Collapse 3

[Phil Steinmeyer]

I'm really impressed with this title. Great story mode (without the story, really). Clever design, lots of visual pizazz.

One interesting note, playing it off RealArcade. Apparently RealArcade has closed the loophole that allowed you to play a game indefinitely as long as you didn't exit it. I was booted from Collapse 3 after 60 minutes, with a 'Buy it now' screen.

[DFG]

I got hooked playing it as well. I like the world map idea, casinos, and clever use of all the game types. I think this game advances the genre quite well.

[Hiro_Antagonist]

One interesting note, playing it off RealArcade. Apparently RealArcade has closed the loophole that allowed you to play a game indefinitely as long as you didn't exit it. I was booted from Collapse 3 after 60 minutes, with a 'Buy it now' screen.
I think you'll find this is the case on most of the newer and more popular titles on RealArcade...

[Olivier]

I was happily surprised by this title. Great production value.
Besides the ability to buy items, it brings nothing really new. But the way the different levels/modes are linked is a brilliant idea.
That twist seems so obvious.. another hit!

I dislike the Slidder Mode (right name?) though.

[Savant]

Collapse ... 3? I ... I need to lay down for a bit. My head hurts.

[svero]

Alright fine.. I removed the realarcade loophole discussion.. I guess it's better off in the private board, but I'm not sure bringing it up was really the wrong decision in that it may get fixed. Still I didnt want to focus in on it that much and start a big long public debate on it.

[Hiro_Antagonist]

I hate when I'm booted. Do they really think that I'll let my system run 'til I finish their game?
Well, it's not that exactly, necessarily. It's simply that they think (with very good reason) that this new mechanic will increase sales when looking at the zoomed-out numbers and trends. Why else would they do it?

[Olivier]

Ok they do it to increase sales but I don't understand the meaning of "when looking at the zoomed-out numbers and trends".

[Hiro_Antagonist]

Ok they do it to increase sales but I don't understand the meaning of "when looking at the zoomed-out numbers and trends".
It means that you, by yourself, are not necessarily indicative of the what the masses act like as a whole. So it's a matter of looking at it zoomed out (looking at everyone) rather than zoomed in (at individual customers.)

People have a tendancy to use themselves as a case study, assuming what goes for them is what goes for everyone. Obviously, that's a very misleading way to think...

[Olivier]

Understood. My english vocabulary enriches everyday, thanks for the explanation.:)

You're right, thinking that way is surely misleading. But I ask the same question otherwise:
Don't most people hate when they're booted from a game? Do they really think that people (besides PtP freeloaders) will let their system run 'til they finish their game?
I think booting is a bit rude and might put some (most?) people off. But of course they must have made some A/B tests.

[Hiro_Antagonist]

I don't think it's an intentional or malicious thing when people run a game longer than an hour. I think it's just natural behavior given that trials would let people play as long as they want (until they shut down the game.)

Here's a few things to consider:

-Since basically nobody buys casual games w/o first trying the trial, we can assume that basically all purchases come after the player plays the demo.

-If the wrapper doesn't stop the player from playing when the hour is up, then players will play until they get bored of it. *Especially* if they know they can't play anymore for free after they shut it down. I have to admit, I often play marathon sessions of trials to 'get my fill' before exiting.

-Would you expect a player to set their own 1-hour timer when they start playing, and to turn off the game when hour is up? Of course not. So most players don't even know when the hour is up. Therefore, it's a safe assumption that basically all trials are played for more than an hour. I know many of us here have *completed* some casual games during their trials.

-Casual games don't typically stay interesting forever. You want to stop the trial after they've gotten comfortable with and hooked on the game, but before it stops being fresh and exciting. I think most people would agree 1 hour is about right for that -- that's why that's the commonly used duration.

In the end, I think it's abrupt, yes, but considering the customer just had an hour of free gameplay (knowing that 1 hour is the limit), I'm not sure how 'rude' it can be considered. I think maybe it just strikes a stronger chord right now, because everyone is used to infinitely long trials. That previous system was a bit abusive, and this newer system simply enforces what was the intention before -- 1 hour to try out the game, after which you decide if you want to buy it.

So as for your question -- do they hate being booted? Hopefully they do. But it's hard to be mad at the company who just gave you a free hour, as promised. If those players are upset at the abrupt end, it's because they were having fun, which means they're likely to buy the game, giving us money. =)

[Olivier]

You have really really good points.
Booting the players before they get bored, that's very important. But maybe there are softer ways to boot. So players who enjoyed the game until the last minute don't end up too much frustrated, and leave with a better feeling. At that point it might be wise to let 'em see and hear (not play) even more. With a noticiable link to the order page of course.

In the particular case of Collapse3, when the 60 mins are reached don't boot them completely out of the game. Add a big "demo expired" + "buy now button" in the corner of every screen. And maybe let the player wander through restricted but teasing areas of the game like the world map, the trophies etc..
I made some attempts in my previous games and I'll definitely go further in that direction for my upcoming titles.

[Savant]

This is a great example of why content limits are useful, even alongside time limits. If you don't include your entire game in the trial, the player can't complete it in one sitting. It's physically impossible.

[Indiepath]

I dunno, this game just feel "comfortable". I want to spend money to play this more I Love it!

[Savant]

Well, there's 2 others that play just like it. Download those and get another 2 hours worth of collapsing fun.

[Hiro_Antagonist]

Well, there's 2 others that play just like it. Download those and get another 2 hours worth of collapsing fun.
Although they don't have the shopping and world-progression meta-game mechanics, do they?

I know those may seem trivial, but they do add more fun/incentive/context to the game for me, at least.

[Phil Steinmeyer]

I've been thinking more about the Collapse 3 (and Tropix) approach of many mini-games. One thing I learned during my prototyping a couple months ago is that it's pretty easy to bang out the logic for basic game types. Given a pre-existing engine, art assets, etc, you can knock out simple games in 1-3 days. I'm debating adding 5-10 mini-games/mode variants as unlockables to my game.

The thing I wonder about is if they will add value for the consumer - i.e. how will a consumer playing within a 60 minute free trial get a taste of how much variety there is?

Collapse 3 does a good job of this, by forcing you to sample different modes as part of it's story quest. In my first 60 minutes, I played 4 or 5 modes, and 2 or 3 mini-games.

[Raptisoft]

I think adding unlockable minigames is a good investment, because it helps build a community-- people looking up how to unlock, and then they find someone's web site where they tell how to do it, etc.

Chuzzle almost had four more unlockable games in it (replacing the four buttons) instead of just the hidden "Bejewelled" mode, but at that point it was just getting too long in the tooth.

But yeah, if you have the time and inclination, do it.

[dxgame]

"And maybe let the player wander through restricted but teasing areas of the game like the world map, the trophies etc....."

I don't know, give the end user too much to do, even "free" stuff to do, and you might make them "forget" that they they need to buy it, or worse, get too much enjoyment from the goodies that the impulse purchase desire cools off.

If they are playing the game for 30-60 minutes chances are they like the game. ;)