Sink or Swim: How to Build and Validate AA Games Fast

Introduction

The speaker, Karina Comm, introduces herself as an explorer and talks about her excitement to speak at GDC. She mentions being at home due to living with an immune-compromised person and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share her team's work.

Speaker Introduction

• Karina Comm introduces herself as an explorer type.

• She expresses excitement about speaking at GDC.

• Due to living with an immune-compromised person, she has been mostly at home.

• She is grateful for the opportunity to share her team's work.

Background and Experience

Karina discusses her background in traditional game development and how it led her to the crypto game space. She mentions having experience in quality assurance, game design, production, and project management.

Background in Game Development

• Karina has a background in traditional game development.

• She has experience in quality assurance, game design, production, and project management.

Working on a Playable Game Demo

Karina shares that her team was able to create a playable game demo within 12 months. She mentions that the footage she will show is from an upcoming closed beta in April.

Creating a Playable Game Demo

• Karina's team developed a playable game demo within 12 months.

• The footage she will show is from an upcoming closed beta in April.

Goal of the Talk

Karina aims to share what she has learned about validating fast in game development. She wants to provide insights on how to steer a ship towards success by sharing her experiences as a seasoned captain.

Goal of the Talk

• Karina wants to share insights on how to validate fast in game development.

• She aims to be seen as a seasoned captain guiding others towards success.

Audience Survey

Karina asks the audience about their game concepts and goals. She expresses gratitude for their presence, especially if they are students seeking to learn from her experience.

Audience Survey

• Karina asks how many attendees have a game concept in production or want to launch one soon.

• She thanks the audience for attending, particularly students who are looking to learn from her experience.

Sharing Knowledge and Experience

Karina shares that she has over 16 years of experience in the games industry. She emphasizes her commitment to working with diverse teams and helping people do their best work.

Sharing Knowledge and Experience

• Karina has over 16 years of experience in the games industry.

• She is committed to working with diverse teams and sharing her knowledge transparently.

• Her goal is to help people do their best work.

Transitioning into Crypto Games

Karina explains that she transitioned from traditional game development into the crypto games space. She mentions using blockchain technology for their in-game economy but does not discuss it further.

Transitioning into Crypto Games

• Karina transitioned from traditional game development into the crypto games space.

• Her team uses blockchain technology for their in-game economy, but she doesn't elaborate on it.

Appreciation for Event Organizers

Karina expresses appreciation for event organizers and volunteers who make events like GDC possible. She acknowledges the effort put into bringing these events to life.

Appreciation for Event Organizers

• Karina expresses gratitude towards event organizers and volunteers.

• She acknowledges the effort required to make events like GDC happen.

Game Development Challenges

Karina mentions that every team encounters game development challenges. She aims to share her stories and techniques for dealing with technical issues, limited resources, tight deadlines, and scope creep.

Game Development Challenges

• Every team faces game development challenges.

• Karina will share her stories and techniques for dealing with technical issues, limited resources, tight deadlines, and scope creep.

The summary includes the first few minutes of the transcript.

Overview of the Game

The speaker introduces a futuristic survival remix game with references to meme culture, fashion, and music. The game combines elements of card battling and card running, similar to Clash Royale meets Super Mario Kart or an endless runner meets a card game.

Introduction to the Game

• The game is a futuristic survival remix game with references to meme culture, fashion, and music.

• It combines elements of card battling and card running.

• The gameplay is similar to Clash Royale meets Super Mario Kart or an endless runner meets a card game.

Alpha Release and Development Stages

The speaker discusses the development stages of the game, starting from the Alpha release last year while still working on beta technology. They explain that Beta is the stage after Alpha and discuss the importance of moving from early access to launch.

Development Stages

• The Alpha release of the game happened last year while still working on beta technology.

• Beta is the stage after Alpha in development.

• Moving from early access to launch is crucial for progress in development.

Importance of Validating Fast

The speaker emphasizes the importance of validating games quickly, especially when joining a new team or trialing new technology. They mention that everything learned about fast validation will be applicable in their talk.

Validating Games Fast

• Validating games quickly is essential in various scenarios such as joining a new team or trialing new technology.

• Everything learned about fast validation will be applicable in their talk.

Three Big Takeaways for Validating Games Fast

The speaker mentions three significant takeaways for validating games fast. They also inform the audience about a Q&A session after the talk and provide information on where to find them.

Three Big Takeaways

• The talk will cover three big takeaways for validating games fast.

• There will be a Q&A session after the talk.

• The speaker can be found at the Mix Mah booth at P1.

