of the EDURINO worlds.

The character thus functions as the herald of the story, picking up the child with the call-to-action and accompanying the onboarding. But it also acts as its mentor throughout the game, whom the child can always ask for help. This is because the character moves from the scene at the beginning as a portrait button to the top right of the GUI. When the child taps on this button with the stylus, the animated portrait of the character always explains to the child what to do.

When the children have completely mastered an area, they end up fighting the respective chaos monster in a kind of small boss fight by applying what they have learned.

The usability of the EDURINO app The whole EDURINO app has to be usable for children who can’t read and don’t yet know GUI and usability conventions. We achieve this on the one hand by giving the children the tasks in the EDURINO app through the numerous different, professionally voiced creatures. And by the fact that everything they need to know beyond that – i.e. all tutorials and help texts – are explained to them as briefly as possible by the respective EDURINO character (in episode 1 the vixen Mika).

And on the other hand, we achieve this by giving the children with the map a home screen that is clearly understandable to them because it is fully visualized, and on which all the functions of the game are visually anchored for them:

They can progressively play the linear campaign by clicking on the buttons of the quests.

They can see their own progress on the map, which quests they have already successfully completed and which areas they have already liberated.

They can replay all the Mini Games they have already successfully completed over and over again in the integrated Free Play mode.

They can click on the Mika button to activate the help system.

They can click on the Stylus button to watch the tutorial on how to hold the stylus correctly.

And they can click on their own avatar on the map, which will appear again and again in the course of the game, and customize it with the clothes and items they have earned.

In a completely separate Parental Gate, we also satisfy the needs and demands of parents for transparency and control of their children’s user experience in the EDURINO App. There, they can see exactly what their children are playing, how much, and what progress they are making in terms of learning content. They can also limit the screen time of their kids in a reasonable way.

The underwater creatures feel sick because they have gulped down the words in their entirety. The child must tickle them until they spit them out again and then rearrange them.

Serious Games – There and back again This small excerpt from the game design problem analysis of the EDURINO app shows well how the offensive and proactive handling of supposed limitations can often lead to very nice solutions.

In my experience, one of the most decisive factors for success, especially with serious games, is whether you actually know the majority of the limitations and the often numerous requirements as early as possible and deal with them offensively and creatively. And from then on, it’s all about testing. Testing, testing, testing and testing again. Because as with any other game, there is often inevitably a difference between theory and practice, even with the best team. And unfortunately, the best ideas – especially in serious games for children – are useless if they don’t survive the first, second and third “enemy contact”.

The EDURINO App EDURINO is a serious games app series combined with haptic components for preschoolers such as an ergonomic stylus and a figurine per episode. The first episode out of the holistic curriculum teaches literacy to preschoolers and is just released this month. You can watch the beautiful trailer of the two founders Irene Klemm and Franziska Meyer on the Startnext page of the very successful campaign of EDURINO. https://www.startnext.com/edurino-schulvorbereitung-ab-4

Myriel Balzer Game Designer, Creative Director, Writer and Producer

Myriel (https://myrielbalzer.de) has been working as a freelance game designer, writer and producer in the games industry and other industries since 2009. Besides classic computer games she also develops many serious games and gamification applications or sometimes completely different stuff like Haunted Houses, Themeparks or Edu Larps. You can read more from her on her blog: www.jackofalltrades.myrielbalzer.de

The post Form Follows Function (Part 3/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Form Follows Function (Part 3/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Form Follows Function (Part 2/3)

Game Design for Serious Games on the example of EDURINO.

Part 1 is here!

The Game Design Problem Analysis In fact, it can be fun to work with constraints. And if you want to make serious games or gamification applications, this is the only helpful attitude. And this attitude is essentially already the Game Design Problem Analysis: Contrary to what one would assume from the name, one does not consider the constraints as a problem, but as a challenge:

1. I look at the whole constraints analysis. I try to perceive all constraints as a kind of big map, as a “problem” that wants to be solved, like a big puzzle.

2. I think about what, within the framework of the constraints, is the logical, but also economically sensible solution to this “problem”, which also creatively and innovatively extracts the absolute optimum from the situation and transforms the apparent “constraints” into creative strengths.

And because this is all a bit abstract when written down like this, I would like to explain it to you, at least in excerpts, using a wonderful example.

The EDURINO App As with any serious game, we had to deal with numerous “constraints” with EDURINO because of the target audience and the learning content. Since the whole constraints analysis would, of course, go far beyond the scope of this article, I would like to outline a few of the most determining constraints for me as a game designer and show you what we did with them.

The target group of preschoolers (and parents) Preschoolers are a special target audience in many ways. The most notable constraint imposed by them on game design is, of course, that they generally can’t yet read and are often simply unfamiliar with otherwise common interface conventions and symbols. In addition, they are developmentpsychologically not adults and are just in their in Germany so-called “wiggle-tooth puberty” at preschool age. The short version of this is that they are not a very easy audience and often just have the attention span of, well… a preschooler. ;-)

At the same time, you must not completely overstimulate them, especially in a serious games app, because otherwise they will quickly learn nothing at all.

Another factor that should not be underestimated is that the target group of preschoolers also includes the target group of parents. And parents of preschoolers, whom they want to support with an app, naturally have one or two other demands on such an app in addition to pure fun. They usually want to know what their children are doing in the app and whether and how well they are learning. And they also want to have control over what happens to their child and how much time their child spends in front of the screen.

All EDURINO episodes are played by children using the specially produced ergonomic stylus. And each episode is unlocked with its own hardware figurine.

The stylus as a unique input tool One quite unique feature of EDURINO in the preschool games market is that the whole app has to be operated with an ergonomic stylus produced especially for the app, and not simply with a finger. The combination of hardware and software enables children to experience a unique combination of haptics and digitality. By using the app with the stylus, the children also learn and practice the correct pen position and train their graphomotor skills, i.e. their ability to draw lines, arcs, shapes and symbols, etc., before they start school. But of course, the kids can actually just use the app with their finger, which we don’t want them to do for obvious reasons.

The EDURINO figurines To unlock one of the episodes of EDURINO, parents buy one of the EDURINO figurines per episode. In the first episode, this is the vixen Mika, whose figurine is placed on the display at the beginning of the game and thus starts the episode. Naturally this character should also be present throughout the episodes.

Mika the Vixen, the character and mentor of the child in the first episode, in the four different outfits that were in the conversation.

Sustainable motivation in a serious game A game design constraint that I always bring into serious game projects is avoiding the so-called overjustification effect. This effect, which is well researched in social psychology – and also very well explained in the book mentioned above – occurs, for example, when you pay children for good grades. What then happens is this:

The children are more or less intrinsically motivated to go to school to begin with. And the vast majority of children also fundamentally understand the meaning of good grades and therefore want to get some.

If the children are now promised money for good grades, they are extrinsically motivated by the external reinforcer “money”. In fact, this leads to the children first making more effort and writing better grades.

The problem, however, is that with this kind of external reward, the so-called overjustification effect occurs very reliably: the children initially get better grades, but in the long term these begin to deteriorate again and eventually even become worse than they were at the beginning. And that, unfortunately, is quite permanent.

What happens here is that the extrinsic motivation of money virtually overwrites and erases the intrinsic motivation to write good grades for its own sake. And everyone who has ever done a shitty job just for the money knows: extrinsic motivation never lasts very long. So this extrinsic motivation fizzles out after a while and has already wiped out the intrinsic motivation and what’s left is less motivation and ultimately worse grades than in the beginning.

It is probably self-explanatory that this should never happen in a serious game. And certainly not in one for preschoolers. After all, who wants to make a game that not only leads to the kids not wanting to play the game anymore, but then later sitting in school wondering why they should even bother if they don’t get any points, badges or leaderboard listings for it?

From these constraints – and all the others, a detailed developmental psychological inventory of our target group and an extremely extensive learning objectives catalog – we then developed the unique game design of EDURINO.

The character Mika is available both animated in the game as a herald and mentor and as the vehicle of the help system, and in the seated position as a hardware figurine.

