Devices: 99% of existing smartphones
Description
- 5 mobile games with Hops in the lead role
- over 100 pieces of clothing
- 30 stories in augmented reality
- over 50 game quests
- the online battle between players
- rewards and levels system
- 30+ hours of game content
This is by no means a complete list of what we have implemented in this project.
The Start
When our marketing strategy partners announced a tender for the Hops project, we were determined to win.
The project was already launched. Hops were gaining popularity among children, and yogurt sales were growing, thanks to bright characters and a powerful advertising campaign.
We started our research: gathering throughout information about Hopses, testing existing applications, identifying weaknesses and strengths.
After weeks of work, daily brainstorms, three completely changed concepts, we finally formed a global idea of what to give to children, and how it should look like.
Tender
Participation in a tender - it is always a complex, nervous process. Especially when it comes to the leaders of dairy production in Ukraine. Hundreds were willing to offer their services. After the technical selection, there were dozens of top companies to create an augmented reality.
Our company was only two years then, and we could not boast of a hundred cases behind our shoulders. However, we had a strong desire to create a cool product.
The tender consisted of many rounds. Our ideas were examined with a microscope at every stage. Each assumption should have been proved, and our previous projects were checked by the security service of the corporation. After several months of preparation, hard work, and negotiations, we received the answer - you have been selected as the winner of the tender.
The Work
On the very moment of victory, long working days began, filled with even more brainstorming, research, and nerves. We were faced with the task of proving our professionalism and meeting customer’s expectations. We began to interview children, raise hundreds of studies on audience retention, to test game mechanics, and to look for optimal solutions.
3D characters
We received the 3D models of heroes and started working on their improvement. Our task was to achieve the maximum possible quality while maintaining the optimal number of polygons. So that mobile devices do not turn off due to lack of RAM and heroes looked as much good as on tv advertisements.
Hub
Another area was the creating home for Hopses - in the form of a Tree. The Hops house was already flickering in advertising, but it had to be developed for the mobile application in 3D, considering new games and functionality.
Games
Each Hops represents a unique personality with its ideas, thoughts, character, and worldview. Having analyzed each hero, we have developed games that best fit the character of Hopses. The peculiarity of the solution was in the balance among the game content for each hero. Despite the significant difference in gaming styles, we had to average the effort and time in the games. To play for every Hops was equally interesting and profitable.
Fruit
After a successful game, users receive fruit, which can then be mixed into yogurt by recipes. There are easy, moderate, and difficult recipes.
Depending on the recipe, users get an ordinary, a rare, or even a legendary loot box.
Loot boxes, clothes
Loot boxes are the chests hiding clothing for the Hopses. In total, the game has 101 clothes. Each item gives unique bonuses for the game. Lootboxes can be obtained both by mixing yogurts and by getting each new level of the characters.
The game between players
To increase engagement, we have introduced battles between players based on experience, Hops’ level of development, character clothing, and the number of yogurts. Anyone can challenge another player to a duel and fight with him in a fair fight. The winner is the one who is better prepared for the fight and dressed his players in better clothes.
Augmented reality
The technology of augmented reality is used in the project as a WoW effect and a tool to increase product sales.
To open a lootbox, the user must point the phone camera at the yogurt label. So, the more yogurts user bought, the more lootboxes he can open.
Also, in augmented reality, users can fight with other players, posing their own and the opponent’s Hopses. With that, the User can choose an opponent and evaluate one’s chances of winning, as he could see who has more clothing. To get a reward for the victory, the user also has to point his phone camera at the yogurt.
Moreover, users can see the house of Hops and Hops themselves in augmented reality by placing them in any real location.
Stories in augmented reality
Once the player reaches level 10 for each Hops, he can view fascinating stories in augmented reality and learn a lot about the world around him in a gaming and interesting form.
Statistics
The application keeps track of a huge number of statistics to reveal the interest of users, determine their motives, desires, choose the stories that they like most of all. This allows for planning new marketing activities based on real figures.
