Design development for NFT games

NFT are non-fungible tokens that are presented as unique collectibles on the blockchain. They are widely used in the gamedev industry, and can act as individual characters, equipment items, digital real estate, and any other assets.

The peculiarity of NFTs is that they cannot be substituted. For example, one BTC can replace another with absolutely equal value, but identical NFTs simply do not exist. Even if the token was issued in multiple instances, the metadata of each of them will be different.

Recently, games with NFT have become a real boom in game development, and are in great demand among the players. This is largely due to the fact that such projects work according to the Play-to-Earn model, which translates as “Play to earn”. This means that they give gamers the opportunity to monetize their hobby by farming in-game assets, which can then be sold and withdrawn from the system in the form of real money.

Speaking in numbers, in 2021 alone, the total volume of trading in non-fungible tokens amounted to $4.5 billion. This success made even major publishers such as Ubisoft, EA and Epic Games think about the implementation of NFT.

Today, the gaming industry is oversaturated with a wide variety of projects in different genres, and gamers have a wide choice of what exactly to install on their device. In the face of such competition, it is important that the game offers players a unique gameplay, thought out to the smallest detail, new game mechanics and be interesting for the user at all stages of the passage. This is precisely the main area of ​​responsibility of a game designer.

• Development of the idea of ​​a future game and gameplay.
• Experiment with themes and genres to determine the most appropriate format.
• Development of plots and storylines.
• Character development design.

• Level design – development of maps, locations and difficulty levels.
• Thinking of ways to win and lose the game.
• Development of the user interface concept.
• Working to keep gamers constantly interested in the gameplay – for months and whole years.

NFT games are somewhat different from traditional game projects, so when designing their design, a specialist needs to take into account many additional factors.

For example, NFT games are often used by gamers not only for entertainment, but also for real money. Therefore, the game designer must harmoniously integrate this feature into the gameplay.

The presence of “hooks”

Each game should have its own, unique features that distinguish it from hundreds of similar projects. Their main task is to capture the user’s attention from the first minutes, involve them in the game process, and maintain interest in the project for a long time.

Such “hooks” can be:

• plot;
• visual design;
• unique game mechanics;
• the nature and style of the characters.

Often such nuances are worked out at the first stages, after which they are taken into account during the entire development process.

Simplicity of the interface

Probably each of us had to deal with projects in which the internal interface is so complex and illogical that it is more difficult to deal with it than to learn how to program yourself. For games, this topic is especially important, because, after all, a person comes here to have a good time.

In addition, given the emerging competition in the field of NFT games, there is a high probability that a gamer will abandon a project that is incomprehensible to himself, and there will be no replacement for him quickly.

Sound design

Sound effects and musical accompaniment help the player quickly immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the gameplay, and help him quickly navigate the game space. Appearing at the right moment, the sounds tell a person that he is doing everything right, and what he should do in this or that situation.

Competent sound design can become one of the same “hooks” that help attract and retain users in the project.

Gameplay balancing

Optimal level difficulty, balanced weapon damage and armor durability, sufficiently strong NPCs – all this forms the gamer’s impression of the gameplay. One of the main tasks of a game designer in this regard is to make each user feel comfortable in the game world.

It is worth saying that some AAA projects use gameplay balancing as one of the tools for retaining players. Thus, the virtual world ceases to seem monotonous and one gets the impression that it lives its own life and plays with new colors every time.

Optimal amount of entertainment

Despite the fact that gamers in most cases consider NFT games as a tool for making money, do not forget that the project is still a game. Therefore, there should be room for various intriguing stories, unexpected plot twists and humor, if appropriate. This significantly increases user engagement, and therefore makes the project more successful and popular.

NFT games have become a real boom in the game development industry, and have provided gamers with the opportunity to earn direct income from their entertainment. Despite the relative youth of this direction, serious competition has already formed here, so in order for a new project to become in demand and popular, it is important to correctly work out its game design.

If you decide to create your own NFT game that thousands of people around the world can play, we invite you to AVADA-MEDIA. Our specialists have real experience in creating and launching such projects, and will help you to realize the idea of any complexity.