The game design of the EDURINO app: The magic stylus For me, one of EDURINO’s USPs was central from the very beginning: the ergonomic input pen. Because it not only significantly determines the overall user experience, but is also a carrier of important graphomotor learning content.

But the thing is: naturally, it’s actually much less complicated for kids to just use their finger than the pen. They never have to look for their finger first, and of course, it’s still exhausting for preschoolers to hold a pencil correctly. So it was clear: It must be much cooler to use the app with the pen than with the finger.

And so, the magic stylus was born. I’m not kidding, that’s exactly what we did: the pen is sold to the child as a powerful magical artifact from the very beginning. And only the child, as the bearer of this pen, can use it to do real magic in the worlds of the EDURINO Universe.

It is the pen that makes the child a hero and gives it power over all sorts of things and creatures in this world: It can make objects float from A to B, it can make objects talk, the child can tickle creatures or make water flow again. The whole thing is accompanied with appropriate particles and sound effects.

Sounds trivial, but strikes a chord with kids that age. They all use the pen instead of their finger. And that even though their finger would of course have exactly the same “power” in the app and create the same pretty magic effects. But please don’t tell them that. ;-)

Part 3 coming soon!

Myriel Balzer Game Designer, Creative Director, Writer and Producer

The post Form Follows Function (Part 2/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Form Follows Function (Part 2/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Form Follows Function (Part 1/3)

Game Design for Serious Games on the example of EDURINO.

Learning in the context of serious games is, without a doubt, the coolest thing ever. Because learning games are not only as far away from dry frontal teaching as the beach is from the desert. They also achieve something that educational research has been demanding of “normal” teaching for years, but which is not really being achieved:

In serious games, learning content is conveyed in a situational and context-related manner. That is, not as theoretical constructs, but embedded in realistic and holistic situations. This not only eliminates the question of what all this stuff is supposed to be learned for. It also drastically increases the actual applicability and transfer of learning content.

In serious games, learning is problem-based and action-oriented. Users are faced with concrete challenges, which they then master independently and through their active actions – in contrast to passive consumption of content. This ensures that not only dry knowledge is imparted, but also actual practical skills. And that happens more or less along the way.

Serious games are varied, motivate intrinsically and one learns sustainably. It is nothing new that games are fun and intrinsically motivating – that is, that players play them because they really want to and not just because there is an external reward. However, it is new for quite a few people that even learning dry content, such as the periodic table or parabola calculation, can be really fun, I mean really fun, and you don’t want to stop. Through all these aspects you learn in Serious Games sustainably and not only for the next exam.

The elements of the periodic table and their possible combinations are simply much easier to remember if you have already used them dramatically and heroically in a wizard vs wizard battle.

Serious Games are Serious Business As powerful as the didactic potential of serious games is, their game design is just as demanding.

While normal games “only” have to function technically, be fun to play, be marketable, and ultimately be profitable, serious games must also convey learning content or skills as demonstrably as possible or even bring about real changes in behavior.

In addition to skills in game design, knowledge and experience in the areas of (social) psychology, didactics, and even sociology are extremely helpful. I can recommend “Social Psychology” by Aronson, Wilson and Akert from the Pearson Studium publishing house as a really helpful basic reading. Here, topics such as social influence, prosocial action and all kinds of biases in the perception and also influence of people are explained very beginner-friendly, practically and using many different examples and pretty colorful info boxes.

Furthermore, you usually have to deal with even more restrictions than with any other “normal” game. Be it through the learning content itself or through the often special target groups: Dementia seniors usually do not show outstanding enthusiasm towards weird humor and general nerdiness. Children of preschool age are almost always still unable to read fluently. And managers at Volkswagen are not at all as keen on geeky badges or an epic mount as one might often expect from die-hard gamers.

But above all, the learning content itself usually makes it impossible to just go ahead and design a cool game.

However, limitations in the game design process are not bad per se. On the contrary, they can often release unbelievable creativity and enable previously undreamed-of innovations. Provided you know them as early as possible and they do not appear unexpectedly during the already advanced production.

Ralf Adam once said to me on the subject of risk lists: “If you don’t control the risks, they will control you.” And as true as that is in production, it’s also true in game design with the constraints: If you proactively face up to the constraints right at the beginning and work them out as early as possible, then not only do they not pop up constantly during the ongoing production and, in the worst case, ruin your concept. But it is precisely from the supposed limitations that the best ideas and those best tailored to the target group and learning content often emerge.

For this reason, two of my methods have proven themselves in recent years, especially for serious games: a constraints analysis and a game design problem analysis based on it.

Ono, the knowledge guardian of the forest of rhymes, who, with the help of the child, is just beginning to remember what happened.

The constraints analysis During the constraints analysis, I start by looking at all the constraints for the production and design process together with the team and write them down, sorted by category, in a place that everyone can see. A wiki is always great for this. Even though a constraints analysis, just like a game design document, looks different for each project, the following categories have worked well for me over the last few years.

Production Constraints In the production constraints, we find classics like the release date and the resulting deadlines for e.g. the Gold Master or Alpha version. But also the budget, special release or marketing approaches such as an early access release via Steam with, for example, weekly updates for the players often have a massive influence on how development has to be done. The target group and its often special needs, especially in serious games, can also be accommodated here. But also the requirements of stakeholders or authorities, with whom you often have to deal with in serious games, usually fall into this category.

Technical Constraints First of all, there are the classics, such as which engine is used and what it can and cannot do. Or for which devices one develops and how, where, in which situations and with which demands these are usually used (keyword `use case’). But especially in serious games this can also be a special device as input medium or the like.

Art or Usability Constraints In the area of art, there are also constraints, for example, through the resolution of the device or through the limitation of the usable area of the display – for instance, so that the control center of the iPhone is not accidentally triggered in the game. The style guide would also be a typical constraint, which is added in pre-production and specifies, for example, which colors or line widths etc. should be used for what.

(Serious) Game Design Constraints The whole thing becomes a much broader field with the game design constraints, and here you actually already have one foot in the concrete game design problem analysis. This is where everything comes together for the game designer. Everything from “the game should have a co-op mode” to “the quests should not be longer than 5-10 minutes for our preschoolers” comes into play here. But didactic or psychological aspects like “we have to avoid an overjustification effect” – more about that below – play a big role in the restrictions for serious games. Once you have all the constraints, the fun part begins!

Part 2 and Part 3 coming soon!

Myriel Balzer Game Designer, Creative Director, Writer and Producer

The post Form Follows Function (Part 1/3) appeared first on Making Games.

Form Follows Function (Part 1/3) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Progressive Web Apps for eCommerce – Everything You Need to Know

With the arrival of Progressive Web apps, numerous organizations have begun using this technology to provide an intriguing user experience and connect to their target audience more rapidly. For this reason, PWA development services are becoming more popular in several industries.

The eCommerce industry is one such segment that is reaping the benefits of the game-changing PWA technology. After all, it represents further development in mobile-driven businesses. The PWA platform helps eCommerce brands focus on improving their user experiences. It allows brands to develop three times quicker than an eCommerce website.

According to the Statista reports, there has been an expectation that we can experience a vast development in mobile-driven commerce that will profit more than 400 billion US dollars by 2024. And Progressive Web Apps are the primary reason behind this growth in mobile businesses.

What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?

PWA is a combination of the features of a website and an app. It’s a website that works and appears like a native application. It is quick, conveys push notifications, functions offline, and you can add it to your mobile phone’s home screen.

Unlike a native app, a PWA is a blended method of creating a platform that works like an app and a website. You cannot download PWAs from an application store. But, they are prompt and easy to use, like native applications.

Since mobile phones are the primary traffic source, especially for eCommerce stores, PWAs may seem to be a fantastic solution for sellers predicting more conversions.

Read also: Native Apps or Progressive Web Apps: Which One to Choose?

How Progressive Web Apps Are Beneficial for eCommerce Stores

The advantages of PWAs for eCommerce businesses are countless. PWAs make the online buying experience as smooth as possible, and we can expect them to rule and change the prospect of mobile-commerce for the below-mentioned reasons.

