Idea Generation: The First Step in Developing a Viral Strategy Game
The first step in developing a viral strategy game is to generate some great ideas. But where do you start? Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Brainstorm with your team: Get together with your team (or even by yourself if you’re a solo developer) and start brainstorming ideas. Encourage everyone to contribute, no matter how crazy or out-of-the-box their ideas may seem. The more ideas you have to choose from, the better your chances of coming up with a hit game.
- Research popular games: Look at what’s currently popular in the app store and see if there are any gaps or areas where you could improve upon existing games. This will help you come up with fresh and innovative ideas that players haven’t seen before.
- Consider your target audience: Think about who your target audience is and what they’re looking for in a strategy game. Are they casual players or hardcore gamers? What kind of graphics and features do they prefer? By understanding your target audience, you can tailor your game to their specific needs and preferences.
Prototyping and Testing: The Importance of Getting Feedback Early On
Now that you have some ideas for your strategy game, it’s time to start prototyping and testing. This will help you get feedback on what’s working and what’s not, so you can make adjustments before launching your game.
- Create a prototype: Use tools like Unity or Unreal Engine to create a basic prototype of your game. This doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should give you a good idea of how the game will flow and what features you want to include.
- Test with friends and family: Get feedback from friends and family members who are also gamers. Ask them to play your prototype and give you their honest thoughts on what they like and don’t like. This will help you identify any major issues early on in the development process.
- Conduct user testing: If possible, conduct user testing with a larger group of people. This can be done through online forums or social media groups where gamers are active. Ask them to play your prototype and give you their feedback. You can also use tools like Hotjar or UserTesting to get more in-depth insights into how users interact with your game.
Monetization Strategies: How to Make Money from Your Viral Strategy Game
Now that you’ve got a solid prototype and some feedback, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to monetize your viral strategy game. There are several ways to do this:
- In-app purchases: Offer in-app purchases like virtual currency or items that can be used within the game. This is a common way for mobile games to generate revenue.
- Advertising: Consider displaying ads within your game, either through banners or interstitial ads that appear between levels. You can use platforms like Google AdMob or Facebook Audience Network to sell ad space.
- Subscriptions: Offer a subscription-based model where players pay a monthly fee to access exclusive content and features within the game.
- Cross-promotion: Partner with other developers to cross-promote each other’s games within your app. This can help you reach a larger audience and generate more revenue.
