Octokit - No-code game maker, but for marketing?
Tags: nocode, gamedev, marketing, howto
Published: 2024-06-10 11:04:38

Hello fellow devs, and even non-devs!

There are many tools to build games such as Unity, Unreal Engine or Playcanvas,... but those game engines can be a bit too overwhelming for some people, and they want to migrate to a simpler tool. Meanwhile, the topic about no-code tools has been circulating for a while, so for this occasion, I want to share about a game-builder, but with a little bit more specific, a game-builder suitable for marketing - that is Octokit.

## No-code Game Creator - What are the possibilities? 

As I mentioned above, Octokit is a no-code game-maker website. I just discovered Octokit not long ago, and it seems that this web-based tool has just been recently released too. But for a new-release product, their website has been functioning exceptionally well for me. 

First thing first, Octokit’s system revolves around premade game templates, and worry not, their stock is HUGE. The templates are mostly, if not all, vertical games i.e games most suitable for mobile screen, but I can play on PC just fine. They have quite a category for their gameplays, ranging from Fortune games (or luck-based games, for more familiarity, such as Wheel of Fortune) to casual arcade minigames.


![Game stock](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/nj7c9nlhftf2ax5gbxf1.png)
Their game stock looks like this.

They have an AI text-to-game generator feature as well. From what I understand, Octokit’s AI will automatically pick a gameplay that suits your prompt the most and start generating the game assets accordingly. It’s interesting, but seems like they haven’t fully developed it so I’ll just leave it at that.

The process is simple enough even for low-tech buddies, you’ll just need to pick a template you like, set it up, hit deploy, and here you have a URL to your fully functioning game. And it’s fast, all of those steps are done in just under ten minutes (for me, personally).

Octokit’s game templates already have premade assets, but they give you an option to change the assets to your likings by using the integrated editor tool, and of course it is no-code as well.


![Editor tool](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/aomstm76w21nsy6l6gmx.png)

Here in the game editor tool, Octokit has listed all of the assets they have in the game and allows me to modify each of every asset from the background image to the scoring items. I can add texts, shapes and draw lines to the asset, or even completely replace one with another image. The no-code editor is powerful enough to let me fully change the game template into something completely new.

## How does it work?

### Step 1: Choose game 
Go to My kit => Create a product => Game Template and select the desired game.

![Choose game](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/wrlbf3503mb3dap982v3.png)

### Step 2 - Edit game asset 
Once you have selected the desired game, click Customize now to access Editor tool and customize the assets in the game. After making your customizations, remember to click Update to save the changes. You can review your changes by clicking Preview. Then click Hub to return to the game settings screen.


![Editor tool](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/9undp4wf8bga32o10t2i.jpg)

### Step 3 - Product Settings 
Go to Product Setting to configure the game. Here, you have the following options.

**Game purpose**: Each purpose will have different game flows.
- <u>Instant reward</u>: Gives players chances to spin the lucky wheel immediately after clearing the game to win rewards (Note that Fortune games alway have this as the default option because this game type is already a reward distribution simulation).
- <u>Online Competition</u>: Games with this option won’t reward players with anything but will have a leaderboard showcasing top players’ scores.
- <u>M.I.X</u>: Includes both leaderboard and instant reward functions.
- <u>No Login. No Reward</u>: Shows a leaderboard after playing, does not have a prize-giving function, and does not require login.

![Game purpose](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/39s50cy92aa8ikus0af1.png)

**Login Method**: Octokit games have a function allowing players to enter personal information to confirm identity and store player information. When setting up, you can choose from 3 different login methods.
- <u>Login at Start</u>: Log in before playing.
- <u>Login at End (Opened reward)</u>: After the player completes the game and receives the prize, the game will announce the prize and the player needs to log in to receive the prize via email.
- <u>Login at End (Secret reward)</u>: After the player completes the game and receives the prize, the game will not announce the prize immediately. The player needs to log in to reveal the prize and receive it via email.

![Login Methods](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/9wy6tjrd0clc54shagf2.png)

**Game function**: Set up the main functions of the game.
- <u>Authentication</u>: Set up the information that users need to provide to log in. Includes email, phone number, name, age, gender, etc.
- <u>Total player</u>: Display the total number of players.
- <u>Playturn</u>: Set the number of turns the player gets. You can enable daily login to add more turns.
- <u>Countdown</u>: Set the game duration.
- <u>Win and Lose game</u>: Set the message displayed when the player wins or - loses the game.
- <u>Reward Announcement</u>: Set the message displayed when receiving a prize.
- <u>CTA button</u>: Set the Call to Action button to link to another website.
- <u>Leaderboard</u>: Set the information displayed on the Leaderboard.

![Game Function](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/u400k0lw0oa4tq8qe15z.png)

### Step 4 - Setting up the reward (If available)
For games which have reward distributing feature, Octokit has a reward list manager where you can create and manage every reward entry. It helps you modify the reward quantities, mass generate reward codes and even manipulate each entry rate. Moreover, the system also shows the status and redeem history for each code, giving users an easy way to manage their resources.

![Reward List](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4tvn6e77nq06aoor09y6.png)

Go to Data Management => Reward List => Auto Generate Code to create your rewards.

###Step 5 - Publish the game 
After completing the settings, remember to click the Save & Update button to save the changes. Next, click Preview & Deploy. Octokit will provide a link to the test version of the game for users to review their game.

![Preview & Deploy](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/zfqv05zpiwi5oosd2ujo.png)

If everything about the game is complete, click Deploy to publish the game on various platforms such as web, app, Zalo, banner ads, etc.

![Deploy on multiple flatforms](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4q5xherkgardca7y6lcd.png)


## A Marketing-friendly tool
This is where I begin to feel interested in Octokit. In a marketing viewpoint, those options that I have listed above can help businesses utilize Octokit games effectively for their marketing strategy. There are many ways that a company can integrate minigames in a campaign, as Octokit has developed their games according to four basic marketing purposes, it will be a great start to decide which game and which settings to choose.

If your company wants to run a sales promotion, use Instant Reward to quickly distribute those e-coupons and e-vouchers to boost sales. If your company needs more engagement, host an online competition using Octokit game. Let your customers compete with each other, win prizes and have a great time together and people will automatically talk about your brand. Or even use minigames to spice up the atmosphere in an offline event. 

Octokit has an integrated CMS for players data as well. Every data such as player information, game history, redeem history, login turns will all be recorded and automatically analyzed and displayed in an easy way to read. You also have the ability to delete or ban a player that has suspicious or spamming behaviors.

![CMS](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/d8m6jo80s0h0ho4n8o2p.png)

## Conclusion
In my opinion, a no-code game-builder like Octokit will be a suitable tool for marketers, but it still has some fields needed to improve, such as the editor tool UI/UX or the game library. Of course Octokit isn’t as in-depth and thorough as other tools, but I think it is still viable in some aspects. I’ll leave it to you to make yourself a game [here](https://octokit.co) and see how it fits. Oh, and you’re welcome to share your game in the comment too, for the funsies ;)