1. Saves Time and Cost of Development

As PWAs’ architecture rests on reusable codes, developers may use them over and over again. Where, to build an app you need to have different code for other platform. Furthermore, your app must fulfill specific needs to get approval from both platforms’ reviewers.

If you want to use devices with various operating systems to target two groups, you should increase your efforts alongside money, time, and resources.

2. Amazing Marketing Scopes

Search engines are making minor changes to their voice-based searches. Likewise, sellers should also fine-tune themselves. PWA is a great SEO approach that an app cannot manage even if it is available on the app stores. As PWA is a site in the native form, it improves searchability automatically.

3. Bridges Gap between Customers and Merchants

With a Progressive Web App, users don’t have to download an app. Hence, it lowers the cognitive load that users usually encounter while undergoing the app downloading process. Now, users are more aware of the number of apps present on their mobiles. Since users get limited mobile storage space, keeping a minimal amount of mobile apps is the current trend.

Users don’t like to install more apps if they already have a lot of apps on their phones. Having lots of apps on the mobile makes it slower, clogging the phone. For this reason, mobile-driven businesses are turning to PWAs more quickly.

4. Offline Functionality with Service Workers

Cache and service worker APIs are the USPs of PWAs. Service workers operate in the background and are accountable for obtaining cache elements and sending notifications. They store new content in a browser’s cache and syncs local transformations to the local server.

Therefore, even if your app users cannot be online because of a weak internet connection, PWAs would help standard navigation.

5. Saves Storage Space and Data

Whether it is crucial for an eCommerce business, users always save their internet and data costs. In this aspect, PWA are saviors for eCommerce businesses. When an application might take 50MB storage space in the phone memory, a PWA would occupy a few MBs only.

6. Flexibility and Responsiveness

The flexibility and responsiveness of Progressive Web Apps may impact your choice. PWAs have a responsive layout. So, no matter what gadget you use, your website’s design must comply with its resolution and size.

Impressive user experience increases online sales and retains more promising buyers. Flexibility harmonizes with the mobile-first method depending on addressing the choices of your targeted mobile audience. The mobile-responsive websites have more scopes to attract users’ attention and engage them.

7. Automatic Updates and No App-Store Costs

In a PWA, automatic updates work like a regular website update where all updating processes occur at the server end. And this enables the end-users to have an updated website application. Moreover, either your tech partner or you as a business owner would have to pay subscription costs to the application stores where you want to upload your native application.

A PWA helps you abstain from these unnecessary costs without impacting your website’s visibility. Launching a Progressive Web App means you don’t need to depend much on the application stores and their terms and conditions. While a native app might not be visible to your users on the app stores, a PWA can be dealt with by the search engines to boost its visibility.

8. Easy to Maintain

Suppose you need to develop individual applications for iOS and Play Stores. In that case, you may need to spend a considerable amount for hiring a developer on a prolonged period as an app requires continuous monitoring, regular error fixes, and up-gradation. On the other hand, PWAs save your pocket, and you can upgrade them by identifying their needs for various browsers.

9. Increased User Adoption

To use an application, users first need to install it. And this includes an additional step in online buying. It results in a lower conversion rate. Using PWAs, the users don’t need to download any app. They only need to click on the website link and follow all guidelines shown on the device screen.

10. Secure Payments

Security is one of the advantages PWA provides the eCommerce companies. People undoubtedly prefer the concept of online shopping. However, bulging and tedious check-out processes may prevent them from finishing an online purchase and disregard their carts.

Due to the integration of Payment Request API with a browser, buyers can experience secure and fast payments. There is no check-out form in this payment method, and this helps customers finish their purchase immediately.

When Does an eCommerce Business Need a Progressive Web App?

Undoubtedly, PWA provide various advantages to eCommerce businesses. However, your e-store needs this platform depending on some challenges it currently faces. E-commerce business owners should consider some factors while going for PWA. Let’s take a look at those crucial factors below:

1. You Are a Startup Owner

If your eCommerce business is a startup, PWA is the ideal option for you. Startup businesses should use their time and limited resources to find the best place for them on the market. And a PWA is affordable and easy to develop.

2. Your eCommerce Website Struggles with Conversion Rates

Despite having a highly functional native app, some eCommerce websites often experience a low conversion rate. It may impact your brand’s growth. In this case, we will recommend you invest in PWA development and provide your consumers with the best user experience.

3. Android is Your Primary Target

PWA technology is currently not optimized for the iOS platform. Hence, you should avoid it if you mostly have iOS users. If your target users use Android, a PWA is a suitable option for you.

Android is compatible with PWAs, and most sites have PWAs for their APK files. Also, the functions of a PWA and a native Android app are pretty similar.

4. You need to update your eCommerce Website

If you need to update your eCommerce website quickly, redesigning it into the PWA is the best solution.

Differentiating Progressive Web Apps from Websites and Native Apps

Responsiveness is not the single thing an eCommerce site requires. Responsive websites can satisfy users’ requirements for error-less function across all devices and flexibility. However, websites and native apps fail to fulfill these for new updates and fast loading.

With a view to some essential features, we can differentiate PWAs from native apps and websites:

1. Installation

Native apps need installation while PWAs don’t. Hence, users also don’t need to undergo a tedious installation process. Instead, to use websites and PWAs, you need to add them to your device’s home screen.

2. Cost

Developing a progressive web app is considerably less expensive than developing a native app or a web app. Unlike native applications, you do not need to pay money on app submission to an app store.

Also, you’ll need to pay more for a single app that can be used on any device or platform. Whereas, there are many PWA frameworks available to help you quickly create for all the platforms.

3. Publishability

It would be best if you published native apps at either App Store or Play Store. You need to follow the terms and conditions of those platforms every time you update your native app. but, PWAs and websites are free from these hassles as you don’t need to publish them. You can use a URL and browser to make them visible to people.

4. Downloading Speed

Downloading speed decides to a greater extent whether your customers will retain or not. Since websites and PWAs don’t need installation, they can load within seconds, leaving native apps behind.

5. Security

The improved security measures can be hard-wired into native applications additionally. But, websites or PWAs cannot get reinforcement with certificate pinning or multi-feature authentication. It makes the personal and financial data or native app users more secure.

6. Quality Control

Natives need a several-stage publishing process that has a positive result. The stores where you launch native apps test these products with quality skills and remove the inefficient ones. Websites and PWAs are inadequate in this matter and fail to present a high-quality product to people.

7. Functions

Native apps have various functions that regular websites don’t have. But generalization is not possible for PWAs, as a few are rich in some parts whereas others aren’t. The Support API may consider the availability of functions.

8. Visibility

PWAs and websites rule in this aspect as search engines index them. Native apps are not easily discoverable as users need to find them in a respective store.

9. Weight

Native apps weigh more (almost ten times) than any regular website or PWAs.

10. Offline Functionality

Once installed, a native app doesn’t need website coverage, while regular sites cannot load without an internet connection. However, PWAs can provide offline operations thanks to the service workers.

Primary Challenges of PWA for eCommerce Business

Despite all the benefits of PWAs for eCommerce businesses, they have some limitations that you should consider:

PWAs are not as famous as responsive websites and native apps. Hence, it takes some time for you to reach out to your end-users.

Since PWAs refer to both sites and native apps, they are more complicated to design and operate. Designers design PWAs with solid expertise in app architecture and high needs for coding and website design.

Caching brings lots of problems, being necessary for PWAs. For example, the balance between a website’s functionality and its usability.

Since PWAs are just half apps, their scopes and functionality are also limited.

Unlike native applications, PWAs cannot access user data like social profiles, contacts, media, and more.

Even after a couple of years, Apple still doesn’t refer to PWAs, although PWAs are now available on Android and iOS.

Takeaway

Starting with Progressive Web Apps is the best option for eCommerce business that needs to increase mobile conversions. Since the online biggies use PWAs to dominate the industry, it has become necessary for every mobile-driven business to grab this opportunity. So, this is fantastic news for every eCommerce business owner.

In simpler words, PWA is a growing strength when it comes to eCommerce website development. If you want to set up a PWA-enabled online store, hire a PWA development company and let them know your needs to enhance your online functionality.

