Feud No More: Learning to Love the Hybrid Web/Download Casual Game

Speakers: Bret Barker, David Fox

Track: Programming

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: Intermediate

Description: Traditional download game engines excel at great graphics, sound, and local operating system integration, while web applications offer up flexible UI, simple and secure e-commerce capabilities, and backend systems integration. In bringing the venerable Family Feud license to a multiplayer experience, iWin wanted the best of both worlds. By architecting the C++ game engine to support an integrated web browser and Adobe Flash control, iWin was able to leverage expertise and assets across its culturally-distinct web and game development teams. This proved to be invaluable as the product evolved through a breakneck series of community feature redesigns, game feature tweaks, and business model refinements.

Idea Takeaway: By mixing web applications with your download game engine you can achieve the seemingly impossible: Creating a tightly integrated, ever-changing casual community that keeps the subscriptions flowing and the players happy.

Intended Audience: This talk is geared towards developers who are tasked with adding powerful community features into their games and on the lookout for some powerful techniques. This topic would also be appropriate for anyone interested in the viability of new casual game business models.