#smash borders

Bandai Namco Entertainment is a big name game development company that has created many hits from original IPs like 'Taiko no Tatsujin' and 'Idolmaster', to games based on popular anime that everyone knows. This time, I have asked some Bandai Namco producers on the hidden side of the smash hit that is the action game app 'World Trigger Smash Borders' which has reached 5 million downloads.

Q: First, when did the planning for a game app for World Trigger start?

Hashimoto: The project was started in April 2014, and it was decided that an anime would start broadcasting from Autumn of that year. It was decided that our company will develop a game based on World Trigger, and the project continued with two games being developed: a console game for PS Vita, and an app game for smartphones. Since the outcome of battles depicted within the original story are dependent on the strategies of specific positions like Attacker or Gunner, and since there are many characters introduced, it was believed that there was a high affinity between World Trigger and games.

Q: So merely half a year after the manga started serialising and it was being considered for being made into a game.

Hashimoto: Yes. As the decision to develop it for Smartphones was made, we wanted it to be easily controlled by anyone, but still include elements of an advanced strategy game. The concept was to add elements that allowed for one to grow one's own town by adding buildings around the Border HQ from the original story, in conjunction with racking up combos and dealing heavy damage during battle by pushing the enemy into those buildings.

Q: Was there hardship or points you had to overcome as the project progressed?

Hashimoto: World Trigger is of course popular with men, but also with women, and it's important that we remain aware of the female customers of the game and targeted a wide group. When we proposed the concept of 'action' x 'town building' to the rights holder, we received the advice that it might be a bit difficult as a game that is meant to be played by a wide group of people including women, and had to do a lot of figuring out. By making the UI more easy to understand, and making the controls for attacking as easy as possible, we continued the development while staying aware of how to make it as approachable for a wide group of people as possible without changing the original concept.

Q: According to the App Ape Analytics data, we can see that the biggest user group are women in their 20s and that the game is successful in the acquisition of fans of the original manga. Was there anything done in particular to acquire these female users?

Hashimoto: Knowing that there is a trend of female customers considering dressing up characters and the relations between characters to be very important, we decided to implement a dressing up feature. Not knowing how the customers will react until afterwards, we were very worried whether they would accept it.

Q: And how do the users evaluate the dress-up feature?

Hashimoto: Images of dressing up the characters were spread across social media platforms like Twitter and we were very surprised by such an unexpected response. Even now, when we tweet about new outfits, the RT numbers are huge and it really brings home the high affinity between dressup features and social media platforms like Twitter.

Q: What kind of outfits received big responses?

Hashimoto: From the recent ones, the Halloween outfits were very popular. Last year we had outfits that had a pumpkin covering the head, but this year the outfits were based on bat witches and werewolves and they were widely received by customers. It was even mentioned in a Halloween Feature by Google Play Store.

Q: It even had a sudden rise in the Google Play Store ranking about a week before Halloween.

Takeuchi: The designs were well received was one part of it, but I think the fact that the ears and scarf etc. were easy to match with other outfits was also one of the reasons.

Q: Actually playing the game, I felt it had a good balance. With strategy and improving your technique, you could keep playing without needing to pay. Was there anything you focused on in regards to the balance of the game?

Hashimoto: We have implemented third party reviews since before the release of the game. We had to push back the release of the game to fix the various problems found due to that, but to good effect we believe. Even now, they analyse and let us know where we are losing customers and what is well received by customers.

Q: The game has a high affinity with Twitter, but were there any functions that were added due to the users' wishes?

Hashimoto: There is a function called 'Expeditions', and the stamina needed for it was 3. It used to take 30 minutes to restore 1 stamina, but we extended that to 90 minutes.

Q: There are often cases of shortening the restoration time to increase the frequency of play, but were you not afraid that users would leave if you extend the restoration time?

Hashimoto: We thought that, because there are many light users among our customers, strengthening the elements that made one stick to the game all the time would make the customers leave instead. Considering the balance between the characteristic of the customers and the contents of the game, we judged that extending the restoration time would instead allow them to play longer.

We also increased the storage capacity of items after receiving comments that they fill up too quickly, and added more voiced characters besides just Kuga Yuuma after hearing the wishes of more voices from customers.

Q: It seems that a lot of users drop out at the tutorial stage because strategy games are usually so complex, was there anything you had to do in particular to keep users attached?

Takeuchi: A lot of trial and error. It is important to quantify data that can't be picked up just from listening to customers, like where they're having difficulty advancing, then fixing minor areas while keeping track of the response, then fixing more issues, and over and over again.

We also do our best to guide the customers towards feeling exhilaration from the game. For instance, this game has a component where pushing enemies within the town racks up combos and increases damage, but there is a big difference in the length of time a customer plays the game between those who have experienced the fun of racking up combos well and those who haven't. So we have maps that set up combos, include elements from the original story, all to make customers more interested in the game.

Q: Is there any difficulty due to basing on an anime?

Hashimoto: Our company have many titles that are based on popular works, so there is no difficulty. The development team loves the original story too, and I am often surprised by how amazing their love is just from where their focus is.

Takeuchi: The foundation is that all the staff love the work. We want the game to be impetus for customers to love this work even more. Even a single announcement banner is filled with the hopes of the staff that the customers will enjoy this. And the banners do get talked about online, so we are glad that the staff's feelings are reaching the customers.

Q: Are there any events being scheduled for the end of the year?

Hashimoto: We have several ideas such as new clothes and characters. From 28th December to 5th January is the PR outfits, and from 1st January to 9th January are the Hatsumoude kimono outfits. Also, currently there are 2 characters at the highest rarity of 7 stars, but in the beginning of the year we plan to release another one.

Takeuchi: The character combo for this 7 star is very interesting. Please look forward to it.

After the interview

I tried playing World Trigger Smash Borders again after the interview while on the train, and I could feel the staff's love at every turn. It made me want to reread the original manga and rewatch the anime.

I would love for everyone to play this game that is so filled with the love of the staff, including Mr. Hashimoto and Mr Takeuchi, for the oriignal work.

Man, that was longer than I thought it’d be. And very nostalgic. Time to go fire up the app and play with the Agent Register I guess...