The post Progressive Web Apps for eCommerce – Everything You Need to Know appeared first on .

Progressive Web Apps for eCommerce – Everything You Need to Know published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Smooth Fighting (Part 2/2)

Physics in a Unity project as an example of mobile fighting game.

Part 1 is here!

Tissue simulation When setting up tissue simulation within mobile device performance, the main limitation is the use of collision tissue with colliders. A cheaper alternative is to fine-tune Surface Penetration for tissue collisions. Since our game has many animations and different character poses, a list of the most “dangerous” of them was compiled, on which all tissues were tested for penetration through other parts of the body. We also used tissue simulation to create the FX effect of flames on the weapons and on the head of the Shadow Mind boss. In the Cloth settings for these items, we turned off the effect of gravity and set the acceleration (Acceleration) values on the Y-axis: constant for the flames to move upwards, and random – for the fluttering effect. To avoid sharp distortion of the geometry when moving, we set an increased resistance value (Damping). This way we got a fairly realistic and cheap in terms of performance flame effect. Deterministic physics for synchronous PvP At the point of death and in certain situations when getting hit for characters in Shadow Fight 3, physics simulation is activated. For a long time, the stock Unity solid physics was used for this. However, when introducing synchronous PvP into the project, it was abandoned in favor of its own development. Synchronous PvP implies equal simulation of the game on two clients. There are no problems with animation, because everything is calculated in advance, while there are certain problems with physics. The thing is that the floating-point calculations used within the physics in Unity work differently on processors from different manufacturers. As a result, character position errors accumulate during the game – on one client, the character is positioned differently than on another. And suppose outside physics, this discrepancy can be easily corrected by periodically synchronizing the position based on the indicators from one of the clients, then at the moment of physics initialization, due to the starting position error. In that case, the physical simulation develops differently on the two clients.

As a result, the character ends up in significantly different places and different positions. After such a discrepancy, sooner or later there will be a situation where on one client the blows will be registered, and on the other one they won’t. The simplest, at first glance, solution is to take the position of the character on one client during the physical simulation and transfer it to the other one, synchronizing them. But the character’s ragdoll is a long hierarchy of bones with a lot of separate independent rigid bodies (limbs, head), for correct synchronization of their positions we need to transfer a large amount of data in a short period of time. This option turned out to be too “expensive”, so we decided to write our own physics, which would be deterministic. So that we can be sure that on any client the physical states of the characters coincide regardless of which processor the calculations are performed on. So, what is our ragdoll? The body consists of nodes, which are material points. They have no orientation, but they have position and mass, and the connections of adjustable rigidity are implemented between them. A group of such nodes is attached to each bone within the character’s skeleton. This architecture implies that there are no internal collisions and constraints in the joints, and external collisions and friction are implemented at the node level. When nodes move in space, gravity, external forces, and inertia are taken into account.

There are two types of bonds between the nodes: rigid ribs (blue) and elastic muscles (red). The ribs play the role of bones, forcing the knots to be at a certain distance from each other and preventing them from flying in different directions. Muscles from any starting position form a certain position from the nodes, tightening them if the distance between them is greater than the target value, and pushing them if less.

Let’s look “under the hood” and see how it works. First, we let the nodes move freely, then we iteratively adjust the links so that they are restored to their target characteristics. There are two iterations of rib correction per iteration of muscle correction. By making the ribs stiffer, we can be sure that the rib ties won’t break after the muscles affect the nodes.

As a consequence, the more the nodes have time to shift during the free movement stage, the more computational cost must be invested to rebuild the ribs and muscles. To minimize these costs and the risk of structural failure, we decided to break the iterative process into multiple steps. That is, the free movement of the nodes and their adjustments occur several times in one frame. In one step, the nodes have time to move significantly less, and correcting them becomes much easier. Thus, we seriously save on the number of iterations required to correct ribs and muscles.

A set of muscle lengths determines the target pose to which a character aspires from any position after transitioning into a physical simulation. To avoid too abrupt a transition and disrupting the design, we have added pose interpolation. At the moment we enter physics, we take the character’s current pose and make it the target pose, and then interpolate it to the preset target pose for fifty frames, obtaining a smooth transition.

The main problem we encountered with our physics is the occasional twisting of limbs, mostly arms. At the moment of transition into physics, the character may be in a pose far from the target pose to which the muscles pull him down. To minimize, and in the future completely avoid such situations, we applied a number of measures. First of all, we set up several target poses to which the muscles can tighten the knots. When entering physics, we take the current pose, see which of the preset target poses it is closest to, and tighten the knots to that particular pose. Initially, when going into physics, the muscles were pushing the knots hard, bringing them to the right position. Often the harshness of this pushing also caused the limbs to twist severely. We added a gradual increase in muscle strength, which greatly improved the situation. During the first two frames after the physics simulation begins, the muscle strength is kept at its maximum to stabilize the knots after the impulse is applied to them. Then the muscles relax, their strength becomes 55%, and then over 120 frames, the strength gradually increases up to 100%. The last step was to add two stabilizing knots: at the front at chest level and at the back at leg level. These knots have rib connections to the fixed chest and pelvic knots, respectively, and the muscles tighten the unstable knots. The stabilizing nodes have a low mass value and have no collision with the floor, unlike the other nodes.

About Shadow Fight 3 Shadow Fight 3 is a role-playing fighting game developed by Banza Games. It is the third installment in the Shadow Fight series and was released 2017 for iOS and Android. Shadow Fight 3 invites players to go on a journey into the world of Shadows, into the times of its biggest turmoil. Goal is to become the greatest warrior to ever walk these lands and discover their darkest secrets. Shadow Fight 3 offers the player three unique fighting schools: you can experiment, mix and match your fighting equipment, learn new tactics and abilities, and explore the huge world full of adventure and unforgettable stories. A highlight of Shadow Fight 3 is the look. Modern 3D graphics, smooth animation and realistic physics – all create a real and colourful gaming world.

Roman Terskyi Lead Technical Artist

Since 2010 Roman Terskyi has been learning the Unity3D and Unreal game engines as an autodidact, alongside studying 3D modelling and animation. He already worked in the gaming industry for several years before joining Banzai Games in 2018, where he currently works as a Lead Technical Artist.

The post Smooth Fighting (Part 2/2) appeared first on Making Games.

Smooth Fighting (Part 2/2) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Smooth Fighting (Part 1/2)

Physics in a Unity project as an example of mobile fighting game.

Physics has become an integral part of any modern game. Whether it’s a simple cloth simulation or full-fledged transport physics. Mobile games are not an exception.

However, when customizing physics for them, you have to look back at the limitations associated with the relatively low performance of older generation supported devices.

Roman Terskyi, the Lead Technical 3D-Artist of Banzai Games, tells us how his team integrated physics into the gameplay of the mobile fighting game Shadow Fight 3, what tricks they used for optimization and how they rewrote physics for characters to achieve its full determinism in the synchronous PvP.

Physics of solids The character equipment in Shadow Fight 3 has many elements subject to physical simulation, which adds to the dynamics of what happens on screen.

One of the main difficulties we encountered in setting up the physics for these elements is that the bones they are attached to are within the skeleton hierarchy of the character itself. When they move, they repeat the transformations of the parent bones and do not receive physically realistic momentum.

Bone detail The simplest solution was the dice detachment. After initializing all the pieces of equipment with the script, we remove the bones of the physically active elements from the character’s skeleton hierarchy and, using the Character Joint component, create a link to the parent bone.

However, we encountered a small error that occurs when fps drops: in this case, the bone exposed to physical simulation “catches up” with a slight delay to the bone associated with the Joint. As a rule, this error is so insignificant that it can be neglected. For the other cases, an alternative solution was applied.

Fake impulse Let us consider this solution on the example of the Marauder’s helmet, whose Spartan comb is subject to physical simulation. We broke the comb into five parts, each of which was attached to different bones.

In the Joint’s settings of these bones, we set the rotation limits on the desired axis and set the parameter Twist Limit Spring, which is responsible for the effect of the spring.

