線上遊戲之設計策略

Abstract

線上遊戲的設計複雜，遊戲廠商須面臨如何設計屬性值、如何定價以及如何更新遊戲屬性的抉擇。因此，在本篇論文中，我們提出兩個模型來協助遊戲廠商設計線上遊戲的最佳的屬性值，以及如何更新這些屬性值來保留住玩家。在模型中，我們建立了價格、成本、成本彈性、機會比率與線上遊戲屬性之間的關係式，透過所建立的關係式，我們分析放寬屬性最大值限制的條件、設計過度和設計不足的範圍、更新遊戲時如何讓價格或成本降低、更新遊戲時屬性互相補貼的效應。分析結果亦顯示屬性更新具有連動關係，一個屬性的更新會影響到其它屬性，它們亦必須進行更新改善。本研究成果可以提供線上遊戲廠商，在遊戲設計上一些有價值的見解，並且幫助他們擬定最佳的遊戲更新策略，以保留住遊戲玩家。

The complexity of designing an online game has posed many challenges in game development process. Therefore, in this thesis, we propose two models to help game companies design the attributes of their online games, and improve these attributes to retain players. Our models establish a relationship between optimal price, cost elasticities and opportunity costs of these attributes for an online game, and then derive conditions under which these attributes obtain their maximum possible values. By the relationship established and conditions derived, we examine why a game company might relax nonbinding constraints on these attributes, when the attributes are underdesigned and overdesigned, when cost and price cuts might be accompanied with attribute improvements, and how a game company might be able to cross-subsidize attribute improvements. In addition, our analysis shows that there exists a chain effect on attribute design where the improvement in an attribute may lead to the improvements of the others. Our analytical results can provide some valuable insights of game design and help game companies retain players through improving attributes associated with their games.