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Hybrid-casual is a fairly new concept to enter the gaming world. You may have heard the whispers around the industry and a few hybrid-casual games already entering the app stores. But it’s starting to make its mark in the market. Players are starting to spend more time in games (with time spent in apps up 80% from 2019 to 2021). And in response, Developers and studios alike are turning their attention to this new type of game development and reaping the benefits (if done correctly).So what exactly is hybrid-casual? How does this differ from hyper-casual? And what do you need to do to get started?That’s what we aim to cover. Let’s dig in.<h2>So, what are hybrid-casual games?</h2>It’s when you mix together the simple core gameplay of hyper-casual, with the features and monetization models of mid-core. The hyper-casual market is oversaturated and extremely competitive. So the idea originally came about from developers and publishers experimenting with more features and mechanics in a bid to engage their players and increase retention.To put it simply, hybrid-casual breaks down into three parts:<ul><li>Keeping a simple core mechanic: So still sticking to the short, simple, and satisfying rule of hyper-casual titles. You’ll have one core mechanic for your game, which is still intuitive and easy to learn.</li><li>Layering in mid-core game features: So adding in progression events, leaderboards, collectibles, and more, to add more depth to your game.</li><li>Adding in-app purchases: Offering IAPs, or even subscription options, alongside your ad strategy.</li></ul><h2>Why the shift from hyper-casual?</h2>For years, we’ve been reading that hyper-casual is the king of the mobile gaming industry. That this genre is one of the fastest-growing genres out there. This is true, but it’s starting to hit its peak.So why the shift? Before we explain that, here’s some background on the state of hyper-casual gaming.<h3>Hyper-casual has little to no other features</h3>Hyper-casual games all focus on one core mechanic. They’re stripped back of any other features and just focus on simple and intuitive gameplay. It takes seconds for the player to get the gist of these types of games, and usually are as straightforward as swiping or pressing a button.<h4>&nbsp;</h4><figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/aqua_park_dc9d27c80e.gif"></figure><h3>But they tend to suffer from low engagement and retention &nbsp;</h3>Hyper-casual games are addictive but repetitive. It’s due to simple core gameplay, and lack of any additional features or motivations. Players will ultimately lose interest over time, as they don’t have a reason to come back.Another culprit of this is due to the oversaturation of the market. This genre is the entry point for mobile game developers. They’re simple and quick to make. You have a lot of people now teaching themselves to code and build games, starting with hyper-casual. And you see more studios turning to hyper-casual because there are more accessible deals from publishers.So there’s an ocean of these types of games out there. In turn, affecting CPI rates, retention, playtime, and LTV (lifetime value).<h3>The ad monetization model alone isn’t working &nbsp;</h3>Hyper-casual relies on ads. Interstitial and rewarded are popular types here. And it works. Players want a fun, free-to-play game that will fill up their time. And, up until now, it’s been a successful model. But with the growing competitive market, it’s not cutting it anymore.<h3>And this affects the amount you can make from these games</h3>To truly be successful when making hyper-casual games, you need low CPI, and high D0 through to D14 retention. Because hyper-casual games rely on ads, if your players don’t stick around and play enough of your game, your ARPU (average revenue per user) will suffer. And worse case, you make a loss.<h4>Hybrid-casual helps increase retention and engagement</h4>If you want to increase your retention, you need to give a reason for your players to come back. The best way to do this is by offering progression and different meta layers and features. So that they can have a sense of achievement from your game and a new motivation to play.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/archero_example_1fa014785e.png"></figure><h3>It gives breathing room for your CPI</h3>Once you have IAPs in your games, your can afford to have a slightly higher CPI. It gives you the opportunity and time to increase your retention and session length, depending on the type of hybrid game.<h2>How to develop a hybrid-casual game</h2>It’s not as simple as just slapping on a couple of extra features. And although this genre is new and still evolving, there are a few steps you can take to get this right.