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At a glance
What it is
Free-to-play mobile game design covering F2P design patterns, retention mechanics, short session design, monetization models (IAP, ads, battle pass), mobile UX, onboarding flows, A/B testing, analytics-driven design, and live operations strategy.
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SKILL.md
562 lines · 3,031 words
Use this skill when:
The user is designing a free-to-play mobile game and needs F2P design patterns, retention mechanics, or session design
The user wants guidance on mobile monetization models (IAP, ads, battle pass, subscription)
The user needs help with mobile-specific UX, onboarding flows, or A/B testing strategies
Free-to-play mobile game design covering F2P design patterns, retention mechanics, short session design, monetization models (IAP, ads, battle pass), mobile UX, onboarding flows, A/B testing, analytics-driven design, and live operations strategy.
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Step 1
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“Create a bot that uses the Mobile Game Designer skill, and show me the plan first.”
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What it teaches a bot, what it covers, and the whole file to read.
What it covers
When to Use
Process
Questions to Ask First
F2P Design Patterns
Retention Mechanics
Session Design
Monetization Design
Mobile UX Design
Onboarding
A/B Testing and Analytics
Live Operations
Practice Exercises
Output Format
Example
Edge Cases
The user wants to plan live operations, content calendars, or analytics-driven design for a mobile title
The user needs KPI frameworks (retention, ARPDAU, LTV, CPI) for mobile game performance
Do NOT use this skill when:
The user is designing a PC or console game without mobile considerations (use video-game-designer instead)
The user needs virtual economy design across platforms (use game-economy-designer instead)
The user wants to build a game for a 48-hour jam rather than a live-service product (use game-jam-guide instead)
Gather requirements. Ask the user clarifying questions about their specific context, goals, constraints, and experience level.
Analyze the situation. Review the information provided and identify key factors, challenges, and opportunities relevant to mobile game designer.
Develop the framework. Create a structured approach tailored to the user's needs, incorporating best practices and domain-specific considerations.
Deliver actionable output. Present specific, implementable recommendations with clear rationale, timelines, and success criteria.
Address edge cases. Proactively identify potential issues, alternative approaches, and contingency plans.
Use this skill when:
User needs guidance on mobile game designer
User asks about mobile game designer best practices or techniques
User wants a structured approach to mobile game designer
Do NOT use this skill when:
A more specialized skill exists for the specific subtopic
The request is outside the scope of mobile game designer
Before designing any mobile game, clarify:
What is the core gameplay loop? (Match-3, idle, strategy, puzzle, action, simulation, narrative)
What is the monetization model? (IAP-primary, ad-supported, hybrid, premium, subscription)
Who is the target audience? (Casual, mid-core, hardcore, age range, geography)
What is the target session length? (1-3 minutes, 5-10 minutes, 15+ minutes)
What is the competitive landscape? (Direct competitors, market saturation)
What is the team and budget? (Solo, small studio, funded startup, large publisher)
What is the launch strategy? (Soft launch, global launch, early access)
What are the target KPIs? (Retention, ARPDAU, LTV, CPI targets)
MOBILE CORE LOOP STRUCTURE:
[Play Session] -> [Reward] -> [Progress] -> [Gate/Choice] -> [Return]
| | | | |
Gameplay Currency, Unlock, Energy, Push
action items, upgrade, timer, notification,
XP story paywall new content
DESIGNING FOR MOBILE:
- Each loop iteration should be completable in ONE session
- The reward should be immediate and visible
- Progress should feel meaningful even in 2-minute sessions
- Gates should create anticipation, not frustration
- Return triggers should be timely and relevant
THE META LOOP (Long-term):
Play -> Earn Resources -> Upgrade -> Unlock New Content ->
Face Harder Challenges -> Need More Resources -> Play
THE SESSION LOOP (Short-term):
Start Level -> Play -> Win/Lose -> Reward -> Choose Next Level
BOTH LOOPS must be satisfying independently.