Disclaimer and Introduction to Lean Canvas

The speaker provides a disclaimer about varying results and introduces the concept of Lean Canvas. They explain that their game's vision came together after creating a lean canvas and a one pager, which are tools used to point in a specific direction.

Disclaimer and Lean Canvas Introduction

• Results may vary, as mentioned in the disclaimer.

• The game's vision was developed using a lean canvas and a one pager.

• A lean canvas is a tool used to point in a specific direction.

Anatomy of One Pager

The speaker discusses the anatomy of a one pager, highlighting its concise nature and inclusion of high-level feature goals. They mention that they won't go into every detail but provide an overview of what should be included in a one pager.

Anatomy of One Pager

• A good one pager is concise and easy to read.

• It includes high-level feature goals.

• Space limitation requires condensing key takeaways into an easily digestible format.

Example of One Pager

The speaker presents an example of a one pager that made them want to quit their job. They highlight how clear it made the direction for their team by emphasizing deck building adding strategy elements to vehicle racing combat.

Example of One Pager

• An example of an effective one pager is shown.

• Deck building adds strategy elements to vehicle racing combat.

• The one pager provided clear direction for the team.

Importance of Lean Canvas

The speaker emphasizes the importance of a lean canvas as a vital instrument in game development. They compare it to a map that helps with planning, providing directions, and visualizing the path to the destination.

Importance of Lean Canvas

• A lean canvas is compared to a map in game development.

• It helps with planning, providing directions, and visualizing the path to the destination.

Need for Awareness in Game Development

The speaker discusses the need for awareness in game development, particularly when raising funds. They mention their CEO's goal of launching a game within 12 months and highlight their team's growth from five people to 40.

Need for Awareness in Game Development

• Raising funds requires awareness in game development.

• The CEO's goal is to launch a game within 12 months.

• The team has grown from five people to 40.

Evolution of Core Concept

The speaker shares the evolution of their core concept through different stages, starting from receiving the first one pager. They discuss how their team raised enough money to grow but also acknowledge increased pressure due to team expansion.

Evolution of Core Concept

• The core concept evolved through different stages.

• The team raised enough money to grow but faces increased pressure due to team expansion.

Early Draft of Lean Canvas

An early draft of a lean canvas is shown as an example. It helped add value to their core concept and guided work on upcoming features. The speaker mentions other resources on lean canvas by Eric Ree, Steve Blank, and Ash Moray.

Early Draft of Lean Canvas

• An early draft of a lean canvas is shown.

• It helped add value to the core concept and guide work on upcoming features.

• Other resources on lean canvas are mentioned.

Combining Racing Games and Card Gameplay

The speaker explains how they combined elements they loved about racing games with card gameplay. They used their advantages in art production, design, and UI to build a metal loop that attracts casual to midcore gamers.

Combining Racing Games and Card Gameplay

• Elements loved about racing games were combined with card gameplay.

• Advantages in art production, design, and UI were utilized.

• The goal was to attract casual to midcore gamers.

Remixing Culture, Community, and Story

The speaker mentions the importance of remixing culture, community, and story in their game. They highlight the significance of lore and the idea behind remixing for their overall concept.

Remixing Culture, Community, and Story

• Remixing culture, community, and story are important aspects of the game.

• Lore plays a significant role in shaping the overall concept.

Community First

This section emphasizes the importance of understanding and connecting with your target audience or community. It discusses various ways to engage with early adopters and highlights the need to know the unique behaviors, pain points, and desires of players within your target audience.

• Building a strong community is crucial at the end of the development cycle.

• There are numerous ways to connect with early adopters, such as Discord, Twitter, Telegram, forums, and Reddit.

• Understanding your community helps in better preparation with appropriate strategies and techniques.

• Each player within your target audience will have unique behaviors, pain points, and desires.

• Reaching players requires skill and practice; there is no magic formula.

• The number of players in your target audience depends on market complexity and business strategy.

• Pay special attention to players' desires and friction points to create a fun game experience.

Researching Your Players

This section focuses on researching your players by considering demographics, behaviors, constraints, gamer psychology, player types (BLE types), and understanding your game platform. It highlights the importance of knowing your player segment for fast validation.

• Consider demographics like age, gender, marital status when thinking about player segments.

• To validate a game concept quickly, focus on gamer psychology and player types (BLE types).

• BLE type taxonomy divides players into four subtypes based on motivations.

• Even with just four BLE types, you can gain a basic understanding of your community's preferences.

• Knowing your game platform helps make informed choices during production design implementation.

