As we embarked on the pre-production phase of a new game, our team collectively answered a series of questions designed to stimulate discussion, enhance understanding about the our mission and goals for the game, and move forward with a shared vision. The process and individual questions can be modified to suit any creative development - a story, a film, an advertising campaign, etc.
We started with these questions:
What are we building?
- Fiction
- Style
- Mechanics
- Possible Constraints
- Popular Comps
What fantasy or aspiration are we trying to fulfill?
Whose fantasy or aspiration are we trying to fulfill?
- Audience age, gender, and location
What are the key components of the game that address the aspirations?
- Theme
- Mechanism
Why will players come back to our game?
What makes this title a game changer?
What is the game's personality and voice?
Our answers form the Mission Statement of our new product:
WHAT ARE WE BUILDING?
We are using the engine to build on the theme of the Modeling Agency.
There will be a great focus on collecting clothes and putting clothes together in interesting ways
A fiction built around a Modeling Agency
As the head of a Modeling Agency, the player is required to recruit models, build out a wardrobe, and then dress their models for photo shoots and ‘walk offs’ that demonstrate a player’s creativity around the particular shoot’s theme or task.
A core loop focused on clothing collection
As a player progresses, he or she opens up additional clothing items by unlocking new designers and brands that allow greater customization and self expression during photo shoots and other events.
As a constraint of the engine, progression will be defined by signing up new models. However, the main goal of signing on new models is to unlock additional clothing options.
A sophisticated and glamorous art style
Given the focus on glamour and sophistication, the art style for the clothing is meant to be more realistic, and not cartoony. The art style will likely be more streamlined / polished / mature given the move toward high fashion.
Importantly, the clothes in this game are key: they need to express the glamour of the fashion industry, and represent ‘aspirational’ outfits that are not practical in a real wardrobe but can build out a virtual one.
We are intending on building a game evokes the excitement and fast-paced nature of a Modeling Agency; we want to leverage the glamour of the industry, but de-emphasize its cut-throat nature.
Importantly, we are working within the constraints of the engine
Although we are trying to build a game that addresses the aspirations as defined, we need to work within the overall confines of our engine.
Popular Comps
X, Y, and Z
WHAT FANTASY/ASPIRATION ARE WE TRYING TO FULFILL?
The need for self-expression; the need to nurture our inner artist
Although we are not all artists, we nevertheless all have a desire to find and create beauty in this world. We want to tap into this need to feed our inner artist and create a canvas in which players can create their own pieces of art.
The desire for social validation
We want to give each artist the opportunity to be celebrated. We want to tap into the need for validation and the pride one can feel when creating and displaying a work of art.
The desire to be set free from the limits of reality; our dreams of leading a life that is more exciting and more thrilling than our own
We are looking to build a game that captures the glamour and excitement of a world we are not a part of. We are playing on the daydreams we sometimes have for a life that is more dramatic and thrilling than the ones we lead. We want to tap into our desire to escape from a world that can feel drab or routine, from a life that feels too ordinary. Instead, we want to add color and excitement and glamour; we want players to feel like they are free from the limits of real life.
WHOSE FANTASY ARE WE TRYING TO FULFILL?
These themes are universal and apply to everyone - but for the sake of this title we are going to focus on building on the dreams / expressions that resonate more with a female audience. Stereotypically, this means more ‘glamour’ and less ‘adventure’.
Our specific focus on glamour will likely target a young adult female audience (22 to 35 years old). The classic dreams of an older generation may not align with our chosen theme.
We want to speak to females who look in their closet and see only ‘practical’ choices instead of exciting ones; women who yearn for a larger wardrobe but are restricted monetarily; women who love shopping, who read fashion magazines and who are fascinated by Hollywood or ‘high society’; girls who love Fashion Week and couture but may not feel confident enough to express themselves through their wardrobe currently.
The media that these women may consume include: A, B, and C. They play games like X, Y, and Z.
This game is meant to target a relatively broad female audience, with a focus on North America and Europe. Asia is not our initial focus.
WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE GAME THAT ADDRESS THE ASPIRATIONS?
A theme that conveys a glamorous and sophisticated re-imagining of the Fashion world
We want a theme that allows our players to dream about a bright future, set in a world that is exciting, fun, chic and breezy. We want to offer them an escape from the real world and from the realities and burdens of a real life.
A broad and extensive ‘palette’ and a dress-up mechanic that is complex enough to emphasize true individual expression
We want our players to be able to express their own creativity and personality in their creations. We will build enough complexity into the dress-up mechanic so that players feel like they can truly customize their looks. We will have enough breadth of choice in wardrobe to ensure that there is a style that suits each person and mood. Players will also be able to pose models in photoshoots, giving even more freedom of expression.
A mechanism to highlight players’ creations, and a way for the public to comment on or rate the work
We want our players to have their work displayed for others, and for others to appreciate and accept its variety.
WHY WILL PLAYERS COME BACK TO OUR GAME?
An escape from their everyday lives
‘Owning’ an aspirational wardrobe allows players to escape from their world and feel like they are a part of the world of fashion. The immersion in the glamorous world of fashion represents an alternative to the real world.
Continued play builds out your wardrobe, and thus increases the number of ways you can express yourself
Obtaining new clothing on a regular basis allows for more and more combinations and new ways to personalize the game.
Prepping for walk-offs or other key events
Players will look forward to walk-offs and other PvP events and will prep in order to show their best work.
WHAT MAKES THIS TITLE A GAME CHANGER?
We are not trying to be a game changer, nor to be the #1 fashion game in the world, given its build constraints. However, we are part of a category with no strong leader and we believe we are differentiated by:
A clearer narrative and stronger character development than Covet Fashion
More freedom of expression in photoshoots than Covet Fashion
A more sophisticated art style and content than Campus Life
Agency is our first foray into creating two games that can be operated in tandem.
Our new game will be operated cooperatively with our existing product with regular cross-promotion between the games, as well as potentially joined content. If successful, this will set us up to pursue more expansions of our current set of live games and to grow the franchise.
PERSONALITY AND VOICE
Although our game is set in the Fashion world where success is driven by external appearance, we are going to build a game with a different message, where internal beauty and authenticity are the keys to success.
It is also the story of the American Dream, where anyone can make it to the top. The overall tone will be encouraging and supportive.
Agency is Jennifer Lawrence, not Victoria Beckham. Agency is Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada, not Meryl Streep.
Agency is a story from Target to Dior.
Agency is the Copley Square mall in Boston, where women shop at Zara but aspire to shop at Tory Burch, Louis Vuitton or Tiffany’s nearby.
Agency is pastel pink or blue, not dark deep red.
Agency is not pretentious or arrogant, but authentic, accessible and inclusive. Agency is chic, sophisticated, classy and sleek. Agency is fun, creative, artistic, expressive and encouraging.
A NOTE ON DIVERSITY
We will feature mainly young women. While we will promote racial inclusion, technical constraints prevent the game from featuring plus-size or more mature models. We choose not to take an explicit stand on this broader definition of beauty.
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