Introduction to brainCloud - Sept 2014
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Backend in a box called brainCloud is a cloud-based backend platform that provides pre-built features for game developers to build multiplayer, social, and free-to-play mobile games across platforms without having to develop their own backend systems. It offers APIs for cloud data storage, multiplayer functionality, achievements, leaderboards, monetization through in-app purchases and promotions, and notifications. Developers can also extend its functionality through custom cloud code.
Introduction to brainCloud - Sept 2014
- 1. Backend in a box. Sept 17, 2014 by bitHeads Game Developer Intro
- 2. Background Only one in ten mobile games succeed. 2
- 3. Background Mathematically, the formula is simple. High Volume High Conversion $Success High Spend
- 4. Background In practice, it requires a lot of design and meta-‐systems to achieve. Multiplatform Multiplayer Free-‐to-‐play Social In-‐app Promotions Cross-‐play Game-‐as-‐a-‐service Competition
- 5. Background Which in turn require tons of back-‐end technology and tools. Clan-‐style Multiplatform Multiplayer Free-‐to-‐play Social In-‐app Matchmaking Promotions Cross-‐play Game-‐as-‐a-‐service Competition Leaderboards Achievements Quests Notifications Pricing Controls Cloud Data Turn-‐based Design tools iOS Android Windows Virtual Currencies Analytics Store Integration
- 6. Background The big guys have spent years and millions of dollars building these systems. 49* of the 50 Top Grossing games in the iOS App Store incorporate cloud-tech to enhance gameplay and monetization. * based on data from August 29th, 2014 It’s time to level the playing field.
- 7. Enter brainCloud. brainCloud is a ready-‐made, cloud-‐based backend for game development. Using brainCloud, developers can access pre-‐built features to jumpstart building the most popular free-‐to-‐play game types, without having to reinvent the wheel. 7
- 8. brainCloud is… Rich gaming back-‐end -‐ multiplayer, cloud data, leaderboards, in-‐app purchases and much more Extendable via custom cloud code Native libraries for iOS, Android, Windows and more Unity, Cocos2d-‐x and Unreal engine integration Easy-‐to-‐use development portal Advanced promotional tools to maximize your monetization Affordable usage-‐based pricing 8
- 9. Any Engine, Any Platform… brainCloud supports Unity, Cocos2d-‐x and Unreal -‐ with native libraries for iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry and more! 9
- 10. And Any Game Type 10
- 11. Architecture We have built a secure, reliable and super-‐ scalable architecture — so you don’t have to.
- 12. Key APIs And pre-‐built all the key APIs that you’ll need.
- 13. Key APIs Cloud Data Store everything about the player’s game experience -‐ no matter how simple, or how complex. User/Global Statistics User/Global Entities Shared Data Custom Files 13
- 14. Key APIs Multiplayer Support for both turn-‐by-‐turn and one-‐way offline (﴾clash-‐style)﴿ multiplayer, with matchmaking. Turn-‐based Offline (﴾Clash-‐style)﴿ Challenges Matchmaking 14
- 15. Key APIs Achievements Award achievements automatically based on player stats -‐ and even synchronize them with GameCenter and Facebook! Simple Achievements Auto Achievements Achievement sync 15
- 16. Key APIs Leaderboards Global and Social Leaderboards, with support for weekly Tournaments with rewards! Social Global Tournaments Pacers 16
- 17. Key APIs Monetization Server-‐side validation for In-‐App Purchases, with rich support for product pricing and virtual currency management. Virtual Currencies Server-‐based verification Pricing controls Platform integrations -‐ iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Facebook and Steam 17
- 18. Key APIs Notifications Reach out to your players, no matter what their device. Programmatic Automated Segmented Support for iOS, Android*, Facebook and more* 18
- 19. Key APIs Cloud Code brainCloud doesn’t do exactly what you need? Extend it! Javascript Extension points Schedulable 19
- 20. Tools brainCloud is more than an API. It’s a toolset to aid in all aspects of the product lifecycle! Design Development Test + Support Product Management
- 21. Tools 21 Design Design and iterate the key meta-‐data for your game. Define the metagame (﴾stats to collect; milestones, quests and rewards; achievement triggers; xp levels; virtual currency types)﴿ Tune metagame and rewards Add new milestones, quests and achievements -‐ without code!
- 22. Tools 22 Development The tools to support your developers. Native libraries API Explorer View/debug player data View/debug global data View/debug multiplayer View server logs / exceptions View API performance API Reference + Examples + Tutorials
- 23. Tools 23 Testing & Support The tools to support your testers & support team. View/edit user data View/edit currencies Flag players for follow-‐up
- 24. Tools 24 Product Management Advanced tools to better manage and monetize your game! Cross-‐platform analytics! Centralized pricing across all platforms Targeted notifications! Scheduled and targeted promotions!