Planning the Player Journey

This section discusses planning the player journey as an essential step in serving players effectively. It compares planning a player journey to building a website using a sitemap and highlights the importance of understanding the player journey for creating a value proposition.

• Planning the player journey is crucial for serving players effectively.

• The player journey starts with a clear destination and outlines steps from start to finish.

• Players experience high points and low points of satisfaction throughout their journey.

• Building personas and being community-focused helps in building the player journey.

• Understanding the player journey is key to creating a value proposition.

Crafting a Value Proposition

This section explains the significance of crafting a value proposition. It describes how a well-crafted value proposition can align marketing strategies, reduce friction, and reward players with what they desire.

• A value proposition is like offering something that players really want, making them happy.

• Crafted value propositions help tailor games or products to meet players' desires.

• Value propositions reduce friction and reward players with what they truly want.

The transcript does not provide timestamps beyond this point.

New Section

This section discusses the concept of product-market fit and the importance of connecting gains and pains in order to capture valuable insights from the community.

Achieving Product-Market Fit

• Product-market fit is achieved when all elements come together successfully.

• Every gain and pain should be connected to ensure valuable insights are captured.

• Valuable insights can be obtained from the community.

New Section

This section highlights Mix Mob's quarterly planning sessions as an example of mechanisms that contribute to successful deliverables.

Mix Mob's Quarterly Planning Sessions

• Mix Mob utilizes quarterly planning sessions for successful deliverables.

• Other mechanisms also contribute to success, but will be discussed later.

New Section

The speaker acknowledges Janessa Olen and recommends her talk on working as a producer product owner in the GDC Vault.

Acknowledgement and Recommendation

• Janessa Olen is recognized for her expertise in working as a producer product owner.

• The audience is encouraged to check out Janessa's talk in the GDC Vault for further insights on MVP (Minimum Viable Product).

New Section

The speaker introduces the concept of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and emphasizes its importance in solving a problem effectively.

Understanding MVP

• MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product.

• The "M" in MVP represents "minimal" or "minimum."

• MVP needs to solve a clear problem from the beginning.

• A rubber duck analogy is used to illustrate how top-ranking features are essential for staying afloat like a real duck in water.

New Section

The speaker explains that there are various ways to think about MVP and highlights the importance of validating fast by talking to the community.

Thinking About MVP

• There are countless ways to think about MVP.

• Validating fast involves talking to the community.

• Social media provides a prevalent means of communication for validation.

• Talking to the community is a key activity in validation.

New Section

The speaker emphasizes the need for pre-work and valuable offerings when creating an MVP.

Creating an MVP

• A successful MVP requires pre-work and consideration of valuable offerings.

• It is important to talk to players/customers for feedback and insights.

• Gold plating or spending excessive time/resources should be avoided while ensuring overall quality.

New Section

The speaker continues with the rubber duck analogy, highlighting that there are numerous variations of duck toys, just as there are various ways to think about MVP.

Rubber Duck Analogy

• Rubber ducks come in many variations but bring entertainment and joy.

• Similarly, there are countless ways to think about MVP.

• Some teams may struggle with balancing production standards and constraints.

New Section

The speaker emphasizes that starting with a solution and providing value to players is crucial for a successful MVP.

Starting with a Solution

• Janessa Olen advises starting an MVP with a solution from the beginning.

• The most valuable offering should be considered when creating an MVP.

• Talking to the community is essential for validation and understanding player needs.

New Section

The speaker highlights the importance of talking to the community for validation and iterating on feedback during alpha and beta stages.

Validating Fast

• Talking to the community is crucial for validating ideas quickly.

• Negative feedback should not discourage but rather inform iterations.

• Iterating from alpha to beta stages is important for improving the MVP.

New Section

The speaker emphasizes the need to manage expectations and be prepared for initial versions of the product not being perfect.

Managing Expectations

• Managing expectations is a challenge in both small-scale and large-scale projects.

• Initial versions of a product may not meet all player expectations.

• Negative feedback should be taken constructively and used for further improvements.

New Section

The speaker encourages continuous iteration and incorporating brand identity when building an MVP.

Continuous Iteration and Brand Identity

• Iteration is crucial for refining the MVP from alpha to beta stages.

• Understanding core player needs helps in scaling up and adding brand identity.

• Building an MVP does not mean thinking inside the box; it allows for creativity in story, brand, and identity.

New Section

The speaker defines a prototype as an early version or sample of a product, service, or system used to quickly test and validate concepts or ideas.

Prototyping

• A prototype is an early version or sample of a product, service, or system.

• Its goal is to test and validate concepts or ideas quickly.

• Prototyping can take various forms, from sketchbooks to more advanced mockups.

