Web and Mobile Apps for Automated Gaming Analytics to Drive Better Player Experience

Summary

A video game publisher needed a system to gather data about players' interests and gaming behavior and to provide a maintenance portal for new games and game features. INNERLUXES built a cross-platform gaming analytics platform — a scalable, virtualized Java backend, a firewalled admin panel for content and statistics management, and a client-API/web user area — that lets players carry achievements and unlockables across game titles and platforms while the publisher gathers player insights.

About the Client

The Client is an independent producer and marketer of digital entertainment products and accessories in Europe and North America. Its business areas include the distribution of media products — movies, video games, and software — as well as game publishing.

The Challenge

As a video game publisher, the Client needed a solution to gather data about users' interests and gaming behavior and to provide a maintenance portal for new games and game features. The Client came to INNERLUXES to develop a gaming system that could collect information about players, including their purchased products and gaming progress.

The Solution

Taking the Client's requirements into account, INNERLUXES organized the system structure as follows:

• An end-user-invisible server backend, located in a virtualized environment, designed to be scalable for a possible increase in the project's distribution.
• A frontend divided into two main parts — the user area and the admin panel. The admin panel is a maintenance platform for the Client's employees, with access restricted by firewall rules. It has an enriched function set for easy manipulation of stored data, the ability to add new content and integrate new titles, and methods to retrieve statistical evaluations of the collected data and to maintain or expand the system.
• A user area accessible from any platform via a client API or via HTTPS from any web browser. The API provides functionality to submit and receive special game features, while the user frontend offers a limited set of actions such as login, changing password, resending verification email, and deleting an account.

One of the most important characteristics is the cross-platform design, which enables operation on different platforms and lets players use their achievements and unlockables (special items, bonus levels, trophies) across various game titles and platforms.

The Results

• The Client received a well-organized gaming platform meeting all its requirements, within the planned cost and deadline.
• The platform lets the company provide better content that fits gamers' desires and improves their experience.
• After evaluating the platform's features and advantages, gamers were encouraged to purchase different game titles and participate in marketing campaigns.

Technologies and Tools

Backend: Java, JPA, Hibernate, Spring (MVC, IoC, Data, Security), Jersey (JAX-RS), JavaMail API, JUnit, JMeter.

Frontend: JavaScript (Backbone.js, Underscore.js, jQuery, Require.js), HTML, CSS, JSP.

Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, Windows, Android, Windows Phone, iOS.