- 25. Highlighted Feature Automated Promotions! brainCloud’s promotional tools are designed to increase your monetization by allowing you to focus on reaching the right players at the right time! 25 Define key target segments Design promotions for each segment Turn it on! Measure the results!
- 26. Highlighted Feature Dividing your player base into segments allows you to better target your promotions. Non-‐repeats Repeats Regs Committed Play once, then bounce Play 2-‐9 times 37% 0% 40% 3% 12% 13% 11% 84% Percentage of players Play 10-‐49 times Play 50+ times Percentage of Revenue Example classifications based on Emily Greer’s (Kongregate) talk at Casual Connect 2012.
- 27. Highlighted Feature Define promotions to monetize players and move them upstream. Non-‐repeats Repeats Regs Committed Play once, then bounce Play 2-‐9 times Play 10-‐49 times Play 50+ times Ignore Push them into Regs Push them to Committed Don’t let them leave!
- 28. Highlighted Feature Promotion Example: Repeats Repeats Goal Play 2-‐9 times Special offer on a bundle with enough currency to get them their ship, and have enough currency left over to push them past 10 plays. Push them into Regs Segment Definition Played >1 & <9, “brig” unlocked Natural pinch-‐point in the game, where they’ve unlocked a new ship, but cannot afford it. Promotion Definition New player flash sale!
- 29. Highlighted Feature Promotion Example: Committed Committed Goal Play 50+ times Super sale on an offer large enough to get them recommitted again. Keep them from leaving Segment Definition Played >50, haven’t played in >3 days Most committed players play every day… if you start to see gaps in activity, it’s a sign they’re thinking of leaving Promotion Definition Veteran Sale!
- 30. Highlighted Feature In summary, setting up, iterating and evolving your Automated Promotions will maximize the monetization of your game. 30
- 31. No-‐brainer Pricing brainCloud pricing philosophy -‐ we only charge you for the server capacity that you use. brainCloud costing is based on API requests. The more you load our servers, the more you pay -‐ how shockingly logical! We give you the tools to measure and predict your API usage -‐ so that you can optimize your utilization -‐ lowering your cost per DAU. For estimated pricing based on DAU, we use a conversion of: 1 Player Session = ~33.33333 Requests Using this ratio: 1000 DAU (﴾daily)﴿ = 1M monthly API calls
- 32. No-‐brainer Pricing 32 Tier API Calls / month DAU * Cost / month Early Adopter! (until 2016) Per M API + Tier 0 - 100** $0 $0 $0 Tier 1 2M 2K $49 $25 $35.00 Tier 2 5M 5K $149 $125 $35.00 Tier 3 10M 10K $299 $250 $34.00 Tier 4 25M 25K $799 $700 $33.00 Tier 5 50M 50K $1,599 $1,450 $32.00 Tier 6 100M 100K $2,999 $2,700 $31.00 Tier 7 250M 250K $7,399 $6,900 $30.00 Tier 8 500M 500K $13,999 $13,000 $28.00 Sign up in 2014 -‐ get Early Adopter Pricing until 2016! Tier 9 1B 1M $24,999 $23,000 $26.00 * Based on 33.33333 API calls per DAU. ** Limited to 100DAU during development (Free!)
- 33. brainCloud in review… 33 In Conclusion…
- 34. brainCloud in review… 34 The features you need to drive engagement. brainCloud has the richest feature set of any gaming back-‐end. Multiplatform Cloud Data Multiplayer Payments Pricing Virtual Currencies Notifications Leaderboards Achievements Player XP Matchmaking Identity Facebook Pacers Tournaments Social
- 35. brainCloud in review… 35 Without limitation. If you need something extra -‐ add it -‐ using our advanced cloud code system!
- 36. brainCloud in review… Increase Revenues. Greater engagement, together with targeted pricing and promotions, will maximize your revenues. 36
- 37. brainCloud in review… 37 Lower Costs Buy, don’t build. brainCloud will save you months of development and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- 38. brainCloud in review… The brainCloud Equation. more Revenue Greater engagement, across more platforms, with automated promotions. + lower Costs Save development time, and server deployment and management costs. = Success!
- 39. Sign up now! Sign up, and level the playing field now! It couldn’t be simpler -‐ just go to http://getbraincloud.com and register today! Remember -‐ sign up before Dec 31st, 2014 to get Early Adopter Pricing until 2016!