For physically realistic simulation, we took the crest bones out of the character’s hierarchy, but in case of fps slump, for example on a weak device, the mash was dragging ugly because of the “catching up” bones.

So we decided to leave the ridge bones inside the character hierarchy and give them a fake momentum to increase dynamism. To do this, we needed to define in each animation (except the fighting stance) the moment when to apply momentum and its direction.

We could read the number of frames in the current animation, subtract 15-20 frames from that value, and apply the impulse after the resulting difference. However, we managed to avoid unnecessary arithmetic by tying the moment of triggering the pulse to the end of the uninterrupted animation interval.

Each animation (again, with the exception of the fighting stance) has a preset period during which the player cannot interrupt it. When this period expires, or when a hit is received, the uninterrupted interval ends, at which point our impulse is triggered. It was only necessary to set exceptions for several animations.

So the pulse is triggered a few frames before the end of each animation, as we needed it to be. When the impulse is initialized, we read the coordinates where the bone was in the previous and current frame, obtaining the vector of its movement. This is the axis along which our impulse is applied.

Equipment elements In order to optimize, we try to use colliders as rarely as possible when simulating physics for various elements of character equipment. In most cases, we manage to do this by manipulating only the axis restrictions in the Joint’s settings of the bones for which the simulation is carried out. In some cases (e.g. with metal plates), the use of colliders is unavoidable. However, the main load is not the presence of colliders, but the calculation of their collisions. Fine-tuning the Layer Collision Matrix in Project Settings helps to minimize this load. We use two separate layers that conflict only with each other for such elements, thus avoiding the miscalculation of collisions with colliders of other layers (weapons, floor, walls, etc.).

Physical clone Shadow Fight 3 has several types of weapons that use physical simulation outside attacking animations. At the moment, it’s a knife on a chain, a kusarigama, nunchakus and a chain. For the reasons described above, we decided to remove the dice of the weapon from the character hierarchy outside the attacking animations and return them back when physical simulation is not required. Manipulating the Is Kinematic parameter in the Rigidbody component of bones, depending on the situation, we enable and disable physics for them.

However, we encountered an increased load on weak devices when using kusarigama and chain knife and got a slump in fps. The problem occurred precisely when the dice were returned to the character hierarchy and the physical simulation for them was turned off. This is because changing the transforms of the parent bone in the skeleton hierarchy puts a load on the physics engine for every child bone that has a Rigidbody component, even if the Is Kinematic option is active. And the longer the hierarchy, the greater the load.

The solution was to create a physical clone. Consider this on the example of the knife on the chain.

During the loading of the battle, two skeletons are initialized for him: the main one, which is inside the character’s hierarchy, and his physical clone. The bones of the main skeleton do not have a Rigidbody component. Their transformation is affected only by animation tracks. The bones of the second have configured connections (Joints) and a Rigidbody component with the active Is Kinematic parameter.

Shadow Fight 3 is well-known for lifelike, physically accurate fighting action with over 20 different punches, kicks, and special moves for each weapon style.

While the transformation of the bones of the main skeleton is influenced by an animation track, for example, during impact, the Is Kinematic parameter in the Rigidbody component of the physical clone bones remains active. Bones are not transformed or physically simulated. During the last frame of the animation, the bone transformations of the two skeletons are synchronized. The physical clone reads the position and rotation of the bones of the main skeleton and sets exactly the same parameters for its own. Is Kinematic is then deactivated and the bones of the physical clone are simulated. Further, until the beginning of the next attacking animation, the main skeleton of each frame reads the transformations of the bones of the physical clone, which at this point move through physics, and sets these parameters to its bones. This approach has significantly reduced the load on the physical engine and improved performance on weak devices.

Part 2 coming soon!

Roman Terskyi Lead Technical Artist

The post Smooth Fighting (Part 1/2) appeared first on Making Games.

Smooth Fighting (Part 1/2) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

The Ultimate Guide to Build a Multi-Vendor Marketplace App like Amazon

Like eCommerce, online marketplaces have taken people’s shopping experiences to a greater level. Marketplace giants like Amazon, eBay have initiated some. With more than 300 million active users worldwide, this Amazon is leading the marketplace these days. Almost 197 million people visit Amazon website and app every month and purchase products from it.

With net revenue amounted to 386.06 billion USD in 2020, Amazon has not only become a ruling tech biggie but also encouraged entrepreneurs and startup firms for investing in its eCommerce mobile app.

However, developing a multi-vendor marketplace app like Amazon can be tricky for you. You need to add the right features and implement monetization strategies. So, how will you go about developing a marketplace app? Without further discussion, let’s have a look at the details!

What Are Marketplace Apps?

An online marketplace is a platform for both sellers and buyers to join together in massive numbers. It works as the intermediary between different groups, offers a feasible environment and required guarantees. A marketplace app is slightly different from an online store.

A marketplace app is created for easy and smooth shopping on a device like a mobile or a tablet. These apps are different as per the type of products they offer, the size, and the way they advertise themselves. Marketplace apps like Amazon fix all issues that shoppers have with online buying apps.

How Do Online Marketplaces Work?

Online marketplaces congregate buyers and sellers through apps like Amazon. While acting like digital middlemen, they bring buyers and sellers together to make transactions efficiently. Buyers can choose what to purchase and sellers can offer various products to customers.

Because of the convenience Amazon offers, it is driving internet economies all across the world. By driving liquidity via commissions, value-added services, and advertising, online marketplaces have become the cash cow of different companies. These platforms have replaced all web sectors in terms of online traffic growth.

These days, customers have more faith in online marketplaces as they offer a wide variety of products from both small and large sellers worldwide. Online marketplaces don’t need to maintain product descriptions, logistics, inventories, and product images as the responsibility is on the sellers.

Sellers also get a fixed space for handing their orders and selling stuff. Buyers access the online inventory and check the real-time data about the goods that are updated timely.

Types of Online Marketplaces

Following are the major types of online marketplaces based on core focus:

Horizontal Marketplace

Horizontal marketplace sells many products and services to a wide range of customers across different industries. This marketplace follows the concept of one-stop shop, fulfilling various customer needs in one place. Most famous marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, AliExpress are the best examples for this category.

Vertical Marketplace

Vertical marketplace is based on a specific niche. This type of marketplace offers a range of products from several vendors but of a similar type. Thereby, a vertical marketplace can enhance customization and be different from others who sell many goods. Etsy is a good example of this marketplace that usually sells vintage and handmade products.

Following are the types of marketplaces based on their target audience:

Business-to-customer Marketplace

Business-to-customer or B2C marketplace is a platform where sellers sell goods to consumers. Some common examples include Flipkart, and Amazon.

Business-to-business Marketplace

Business-to-business or B2B marketplace where wholesale suppliers sell goods to other businesses at a wholesale rate. Walmart and Alibaba are common examples.

Customer-to-customer Marketplace

Customer-to-customer or C2C marketplace is a platform where consumers sell goods to other consumers. A well-known example is Etsy.

Must-Have Features of Marketplace Apps

To develop a marketplace app like Amazon successfully, ensure to add most of these features:

1. Seamless Registration Process

An easy registration process can retain many users on a marketplace app. You need to keep the entire registration process as easy and small as possible so the users don’t need to wait patiently to use your app.

2. Social Media Integration

Integrating your app with social platforms is one of the best ways to allow users to use your marketplace app. Apart from the one-touch login facility, the users must get access to your app with only a few clicks through Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, and other different social platforms.

3. Advanced Search Options

This essential yet simple feature helps you sell your goods efficiently. With effective and advanced search options, users can get many options.

4. Voice Search

This feature is going to transform the search for products and services soon. You must optimize this feature the way that the products’ info must be compatible with the voice search parameters.

5. Add to Cart

Add this feature to your marketplace app for the consumers who sometimes don’t buy a product immediately but like the add-to-cart option to save the product for future buying.

6. Multiple Payment Choices

Each and every customer has a different payment choice. Hence, use various payment gateways to offer multiple payment choices to your consumers.

7. Push Notifications

Push notifications keep reminding the users of what products they are missing. This is the best way to keep them stuck with your marketplace app. The application of the right push notification methods defines your app’s success. Hence, spend on a good push notification system to retain your customers.

