First I want to say thanks to my group: Kian Boon, Dhiviya, and Boa for a good presentation. It was funny for 2 things: first, Boon was right to feel that we would present first and second, the presentation time limitation was almost ignored. Anyway, it’s not that important because I have seen a lot of things, maybe more than what I expected.
The first thing, as introduced, was the professional style of those come from outside Soc. They have brought a new awareness and a useful experience on the marketing work, which significantly affects the application’s live but usually underestimated by Soc citizens.
Second, I could see the diversity of applications developed on a social platform introduced in many aspects, some of which are in quite details. Let’s again take a look at the selected apps in my own view:
1. Elven Blood - 24k+ active users
Content: It is a old style game, what interesting it has is only the story which is wholely new written by the designer and good enough to once reach millione eyeballs. But because it’s the only point, people stop playing as the story was not extended.
Program aspect: I am just wondering how it handles a very large data transaction rate in such a very fast way. Is it the brilliant database implementation or powerful servers or any other technologies like advanced HTML as they (the Indian company) say??
Commercial: it earns money via advertisements. I was informed, but not impressed.
2. Whopper Sacrifice – 88K+
Idea: yeah, as our proffessor said, it’s really only a clever marketing campaign.
Implementation: The only thing new I am still figuring out how the app removed friends from the friends list. It sounds like a light thing, but really requires a certain smart level.
3. Graffity – 2.1M+
Idea: this must be simple is good. From the idea to user interface, it’s quite clean and has got just enough controls. But I believe the success comes because of its right strategy in people nature: people love drawing.
Implematation: again the data scalability issue. How they can store such huge data or retreive thoudsands, even millione records in some seconds, along with much many other transitions is still a mystery (to me). I believe it must be something high-tech.
4. Friends for sale 2.3M+
This kind of ideas is so evil, but really fun. It’s kind of doing what sounds fun but cannot be done in real life to friends. Just because of that, many people are using it now.
5. GEO challenge 3.7M+
Simple idea + good game design = good application
6. Pet Society 6M+
I am wondering the performace of MTV Cribs when many users log in at the place at once.
7. Causes 19M+
Its success seems to be no wonder. A community idea must be widely supported.
After all, as I am glad to see some sample success ideas for social apps. No matter how complicated, how evil, but the more suitable and practical it is, the more it becomes successful (sounds not very new)
The seminar also raises my awareness in many common issues when engineering an apps used by many people; and also many other things, such as Singaporean friends are the ones who can speak faster..
