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Designing Games for "the 43-year-old woman"
- 2. DESIGNING GAMES for “the 43-year-old woman” Chris Trottier, Zynga
- 3. “ average social gamer is a 43-year-old woman Information Services Group / Popcap Study, 2010 Bejewelled 3’s Launch Party
- 4. I am a woman. I am 42. I am a mom.
- 6. I am a game designer. I am not a gamer.
- 7. When I say “not a gamer,” I mean…
- 8. When we invite people over… We do this. But not this.
- 9. In my world… dice have six sides. exclusively.
- 10. If there were a spectrum… GAMER NOT A GAMER
- 11. Touchy Ground This is very subjective. There is no ONE 43-yr-old woman. Most female game developers would disagreewith me. I speak for myself, not for Zynga.
- 12. We’ve experienced a sea change re: whose mindshare we have access to
- 13. Ten Years Ago… HARDCORE GAMERS GAMERS CASUAL GAMERS Passionate about games Opportunistic play of traditional games, consoles FIND games they enjoy on the web And break-outs were very exceptional We made games for people who were… INTO games!
- 14. Suddenly, we’re under the noses of EVERYONE “a friend of yours played a game…”
- 15. HARDCORE GAMERS GAMERS CASUAL GAMERS “ACCIDENTAL” GAMERS Don’t seek out games but will play them when they come to them. And we’re finding all kinds of people who didn’t know they were into games.
- 16. We’re spoiled. We are used to making games for a captive audience.
- 17. Understanding (and Respecting) the Accidental Gamer
- 18. “What should I do for fun?” choices, choices…
- 19. Computer time is also crowded.
- 20. (But those are people with leisure time.) Let’s talk about moms.
- 21. In the game of raising kids… Energy Brain Power Composure these are your resources.
- 22. Kids have Al states behavior breakdown distress cease fire cuddly With a gravity well at the bottom
- 23. You WANT to spend resource on progressionMore often spending it on disaster avoidance and basic maintenance. Energy Brain Power Composure Resource are frequently TAPPED OUT.
- 24. Non-linear day WAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! MOM!! Where’s a changing table? Shit. DIAPER GROSS-OUT! Shit, why is she getting so pissy? Look up this rash on the web. Need more diaper cream! Need to pack pad in the bag!!! Clean up that spaghetti on the wall. Doc says try rice milk…
- 25. Repair Remember Regroup Restrategize This is when it makes sense for me to game. Naptime is special
- 26. When I game, I don’t want to be: Bothered Hassled Challenged I’m already good for all that stuff, thx.
- 27. A game for moms would be wise to… Pour her a proverbial glass of wine Expect little Be charming …be easy to love.
- 28. The Art of Woo
- 30. #10 WORK TO PLAY
- 31. Day 1 No-No’s
- 33. Donkey Kong, Nintendo LOVE this game. (I just lose all the time.)
- 34. #8 DUDE FICTIONS
- 35. Orcs, dungeons, warfare, guns, Armageddon, space ships, sci-fi, aliens
- 36. #7 PINKY-PINK
- 37. Note: these mega-hits are not pink! The Sims 2, Electronic Arts FarmVille, Zynga Players quick to call things “babyish”
- 38. #6 RIGID TIMING
- 39. Mommy’s busy helping her guild right now.
- 40. My free time is not predictable. live events tournaments raid schedule I can’t/won’t schedule my day around a game
- 41. Contradiction? An appointment *I* make With a big, big buffer
- 42. #5 STUCK POINTS
- 43. Zork, Infocom Day of the Tentacle, Lucas Arts Lemmings, DMA Design Loved these. Got stuck. Stopped.
- 44. #4 STRANGERS
- 46. They act weird. And talk like they’re in secret clubs.
- 47. #3 GADGETRY
- 48. Uhhh? Errr? Or???? Quick, grab your sword and swing while jumping!!
- 49. Applies to UI too EACH PIECE of info adds a reason to not engage.
- 50. #2 THE MERE SCENT OF A RIGHT/WRONG CHOICE
- 51. FarmVille, Zynga Players got stuck at this step until we REMOVED info re: # friends with that specialty.
- 52. #1 3D CAMERA
- 53. Real-life 3D navigation is not a problem. 3D game navigation is a BIG problem.
- 54. Rule of thumb: if my BODY doesn’t rotate, the world hasn’t rotated.
- 55. TOP 11 TURN-ONS
- 57. What is this doing for me? Am I wasting my time? Player will ask themselves this every so often.