<h3>Step 1: Work on your game design</h3>What we’ve been chatting about in this blog. Pair together the simple, fun mechanics from a hyper-casual title with the features and progression from mid-core. But don’t just shove in random features. It’s about building a nice engaging game with progressions that you can slowly introduce players to.<h3>Step 2: Experiment with your creatives</h3>Optimize your ads to not only engage hyper-casual players, but also new player types. You may need to experiment with showing those new features to see what works best for your ad creatives. And what people will react to best. You’ll need to go through plenty of rounds of testing, but you’re opening your game up to a world of new players.<h3>Step 3: Nail your production process</h3>Although this may be longer now, you can still transfer a lot of these skills and practices over from hyper-casual (so optimizing creatives, ideation stage, prototyping, etc). It’s worth noting, that you can expect your development cycle for these types of games to be slightly longer (so, say, for an experienced studio, four to six weeks, rather than the typical one to two weeks development time). But keep that hyper-casual testing mentality. There’s value in rapid testing.<h3>Step 4: Perfect your monetization model</h3>The big thing we’re gonna talk about here is balance. Going hybrid-casual means layering in IAPs. But there needs to be a level of commitment before someone will part with their cash. You’ll need medium to long-term goals to get your players invested.Players are unlikely to dip into the pockets right away. And they will do it for nothing. Here’s what we know players are willing to spend on:<ul><li>Equipping new cosmetics: Skins for characters or weapons. People love customizing their looks and expressing their identities.</li><li>Sending a gift: This implies you have a social element to your game, which is something you could easily do.</li><li>Getting a competitive edge: Whether they want a second chance at a level, or a much-needed boost to beat a boss.</li><li>Unlocking new content: This could be new equipment, characters, maps, or even bonus levels.</li><li>Skipping timers: If there’s a locked level or item tied to a time element, some players may want to wait and unlock then and there.</li></ul>The earlier you consider your monetization strategy in the game design stage then the easier it’ll be. It’ll be baked into the gameplay, the progression, and upgrades. You can’t just take a hyper-casual game and layer in IAPs. It’s not built for that.<h3>Step 5: Assemble your team</h3>There’s not a one-size-fits-all here. It depends on what type of hybrid-casual game you want to make. But you’ll likely need some more resources and help. A good 3D artist a great place to start, as you’ll want to polish off the artwork and style. Hyper-casual games look the way they are for a reason. It’s to do with CPI. The more polished a game looks, the higher CPI it may have. Which doesn’t work for hyper-casual, but is okay for hybrid.<h2>Take a note out of Archero’s book</h2>Archero is easily considered to be the first true hybrid-casual game. The controls are simple and intuitive. All the player needs to do is move around and shoot (both done in one fluid action). And the core loop is straightforward. You fight, get rewards, and then improve your character and equipment.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/tai_game_archero_93cacebcc2.jpg"></figure>But what Habby has done is layered in features to add depth to the game. Players can get access to collectibles, new abilities, and upgrades to their weapons. These all scream roleplaying game. And that would be the case, yet these features have also been stripped back and simplified, to appeal to the casual gamer.Archero monetizes with in-app purchases, subscriptions, and rewarded ads. And it works, because players are motivated by the gameplay. These types of monetization models simply wouldn’t work with a purely hyper-casual game, because the player has no incentive to do so. A data warehouse can help perfect hybrid-casual gamesWe mentioned it above. But one of the most important elements behind hybrid-casual is striking that balance of showing ads, encouraging subscriptions, or pushing IAPs.Data warehouses can make it easy and faster to make important decisions. It can help you decide which items to push, and which ones to scrap. Which players you should show more IAPs to, and which ones you should show more ads to. And much more.

With players spending more time in games, hyper-casual is starting to evolve. A new genre is forming: hybrid-casual. Here’s everything you need to know about them.