8. Ratings & Reviews

These features are necessary if you want to develop a marketplace app like Amazon. It adds a trust element in the genuineness of your products and services. Moreover, it helps consumers make a detailed buying decision while helping you understand the things that you need to work on.

9. Photo Shopping

This feature helps buyers find a product even without knowing the brand or the product name. They can just use the picture to search for a product. Presently, many online biggies are using this feature.

10. Augmented Reality

Integrate your marketplace app with AR technology. It helps your app offer visitors the scope to analyze the products and services visually before finalizing the payment.

Now that you know the must-have features, explore some other features of the marketplace app for Users, Sellers, and Admin. Let’s have a look!

Key Features of Marketplace App For Users

Product listing

Product description page

Favorites listing

User profile

Social sign-up and login

Questions & Answers

Add to cart

Shipping and billing addresses

Checkout page

Order tracking and history

Delivery status

Ratings and reviews

Key Features of Marketplace App For Sellers

Social sign-up and login

Offers and discounts

Notifications

Inventory management

Settlement module

Reports and analysis

Feedback and seller support

Order and return management

Ratings and reviews

Key Features of Marketplace App For Admin

Reports and analysis

User and admin management

Category management

Feedback and support

Seller and product management

Payment and refund management

Discounts and offers management

Banner and logistics management

How to Develop a Marketplace App like Amazon?

Amazon is a successful example for every eCommerce startup. This marketplace giant serves an attractive UI and multiple engaging features. In case you want to develop a marketplace app like Amazon, follow these steps mentioned below:

1. Research & Planning

Without proper research and planning, you may make mistakes while developing a marketplace app. While creating a marketplace app, assess your customers’ needs and behaviors, decide what type of goods you want to sell, and categorize your products precisely so your consumers can find them easily.

2. Select the Platform to Launch Your App

Next, you need to choose the right platform for launching your app. Apple App Store and Google Play Store are the prominent options in the market. Decide whether you will target users on a specific platform or use multiple platforms for targeting a large number of users.

To choose the best platform, understand your consumers’ Geolocation, determine the time to develop the app, and decide your customers as rich people usually use iPhones and a large number of middle-class consumers choose Android.

3. Decide The App Features

Features decide the future possibilities of your app. So, apart from making your app look attractive, make your app easy to use, simple, and hassle-free. This will help you convert a visitor into a promising customer. You can create an app with MVP to reduce the development cost.

4. UI/UX Design

UI/UX design is an essential thing to allure users and inspires them to invest in your app. Keep the app design simple so the users don’t feel tough to access the functionality. Ensure to select soothing visuals, schemes, and colors to offer a pleasant experience to your users.

5. Choose the Technology Stack

Selecting the right technology stack for a mobile app development project is imperative, and it should be done very carefully. To build a marketplace app, use the following technologies:

6. Hire a Skilled Team of Experts

To create your Amazon-like marketplace app, hire a skilled team of developers. Your team needs many individuals like business analysts, project managers, front-end developers, backend developers, UI/UX designers, Android and iOS app developers, and QA experts.

7. Decide the Final Development Cost

Every business has a distinct demand and various factors impact the mobile app development cost. Hence, it’s tough to assess the precise cost of developing a marketplace app. However, you can decide the closer estimation of the ultimate cost by assessing the whole process.

How Does a Marketplace App Make Money?

There are multiple revenue models, such as affiliate revenue, and transaction charges revenue. In terms of the affiliate model, you can get a commission for referring the consumers to other apps after building your marketplace app.

Selling is not the single way to make money for your marketplace app. Here are some common revenue generation models for a marketplace app like Amazon:

1. Product Listing Fees

By listing your products, you can monetize your marketplace. Different online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon depend on this monetization model.

2. Sales Commission

By earning commissions from vendors on every sale, you can make money. Choose a percentage per successful sale. Marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon follow this monetization model for revenue generation.

3. Subscription or Membership

Offering subscription-based services helps you monetize your marketplace app. In this model, you can sell subscriptions to your consumers, and as a result, offer them additional advantages. Such advantages could be free delivery, same-day delivery, next-day delivery, etc.

4. Advertisement

Putting ads on your app is another great way to create revenue. Join an ad network like Google Ads and let it enable you to display ads on your app. Choose an advertising model like CPC (Cost per Click) or CPM (Cost per Mile) to produce revenue through your marketplace app.

5. Sponsorship or Partnership

You can team up with other marketplaces. New businesses always look for ad space to get more recognition. So, provide them such space on your app and charge for the partnership or the sponsored content.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Marketplace App Like Amazon?

The cost to develop a marketplace app like Amazon depends on many factors. Moreover, the app development cost varies from organization to organization and platform you choose. The cost of developing an iOS app may be more than that of developing an Android app. So, choose mobile OS as per your budget, target audience, and business requirement.

In some cases, many business owners prefer to have a mobile app on both iOS and Android. In these circumstances, the cost becomes higher. Factors that can impact the cost of marketplace app development are:

Size of the app development team

App Complexity and Functionality

Number of Platforms

Designing prototype and wireframing

App UI/UX development

Integrating features

Technology advancement

Location of your development partner

Third-party integrations

App maintenance after delivery

Conclusion

In this digital era, online marketplaces are replacing retail stores. So, this is the best time to build your marketplace app and create a community of promising consumers and service providers. Now that you know how to develop a marketplace app like Amazon, it is high time to enter the marketplace sector.

FAQs About Marketplace App Development

Why online marketplaces are so popular?

Because there is always a win-win situation for everyone, online markets are extremely popular. The marketplace owner can earn commission from the vendors & advertisers, customers can enjoy competitive pricing and high-quality services, & sellers can sell their products without website setup & managing cost.

How to Monetize Your Marketplace App?

The most common business models for a marketplace app are sales commission, subscription fee, advertising model, featured listings, etc.

How much does it cost to develop an app like Amazon?

The cost to develop a marketplace app like Amazon relies on many factors like the complexity of design, functionalities, features, app platforms, development technologies, country of a development team, etc. Contact us with your requirement to get the exact cost.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Build a Multi-Vendor Marketplace App like Amazon appeared first on .

The Ultimate Guide to Build a Multi-Vendor Marketplace App like Amazon published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

How To Evaluate Mobile Game Ideas (Part 2/2)

For the young (and otherwise) developers passionate about an idea of a particular game.

Part 1 is here!

Am I targeting a dying market segment? If we look at how revenue shares of different mobile game genres have been changing in the largest Western countries, the first thing we notice is a sharp decrease in the red area that stands for RTS games.

In mobile games, there are no traditional RTS titles as we know them from PCs; in the mobile context, an RTS is usually a PvP game with real-time battles and elements of strategy where you’re required to control many units, such as Clash of Clans or Island War. The question is, “Why have games of this genre been losing their market share so fast?” Are there maybe no newcomers in this genre? But there are! Are they of poor quality? Nope: there are lots of great games. So what is going on?

When something (a game or a genre—RTS is just an example here) is not growing or shrinking, the reason is always the same: developers cannot buy enough traffic to grow with a positive ROMI (return on marketing investment). In the case of a genre, it means that games of other genres with the same target audience can pay considerably more for an install, which results in them claiming traffic.

It is important to understand that, with the scaling of user acquisition and other things being equal, the cost of one install is increasing. Thus, a game (or genre) with a higher LTV (Lifetime Value) compared to its competitors will not claim all of the traffic, but the balance will shift: the one who is ready to pay more per install will get more traffic. The flip side is that even games with low LTVs can still purchase some users; however, the figure is often so low that it doesn’t justify the costs of maintaining the game and the marketing team.

Seeing the rate at which the share of RTS games has been falling, it is clear that this genre is currently losing its battle for traffic on mobile platforms. And that means it is extremely dangerous to start developing a game of this genre.

One thing to add is that revolutions happen in many genres from time to time, unlocking great opportunities for whole new generations of games. That is why it is important to keep track of successful new products in different genres if you don’t want to miss your window of opportunity. How can you track successful new arrivals? For this purpose, some companies provide special tools for tracking recently released and fast-growing apps, including GameIntel (you can see 5 apps of the subgenre for free in the top free apps chart in the USA) and AppMagic (free, no limitations).

