Martin.L - HOME ASSIGNMENT
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Investigation and new feature concept:
1. Competitive Investigation (CI)
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​Target Competitor: Solitaire Farm Adventure (ME2ZEN GAMES)
To inform this new feature, I analyzed how direct competitors handle player retention and farm meta-games. Key takeaways to embrace:
Deeper Meta-Game Integration: In the competitor's game, the farm is central to progression. Each level unlocks different parts of the farm and yields specific crops (corn, carrots), creating anticipation. Opportunity for Grand Harvest: Currently, Grand Harvest's farm feels more like a background element. We can better connect the core solitaire loop to the farm theme by introducing character-driven mechanics.
Time-Limited Urgency: Competitors utilize time-bound boosters to force immediate engagement. This is a powerful driver for extending session length.
Dynamic Narrative Events: The use of urgent side-scenarios (e.g., "put out the fire") breaks up the repetitive core loop and gives players a short-term, high-intensity goal.
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​​2. Feature Definition: "Chompy's Rescue Streak"
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I designed a feature that combines a win streak with a time-limited narrative event. The reward is Chompy the Dog, who acts as a Wild Card (Joker) to help players complete sequences.
Core Mechanics & Rules:
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The Time-Pressure: The Chompy streak event is triggered as a 20-minute limited-time mission.
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The Streak Advantage: * Win 1 level $\rightarrow$ Start the next level with 1 Chompy Wild Card.
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Cards stack up to a maximum of 5.
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UI placement: The cards appear coherently on the game board, stacked slightly offset. Using the top card reveals the next one underneath.
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Streak Loss (Monetization Hook 1): If the player loses a level, they lose the Chompy streak completely, even if time remains on the clock. To save the streak and keep the Chompy cards, the player must pay a premium currency (Coin) fee.
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Time Expiration (Monetization Hook 2): If the 20-minute timer runs out before the mission is complete, the player can spend Coins to buy an additional 20 minutes. Otherwise, the event ends and progress is lost.
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3. Wireframe UX Flow & Edge Cases
Below is the mapped flow for the "Help Chompy: Rabbit Invasion!" event.
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Screen 1: The Event Trigger (Hook)
Visual: A pop-up interrupts the map screen. "Oh no! The rabbits escaped and are eating the carrots! Help Chompy catch them!"
UX: A bold 20:00 countdown timer starts. The CTA button says "Play Level 1" indicating the player starts with 1 Chompy Card.
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Screen 2: Post-Win Interstitial
Visual: Player wins the level. A dynamic update screen appears showing progress.
UX: Text updates to maintain urgency: "Hurry! You have 16:00 minutes and 4 levels left!"
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Edge Case A: The Player Loses a Level (Streak Broken)
UX: A "Save the Streak" modal appears with a sad Chompy.
Action: The player is forced to choose: "Spend 500 Coins to Keep Chompy" (Primary CTA) or "Give Up" (Secondary CTA).
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Edge Case B: Time Expires
UX: A "Time's Up!" modal interrupts the flow.
Action: The player can "Buy +20 Minutes" with coins or end the mission, losing the streak.
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Screen 3: Mission Complete (Victory & Reward)
Visual: Player finishes the 5th level within the time limit. Celebration animation
UX: The player is rewarded with a Coin payout AND a fully maxed streak (5 Chompy Cards) that lasts for another 20 minutes, incentivizing them to keep playing standard levels.
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Screen 4: Social Share Prompt
UX: A pop-up offering bonus coins if the player shares their "Rescue Mission Success" with friends or their in-game club, acting as a viral acquisition loop.
4. Rationale: Why this solution?
I chose this dual-pressure system (Win Streak + Time Limit) because it directly targets player retention and monetization. By introducing a cute, thematic character (Chompy), players build an emotional attachment to the reward. When they are at level 4 of 5, with only 3 minutes left on the clock, the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) peaks. They are highly likely to spend real money or hoarded coins to buy power-ups or time extensions rather than lose their hard-earned 4-card advantage.
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Alternative Monetisation ( AI Acistentens )
Prompt : Help me polish the next answer
context : I want to add 2 alternative monetizations concepts
Answer:
Concept A: When a user finishes a mission with Chompy the app offers to "take a selfie" with Chompy with a graphic background of the mission you finished. user share the photo on social media and
recompensed in coins
Concept B: Focus more on the farm , specialty on the building progress, not enough to finish a label , you need to wait till the structure that represents the label is ready , if the structure is not ready you can not continue to the next label …. You can wait or play missions to earn coins and pay to make the time shorter and finish the building so users can continue the game.
In this case is important also to make new layers stories and add more features to the game so the user feels the need to discover what's new on the next level
Gemini Output:
Alternative Monetization & Engagement Concepts
Concept A: Incentivized Social Sharing ("Chompy Snapshot")
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The Mechanic: Upon successfully completing a Chompy Rescue Mission, the app prompts the player to take a virtual "selfie" or commemorative photo with Chompy, featuring a custom graphic background unique to the completed event.
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The Hook: Players are rewarded with premium currency (Coins) for sharing this milestone on social media platforms.
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The Value: This acts as a viral acquisition loop, driving organic brand awareness and new user installs, while simultaneously giving active players a rewarding way to earn coins.
Concept B: Time-Gated Meta Progression & Economy Sinks
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The Mechanic: Shift the focus deeper into the farm-building meta-game by introducing time-gated construction. Completing a level initiates the building of a specific farm structure, but the player is temporarily blocked from playing the next main level until that construction is complete.
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The Hook: Players can either wait out the timer or spend Coins to "Skip Timer" and instantly finish the building. To keep players in the app while they wait, they can play Chompy side-missions to earn the coins needed to bypass the construction times.
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The Value: This creates a powerful new "coin sink" (a way to drain the player's currency, encouraging future purchases). Note: For this to work effectively, it is crucial to enrich the narrative layers and introduce distinct new visual features per level. The player must feel a strong sense of anticipation to discover what comes next, making the time-skip purchase highly desirable.
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UI Design ( AI )
make a design upon the first image ( its a wire frame reference ) keep layout sizes text etc but redesign in like a game , use the dog image and the background , change the armors with rabbits and the silhouette of the armors with silhouette of rabbits
use the first image as reference same image size same internal layout just redesign the elements inside as i asked make the the text board background darker and 80% alpha transparency ( so we can see a little thru the pane , like glass )
make the clock more alive ( no stone ) more realistic
make the silhouette of the rabbits visible ( lighter color )
play button green
x button red the x white
2 chompy cards same color
15 min 4 levels red
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Image and Video ( unmute video for max fun) :
