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

My notes on the GDC 2024 Talk Sink or Swim: How to Build and Validate AA Games Fast by Carina Kom

Smooth sailing does not make good sailors

One Pager is a compas

-> Tool to point toward the visions
Anatomy:

• Overall concept
• Target Audience
• Unique Selling Point
• Game Mechanics
• Monetization Strategy ?
• Technical Requirements

Lean Canvas is a map

Anatomy:

• Competitors
• Challenges/Risks
• Solutions
• Target Audience / Player segment
• Platform
• Pitch
• Team advantage
• KPI
• Marketing

How to build a lean canvas

"What we love about this genre"
"What we love about that genre"
--> Pitch
==> Put your community / target audience

Identify target audience with

• Bartle type https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartle_taxonomy_of_player_types
• Platform

Uncover player journey
Example:
-> Signing in the game, First player experience
-> Connecting with a friend

Value proposition
-> List objectives / jobs from player perspective
-> List Gain / Pain from those jobs
=> Value offering should releave pains and augment gains
Every gain and pain should be connected to a solution

MVP

Start with a solution that MAXIMALIZE the value provided
-> Talk to your players
-> How to scale up
-> Manage expectations when delivering an MVP
-> Iterate and separate yourself from your competitors

Prototype

Test and validate a concept or an idea
Cheaper that the MVP
-> Align stakeholders
-> Decide if you want to move forward with an MVP
Prototype tests:
- Moderated Usability Testing
- Remotely moderated Usability testing
- Unmoderated Usability testing
Type of tests:
(Always with a limited number of questions)

• Explorative
• Usability
• A/B Testing
• Surveys/Questionnaires
• Focus group
• Expert review

Ship fast & Open

Open:
-> Immediate feedback
-> Super fans: Reduced time on testing cycles
-> Extra user research
-> Morale improvements

Challenges to shipping fast

Not sustainable -> rushing

=> Change request process

Change Request
Anatomy:

• Status ( Approved / Denied )
• Stakeholder (Better if we can refer to it by name)
• Estimation of complexity / ETA (Optimistic / Pessimistic)
• Assessment notes

Unintentional blindness

Tunnel vision

Communicate with others about risks

=> Risk register
To be prepare