Hybrid-casual: the secret sauce to higher retention and better engagement

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Cracking the hyper-casual market is more challenging than ever. Why? Quite simply, there’s too much competition. This simultaneously drives up the cost of getting new players and makes it easier for players to churn. And that’s particularly problematic because – with higher acquisition costs – studios need higher retention rates if they’re going to make a profit.But a new genre has emerged: Hybrid-casual. Studios have realised that if they’re going to keep retention high, they need to layer in more features and aspects of meta-game. The tact is to keep the core gameplay short, simple and satisfying, but add meta-features that encourage players to keep coming back. Features like progression systems and collectibles that add more depth to the core game.&nbsp;In this article, we’ll look at how to make that shift. What features can you layer into your titles? How exactly do you turn a simple hyper-casual game into a hybrid-casual hit?<h2>1. Build an economy, not just a currency</h2>&nbsp;You probably already have a simple currency system in your game: coins, gems, or shards of mana. But they’re likely quite small-scale and only have one or two uses each. The trick to a good currency system is about establishing an economy. How does the player earn this resource? How does it get used up? What value does it bring the player?Building a solid system is difficult. Game Maker’s Toolkit describes five basic traits all video game economies need:<ol><li>The Tap. A way to create a resource. Adjust this to affect the pace of your game.</li><li>The Inventory. A place to show the player how much of a resource they have. This can have a cap to limit the maximum number, forcing the player to spend it. Or giving another incentive – buying something to increase the cap.</li><li>The Converter. Change the resource into a different resource. Experience into levels. Coins into potions. Raw materials into weapons. It’s best to have fewer resources, which the player has to decide how to use, rather than lots of resources with few uses.</li><li>The Drain. An action that deletes a resource. Spending ammo to fire your gun, for example.</li><li>The Trader. Buys and sells but has its own desires. (Think of it as an advanced converter.)</li></ol> &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/bmjAC6MJukLTs0XiLq1dnq1t6dqVSFS32F9fONf9r2ooJtF08JfezKbeOLO7eL8FXgHTMmnNHE2FkWiOzX7QgcpxXOc9a1uErhisEIJuN-gjHa0slPhVJpZFx1kjf7JWnqFIEy3SE2IDG2yQSwIJ921OjHj3jeCseGhqufU3hz-ix4GMohHbr0alYA"></figure>Source image: Art of WarThis is vitally important when turning a hyper-casual game into a hybrid-casual one. All the other features we’ll chat about here rely on a good resource system.For example, perhaps you have an endless runner game. Between levels, you decide to add a simple city-building element, where players make a farm. Each run, they could choose between earning wood, stone and iron. These three resources would be enough to force the player to make interesting decisions about what to spend their resources on. Too many resources and you’d overcomplicate the game.<h2>2. Give players a progression system</h2>One simple way to enhance your hyper-casual game is to add role-playing mechanics. Class systems, level-up systems, and stats that improve their character. However you decide to add this progression system, the key is to make sure the progression directly affects the core gameplay.There are five traits to a good progression system:<ol><li>Character stats. Strength, dexterity and intelligence are the most common. But they can be anything. These are the core variables that everything else ties into.</li><li>Level experience. As your player progresses, they earn experience. The best level systems allow players to choose which stats they increase when they level up.</li><li>Passive skills. Passive skills are abilities that increase a specific stat or give some other benefit. They can range from passive healing to increasing the amount of a resource you gain a minute.</li><li>Equipment. Items or skins that you can find or craft that increase a character stat. Often, there’s a limit to how many of a specific item a player can equip. So they need to make a choice. (Giving them ‘slots’ to fill is a good way to represent this limit.)</li><li>Classes. Depending on the class the player picks directly affects which stats increase when they level, which items they can equip or what passive skills they earn.</li><li>Quests. Specific challenges where the rewards are tied into the rest of the progression system. One good technique is to offer daily or weekly rewards for completing a set of quests, perhaps giving specific resources.</li></ol>How might these stats affect the gameplay, though? You can either directly affect the core loop or affect a meta feature. For example, increasing your strength might directly increase your health. Imagine Helix Jump, a game where you dodge platforms as your ball falls down the map. Increasing a ‘sturdy’ stat might allow you to hit a platform without ending the game.A progression system doesn’t need to be complex. A few stats can take a simple loop and add the extra layer to keep players returning.