The session loop for moment-to-moment fun.
The meta loop for long-term investment and retention.ENERGY / STAMINA SYSTEMS:
PURPOSE:
- Control session length (prevent binge and burnout)
- Create scarcity (make each play session feel valuable)
- Monetize through energy refills
- Regulate content consumption speed
DESIGN VARIABLES:
Energy cap: Maximum stored energy (typically 5-30 units)
Regen rate: Time to regenerate one unit (typically 5-30 minutes)
Cost per play: Energy consumed per attempt (1-5 units)
Full refill time: Time from empty to full (typically 2-8 hours)
BALANCING ENERGY:
Too generous: Players binge, exhaust content, and churn
Too restrictive: Players feel gated and frustrated
Sweet spot: 2-3 natural play sessions per day at 5-15 minutes each
ALTERNATIVES TO ENERGY:
- Lives (fail X times, wait or pay)
- Daily attempts (limited tries per day per mode)
- Ticket systems (earn tickets through various activities)
- Cooldown timers on specific features
- No energy (premium or ad-monetized games)
ETHICAL CONSIDERATION:
Energy systems that force multi-hour waits are
frustrating and can feel exploitative. Design energy
to pace enjoyment, not to create withdrawal symptoms.RETENTION BENCHMARKS (F2P mobile):
Day 1 (D1): Good: 40%+ Great: 50%+
Day 7 (D7): Good: 15%+ Great: 25%+
Day 30 (D30): Good: 5%+ Great: 10%+
D1 RETENTION (First Session):
The first session is EVERYTHING. If players don't return
after Day 1, nothing else matters.
DESIGN FOR D1:
- Instant gratification (fun within 30 seconds)
- Clear progression in first session
- End first session on a cliffhanger or anticipation
- Set up a reason to return (pending reward, next unlock, timer)
- Tutorial should teach by DOING, not by READING
D7 RETENTION (First Week):
Players have learned the basics. They need DEPTH.
DESIGN FOR D7:
- Unlock new features across the first week (drip content)
- Daily login rewards with escalating value
- Social features become available (guilds, friends, leaderboards)
- First "wall" that creates decision-making (spend, grind, or optimize)
- Events that create urgency (limited-time content)
D30 RETENTION (First Month):
Players who stay 30 days are potential long-term players.
DESIGN FOR D30:
- Meaningful progression visible (how far they've come)
- Community connections (leaving a guild is harder than leaving a game)
- Variety through game modes, events, updates
- Investment: collections, upgrades, customization they don't want to lose
- Regular new content (content cadence is critical)DAILY LOGIN REWARDS:
Day 1: Small reward (currency)
Day 2-6: Escalating rewards
Day 7: Major reward (rare item, premium currency)
THEN: Reset or continue with streak bonuses
Design: Never give the BEST reward early. Build anticipation.
DAILY QUESTS/MISSIONS:
3-5 tasks that can be completed in a single session.
"Win 3 matches" "Use skill X 5 times" "Collect 100 coins"
Purpose: Guide play behavior, ensure variety, provide goals.
Include an "auto-complete" option for monetization.
STREAKS:
Reward consecutive-day logins or activity.
Breaking a streak should feel like a loss (loss aversion).
But be careful: a broken 30-day streak can cause rage-quit.
Solution: Allow 1-2 "missed day" saves in the streak.
LIMITED-TIME EVENTS:
Seasonal or themed content with exclusive rewards.
Creates FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and urgency.
Duration: 3-14 days typically.
Must have its own mini-loop and rewards.
