This post is part of our Tips For Creators series where we are asking questions about gameplay, monetization, community, and other topics related to making great games on Core.
Today, Eskil, one of the top creators of the platform, answers questions to help other creators on their path to make great games.
How do you find new ideas when creating a new game?
I start with a basic idea including a theme and a game mode and then I find more ideas while implementing the first idea. You have to think about how the player will interact with the game, and then try to understand what is going to be fun to play with and why? Video games are constantly evolving, so you have to observe what types of games players currently like the most.
Your Discord community seems to be one of your great strengths, what are your techniques to build a great community?
Discord has become an indispensable tool, it's a big force. It's a tool made for gamers (unlike Instagram and other platforms). If you've built something close with your members, you can strengthen your community by offering them rewards, ranks, and by talking regularly with them. If possible, try to link the Discord server and your game, by offering in-game codes and bonuses. Players will then join your Discord for that and if you have an active community, they may also become active members. Having active members greatly facilitates the launch of a new game.
What do you think would be the key elements to make good games where people want to invest time and money through Perks?
I would say to make skin/appearance and perk/bonus to make the player feel different from others. The "X2 events" are very important to make your players come back (adapt it for your games). There should be a visual difference between a player who pays and one who does not. Also, the main incentive that I use to entice players into buying perks and to get them to return to the game each day, is to show others that they are special.
Do you have any limits to optimize your income without breaking the fun of your games?
There is one very important limit: you must not create a Pay to Win or a Pay to Play. Purchases must be optional and, above all, not create significant advantages. Finally, prevent a new player from connecting to the game, paying for boosts, and exceeding the "power" of a "loyal" player: that would be bad for the player that spent lots of time in your game.
Is monetization one of the mainstays of your game during design or is it something added after game development?
I only think about monetization after the game systems have been laid down. Once everything is ready and fun, I find ways to adapt those features. I think the opposite is bad. If we think about monetization first, then there will be paid features that can prevent playing without paying.
How do you get more returning players to buy perks in your game?
Leaderboards and great VFX (dynamic and powerful) so that the player has a feeling of power compared to others. I'm a gamer who spends on games, so I'm thinking about “what would I want to buy on my games as a new player?”. And after that, I am also thinking about what will push me to come back as a player knowing that I have paid something.
Do you use tools to analyze your games to find out what problems the players are having?
I don't like analysis. For me, statistics can be quickly wrong, a player who got a bug, who doesn't like the design, or who doesn't understand, will disconnect without even taking the time to play. What I am watching for are the comments on Discord (if you have a Discord server, create a feedback channel) and I am also regularly playing my games to collect feedback.
If you want to use analysis tools, then you must observe if the player reaches a specific step or if he disconnects before that. If so, he might never return to your game so that is the thing you must optimize.
Thank you Eskil for answering our questions. We can't wait to try your next games! We hope other creators will find some valuable information to make their games even greater.
Find the games of that creator here: @Eskil's Created Games - Core Games