<h2>3. Give players something to collect</h2>Collectibles entice and appeal to the completionist gamers. They can also be a way to keep gameplay fresh by hiding certain collectibles behind specific criteria – challenging players to approach the game differently.There are five collectible types that are worth considering:<ol><li>Cosmetics. These don’t change the gameplay but solely play on the cool factor. Hats, skins, armour colours – all of these can encourage players to spend their resources and stay in your game.</li><li>Characters. Create a portfolio of different personalities, even if they don’t affect the gameplay too much. This can work particularly well if you’re using classes, as each character can link to a different class.</li><li>Achievements. These specific challenges might reward players with a badge for bragging rights or even an in-game passive ability.</li><li>Lore. Don’t underestimate the power of story. Unlocking short stories about your characters, snippets of information about your world, or even background information can be immensely satisfying. Many people will continue playing just to read all the lore possible.</li><li>Tradeables. Specific rare items that players can trade with one another. These can include cards, weapons or even characters.</li></ol>The difference between a resource and a collectible is that a collectible is the end goal. It usually can’t be converted – unless it’s tradable with another player. The idea is that the player spends their resources to get their collectibles.<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/qGsJKxdGmADs3m2uIKDiXMwU3QVyId1ZEzlLVKX0v1qmh47_ccwZYxaRQu7xwp5IzjBcDPs5rnKX4yfcxniv75qEjDSc7nETYbrw9F1xIdPqBc8BaTMEIih6KfRVEezi0skvyX_ith4NZViqzPgXAMhAyR_JOD67e_U_-MdEmnf2swmZWr1X0GIBPA"></figure>Source image: &nbsp;ArcheroThe key is to make sure there’s somewhere in your game where the player can see a list of all the collectibles. They need to know what there is to collect – or at least how many of a specific collectible is available. For example, they might be able to unlock ten different pieces of lore. But there needs to be somewhere in-game that tells them they’ve got 2/10 pieces. If you don’t tell them, you lose the benefit of having the incentive in the first place.<h2>4. Let players customize or decorate</h2>Once you’ve established your resources, progression system or collectibles, it’s time to consider what you can add to allow your players to customize their experience.<ol><li>Their avatar. The player’s avatar is whatever character they use to represent themselves. Sometimes, you can let them customize their face – different hairstyles or noses. But if they’re a bouncy ball, maybe it’s different colours or patterns.</li><li>Their home. Let them build and customize the layout of a room or house. Maybe even add city-building elements, where they can place down specific buildings with passive abilities. (You could go even further by having different building styles, like orc, dwarf or human.)</li><li>Their user experience. The interface, music and level backgrounds are all ripe areas for customization. You could allow them to change between a gothic interface or a steampunk one. Maybe they can choose between playing in a forest or a volcano. And if your game involves audio, perhaps custom soundtracks or even different announcers.</li></ol>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Bd3zU88RboX9zg6jFJhoOsxMsqWKeekWEcUvSgq8lA3mY1jZ40zcTqnaLRXep6ZTcI7PMTGSQXhoHFla-nCpxQBESkbH3we0UEb1Er9S3eSuWvw0ydmKR9qVJZ_5bQU3ENTSo7CP7d_nyoaz5GG_-AQWEV_JmVQpkAgPtnCOF9GgXsP1JruJ_v_tlw"></figure> &nbsp;You’ll notice that a lot of this customization can tie into your collectibles and progression system. But it’s best to give your players a few options to start. Throw them a few freebies, then let them unlock the rest as they play.<h2>5. Add a narrative</h2>When done well, a narrative alone can be enough. It’s arguably the single most influential feature that can keep players coming back. A strong narrative to your gameplay grabs your player and hooks them, keeping them invested in the story and wanting more and more.A narrative doesn’t need to be overly complicated. It can work as long as it gives a reason for why the player is performing the core loop. According to Christopher Booker, there are seven basic plots, from overcoming the monster to voyage and return. Regardless of the overall plot of your narrative, there are two key features that your game will need:<ol><li>Character. All good characters have one thing in common: a core motivation. Even a bouncy ball can have personality if you’re clear about what drives them forward. Maybe Bouncy is an experiment, now exploring the world looking for others like himself?