the top 10 lessons we learned moving our mobile game to vr | guy bendov

Adapting Your Mobile Game To VR (Top 10 Tips)

Guy Bendov

CEO, Sidekick VR

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Sidekick VR

• 2015 – spin off Sidekick VR to focus on mobile VR game publishing

• Offices in California and Israel

• Partners include Lionsgate, DeNA west

• Focusing on Mobile VR – cross platforms

• Team is Sega, EA, Eidos, Sony executives

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Why expand existing games to VR ?

• With expected 18m* mobile VR headsets by end-2016 it is still hard to see return on investment on a $500k-$1M dev budget (*Deutsche Bank)

• Retention is based on deep rich content = development costs are higher

• Early customers of a new platforms prefer a reference to something they recognize - known game brands and game mechanics win

• One solution for the introductory phase of the market:Leverage existing known mobile games to VR

Problem: New platforms are a risky business but also an opportunity

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Case Study: Romans From Mars

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Case Study: Romans From Mars

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Case Study: Romans From Mars

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Romans From Mars was a good start for a VR game…

• It already had a 1st person viewpoint

• It was a 3D game

• Movement was not required within the world and so there were no player nausea issues to overcome

• Controls are simple and were easily able to be ported across all VR platforms – including the most limited

• It started as a full mobile game and contained a high level of content and playing time compared to other VR titles

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•And so………..

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VR is an extreme experience, simulating real life

• Emotions are stronger (chemical rush )

• Speed effects your mind

• Sizes (you are IN)

So:

• Tone your game

• Expect rebalancing time

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The 60 frames per second challenge

• 60FPS+ is critical for the VR User experience.• Low FPS make people uncomfortable.

• Consistent FPS is as critical as minimum FPS

• Updating to the latest engine version and plug in updates.

• Consider stylized optimizations:• Shaders

• Poly count

• Level design

• Draw calls

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Arena and camera

• Modeling a 360 (full) environment.• Photo realistic vs stylized art

• Add “Chicken fat”

• Prop sizes and proportions may change due to camera settings.• Play with sized and edit textures to tone down the deforming elements.

• The FoV in VR is smaller than regular screen – and changes between HMDs

• Use of space around the player for orientation.

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Head-up display / Status display / Messaging (HUD)

• Flowing “air force pilot” HUD • Tracking the player

• Static in space

• “Organic” part of the environment• Always static in space but maintains the immersion and the integrity of the

“real world” environment

• We found this to be the better solution, when possible.

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360 Arena + embedded HUD

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Menus

• Project on a sphere / cylinder

…..Or part of the game’s universe

• Initial menu system (start menu) need to make sense and be 360

• Consider generic “back” and “recalibrate” options

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Launch “menu”

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Directing player’s attention

• Designing the space in front of and around the players

• Use the environment and characters

• Use sound prompts

• Use lighting, arrows and alerts

Courtesy of Visionary’s frame system

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Mapping controls

Type Remarks

Gaze / timed selectionClear and explanatory reticle

Lowest common denominator

One button Click and Click+Hold

Cardboard 1.0 and 2.0

Tap + Hold + Swipes Side panel or an accessory

Gear VR, LeTV

2nd button Merge

Remote motion controls + buttons External accessories (Rift, Vive, PSVR, Daydream, Ximmerse)

Hands recognition Leap Motion and other cameras

Voice recognition

Movement recognition Mostly tilt and shake

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Gaze to aim, tap to evoke heavenly powers

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Moving players in VR

• In 1st person view, never take players freedom of control to look around, even if you move the camera.

• Don’t move the camera too fast - extreme speed, velocities and vectors (regularly used in games) are disorienting in VR.

• Scene-changing achieved with short fade-out and fade-in.

• Looking forward to having “head and movement tracking” feature in mobile VR

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Tuning gameplay progression and monetization

• Calibrate your game as a premium priced game• In-app purchases (IAP) are an integral part of players progression in free

games. IAP model is a challenge until the market reaches 20m players

• Adapting a F2P game to premium means you need to “give” extra resources to your players at the right time

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Store featuring

• To be considered for featuring (or publishing), Oculus, Google and other headset makers will provide you with specific requirements, strong suggestions and overall feedback about the game

• The game teams in both organizations are accessible and looking to present mobile VR games in the best possible way

• Consider additional time and budget to go through the feedback process

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Results

• Romans From Mars 360 was a Gear VR launch title (one of only 7 games worldwide)

• The game has been ported to 4 different VR platforms – Oculus, Cardboard (iOS and Android), Merge VR and Ling VR

• The game has been on the stores for over a year with purchases for the premium version

• The game’s rating on the Play Store is 5.0

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Q & ATHANK YOU for your time.

Guy Bendovguyb@sidekickvr.com