SOCIAL MECHANICS:
- Guilds/clans: Community creates commitment
- Gifting: Send and receive from friends
- Leaderboards: Competition drives engagement
- Cooperative challenges: Social obligation to contribute
- Friend systems: Import from contacts or social mediaDESIGNING FOR SHORT SESSIONS:
SESSION LENGTH TARGETS:
Hyper-casual: 1-3 minutes (infinite runner, simple puzzle)
Casual: 3-7 minutes (match-3, word games)
Mid-core: 7-15 minutes (strategy, RPG)
Hardcore: 15-30+ minutes (MOBA, battle royale)
SESSION STRUCTURE:
0:00 - Load and re-engage (show rewards earned while away, daily bonuses)
0:15 - Choose activity (play a level, do daily quest, manage resources)
0:30 - Core gameplay begins
X:00 - Session complete (clear reward summary, preview next goal)
End - Trigger for return (notification setup, pending timer, next reward)
DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
1. Instant start: 0-3 taps from app open to gameplay
2. Interruptible: Player can put phone down at any moment
3. Resumable: Game state is saved constantly
4. Completable: Each session has a natural endpoint
5. Progressive: Even short sessions should feel productive
6. Connected: Each session links to the next (breadcrumbs)
SAVE AND RESUME:
Mobile games MUST handle interruptions gracefully:
- Incoming calls, notifications, app switching
- Save state constantly (never rely on explicit save actions)
- Reconnect seamlessly after brief interruptions
- Handle long absences (away for days) with "welcome back" flowIAP TYPES:
CONSUMABLES (spent on use):
- Currency packs (gems, coins, crystals)
- Energy refills
- Power-ups and boosts
- Extra lives or attempts
Pricing: $0.99 - $99.99 (typical range)
NON-CONSUMABLES (permanent):
- Premium characters or skins
- Unlock features (no-ads, extra mode)
- Expansion content
Pricing: $1.99 - $29.99 (typical range)
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
- VIP pass (daily rewards, bonuses)
- Season pass / Battle pass
- Premium membership (enhanced features)
Pricing: $4.99 - $14.99/month (typical range)
IAP PRICING STRATEGY:
Starter pack: Best value, purchase once ($0.99-4.99)
Purpose: Convert free players to payers (break the seal)
Regular packs: Standard pricing tiers ($4.99-29.99)
Purpose: Ongoing monetization for engaged players
Whale packs: Premium bundles ($49.99-99.99)
Purpose: High-value option for dedicated spenders
THE 80/20 RULE (often more extreme):
~5% of players will spend money
~50% of revenue comes from ~1% of players ("whales")
Design must work for BOTH paying and non-paying players.
The game should be enjoyable without spending.AD TYPES:
REWARDED VIDEO ADS (Most player-friendly):
Player CHOOSES to watch a 15-30 second ad for a reward.
Example: "Watch ad for 2x rewards" / "Watch ad for extra life"
Revenue: $10-40 eCPM (varies by market)
Best practice: 3-5 rewarded ad views per session maximum
INTERSTITIAL ADS (Between natural breaks):
Full-screen ad between levels or sessions.
Revenue: $5-15 eCPM
Best practice: Never during gameplay. Only at natural breaks.
Maximum frequency: every 3-5 minutes of play
BANNER ADS (Always visible):
Small banner at screen edge during gameplay.
Revenue: $0.50-3 eCPM (low but constant)
Best practice: Only for hyper-casual games where volume is high
NATIVE ADS (Integrated into game UI):
Ads that look like game content.
Revenue: Varies widely
Best practice: Clearly labeled as ads. Never deceptive.
AD PLACEMENT PRINCIPLES:
1. Never interrupt gameplay flow
2. Rewarded ads should feel like a BONUS, not a requirement
3. Non-paying players should be ad-supported, not ad-punished
4. Ad frequency should not make the game unusable
5. Test ad placement impact on retention (too many ads = churn)
6. Give players the option to remove ads via IAPBATTLE PASS STRUCTURE:
FREE TRACK:
Available to all players. Provides moderate rewards at each tier.
Purpose: Show the system, create desire for premium track.
PREMIUM TRACK ($5-15 per season):
Unlocked via purchase. Better rewards at each tier.
Purpose: Primary recurring revenue source.