</li><li>Conflict. It isn’t a story without conflict. There are typically four types of conflict: against a villain, against a monster, against nature and against yourself. Is Lady Balloon struggling with how she can’t find anyone like herself? Or perhaps her villain is Monsieur Gravity, who constantly pulls Lady Balloon away from her goal.</li><li>Change. What changes as you progress through the game? Is the player gathering more and more friends for Bouncy? Are they chipping away at Monsieur Gravity’s power so that Lady Balloon can finally escape?</li><li>Conclusion. You don’t necessarily need an ending, but you need a final satisfying point where the player feels as though they’ve achieved something. Even if the game has a reason to continue after that point, think about your conclusion.</li></ol>In gaming, we also need to consider how we tell this story. Do you tell it through little bits of dialogue during the levels? Do you have snippets of lore that the player can unlock? Perhaps you have mini cutscenes at the end of a level?But remember, you don’t need to tell your story. It just needs to be there. Subtle hints in your level design can often be more impactful than a page of text. Maybe you have a merge mechanic, combining different kinds of dogs. If your story is about a crazy scientist, perhaps your levels look like a laboratory. But if you’re a dog breeder, filling requests, maybe it looks like a storefront – progressively getting more and more fancy as you get further into the game, until you’re running a glamorous parlour.<h2>6. Give players a way to play with friends</h2>Competition drives engagement. Social features can turn a simple hyper-casual loop that people play on the train into a relentless competition between friends, constantly trying to one-up each other. Even simple social features can elevate a game. There are five typical social features you should consider adding to your game.<ol><li>Chat. While you need to be careful to regulate what your players say, allowing public chat between your players can help you start creating a community.</li><li>Friend lists. Not only does letting players add their friends help keep them in-game, but it can also encourage them to invite their friends to the game in the first place.</li><li>Guilds. Let your players form clans and guilds. If these guilds are tied into a separate progression system or daily quests, this can add another layer of encouragement.</li><li>Leaderboards. Rank your players against one another and challenge them to climb the leaderboard.</li><li>Tournaments. Challenging players to compete in a specific tournament against one another is another way to keep a community alive. Consider also letting other players bet in-game resources on the results of these tournaments, so it’s not just between your best players</li></ol><h2>Keep track of your retention</h2>The trend is definitely moving from hyper-casual to hybrid-casual. But adding just a few of these features can quickly transform your game into one that will grab and keep your players’ attention.

As hyper-casual games face increased competition, developers are looking to layer in more features to boost retention. But which features should you consider?

Six features that turn a hyper-casual dud into a hybrid-casual hit

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Every types of player is unique and special but it’s nearly impossible to assess and cater to each type of personality. So it’s necessary to step back and start by understanding what you’re dealing with in regard to your site’s community.

Understanding Your Audience – Bartle Player Taxonomy

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we covered the three major C’s of storytelling: character, conflict, and change. Using these rules will set the foundation of your game’s narrative. But that doesn’t mean your work is done.There’s so much more to building a strong narrative. And in part two of our storytelling series, we cover six narrative techniques you can use in your titles to help boost your storytelling and character development.<h2>1. Consider a shared story</h2>You might not want to go into a huge amount of detail for every game you create (especially if you’re working with hyper-casual or casual titles – which have notoriously short lifespans). While it would make each game unique, it can take a lot of time.Instead, think about whether you can create a single story that all your games tie into. This can help keep players in your ecosystem, jumping from game to game to get the full story.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:59.36%;"><img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Cpib-w4IGds/maxresdefault.jpg" alt="Angry Birds Slingshot Stories | Compilation - S1 Ep1-5 - YouTube"></figure>&nbsp;Angry Birds is an obvious example of this. Rovio has released a countless number of games, shows, and even a couple of films in the Angry Birds universe. All use the same characters in each game.