torsten reil - casual connect keynote 2011

High-End Games For Mainstream AudiencesTorsten Reil, CEO, NaturalMotion Games

@torstenreil

(c) NaturalMotion Games 2011

First StepsNeural Network and Simple Physics Engine


Learning To WalkArtificial Evolution and Biomechanics


True InteractivityEnvironment Interaction


Glue BoyVisual Effects for Pepsi


GuinnessVisual Effects for Global Beer Brand


EuphoriaXbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3


s

© 2011


OuttakesLarge it, large it, large it


OuttakesDo The Elephant...


OuttakesPermission To Robot Dance... Granted


Emergent BehaviorDon’t stand so close to me


Inflection Point

CONSOLE QUALITY GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION, ON A MOBILE!

MULTIPLE GAMES MODES FOR A LONG-LASTING CHALLENGE + UNLOCKABLE EXTRAS!

FUN FOR EVERYONE. EASY TO PLAY… TRICKY TO MASTER! PLAY FOR 5 OR 50 MINUTES, IT JUST GETS BETTER!

One

Top 10 Worldwide


GAME FACTSKeyFeature

ReleaseDate

TargetAudience

Number Of Players

Existing Fan Base

Backbreaker already has over5.5 million users worldwide

Multiplayer will be added as a free update post launch

MalesAges 10-35

Available now. iOS and Android.

This time YOU tackle!


The proven arcade action formula that led to 6 million downloads of Backbreaker has been

adapted to another hard-hitting sport. It’s pure, distilled excitement as you pull off dekes

and spin-o-ramas on your way to slotting the puck in the top corner.

Taking advantage of the power available in the latest generation of smart

phones, Icebreaker will blow you away with effects such as player reflections,

self-shadowing and console quality lighting effects

Hard-hitting smashes – created with NaturalMotion’s

Endorphin™ simulation technology. High-end motion

capture data for fluid, responsive animations on the ice,

all procedurally blended with NaturalMotion’s

Morpheme™ – an Xbox 360/PS3 engine running on

iPhone!


®



Stats

Four consecutive Top 5 hits

>9 Million downloads

Biggest new sports IP on iOS

Backbreaker, Backbreaker 2, Icebreaker, Jenga


DefinitionsCasual vs Hardcore

cas-u-al [kazh-oo-uhl]:Simple rules and controls, easy to learn, short sessions,2D graphics

hard-core [hahrd-kohr]:

Complex rules and controls, challenging, long sessions,high-end 3D visuals


DefinitionsCasual vs Hardcore

2D graphics high-end 3D visuals

cas-u-al [kazh-oo-uhl]: hard-core [hahrd-kohr]:


Video GamesEver-Increasing Production Quality on Consoles

19851972 2010

Pong Super Mario Bros Gran Turismo 5

1996

Super Mario 64


Animated MoviesEver-Increasing Production Quality

19941937 1995 2003

Snow White Lion King Toy Story Finding Nemo

2001

Monsters Inc

1995


Animated MoviesFrom Lion King To Toy Story

19941937 2003

Snow White

Lion King Toy Story

Finding Nemo

2001

Monsters Inc

1995


The mainstream wants to be

wowed!


Performance ExplosionSmartphones and tablets

“It’s unquestionable that within a very short time, we’re going to have portable cell phones that are more powerful than the current-gen consoles.”John Carmack, id Software


Imagination TechnologiesPerformance Explosion


Mobile Overtaking Console (source: NVIDIA)Performance Explosion


Mass-Market AdoptionHigh-End Graphics Hardware Exploding

Adoption Rate

We’re only ~20% up the curve…

grap

hics

Source: Imagination Technologies


What does this mean for the mainstream games market?


New IPs on MobileMainstream

F2PPaid

2D

High-end


High-End GamesEconomics

Return On Investment

Infinity Blade*: Development cost: $2m App Store revenue: $11m+

ROI: >5x

NaturalMotion Games titles: ROI: >5x

* Source: Epic Games


Revenues and ROIPeople Pay For Quality

Production Value

ROIRevenue


Revenues and ROIWowing Billions Of People

Production Value

ROIRevenue


High-End GamesThe Mainstream Market is Shifting Fast

Make deliberate investments now:

Invest in production Invest in technology Invest in differentiated, high-quality content

Create compelling, rich experiences that engage a mainstream audience


Intuitive ControlsEngagement


Intuitive ControlsEngagement

+ =


No Gas – Just BrakingReal Racing


Less Is MoreControls


Control Iterations - Too Many ButtonsLessons From Backbreaker


Solution - Fewer ButtonsLessons From Backbreaker


Learning CurveToo Hard


Learning CurveJust Right


High Drop-Off in Level 4Learning Curve


How Do I Jump?Learning Curve


SolutionLearning Curve

Before

After


From Here...Learning Curve


To HereLearning Curve


Orientation and NavigationWhere Am I?


Infinity Blade - Touch, But Don’t LookNavigation


Realism and BelievabilityThe Uncanny Valley


Uncanny ValleyPolar Express


Uncanny Valley


Realism and BelievabilityThe Uncanny Valley


Mainstream Audiences Are More DemandingThe Uncanny Valley


Solution: Helmets and Masks!Uncanny Valley


Solution: Real ActorsUncanny Valley


Solution: StyliseUncanny Valley


Solution: Non-Human CharactersUncanny Valley



F2PPaid

2D

High-end


Freemium Now Dominant Business ModelPaid vs F2P



F2PPaid

2D

High-end

@torstenreil

www.naturalmotiongames.com

www.slideshare.com/naturalmotion

http://www.naturalmotiongames.com




torsten reil - casual connect keynote 2011

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