SEASON LENGTH: 4-8 weeks typically
TIERS: 30-100 tiers (completable with regular play)
DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
1. Free track must have genuine value (not just crumbs)
2. Premium rewards should be visible to free players (aspiration)
3. Completion should be achievable with regular play (not pay-to-complete)
4. Daily/weekly missions should provide most of the XP needed
5. Allow purchasing tiers for players who missed time (catch-up)
6. Exclusive content creates urgency (this skin is only available NOW)
BATTLE PASS ECONOMICS:
If the premium pass costs $10 and contains $30+ worth of items
(at regular store prices), it feels like a great deal.
This perception drives purchase rates.MOBILE-SPECIFIC UX PRINCIPLES:
TOUCH TARGETS:
Minimum 44x44 points (Apple HIG) / 48x48 dp (Android)
Fingers are imprecise. Buttons must be large enough.
ONE-HANDED PLAY:
Most mobile games are played with one hand (often thumb).
Place critical actions within thumb reach zones.
Test on actual devices, not just monitors.
VISUAL CLARITY:
- High contrast for outdoor visibility
- Clear iconography (recognizable at small sizes)
- Minimal text (read on a 6-inch screen in motion)
- Important information should be visible at a glance
NAVIGATION:
- Maximum 3 taps to reach any feature from the home screen
- Clear back/home buttons
- Bottom navigation bar for primary features (thumb accessible)
- Avoid deep menu hierarchies
- Show the player's current location in the UI at all times
PERFORMANCE:
- Load times under 5 seconds (every second loses players)
- Smooth 60fps gameplay
- Battery-conscious design
- Work on older devices (not just the latest flagship)
- Network-resilient (graceful offline/reconnect behavior)
NOTIFICATIONS:
- Meaningful notifications only (reward ready, event starting, friend request)
- Never spam (diminishing returns leads to notification mute)
- Respect quiet hours
- Allow granular notification control
- Optimal notification timing: 6-8 hours after last sessionTHE FIRST-TIME USER EXPERIENCE (FTUE):
PRINCIPLES:
1. PLAY FIRST, LEARN LATER: Let the player DO something fun
within the first 30 seconds before any tutorial
2. CONTEXTUAL TEACHING: Teach mechanics when the player
NEEDS them, not before
3. SHOW, DON'T TELL: Interactive tutorials > text popups
4. GRADUAL COMPLEXITY: Reveal features over time (progressive
disclosure), not all at once
5. LET PLAYERS SKIP: Experienced players should be able to
skip or speed through tutorials
ONBOARDING FLOW:
0:00 - App opens. Minimal loading (< 3 seconds ideally)
0:03 - Brief (5-second) brand/splash screen
0:08 - Immediate interactive gameplay (tutorial level)
0:30 - First success and reward (dopamine hit)
1:00 - Core loop experienced once completely
2:00 - Name/avatar creation (AFTER they're invested)
3:00 - Second core loop with slight complexity increase
5:00 - First session ends with clear next goal and reason to return
WHAT NOT TO DO:
- Long cutscenes before gameplay
- Text-heavy tutorial screens
- Requiring account creation before play
- Overwhelming the player with all features at once
- Forcing the player to read the rules before playing
- Pop-ups asking for permissions, ratings, or social connections
in the first sessionKEY METRICS (KPIs):
ACQUISITION:
CPI (Cost Per Install): What you pay per new user
Organic vs. Paid ratio: Healthy games have 30%+ organic
ENGAGEMENT:
DAU/MAU (Daily/Monthly Active Users): Overall engagement
Session length: Time per play session
Sessions per day: How often players return
D1/D7/D30 retention: % of players returning after N days
MONETIZATION:
ARPDAU: Average Revenue Per Daily Active User ($0.05-$0.50 typical)
ARPPU: Average Revenue Per Paying User ($5-50 per month typical)
Conversion rate: % of players who spend money (2-5% typical)
LTV: Lifetime Value of a player (total revenue over their lifetime)
LTV > CPI = profitable game
A/B TESTING FRAMEWORK:
1. HYPOTHESIS: "Changing X will improve Y by Z%"
2. CONTROL: Current version (A)
3. VARIANT: Modified version (B)
4. SAMPLE SIZE: Ensure statistical significance (thousands of users)