<h2>2. Keep your story straight with a lore bible</h2>Make a shared document with your whole team and write down everything that you’ve decided about your story. The key here is to make sure that every time you make a decision about your game in the future, you check back with your lore bible. Does your newest idea fit with your story? Does it match other decisions you’ve made?For example, if you decide to add a new colourful level, do the colours match the theme of your game or character? Does it fit into the overall narrative? Does it contradict anything you’ve previously established?<h2>3. If you have branching paths, keep them limited</h2>It’s fun to allow for multiple branching paths. Players will enjoy being able to choose between one option or another – and might even replay your game to experience each route.But the more choices you add, the more complexity you add. Each time you offer a player a choice, you add a layer. Your first layer might have three paths, the second layer will then have nine. By the time you get to the fifth layer, you’ll need to write 243 different paths. Either limit the players’ decisions or have rules in place to loop them back into the main path that they’re on.Keep this in mind if you decide to offer your players branching options. In general, it’s not necessary to make your story satisfying – and in more casual games you probably want to steer clear of this. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/vIe7o9yWh6UC1EK7NSVk6PS5qXCXnArzq9XMK-cNMvbwV0LwUly0yb2iKElxQGdPhIEbdnmTUMPbNBl-JWKflCIsISNEOUVFQA7W1FdiHEQhsdIpzJ8OJ9pLiI54HzGvh3wLsmJpuyyw_0RccEVvXh2362RTDa_mdByeN9T6Fr1S-91cXKvCXx8096XO6Q"></figure>Nguồn ảnh: Life is StrangeHere’s a handy article on the illusion of choice in games. They use Life is Strange as an example (spoilers inside), but offer up some pretty useful advice.&nbsp;<h2>4. Show the story with hints</h2>You can subtly tell your story through your item descriptions, in-game audio or snippets of dialogue with your supporting characters. For example, maybe you have a mascot who helps the players learn the controls. This character might drop little hints or lines about the greater foe that the player is tackling.You don’t need to tell the whole story. You just need to know what it is. In-game, the player’s avatar might just say: “Hurry, the water is coming!” You don’t need to explain that the world is flooding and your character is looking for high ground. You characters’ backstory is much more impactful when subtly sprinkled in. No one wants to be forced to read paragraphs of exposition (but giving the option could appeal to the true fans).<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gb7GqmACLo5i3nVwd8HfWJTRQYBgwr5DQQeWFiJ_oD_3eMkOhvX_vrbGWdBIB0qEJD0jEfzCdI9DWwgu3zAP2p6hflNFxPfyBUzVBXbJfiASjCnXJVg6xBiS6xNhzOQIB9PfJyt2Eb0exJc2NaRxkGaK1aix96qgH2xh8xACDbLHP9BJXNDxK3pOdq5yXA"></figure>Nguồn ảnh: AFK Arena và DislyteMultiple dropped hints can be much more effective than a single cut-scene. Lilith Games does this really well. In their games AFK Arena and Dislyte, you’re always guided by a character, shows you what you need to do through subtle hints.<h2>5. Add unlockable lore</h2>If you’ve built a world around your story, you might want a way to reward players with more information about that world. Rather than interrupting their gameplay, you can give them a currency that can buy snippets of lore as they progress through the game (or just unlock them directly). This might be simple descriptions or even a short story or comic strip. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zMbCe2JMEqaULZJVp7f-FCmBmQn6PnwjMWvufLR-utdGJkADKpuGrlyr_J0sil60M6dsqWEaAt5wSKffRiJLuHZkOZjaIavblTdCxGdgXIBH-xFoldU7vafDLBQ82R0rUz5C1jT1-aGSV8mNoq4mnPyHB7WL09kZH1-2gxoRyd7A1jyZF6SznsQ4ggkD4A"></figure>Nguồn ảnh: AFK Arena &nbsp;AFK Arena is another prime example. With each hero that the player unlocks, there’s a story you can read about them. Reading this story rewards the player with diamonds, which they can spend on getting more heroes.&nbsp;<h2>6. Make someone responsible for narrative design</h2>&nbsp;Give someone in your team the responsibility to make sure everyone is keeping to the story. It’s easy to come up with new mechanics or character designs that don’t fit with your original narrative.Your narrative designer should make sure that you’re staying consistent. It’s not their job to say no – but to figure out how a new idea could work. How could that new item fit into the game naturally? Does it need changing? Does the name match similar items?Those ideas should constantly be adding and changing your story as you go along. And that’s fine. You won’t have all the answers on day one. But you should be building on what’s coming before, not retconning things you’ve already established. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/JXFeW3w7oFIA5_uRUEODL_J6kcohfC0fUieXJ-W6ISlOJ67Z_d19_s18DjOBCslH9oC6oXL_C2xnFC2naTbSslsnJVjgTa4-gkehX3lmtRDDXSuRYWFWGEvWX442DPgadkYl22SDUermchXhUOBDa8pt4MkNc70mO3eaGMHqXUsITSbQHT6LyLMzl6Yzbg"></figure>Nguồn ảnh: Climbtheladder.com &nbsp;Trang web Climbtheladder.com có một bài tổng quan về <a href="https://climbtheladder.com/narrative-designer/">công việc của một Narrative Designer</a>. Họ đã mô tả các trách nhiệm và công việc mà vị trí này sẽ gặp.

