|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
© 2003-2024 Morgan Vitale, Viverna.it |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
© 2003-2024 Morgan Vitale, Viverna.it |
About Me
Ciao!
|
2024-11-11
More about RWP
I love making games ... It has been a passion since elementary school, where I enjoyed crafting simple board games on paper and even made my first text adventure in GW-BASIC, a big thing in the '80s. When I was young, I didn't follow any method, nor did I want to. I'd just sit down and write whatever came to mind, just for the fun of it. It was incredibly satisfying but naturally the outcomes were amateurish. Starting in the summer of 2010, I took on the challenge of publishing games for mobile distribution platforms (first iOS, then Android). Wanting to create products for the public, I aimed to make the games more complete with deeper and more complex gameplay, and suddenly everything changed. The new products I started creating required, without exaggeration, more than ten times the time I used to spend when development was just a hobby. This led to the need for a structured prototyping phase. In this blog I've mentioned the concept of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) several times, but I've never delved into the existing methodologies for implementing it. There are many different life cycles in project management that cater to diverse needs, mainly driven by delivery frequency and the initial understanding of the scope. Based on my personal experience I find iterative cycles to be the most effective for MVPs, and particularly the Rolling Wave approach. Oversimplification: It is a method where you plan a project in stages, adding more details wave after wave. When designing gameplay on paper, it's hard to know if the final outcome will be enjoyable or if the idea is worth developing. The golden rule is to have a working prototype ready within a MAXIMUM of 3 weeks, regardless of the final product's size. It's clear, then, that an RWP approach is perfect for connecting a series of MVPs, creating and testing one core gameplay element after another, and deciding at the end of each wave if the game will be successful and ultimately if it's worth pursuing further. FUN FACT: So far I've published 14 games on the store along with a couple of experimental projects, but the number of gameplay concepts and prototypes I've created is far beyond 50. The key question is how to decide which game to discard and which one to pursue; well, it depends on the underlying reasons. If this were a client project, I'd conduct a risk assessment, forecast monetization potential, and set preliminary KPIs. However, since it's a personal initiative driven by passion, I'm choosing to set rationality aside and trust my instincts. It's easy to get captivated by a business case right after drafting it, but if I'm still passionate about it after three weeks of intense prototyping (at least 100 hours of work), that's a clear sign the project is worth pursuing. During last summer, I was really tempted to make a sequel to Pizza Puzzle, but I concluded that those mechanics no longer work the same way, as the mobile game trend has moved in a different direction. A few weeks ago, I "fell in love" with a new idea. I created detailed documentation and, as often happens, the more I wrote the more insights I gained. It was this that led me to revisit my blog and write this article to share the new project. I finished the first wave just yesterday, and the MVP that came out of it is exciting. I've decided to conduct this prototyping with 4 waves, which means that if each iteration gets the green light, by January 2025, I'll be able to announce if this will be the next game I release. In line with planning this new project, I've decided to experiment with a new article format for the blog: instead of short one-minute reads, I'd like to make it more in the traditional style of a development blog with longer posts. I'll share more soon. In the meantime, if you're interested in being added to the list of first alpha testers, feel free to message me privately. |
2024-06-16
My legacy games
Coming up with a name is tough, finding a great one is even tougher... and if it's for a commercial product, it turns into a real ordeal! As always the first thing to consider is the target audience; you need a name that's understandable and ideally sparks curiosity. It should sound good when said aloud and, of course, be easy to remember. Then there's a big debate between two schools of thought: those who prefer to create new fanciful names, and those like me who think that a name should be the shortest possible summary and instantly convey what it's all about. In 2011, I released my second mobile video game called "Pizza Puzzle" and even years later I still think the name was perfect; it involved a match-3 concept where players gathered ingredients to create pizzas!
Fun Fact: Do you know why are Pearl Jam called that? |
|
2024-04-09
In every programmer's life, there's a recurring question constantly asked by pals and acquaintances: "I have a brilliant idea for an app, but please, promise not to steal it if I tell you!"
Typically, the level of concern is inversely proportional to the person's computer skills At first glance, one might be inclined to respond, "It depends on your business," right? Wrong! The mind-blowing answer is "both at the same time!" While it's obviously essential to keep certain mechanics that would benefit your competitors secret, it's equally crucial to slowly cook your audience, building up the hype and interest. A treasure hunt, where clues are revealed and shown little by little until reaching the finish line: the product release.
Could this article be the first clue of a new treasure hunt? |
|
Viverna Social Club
|
2024-03-22
My certifications
Among professionals, certifications are extremely important, in my opinion even more so than academic degrees. Once you step out of the realm of amateurism, simply knowing about a subject is no longer sufficient; you need to master the best practices within that field. It's self-evident that the prestige of a certification is inherently tied to the prestige of the certifying body. In my sector, the absolute pinnacle of excellence on a global scale is represented by the Project Management Institute. One of the perks extended to members within the organization is the access to a generative artificial intelligence known as "PMI Infinity." This GenAI has undergone training incorporating all pertinent information and documents related to the field, resulting in remarkably precise output.
I then asked Infinity to provide me with the list of the primary PMI certifications ordered by difficulty in obtaining them.
Wanna see the response? |
2024-03-02
Watch some Shorts
Generational gaps are a thing, despite having a dynamic mindset.
Look at me: an early Millennial born in 1981.
TV broadcasting was totally aimed at a boomer crowd, Blockbuster home videos targeted Gen X,
and video on demand was clearly meant for me and my peers. And then came the social media video shorts...
When I first saw them I thought they were a stretch, like a video version of tweets, but the truth is I was wrong.
And it took me months to get it. Only now, since I've started using them, I do realize how powerful they are. Communication has become lightning fast: information needs to be bite-sized. I need to thoroughly explore this format even in my Zero Player Project on the Viverna Marble Run video series! |
|
2024-02-23
Watch now on Youtube
For regulars of my blog, you should know by now: my expertise lies mainly in the technical and managerial realms,
but if there's one thing that truly captivates me, it's design; Every designer's forbidden dream is to be so influential that any idea they sketch becomes trending. Unfortunately, in reality, we're faced with the harsh truth that what really matters is what resonates with your target audience, not just with you. Understanding preferences isn't an exact science, and we've got a handy technique called AB Testing to help us out. Simply put, we compare two versions (A and B) with a control group (such as different game modes in my recent videos) to see which achieves better results, like gaining subscribers or increasing average view time.
Based on my last 3 videos, can you tell what I've AB-Tested? |
|
... and I've always loved it, like, forever.
,
but this article isn't about teasing my friends; it's about the immediate consideration that follows:
is it wiser to keep a project under wraps or disclose it to as many people as possible?
There are certain formats of media aimed at Gen Z that I really struggle to get on board with.
