Synchronous "social network" gameplay is, on one hand, a possible key to deeper "social" connections between gamers. On the other hand, it is an awkward fit for environments that thrive on asynchronous interaction within the social graph. Synchronous gameplay is growing in popularity on Facebook, but these games generally offer interactions independent to the social graph -- meaning you play mostly with strangers, not friends. Game developers often assume synchronous friend-to-friend interactions happen serendipitously, if at all. Ziemowit Poniewierski from Can't Stop Games disagrees. "Pirate Saga" uniquely utilizes Facebook "Groups" functionality to encourage synchronous friend-to-friend interactions, and drive ongoing engagement with the game world even when the game isn't open. Don't miss this opportunity to hear how an Eastern European developer creatively applies underutilized Facebook platform features to encourage friends to interact in real time, and attracted big publisher attention as a result.

1. FACEBOOK GROUPS UNITE
AND EXPAND SOCIAL GRAPHS
FOR SYNCHRONOUS
SOCIAL GAMEPLAY
Casual Connect Kyiv 2011
Ziemowit Poniewierski (COO at Can’t Stop Games)

2. CAN’T STOP GAMES
Wrocław, Poland
35 employees
Founded in 2007
Browser MMO and Social Games
2 released products
2 projects in production
Mobile division
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

3. ZIEMOWIT PONIEWIERSKI
COO at Can’t Stop Games
12 years of experience in game industry
Projects on various platforms
(PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, browser, mobile)
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

4. FACEBOOK GROUPS UNITE
AND EXPAND SOCIAL GRAPHS
FOR SYNCHRONOUS
SOCIAL GAMEPLAY
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

5. GUILD GAMEPLAY FOR FREE
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

6. AGENDA
THE RESEARCH
FACEBOOK TOOLS IN USE
GUILD FEATURES
RESULTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

7. PIRATES SAGA
Synchronous MMO title for social networks
Fast-paced action gameplay
PvP & PvE
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

8. SYNCHRONOUS ACTION SOCIAL GAME
CLASSIC SOCIAL SYNCHRONOUS
GAME ACTION-ORIENTED GAME
Friends
Friends and
Gifts non-friends
Real time interaction
Single Player quests
with PC
Rewards Action oriented
gameplay
Sessions limited
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

9. SPONTANEOUS ORGANIZATION
(B-H) Sweet Lady 23 (VIP) Kapitan Czarnobrody 29
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

10. HOW TO USE THIS TREND?
STEP ONE – THE QUESTION
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

11. ENVIRONMENT
STEP TWO – THE LIMITATIONS
FACEBOOK IS ASYNCHRONOUS,
APPARENTLY
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

12. SURVIVAL KIT FOR THE SYNCHRONOUS
STEP THREE – THE NEEDS
Instant messages tool
Tools for managing groups of users
Visual identification of groups
Place for discussions (forum/ wall)
Group-mates in touch 24/7
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

13. BRAINSTORMING
STEP FOUR – THE RESEARCH
What people use on daily basis? How much I need to learn to have fun?
How to popularize How to stay in touch
the very idea? with mates I meet
– Viral is important! in the game?
I THINK I HAVE SEEN IT SOMEWHERE ALREADY…
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

14. FB GROUPS HAVE IT ALL
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

15. FB GROUPS HAVE IT ALL
MILLIONS OF USERS IN 10 TOP POPULAR GROUPS
– IT IS ALIVE
MORE THAN 900 MILLION OBJECTS THAT
PEOPLE INTERACT WITH (IE.GROUPS)
AVERAGE USER IS CONNECTED TO
80 COMMUNITY PAGES, GROUPS AND EVENTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

16. SURVIVAL KIT FOR THE SYNCHRONOUS
STEP FIVE – THE SOLUTION
Instant messages tool
Tools for managing groups of users
Visual identification of groups
Place for discussions (forum/ wall)
Group-mates in touch 24/7
Familiar tools
One click ahead
Evasion of FB viral limits
Cost free
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

17. AGENDA
THE RESEARCH
FACEBOOK TOOLS IN USE
GUILD FEATURES
RESULTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

18. GUILDS ARE GROUPS
Group gameplay = Guilds
User = A member of the guild (game side)
User = A member of the group (FB side)
obviously GUILDS = GROUPS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

19. FROM GROUPS TO GUILDS
CASE. 1: PLAYER WANTS TO CREATE HIS OWN GUILD
AND HE BELONGS TO ANY FACEBOOK GROUP
Create guild
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

20. FROM GROUPS TO GUILDS
CASE 2: PLAYER WANTS TO CREATE HIS OWN GUILD BUT
HE DOESN’T BELONG TO ANY GROUP
Create guild
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

21. FROM GROUPS TO GUILDS
CASE 3: PLAYER WANTS TO JOIN EXISTING GUILD
YES
ACCEPT
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

22. FROM GROUPS TO GUILDS
CASE 4: PLAYER WANTS TO INVITE OTHER USERS
INVITE FRIENDS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

23. AGENDA
THE RESEARCH
FACEBOOK TOOLS IN USE
GUILD FEATURES
RESULTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

24. GUILD EXPERIENCE
GROUP GAMEPLAY
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

25. GUILD EXPERIENCE
SIMPLIFIED MANAGEMENT
=
GROUP ADMINISTRATOR GUILD MASTER
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

26. GUILD EXPERIENCE
SPECIAL EVENTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

27. GUILD EXPERIENCE
GUILD RANKING
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

28. GUILD EXPERIENCE
GUILD COMMUNICATION
Wall (movies) Chat
Mobile
Picture gallery Event planner
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

29. ADDED VALUE
NEW TYPES OF RELATIONSHIP ON FACEBOOK
p Mate
Grou s
cial graph
So
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

30. ADDED VALUE
EXPANDED „ME”
ME AS A PART OF THE GROUP
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

31. ADDED VALUE
GAME BEYOND APPLICATION
BE
Y
Extended Facebook
O
ND
Gameplay:
Game App
APLICATION
Root and support
GAME
Gameplay:
Fight
Harvest Organize events
Others
Chat, communicate,
comment
Organize and Motivate
group members
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

32. ADDED VALUE
EVASION OF FACEBOOK VIRALITY OBSTACLES
1 USER
1 MESSAGE
RECIPIENTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

33. AGENDA
THE RESEARCH
FACEBOOK TOOLS IN USE
GUILD FEATURES
RESULTS
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

34. RESULTS
REVENUE INCREASE
Battle Battle
Battle
Battle
ARPU ($)
0.4
0.3
Guilds
0.2
0.1
0 r
er
st
be
gu
b
em
to
Au
Oc
pt
Se
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

35. RESULTS
FLOW OF NEW USERS
New users
40%
30%
Guilds
20%
10%
0 r
er
st
be
gu
b
em
to
Au
Oc
pt
Se
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

36. RESULTS
GUILD GROWTH
Guilds
2000
1500
1000
500
0
r
er
t
be
us
b
g
em
to
Au
Oc
pt
Se
OVER 2500 GUILDS IN 1ST MONTH
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

37. FUTURE
Further synchronous features development
Creative approach to new Facebook tools
Expansion to other social networks
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

38. CONCLUSION
FACEBOOK IS STILL UNCHARTED WATERS
LEARN ITS TOOLS AND USE THEM
TO YOUR PURPOSES
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.

39. Thank you for your attention
ziemowit.poniewierski@cantstopgames.com
All rights reserved. 2011, Can’t Stop Games, Sp. z o.o.