There’s so much more to building a strong narrative. And in part two of our storytelling series, we cover six narrative techniques you can use in your titles to help boost your storytelling and character development.

6 (more) narrative techniques to make better games

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What comes to mind when you think about narrative design? You probably imagine Bioshock, Mass Effect or even Stanley Parable – story-driven games where the player’s choices affect the ending. How could you possibly incorporate any of that into a mobile game?But narrative design isn’t just about branching storylines and giant flowcharts. It can actually be a lot more subtle. Narrative design is about creating a consistent narrative. It’s not just about telling a story, but about showing it in your mechanics, user interface and prompts. It’s the small snippets of audio, item descriptions and visual iconography. Narrative design is about deciding what your story is and making sure that you’re staying consistent with that larger vision.In this article, we’re going to explain the basics of a good story and then talk about a few ways you can sprinkle memorable moments into your game.&nbsp;<h2>Every story has the three Cs</h2>If you’ve ever done creative writing, you’ll likely come across lots of structures and frameworks for telling a story. For example, it’s worth reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/114823.The_Seven_Basic_Plots">The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker</a> and studying the three-act structure. But there’s a difference between story and plot. Plot is a sequence of events. It’s a way to tell a story.A story consists of three elements: character, conflict and change. Sure, there are other elements like the world or the themes. But every story – no matter how small – needs these three elements.We’re going to use Homescapes as an example. Although it primarily lives in the Puzzle genre, we thought this would be an excellent game to show you how to incorporate characters and stories into your own titles.<h3>1. Character: Who is the story about?</h3>This is a personality – not necessarily a human – that the story revolves around. You don’t need to go into massive depth. Even a faceless blob can have character. All you need is a motivation: What does your character want? What’s their objective?<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/4YCwYv9WudEf7FEMMkCMXHbunrCOCpnTXUz51QSU-hYUsKJ51qW1TvvzarjKJGyvxCm5WX6wWmS7uCktD5ij7Wa6eREnszwScCbCscF-DxF3_QUYNdAjAmwk-U08YTqC-EtpDKpatsHPEy_4agIDkNmq05IYvbVgCu-ihAX3LkjtVNt8IeuuwvdNew"></figure>Image source: HomescapesThis is Austin. He’s a butler who moved back to his parent’s mansion. And he’s trying to renovate their outdated and messy home. Pow, we’ve got a character. If you google ‘Austin Homescapes’, you can even read up on his story on Wiki Fandom – like his friends and family.Even the Demon Monkey in Temple Run has a backstory. The developers released this video, a day in the life of a Demon Monkey, to give the character more depth.<h3>2. Conflict: What challenges does your character face? &nbsp;</h3>Most games have an obvious danger that comes from the mechanics themselves. If you’ve built an infinite runner, maybe the danger is the boulder that’s chasing the player. In a falling game, it’s ground.But the danger isn’t the same as conflict. Most stories fall into one of four buckets:<ul><li>Man versus man – Two characters directly compete against one another. Two people battle over a piece of land, fight for a romantic partner or squabble over ideological differences.</li><li>Man versus self – The main character struggles with an internal conflict: self-doubt, a moral dilemma or their own tendencies and habits.</li><li>Man versus nature – Your main character is fighting against a beast, monster or force of nature. Maybe it’s the kraken, maybe it’s a hurricane. Either way, the main character can’t reason with their foe. They must defeat, avoid or contain it.</li><li>Man versus society – Rather than fighting a single individual, your character is fighting against a system. For example, they could be fighting against slavery or for human rights.</li></ul>So what is your story about? Even a simple mobile game can have a conflict at its core. Let’s look at Homescapes. You’re trying to help Austin’s parents have a nicer home. It’s essentially a man versus nature story (well, the environment in this case, but it falls under the same bucket).