- 58. not necessarily #1 consideration for moms fun
- 59. Creative outlet Keep connected “ Good for others more than 80 percent of social gamers [report] that playing social games strengthens their relationship with friends, family and colleagues. Information Services Group / Popcap Study, 2010 Good for me Relaxes me Brain Age, Nintendo Wii Fit, Nintendo
- 60. #10 HELP ME EXPRESS MYSELF
- 61. Could be really simple An impressive score A clever name An aesthetic preference CityVille, Zynga Bejewelled Blitz, PopCap Games FarmVille, Zynga
- 62. FarmVille, Zynga The Sims Online, Maxis/EA Hard to beat a satisfying deco play
- 63. #9 KEEP EVOLVING
- 64. The Sims 2, Maxis/EA The Sims, Maxis/EA FrontierVille, Zynga Continued surprise
- 65. FarmVille, Zynga Mafia Wars, Zynga Same core, different twist
- 66. This is not yet being solved well. This is a problem for game designers. Happy long-term committed relationship! And, yes, Deeper Mechanics
- 68. Skype IMVU vSide Pogo, Electronic Arts The Sims 2, Electronic Arts My avatars: me, with a stylist
- 69. YoVille, Zynga FrontierVille, Zynga FarmVille, Zynga YoVille, Zynga “Fantasy” = real life + costume party
- 70. what I’m grinding on in FarmVille right now.
- 71. Beauty Pageant? Really? Over-the-top Christmas The Sims Online, Maxis/EA FarmVille, Zynga Life, unbound
- 73. Cool, I hired Mark Pincus! Thanks, Mags. FrontierVille, Zynga Restaurant City, PlayFish/EA
- 74. sister ??? Friend from spore ??? Friend of friend ??? Former boss ??? High school nemesis ??? Fascinating Totally boring
- 75. Bijou Phillips
- 77. The Sims 2, Maxis/EA The Sims 2, Maxis/EA The Sims 2, Maxis/EA FICTIONALLY meaningful = as important as functionally meaningful
- 80. Wanting and not having is wonderful But getting is also bliss
- 81. FarmVille, Zynga
- 82. Important: has to be something I can actually **WANT**!
- 83. FarmVille players are DEEPLY motivated by crop mastery signs. (Newsflash: not because of the buff.)
- 85. Fairway Solitaire, Big Fish Games
- 86. Diner Dash, PlayFirst Moments of “all done.” “All’s right.” Chaos management.
- 87. FarmVille, Zynga
- 88. A “to do” list where I make actual progress
- 90. Social City, Playdom CityVille, Zynga FarmVille, Zynga
- 91. Sims jealousy hack got more mileage than any other piece of AI
- 92. #2 YUMMY ON THE EYES
- 94. Plants vs. Zombies, PopCap Petville, Zynga
- 95. FarmVille, Zynga Gorgeous, juicy, happy
- 96. Mystery Case Files, Big Fish Games “Intriguing”
- 97. #1 NICE TO TOUCH
- 98. FarmVille, Zynga
- 100. Zuma, PopCap Games Chuzzle, PopCap Games
- 101. Wrap-Up
- 102. Games for Gamers Wind-me-up Challenging Intense Realistic Fast-paced Competitive Hard-core Twitchy Complex
- 103. Games for Everyone Collaborative Charming Beautiful Useful Satisfying Relaxing Rewarding Expressive Connected Intuitive Intriguing Unstressed
- 104. We can do better. unwind rewarding over time feel good about essential appeal
- 105. | thank you!
Editor's Notes
- Started as joke
- I’m old! I’m a woman!Can finally “speak for my people.”
- True *am* old…<talking for these players>Different arbitrary fact
- only bc 42Conference of game developers
- Life before workLife outside of workNot game focused
- No game chattyFriends fascinated…Change subject
- Grew up w/ 6-sided dice
- Boggle zone(ms. Popularity) I love playing farmville
- raw nerves, no tweakmany yrsStruggling. “must be something wrong”FriendlyTry on
- Seek gamesWhether mmo or pogo.. FIND way.
- Produce aisle“hey, I’m totally into a game right now.”You can buy here!
- AccidentalGame comes to them: party, fbCould totes be into
- “If women were men, they would never get laid.”Bat eyelashes, find partnerMuscles for woo
- Quick “get inside heads”
- 60 things I like.Oh, sure. But also-ran. Competition.
- Computer = 20 thingsGames?Radar = LOW, noise
- My kid!PT. SAHM 2 daysLeisure??little patience none.plane ridekids as villianousnpc’s
- The game
- FailBig emotionsClumsyteethNO!geneva convention.hemmorrhage
- “advance your kid”Tuning? Game??Suboptimal.“can’t care about this”
- Non-linearChaosWhite noiseRemember ??