To hell with your marketing! True gamers will chance upon my game and love it and tell all their friends and the stores will help a good game with traffic—that’s how it’s gonna work! Erm, no. That’s not how the mobile market works. There is almost no free traffic in the stores. And what’s available will not provide you with the opportunity to earn money. Yes, there are a couple of exceptions: one being featured on a non-contractual basis and the other—using referral traffic from stores. But you cannot factor them in as your key ways to earn cash. Yes, there are examples of games in stores that have become super viral and got stuck firmly in top charts while, at the same time, never buying traffic (or buying very little of it). However, these stories, for the most part, date back to old times when there were still many empty niches in the market—for example, corresponding to traditional games (card, sports, board). We can also recall unicums such as Minecraft and Roblox, but do bear in mind: these are those very striking rare exceptions from the general rule. What do you do if you are not yet familiar with how user acquisition works? In this case, before starting your development, make sure that the market** is growing or is at least stable, and that its leaders change from time to time, making way for new titles. Once the app is produced, find a partner that understands how to turn an ambitious game into a blockbuster: a publisher with a record of notable recent success, or a traffic agency with good references from friends.

Max Samorukov Founder & CEO

Formerly a programmer, since 2010 Max has been working as a Chief Products Officer at Crazy Panda, a Russian game development company. Being unsatisfied with the pricing and quality of mobile app market intelligence tools, in 2016 he founded AppMagic. The service is up and running since Feb 2018, having acquired more than 120 enterprise customers by now.

The post How To Evaluate Mobile Game Ideas (Part 2/2) appeared first on Making Games.

How To Evaluate Mobile Game Ideas (Part 2/2) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

The Ultimate Guide to Create a Design Concept

Since our mind creates a conception, we can easily ignore it. However, we must remember that design concept or conceptual design helps create good UI/UX designs. In fact, technically great designs can also fail if they do not have a sturdy concept.

Keeping this in mind, we will discuss what the design concept is, why you need it, and how you can implement it into your projects.

What is Design Concept?

A conceptual design is the basic perception that drives a product’s design, described through images, some sketches, or a written statement. This is useful for both designers and developers to stay on track all across the creative methods. A design concept makes sure to help you bring your product to market with value to your target users.

A technically brilliant design concept creates the objective of the product precisely. It works as the foundation of product creation. Creating a conceptual design needs a clear insight into the target audience, the type of issues to be fixed, the clients’ requirements, and a perfect aesthetic style. Focusing on building a superb design concept helps you finish your product creation on time.

Why Do You Need a Design Concept?

A design concept is essential to provide visual shape to a concept. Here are the major purposes to have a design concept:

1. Creating the Foundation of Logic

Artistic methods are usually ruled by gut feeling and emotion. However, designs must be used. Be it a logo or software, your design should achieve something practical like describing your brand or sending info – above everything your design must be aesthetically beautiful.

2. Making a Design Language

As your conceptual design is basically a thought, UI/UX designers should reduce the gap between abstract perceptions and visual features. Design language explains utilizing design elements intentionally for communicating and inducing meaning.

The design concept stage won’t go as far as preparing all stylistic details. However, it will make the groundwork for significant design options.

3. Bringing About Originality

The design practices are old like any artistic method. Designers try to make innovations and create new designs every day. You must have a creative thought and conception so it can achieve originality effortlessly.

How to Initiate the Design Concept Creation?

Now that you know what a design concept is and why you need it, let’s discuss how to create it. We have broken down the steps to build a design concept. Let’s have a look!

1. Delve Deep into the Project

First, know the basics of a project. For this, conduct a thorough study on the project and ask the project manager a lot of questions. Dive deep into the details regarding the concept and gather all the data.

Rapid sketching will help you decide your users’ interactions and basic activities. Moreover, it will help visualize concepts fast and communicate with your clients and make a more precise wireframe.

In terms of UI, it’s better if clients share their visual design choices and show their preferred services. You need to listen to your client’s demands and often suggest them some alternatives.

2. Research the Competitors

You need to check how your competitors have designed their apps’ UI. Check whether they are successful or have missed using any useful feature. Make sure to conduct an internal user test on the competitor apps and assess what works great for you.

3. Define Your Concept Verbally

Since concepts are your thoughts, you should draw them out. This step is all about brainstorming, in which you can go for verbal ideation. You can opt for some word-based methods like mind mapping, in which you can begin with a phrase or word to design the brand name or for other designs.

Furthermore, keep writing some related words that come into your mind. Maintain a time limit to brainstorm fast without thinking much. Creating words will help you design characteristics that will express your thoughts.

Finally, verbal ideation will help you arrange related ideas into a complete phrase or sentence that describes your concept precisely. This helps you focus on your design concept throughout the UI design process.

4. Take Inspiration from Brilliant Designs

Be inspired by following quality design blogs and consider new UI/UX design trends. Follow other areas of design regularly. Check why all the preferred designs work. Is it due to the method, color, layout, combination, or typography?

5. Sketch Your Ideas

After you know the goals and needed features for your app, it’s time to visualize your ideas. Create a layout first by sketching your ideas. Lo-fi sketches are the easiest way to draw your ideas on paper.

Think of several options and layouts. After doing some sketches, choose the best option. Now, develop the sketch more. Discuss with your colleagues to get feedback. This will help you make changes fast and accelerate a quality design process.

6. Develop the Design Concept

You need to beautify the UI part after visualizing your ideas. At this step, you need to develop the design concept. Choose colors wisely as the right colors make clients remember a brand. Moreover, to grab the attention of your users, the visual style of your product should be different from your competitors.

Once you are done with colors, pick the right fonts. Choose a font with perfectly visible letters so it can make texts easily readable. Many tools are available to choose fonts.

Finally, typography is important for the entire feel and look of your product. It improves the visual hierarchy that directly influences the user experience. After finishing your concept development, test it on a better product user to get feedback.

Bottom Lines

While developing a design concept, make sure to keep your objectives straightforward. Designers must focus on the home screen so users can understand how the whole app looks like.

Furthermore, your design concept must consider the timeframe, budget, and technical needs for the project. Follow these certain criteria to make a successful conceptual design.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Create a Design Concept appeared first on MindInventory.

The Ultimate Guide to Create a Design Concept published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

How To Evaluate Mobile Game Ideas (Part 1/2)

For the young (and otherwise) developers passionate about an idea of a particular game.

Here is a question game developers often find themselves concerned with: how do I evaluate the viability of a game idea that I’m about to start working on? Having invested many months and a ton of other resources in development, you’d quite like to end up with a game that is not just fun to play with your friends but is an actual means of making money.

A quick statistical insight: each month, an average of 10,000 new games appear in the mobile stores* that would be ranked at least once, even in the least remarkable category; in at least one country; for at least one day. That is, all these apps get at least a speck of limelight as they make the radar—gaining a couple thousands of downloads, earning a few hundred dollars. About two thirds of them look like developers have put a lot of effort into production: they have coherent gameplay, art, UI, etc. The implication is that the devs worked hard, had appropriate skills and were passionate about one particular idea.

And yet, only around 3% of these will earn more than $100,000 over their lifetime. What about the others then? Those developers must have had certain aspirations and conviction, believing in their idea’s potential just like the more successful ones. Alas, it did not work out.

So, what can you do? How do you increase the chances of your future game’s commercial success? In fact, there are a few things to look at in order to figure out the commercial potential.

Has anyone else come up with a similar idea before? Looking for similar products It is not unusual for us to play some game and then become taken by the idea of creating your own version of it. For example, something similar to Archero or Brawl Stars. Ever happened to you? Before getting elbows deep into development, it is worth checking if anyone has already had a similar idea. And, if yes, what has come of their efforts? There are several ways to find apps of similar nature:

Search mobile stores by keywords. For Google Play, this works quite nicely. For example, for the Archero mentioned earlier, the results are good. However, this method will not work for all the games: its efficiency depends on how the particular store ranks its search results and the competition for the used word.