&nbsp;<h3>3. Change: What happens?</h3>Once you have your character and conflict, there’s one last piece to the puzzle. As the story progresses, something needs to change. If nothing changes, it’s not a story. The difference between a normal story and a game is that the player is the one that causes the change. In Homescapes, the player chooses how to redecorate the home (with three different options each time). But it could be anything.So what changes throughout your story? Does each level represent a new character, performing a similar task to achieve their ending? Or is the player progressing along a path towards a final boss? &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6CZ-oaH1YgsovLBw0O-fXsBnmnAJTXi37AlHz5KkqDFyn5ARfAmT7FhmRCZBOJ3HIMbjbkinBuvtPRs8l0DChFI2XxuIXCMrayzuPZla18dPUOLSJ683v76HLwC5ufYieJhvRz_bnsPHeJVcFb7SgyNmEgkSlQy4l_XXFDJ9jmV1QfNZ2NSbeR7I5A"></figure>image source: HomescapesBe aware that you’ll want to make sure your players can replay your game. So are they rescuing multiple universes from the same threat? Or does the threat keep coming back? Or is each level merely keeping the monster at bay – and your character is doomed to endlessly repeat their task?<h2>Use your story to inform your design</h2>Decide on your story using the three principles above. You can always start with your mechanics and work backwards. If you’ve made a game where the player surfs, racing to the finish – ask yourself why the character is surfing. Are they escaping something behind them? Does it represent some inner turmoil, where you’re controlling the good thought and must reach the end before the bad thoughts? &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/h4HtWg_ECrVSHCJWcEFKPipf8_mBhcxAg7zQYuyjwqnGJRZWb_rJ5imebRDylx6DrDbOmbbtacX2Lh0VZXvWSX-IOedhPWfxjbDO-c2RWYjbZuP29lnBnOb_jmbi45FyoqPe7iBLf_1Igpj-WfkKcdII--PV-hekCKNmj3L7arXaTrAebjYZ6pSdFg"></figure>In Temple Run, you’re running away from the infamous Demon Monkeys, after you stole their idol.Whatever you decide, this can help you change your visuals, the tone of your writing, and even the colour of your menus. &nbsp;<h2>Learn from the best</h2>That’s it for part one. In part two, we’re going to cover different ways to use story in your game, and narrative techniques to layer into your game. But for now, start testing characters in your own game. If you need some more inspiration, here are some of the best characters with backgrounds we’ve seen in games:<ul><li><a href="https://www.monumentvalleygame.com/mv2">Monument Valley 2 by ustwo Games</a>: A puzzle game with a beautiful story. The aim of this game is to help guide a mother and her child through the valley. The artwork, animations, characters and gameplay all compliment each other. And it’s difficult not to feel an emotional attachment to this game.</li><li><a href="https://sybogames.com/subway-surfers/">Subway Surfers by Sybo Games</a>: Although they could probably add a bit more story, Sybo games have been consistent with their use of characters across the Subway Surfer portfolio. Jake is at the forefront of these games, alongside his friends Tricky and Fresh.</li><li><a href="https://www.thatskygame.com/">Sky: Children of the light by thatgamecompany</a>: This title is all about storytelling. So much so that there are little to no words in the game (you even need to unlock being able to chat with other players). Instead, players rely on visual and audio cues to learn about the world and uncover the story with other players on the server.</li><li><a href="https://tactilegames.com/lilys-garden/">Lily’s Garden by Tactile Games</a>: Similar to Homescapes, this game follows Lily as she renovates her great-aunt’s home. Despite having thousands of levels, the developers have made an effort to keep the story progressing throughout the game (even adding a twist 800 levels in). Tactile Games have done a brilliant job at bringing in interesting characters, conflict, and change throughout the game.</li></ul>&nbsp;

No matter how simple your game, a story can help keep your players engaged and elevate it to the next level. It just needs character, conflict and change.

Improving your mobile game with narrative

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