Build Your Dreams | NAMRATHATHIMMARAYA

An all-new builder feature in our very own Wonka slots, a feature where the player helps beloved Wonka characters to build an extravaganza room by building items in the room.

Feature Type

Builder will be an event that runs for 7 or 14 days. We will experiment to figure out the optimal run duration

Core Loop

Spin on any machine to collect builder points or gems. Betting higher will grant more gems.
Build various items in the room using gems and transform a dull room into an extravaganza room. Complete the entire room to get huge rewards.
Building each item will reward players with stars/progress points
Collect progress points in the progress bar to get milestone rewards.
Milestone rewards can include gems, existing reward types or a special mini game.
Complete the room to get huge rewards. (The progress bar will completely fill when the room is finished)

Solution

Since this feature is design-oriented and differs from the typical slot-specific players, we conducted user research before moving forward with its production.
The idea for this feature originated from game designers who conducted desk research on various slot games, noting their popularity among other slot games.

Design Process

Our design process for this project was collaborative, user-centered, and iterative.
The process spanned from the kickoff stage to User Research.
Collaboration within the team and the use of collaborative design thinking were essential.
These aspects facilitated idea generation and ensured alignment among the core team for decision-making.
User data, including research, interviews, and testing, played a crucial role.
The data provided invaluable insights and continuous feedback.
These inputs guided us in crafting and iterating upon an experience that fulfilled both core business requirements and delighted our users.

Phase I

Discovery and Planning

Design Goal

Engage players by tapping into ownership motivation, Investment mechanics leading to re-engagement, Make the feature emotionally engaging by adding narration

Business Goals

Increase player engagement that results in overall APRU uplift

Increase in engagement, +10% coin sink
Overall ARPU uplift of 10-15%

* Derived from similar feature in slot game and our player sessions

Desk Research and Competitor Analysis

We looked into lots of similar games understanding the mechanics and deconstructing them helped us overall to analyse the patterns, pros, cons and create core loop for the game

Detailed analysis of similar feature

Final Analysis Table

Phase II

Ideation

//Event Type

Many games have seasonal events and rarely Permanent type is used.
The Event or Seasonal option allows reskinning, which adds excitement and freshness to the feature. There are disadvantages to permanent types of housing, such as boredom and lack of variety.
Preference: Event or Seasonal based on the target metric.

//Narration

//Metric

The majority of the games target engagement with building features. The use of specific machines or daily missions differs.
Preference: Engagement is preferred, however, this may differ based on team discussion and data analysis

//Decoration Options

Decor choices do not add significant impact, add high production costs, and complicate reskinning.
Preference: No need for choice in decorations

Design

Phase III

Based on all the research in the ideation phase through iterations we had finalised the following layout and options to run through the customer testing. Here is the Figma link to try out the entire prototype. These wireframes were made in high fidelity for the sake of customer testing to under the feature better.

Figma Prototype Link

Interview

Phase IV

A selected group VIP players based on their activities in the game was chosen for the play test
session. We had prepared set of questionnaire based on the prototype.

This exercise helped us to understand over all interest of the players to be active in this event as a slot player. How likely are they to participate in the event.

Survey Questions

Evaluate

Phase V

With this exercise being part of production process this was extremely helpful to understand what is the overall player’s interest to play this event and some of the improvisations that can be adapted in the game.

Survey Evaluation

//Overall Interest

All players are open to trying the Build Your Dreams feature if it were added to Wonka Slots.
Interest is primarily driven by the idea of a new and novel feature. This is enough for players to try the feature but is not indicative of retention or attachment.

//Navigation and Understanding

The feature UI is mostly intuitive and players are able to easily navigate the feature.
However, there is a need for more clarity in the FTUE copy and progress bar design.

//Rewards

Milestone rewards are somewhat appealing. However, players care more about the value of the rewards than the format in which they receive them.

//Sense of Control

Players appreciate the occasional opportunity to choose the style of the item they just built but do not desire this for every item.
They feel that three customization options are just enough to give them a sense of control without being overwhelming.
Players also appreciate the choice of which task to complete, and there is an opportunity to add a strategic layer by making the two tasks worth different gem amounts/more progress.

Though players enjoyed the first few tasks of the feature, they would not ideally play this. As this meta wouldn’t interest them to try out.