11. Takeaways for Our Game

Gameplay Design

One fantasy, many "makers". The core loop stays fixed (order → make → rate → coins), and variety comes from how the case is made. Each maker is a separate satisfying mini-game. This is a cheap way to add content. → 02
A special customer every 3 levels (VIP) keeps attention up without raising difficulty. → 03
No fail state. For a "satisfying" genre, fewer stars is enough of a penalty. → 04
The endgame is clamped at Day 25, and rewards stop growing. For our game, plan a content loop or events for after the main content runs out. → 04

Linear rewards + calculated sinks. Rewards rise +4 coins per customer, and the total studio price (33.4k) is set at about 77% of 25 days of income. Use simple formulas that are easy to tune in a spreadsheet. → 05
Three unlock paths (days, VIPs, chests) give every type of activity its own unique rewards. → 05
Gacha with a rising price (+200/roll) is an unlimited sink that feels fair because players never get duplicates. → 06

RV items interleaved with coin items in the shop make ads look like a natural shortcut. → 05
Many ad slots in the client, frequency set by the server. Put interstitial hooks at every transition, then control pacing remotely. More flexible for A/B than hardcoded cooldowns. → 07
Different RV multipliers per context (normal ×2, VIP ×4, auction ×2 + best offer) make ads most "worth it" at special moments. → 07

An action-based bot leaderboard gives a sense of competition without a multiplayer backend, while steering behavior (more points for new makers). → 09
A linear fake leaderboard (50 points = 1 rank, reward every 10 ranks) is the cheapest progression system that still feels social. → 09
All numbers in CSV tables + remote flags, so designers can A/B pacing without a new release. → 08

⚠️ Avoid third-party IP. This game uses "Among-us" and "StarBucks" shapes. Our game should use original designs instead.