• Prototypes are cheaper to make than MVPs and help align stakeholders' understanding.

New Section

The speaker explains that prototypes are inexpensive tools that serve as jumping-off points for gathering feedback before moving into more advanced development stages.

Benefits of Prototyping

• Prototypes are cost-effective tools compared to MVPs.

• They help gather feedback from stakeholders before advancing further.

• Feedback received from prototypes aids decision-making and refinement of ideas.

New Section

The speaker emphasizes the importance of iterating and not being discouraged by negative feedback during the prototyping phase.

Iterating with Prototypes

• Iteration is crucial during the transition from alpha to beta stages.

• Negative feedback should be taken constructively and used for improvement.

• Continuous iteration helps in refining the product/service/system.

New Section

The speaker encourages focusing on delivering true value to players and incorporating brand identity as the MVP evolves.

Delivering Value and Brand Identity

• The MVP should aim to bring true value to players/customers.

• Incorporating brand identity is important as the product/service/system evolves.

• Understanding core player needs is key to building a successful MVP.

Creating Game Prototypes with Basic Household Items

In this section, the speaker discusses how game designers can create game prototypes using basic household items and various tools.

Tools for Creating Game Prototypes

• Using tools like Mirro and good prototyping practices, game designers can create game prototypes.

• Game prototypes can be made using a variety of basic household items such as sketchbooks, bits of paper, string, or even a 3D printer.

• Digital prototypes can be created using tools like Twine, Game Builder, or Unity.

Validating Prototypes and User Testing

• The goal of validating fast is to test the prototype by gathering a group of potential players and observing their behavior.

• Discord, Twitter, social media platforms like itch.io have made it easier to gather feedback from players.

• Remote testing has become popular due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

• There are various forms of user testing that designers should be aware of for obtaining valuable insights.

Conducting Effective User Tests

This section focuses on conducting user tests effectively by staying focused on a limited number of questions and avoiding bias.

Focusing on Limited Questions in User Tests

• It is important to focus on a limited number of questions during user tests to avoid overwhelming feedback.

• Gathering too much feedback is not helpful in building valuable insights for usability experience.

• Staying unbiased during user tests helps in understanding the true actions and behaviors of play testers.

Benefits and Challenges of Being Open in Game Development

This section explores the benefits and challenges of being open in game development while receiving immediate feedback from users.

Benefits of Being Open in Game Development

• Being open allows for immediate feedback from users which saves time and money on validating assumptions quickly.

• Access to super fans helps reduce testing cycles and identify game-breaking bugs earlier.

• Extra user testing research helps in mapping out the next steps and improving morale.

Challenges of Being Open in Game Development

• Moving fast and being open can lead to missing important aspects or power-ups along the way.

• As a startup team, it is crucial to balance moving fast with maintaining a sustainable approach for long-term success.

Mitigating Rushing in Game Development

This section provides best practices for mitigating rushing in game development to avoid issues and ensure successful outcomes.

Best Practices for Mitigating Rushing

• Implement a change request process and integrate it into the communication plan to avoid confusion among stakeholders.

• Set up a risk register to identify potential risks and address them proactively.

• Effective communication with stakeholders is essential for avoiding rushing and ensuring project success.

The transcript provided does not specify the language. Therefore, the summary has been written in English as per the instructions.

Importance of Estimations and Assessments

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of estimations and assessments in project management.

Estimations

• Estimations are crucial for measuring and improving performance.

• It is impossible to change or improve what cannot be measured.

• Despite personal dislike for estimations, they are key to success.

Assessments

• Assessing the duty or complexity of change requests is essential.

• Changes can impact work in progress or cause scope displacement.

• Adding assessment notes to project documentation helps track information.

Additional Resources

• The Project Management Institute, Prince, and Agile training provide more information on change requests and change management.

Danger of Intentional Blindness

This section discusses the danger of intentional blindness when moving fast in a project due to tunnel vision.

• Moving fast in a project can lead to intentional blindness.

• Intentional blindness refers to being unaware of other stimuli while focusing on a specific task or object.

• The Invisible Gorilla experiment demonstrates how people can miss obvious things when their attention is focused elsewhere.

• Being aware of intentional blindness helps teams avoid overlooking important details.

Embracing Risks and Setting Up Risk Register

This section highlights the value of embracing risks and setting up a risk register as part of project management.

• Risks should not be seen as something scary but rather embraced as opportunities for growth.

• Uncertainties will always exist, so it's important to identify and discuss risks with the team regularly.

• Setting up a risk register helps track potential risks, whether positive or negative.

