Game telemetry is vital to game development and research in today’s dynamic gaming world. Telemetry is derived from two Greek words, “tele” and “metron”, which mean “measure” and “remote”. It refers to remote monitoring and measuring different parameters within a video game. This data-driven, comprehensive approach has revolutionized how game developers and researchers analyze player behavior, optimize gameplay mechanics, and make strategic decisions.
The Evolution of Game Telemetry
The first data transmission circuits were created in the early 19th century. Telemetry evolved to encompass a variety of technologies that allow remote data collection and transmission. Game telemetry is a powerful tool for the gaming industry. It allows developers to gain valuable insights about player interaction, game performance, and user engagement.
The Emergence of User Telemetry
User telemetry, also known as game telemetry, is one of the most essential applications of game data. These data include a wide range of information, including player movement, in-game action, purchasing behaviors, and interactions with game elements or other players. Developers can send this data by embedding code in the game client, which will provide a comprehensive understanding of the player’s experience.
Telemetry in Online Multiplayer Games
The rise of multiplayer online games has highlighted the importance of telemetry. These environments collect data directly from the game servers. This allows developers to monitor server performance, track player interactions, and analyze the health of the entire gaming ecosystem. These data are invaluable in identifying and solving issues, optimizing game mechanics, and improving player experience.
Naming Conventions and Operationalization
It can be confusing to use the terminology in-game telemetry since different research fields and disciplines have different naming conventions. Understanding the key concepts is important to working effectively with telemetry.
Attributes and Objects
In-game telemetry, the transmitted data is typically referred to as attributes, which are the measurable characteristics of objects. These objects can encompass various entities, including player characters, game items, or customer service interactions. For example, the location of a player character as it navigates a 3D environment would be considered an attribute of the player character object.
Variables and Features
Operationalization is transforming attribute data into a format suitable for analysis. This involves deciding how to express the attribute data, such as organizing the locational data from player characters into a variable representing the sum of their movement in meters. These operationalized attributes are called variables or features, depending on the scientific field.
Establishing Domains
Defining the domain, or the set of all possible values, is crucial in operationalization. This ensures that the data can be interpreted and analyzed effectively. For instance, a binary domain would allow only two values, 0 or 1, while a more complex domain might encompass a range of numerical values or categorical options.
Storing and Transforming Telemetry Data
Raw telemetry data, collected from various sources, is typically stored in database formats that facilitate its transformation into interpretable measures, known as game metrics.
Database Formats
Raw telemetry data can be stored in various database formats, each with its own advantages and use cases. Depending on the game’s specific requirements and the development team’s analytical needs, these formats may include relational databases, NoSQL databases, or specialized time-series databases.
Transforming Data into Metrics
The stored telemetry data is then transformed into game metrics, which are interpretable measures related to the game’s performance, player behavior, and other relevant aspects. Game metrics include average completion time per game level, average weekly bug fix rate, daily revenue, and daily active users.
Analyzing Game Metrics
By analyzing these game metrics, developers can gain valuable insights into player behavior, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to enhance the overall player experience. This analysis can inform game development and optimization strategies, from adjusting game mechanics to optimizing marketing campaigns.
Implementing Telemetry in Games
Integrating telemetry into a game’s development involves several key steps, ensuring the collected data is meaningful and actionable.
Choosing a Telemetry Platform
Game developers have access to various telemetry platforms, such as Helika, Unity Analytics, and Firebase, each with its features and capabilities. Selecting the right platform that aligns with the game’s technology stack and analytical requirements is a crucial first step.
Defining Telemetry Events
Identifying the specific events or actions that should be tracked is essential for effective telemetry implementation. These events might include level completions, item purchases, player deaths, or any other in-game occurrences that provide valuable insights into player behavior and game performance.
Instrumenting the Game Code
Once the telemetry events have been defined, the next step is integrating the necessary code into the game’s codebase. This process, known as instrumentation, involves adding telemetry-specific code snippets to trigger data collection when the corresponding events occur in-game.
Testing and Validating Telemetry
It is essential to test the implementation thoroughly before deploying the Telemetry System to ensure the data collection is correct and the reporting tools work as expected. This validation process allows for identifying and correcting any discrepancies or issues in the telemetry information.
Analyzing Telemetry Data
This step is the final step of the implementation process. The analysis of telemetry data can reveal patterns, trends, and insights to inform game design, optimize player engagement, and drive overall improvement.
The Benefits of Game Telemetry
Implementing game telemetry offers a range of benefits that can significantly enhance the game development process and the player experience.
Optimizing Game Mechanics
Analyzing player behavior data allows game developers to identify ineffective game mechanics. This data can be used to optimize and refine the game and provide a more rewarding and engaging experience for players.
Enhancing Player Engagement
Telemetry data can provide valuable insights into player engagement, such as which levels or features are the most popular, which items are the most sought after, and which players are most likely to quit. With this knowledge, developers can make targeted adjustments to improve player retention and keep their audience engaged.
Informing Marketing Strategies
Telemetry data can also be leveraged to inform marketing strategies. By understanding player behavior and preferences, developers can create more effective targeted campaigns, offer personalized in-game experiences, and optimize their marketing efforts for maximum impact.
Improving Game Performance
Analyzing player behavior data allows game developers to identify ineffective game mechanics. This data can be used to optimize and refine the game and provide a more rewarding and engaging experience for players.
Conclusion
Game telemetry is an essential tool for game research and development. By leveraging remote data collection and analytics, game developers can improve the player experience. As the gaming industry evolves, game telemetry becomes more critical. It allows developers to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the curve.
Consider joining the Helika Accelerate program if you are a game studio that wants to take your game to the next stage. Helika offers in-depth training and mentorship in game design and economy, game balancing, user acquisition, and LiveOps. It also provides up to $50M in funding for the top gaming teams. Helika’s Solution Suite includes Game Management, Growth Analytics, LiveOps, and AI Tooling. It can help you make the most of your telemetry and provides white-glove service.