5. DURATION: Run for at least 7 days (account for weekday/weekend)
6. MEASUREMENT: Track primary and secondary metrics
7. ANALYSIS: Statistical significance test before declaring winner
WHAT TO A/B TEST:
- Onboarding flow variations
- Store pricing and bundle composition
- Ad placement and frequency
- Tutorial length and approach
- Push notification timing and messaging
- Difficulty curves
- Reward amounts and types
- UI layout and button placement
ANALYTICS TOOLS:
- Unity Analytics, GameAnalytics (free tier)
- Amplitude, Mixpanel (event tracking)
- Firebase Analytics (Google ecosystem)
- Adjust, AppsFlyer (attribution)LIVE OPS STRATEGY:
CONTENT CADENCE:
Daily: New daily quests, login reward cycle
Weekly: New challenges, leaderboard reset, mini-events
Monthly: New content drop (characters, levels, features)
Quarterly: Major updates, seasonal events, meta changes
Annually: Anniversary events, major milestones
EVENT DESIGN:
- Theme: Tied to real-world seasons/holidays or game lore
- Duration: 3-14 days (long enough to engage, short enough to create urgency)
- Unique mechanic: Something different from normal play
- Exclusive rewards: Available only during the event (FOMO)
- Leaderboard: Competitive element for engagement
- Progression: Clear milestones within the event
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT:
- Social media presence (daily/weekly posts)
- Community Discord or forum
- Regular developer updates (transparency builds trust)
- Respond to bug reports quickly
- Feature community content and player achievements
- Sneak peeks and teasers for upcoming content
GAME HEALTH MONITORING:
- Daily KPI dashboard review
- Retention trend monitoring
- Revenue trend monitoring
- Crash rate and performance monitoring
- Player sentiment analysis (reviews, social media)
- Competitive intelligence (what are competitors doing)Play 5 top-grossing mobile games for 30 minutes each. Map their core loop exactly. Identify what creates the desire to play "one more time."
Install 3 games you've never played. Record your first 5 minutes. Note every moment of delight or frustration. How quickly did you understand the core loop?
For a game concept, design 3 different monetization models (IAP-only, ad-only, hybrid). Estimate which would generate the most revenue and which would create the best player experience.
Design a Day 1, Day 7, and Day 30 retention strategy for your game. What specific design elements bring players back at each interval?
Design 3 A/B tests for a mobile game's onboarding. For each, state the hypothesis, control, variant, primary metric, and minimum sample size.
Design a complete 5-minute mobile session that includes: re-engagement, core gameplay, reward, progress visibility, and a hook for the next session.
Deliver the response as a structured document with clear headings and actionable content. Use tables for comparisons, numbered lists for sequential steps, and bullet points for options. Include specific examples where applicable.
[Mobile Game Designer deliverable]
1. Context and objectives
2. Analysis or framework
3. Specific recommendations with rationale
4. Action items with timelineInput: "Help me with mobile game designer for a mid-size project."
Output: A complete mobile game designer framework tailored to the specific context, with actionable steps, relevant considerations, and measurable outcomes.
Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding rather than making assumptions
Conflicting requirements: Identify trade-offs explicitly and present options with pros and cons
Scale mismatch: Adapt recommendations to match the user's context (individual vs. team vs. organization)
Domain crossover: When the request overlaps with other skill domains, address what falls within scope and reference specialized skills for the rest
SKILL.md
562 lines · 3,031 words
The text of SKILL.md is shown as it downloads, under the Apache-2.0 license, by Ferrox Labs. The license is the one in the file's own frontmatter.
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