• Implementing response plans for upcoming risks enhances preparedness and allows for effective risk management.

Response Plans Based on Consequence and Probability

This section explains the importance of response plans based on the consequence and probability of risks.

• Response plans should be prioritized based on the consequence and probability of risks.

• Risks with high consequences and high probabilities require immediate response plans.

• Risks with low consequences and low probabilities can be accepted to keep things moving.

Value in Discussing Risks and Having a Risk Register

This section emphasizes the value of discussing risks, having a risk register, and being prepared for uncertainties.

• Discussing risks adds value by increasing awareness of potential political, legal, or environmental events.

• Positive or negative risks can impact any project, so having a risk register is recommended.

• A risk register serves as a defensive and proactive tool for preparedness.

• Learning from failures is crucial, but neglecting to learn anything is the greatest failure.

Patience and Validation in Game Development

This section highlights the importance of patience, validation, and learning from failures in game development.

• Success in game development takes time; patience is key.

• Validating ideas quickly allows for necessary pivots before running out of funding.

• The goal is to have fun while working in the entertainment and creative sector.

• Daily affirmations can help maintain resilience during challenging times.

The remaining part of the transcript does not provide substantial information related to project management.

Building a Community and Finding Your Target Audience

This section discusses the importance of building a community and finding your target audience for game development.

Tips for Building a Community

• Utilize physical places like board game stores, coffee shops, and events to find potential community members.

• Engage with online platforms such as social media, Twitter hashtags like #ScreenshotSaturday, and game jam websites like itch.io to connect with players.

• Validate your concept quickly, even without funding, by seeking out playtesters and gathering feedback.

Finding Your Target Audience

• Start by creating a fun experience before considering incorporating web three elements or blockchain technology.

• Ensure that your game has an applicable utility for the use of digital assets or multiplayer services before going on-chain.

• Be cautious when transitioning to blockchain technology as it can be challenging to revert back once implemented.

Validating MVP and Scaling Up

This section focuses on validating minimum viable products (MVPs) and making decisions about scaling up or pivoting.

Validating MVPs

• The only way to know if an MVP brings value to players is by asking them through user testing and feedback forms.

• Positive responses from users indicate that the MVP delivers value and has achieved product-market fit.

Scaling Up or Pivoting

• Knowing when to scale up or pivot depends on various factors such as user feedback, market demand, and the success of the MVP.

• It is crucial to make data-driven decisions based on user validation rather than relying solely on assumptions.

Incorporating Web 3 Elements in Games

This section explores considerations for incorporating web three elements in games.

On-chain vs. Off-chain Integration

• Ideally, being present on all chains simultaneously would be beneficial but challenging due to technical complexities.

• Prioritize creating a fun experience before integrating with any specific chain or blockchain technology.

• Validate the utility of your game's digital assets or multiplayer services before going on-chain.

Scalability and Accessibility

• Consider scalability when determining the number of stocks (digital assets) used in the game.

• Focus on making the game accessible and enjoyable for players, keeping in mind that transitioning to blockchain technology can be difficult to reverse.

Knowing When to Scale

This section discusses how to determine when to scale a product.

Scaling Decision Factors

• The decision to scale depends on factors such as user feedback, market demand, and the success of the product.

• Data-driven decisions based on user validation are crucial for determining whether to scale up or pivot.

The transcript provided does not cover all parts of the video.

Adding Value to MVP

The speaker discusses the importance of adding value to the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and how it benefits the overall experience, player satisfaction, and future scalability.

Importance of Adding Value

• Adding value to the MVP benefits the company in the long run.

• It enhances player experience by introducing more features.

• It helps optimize the overall experience and addresses issues from previous prototype tests.

• It prepares for future scalability.

Validating Success

• To validate success, ensure that the MVP delivers value to players.

• Continuously find ways to include more features in subsequent iterations of the MVP.

• Always strive to build upon a successful core nugget.

Engaging with Players

The speaker emphasizes the importance of engaging with players and continuously providing value based on their feedback.

Continuous Improvement

• If successful in providing value to players, always seek ways to include more content in subsequent versions of the product.

• Actively listen to player feedback and incorporate it into future iterations.

GDC Evaluation and Invitation

The speaker mentions a GDC evaluation that will be sent out for attendees to provide feedback. They also mention a potential invitation for a second GDC talk based on positive feedback.

GDC Evaluation

• Attendees are encouraged to fill out a GDC evaluation form if they enjoyed the talk.

• Filling out the evaluation may lead to an invitation for a second GDC talk.

The transcript does not provide any further information after this point.