- 101 To DoPull together.Insufficient time.ONLY time it makes sense to game = FRIED
- Judge not.Be patient, kind, respectful. Entertainment = different
- Savor, relax, enjoy
- ConcreteRelationshipsFirst impressionDateCourtshipkeeper
- Bad breath
- Easy to walkVERY light curiosity, commitmentEasy to walkRoll-out-of-bed easy…
- Humbling first click first game actionTheory seeing real #’s, sending real players packing
- duh
- Supercute.5 minsTuned for someone else.
- duh
- The 180Pastels, soft art. “condescending”No examplesNiche-y
- Big, broad, mass successes
- PrioritiesGuiltyReal life trumps
- RL scheduleevents, tournaments. TSO, despite best intentions.
- Classic moment:Damnit! Stuck! How to proceed?Not intentional. Just… pick else
- MMO’s = social = higher % of women!!Friend guideBest-of-breedStill…
- RL friendsSocial rules
- Anonymous = uninhibitedjargon
- High-performance….“this is something I don’t have to learn.”
- Gamer moment: “awesome, what is this telling me about how it works???”“I don’t have to care.”Gradual +++
- Orc or elf? speed offenseFun? Or stressful?
- Function ==!Crops you like? Fiction?Free building! New gameplay!!STUCK!!Space??
- pet peeve.Gamer moment: immersive world.No-op
- From any spot, can tell you how to reach any other spot.
- Bad date!Nervous when people excited about 3D
- More fun AcademicMe shooterBeautiful, work, sing
- Relationship: “Is this person worth my time?”3 weeks?
- Our old reliable may not be sufficientGUILTY re: time for selfReality TV
- Relax = building block. BBlitzNew vein, exciting
- If FB has taught us anything…
- Had 24 slides I had to cut!!CREATIVE PROCESS. Tap vein, unexercised.A fantasy I didn’t know I had.“better person because of you.”
- Love you, “in a rut.”
- Small, unexpectedExpand what’s possibleFreshness in relationship, SURPRISE
- Same core, feels NEWSims new family = new family. I haven’t been X before.
- Players = invested SELVES. WANT to stay. Be worthwhile.SystemsLift, updraftNested goals
- OUT THERE fantasy. Armegeddon, space…REAL WORLD fantasy. Our world = infinitely larger than you might imagine.Relevance.
- Embarrassinglyavatars across a # of different services
- more “out there” = costume party
- We pulled a marthastewart in farmville.Perfumes, soaps… nice associations.
- Beauty pageant hostChristmas without constraints of $ or taste or storage.
- RL friends 100X more interesting (timschaffer)Books?Movies?Reality tv?
- light touches long way.
- leaderboards
- Twilight zone. Launch, hollywood hills…Celebu-model-party girlHangs with all the FAAABULOUS peopleCharming little suburban scenarios w/ boyfriend. Exploring all the possibilities.
- FICTIONALLY MEANINGFUL!Qualitative leap.
- Sims first love marriage babies job, promotion, top of career
- Many weeksBeautiful, immersive.Wanted to see THAT one.PAID OFF! (aesthetic)
- 90% mechanic, 10% contentWANT.
- Charming, vintage road-side signsEnergize faithful LE crop w/ mastery. Or double-points mastery.Perseverate
- HABITFeels good.
- SolitaireWin a hand
- Clear group of diners, diner dash
- Zen.Clear my mind.Sense of satisfaction.DEEP BREATH, glass o wine.
- To do listManage for meVisible progress
- FUNDAMENTALLY important“Fall in love.” “catch attention.”Charm. Humor. Adorable.
- aesthetic touches.polish, humor, charm.forklift in Social City..
- Demo’ingsimsPeeWave at cameraImagine possibilitiesExpand view
- ATTRACTIVE, deliciousDifferent aesthetic. But multis.want to hang out. Immerse.
- STYLEHumor, twist, charm.Simplified approach, engage, click
- Ask players, calibrateHave FUN.WIT. ADORABLE.
- Farmville success = beauty of crops.2D, you are missing the point.Immerse near zoom mixed fieldSad 3d crops.
- richer, deeper. faux 3d pic-hunt game. MystPersonality“where to click??”
- DeliciousJuicySatisfyingSimple click
- Zen.Clear my mind.Sense of satisfaction.DEEP BREATH, glass o wine.
- Yay me.Feels good. PinataGoody bag
- PopCap = The MastersFxSoundEmotion“GOT ONE!” “GOT A BIG ONE!”
- Old adjectives
- Leave you New adjectives…Work w/. Mull. See where they take you.
- Charming, delightfulWould-be guiltyRealtiy TV, knit.To relax.But betterBecome a better personDiscover new sides of selfDeepen connectionsRich design probs, VIRGIN * new core, direct target * time more deeper * player diversity * maps beyond 1 mo