Search by subgenre. You’ll find this option provided by AppAnnie (but it is paid and very expensive), GameIntel (for free, you can see the top 5 apps by subgenre based on the top free app in the USA) and AppMagic (free, no limitations).

After researching and making an extensive list of the most relevant titles from your target subgenre, you can evaluate how special your idea is; which game design, monetization, art and UI solutions appear to be linked with success; and whether or not you are able to create a product which can be, with certain conviction, put in line with the most successful references found.

It is important to keep in mind that searching for reference apps only in the charts’ top ranks may result in survivorship bias. That is why it is important to pay attention to the less successful apps just as well. Digging deeper into the stores is how you discover millions of inglorious innovations resting (in peace or else).

This type of analysis won’t help you find guaranteed ideas for a successful game, but it can help avoid costly mistakes by leveraging other developers’ expertise.

Developing variations on successful games This approach to development sometimes works out rather nicely, but it is still important to analyze others’ mistakes before embarking on your own development journey. Let’s stick with the idea of building your own variation on Archero for now.

Have a look at Archero’s monthly revenue shown against 18 of its most remarkable clones. Yes, Archero’s own revenue is the blue area of the stacked graph, while the thin multi-color line is the aggregated income of all of its clones. Impressive, right? Each of the developers of these games most probably had a vision: they tried bringing something unique and exciting to the game in hopes of securing success; they put in a lot of effort. And yet none managed to even come close.

Moreover, the original Archero’s revenue has been falling from just about the very beginning. What does it tell us? Most of all, that developing the game in this genre is a dangerous challenge. The graph does not tell us why exactly none of the Archero clones succeeded, but it demonstrates the ideas and variations that have been exploited and couldn’t do the trick, thus warning you against someone else’s tried and tested mistakes and help save plenty of your time, money and stress.

Visualizations of the type above are available to AppMagic’s premium users and are a handy way of comparing multiple apps’ revenues in one graph. However, you can still use AppMagic’s free tools to compare the positions of games in top-grossing charts over time.

It is important to remember that only revenue from payments, subscriptions and paid installations determine a game’s position in top-grossing charts. Advertising revenue cannot be detected, and there is no analytical service that can provide you with decently accurate estimates of advertising revenues for mobile applications.

However, some insight into advertising revenues can be gleaned from analyzing how app downloads are distributed across countries. This data is available for free from AppMagic.

Advertising revenue from a user from countries like India and Vietnam, if the monetization is configured properly, is $0.01-$0.05 (depending on retention, audience and game monetization); it’s 3 to 5 times higher for Russia and Brazil. Advertising revenue from the wealthiest countries can reach $1-2 per user. So if you see a game with a high number of downloads, be sure to identify the key countries where the bulk of its traffic comes from. If most of the contribution arrives from countries with low GDP per capita, such as India, Cambodia or Brazil, then one should not count on high ad revenue: from a million downloads in India, you may earn just $10-20K tops.

To sum up, when you are thinking about developing a variation on an existing game, here’s some advice: if you actually want to make some cash as opposed to just spend time developing the product, give more thought to innovative solutions in monetization, user retention and hypothesis testing rather than to beautiful art and twists in core gameplay.

Max Samorukov Founder & CEO

The post How To Evaluate Mobile Game Ideas (Part 1/2) appeared first on Making Games.

How To Evaluate Mobile Game Ideas (Part 1/2) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes

waltergillespie · 3 years

Text

Chicken Police: Red Dead Chicken Redemption (Part 2/2)

A young Hungarian studio lets an unusual cop duo explore the depths of their souls.

Part 1 is here!

Which engine, which tools do you work with?Unity. Because we knew Unity and worked with it in the past, we also wanted to know it even more and dig deep into its new features and improvements.

The voice acting is top-level. How elaborate (and expensive) were the recordings with such good speakers? Well, it was not cheap. Moreover, the voice acting (and the localization to seven languages) were our biggest expenses in the whole three-year development process. But we think it worth it, without a doubt. We knew early on that we need the voices to elevate the game from most of the visual novels and adventure games, and we also knew that this is a risky decision because of the high price of such a professional voiceover. But in the end, when we heard the first dialogue with our professional actors, we knew it was worth it. They gave the final touch to make our characters as memorable and unique as they are, and I think that’s why the game is speaking right to the player’s souls, if I may put it so… poetically.

Zwack, the team’s photographer, risks his life to take photos of dangerous wild animals.

The visual style is unusual and unique. Why did you choose this style and how did you finally realize it? When we started developing the game, we already had this strong vision and this unique art style, but before that, I experimented with some very different styles. The game had pixel art for a very brief time and had a traditionally drawn version. Then I stumbled upon a cheap stock photo of a detective, and I just put a rooster-head on it. And BAMM! – that was it. It was a eureka moment for sure, and from that point, we had no questions about the game’s artistic vision.

What detail in the game are you most proud of and why? This is hard because probably every team member has other opinions about this. I’m the proudest of our characters, consisting of the writing, the art, and the voiceover. Our fans loved all of them without exceptions, and that’s a big thing because we have 30 characters in the game. Also, I’m speaking in the name of the whole team if I say I’m proud of the many comments and reviews that say they experienced something with Chicken Police that they never experienced before. As a game developer or as an artist, you don’t need anything else. That is the highest praise you could get.

What was the biggest showstopper in the development? How did you overcome it? I think the hardest thing was to implement the localizations. We have eight languages in the game, and every language is different in length, and many are different in font types too. So it may seem like a tiny, insignificant thing, but in a game that relies heavily on written content, that could raise pretty big issues, especially in the field of UI design. So we learned the hard way that we have to be aware of each language’s specific rules and features on the get-go to prepare our whole design and system for them.

A screenshot from the game with one of the fan-favorite characters, Archibald “Blackjack” Conway, the bouncer of the Czar Club.

What would you have done differently in retrospect? Many, many, many little things… We have a huge list of features and ideas that have never made the final product for various reasons. But if we ever have a sequel or any game with similar core concepts, we will start with that list for sure.

Your core members have all worked on Triple-A games before. Why did you leave this segment? How does the work differ from the current work in the indie sector? Well… this is different for each member, but one thing is common: the indie scene is way more open and free. If you have a strong creative vision, or you want to make a game that you can feel like your own, that’s very likely that you will find it in the indie sector. That is so great about being a small indie developer that every member of the team thinks of your game as its own child. And it is very different from being a cog in a great machine of 500 people, making an AAA game. It’s not better, don’t get me wrong. It’s just a very different beast.

What did your publisher HandyGames help you with the most? Funding is the most obvious thing because, without their help, we never had enough money to make the voiceover and the localizations. We have a great producer who is not just a business partner but a friend, and HandyGames also had a very dedicated and thorough QA team who helped “ship” the game in the best shape possible.

Kitchen Police! Before they got a proper office, the team worked everywhere where they could. Even in a kitchen, if there was no better place!

What is the state of the game development scene in Hungary? Is there any federal funding for game development? Sadly not, we don’t have any fundings from our government or from any foundations. The game dev scene exists and is growing slowly, but to be totally honest, most talented Hungarian developers are more likely to go to work in other countries than to make or join game dev companies in Hungary.

What are you working on now? You can hardly avoid Chicken Police 2, can you? Well, we can’t say anything too specific at this point, but it’s not a secret that we want to continue the story of Sonny and Marty at one point in the near future. Also, we have other plans with the world of the Wilderness, so who knows… maybe we come up with something totally new and surprising too.

Bánk Varga Creative Director & Writer

A published writer, graphic novel creator, and videogame designer. Bánk wrote stories in various genres and tried out multiple media before he met Péter and Tamás, the co-creators of The Wild Gentlemen, and formed the studio to make Chicken Police. Bánk’s childhood dream was to be a videogame creator/writer, so the release of Chicken Police – and its good reception – is a dream come true for him.

The post Chicken Police: Red Dead Chicken Redemption (Part 2/2) appeared first on Making Games.

Chicken Police: Red Dead Chicken Redemption (Part 2/2) published first on https://spymugblog.tumblr.com/

0 notes