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How to Be a Gaming Entrepreneur So you want to launch the next Farmville? Here's how, as told through a game-design document.

By Jennifer Wang

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Overview
It is the year 2011, and you are a cubicle farmer who dreams of fame and fortune. Smartphones and social gaming platforms like Facebook have given everyone--even you, especially you--a shot at making millions with a hit game.

You've heard the tales of Zynga and Rovio: The first rose from humble startup origins in 2007 to become the overlord of Facebook gaming with offerings like FarmVille and Mafia Wars, and now boasts a valuation of roughly $10 billion. The latter is responsible for the Angry Birds iPhone game, which morphed into a multimillion-dollar franchise, complete with multiplatform apps, plush toys, console titles and a feature film in the works, all within a year and a half.

Now it is your turn.

Play Modes: On your quest to become a video game entrepreneur, play using one of the three gameplay modes: beginner, intermediate or advanced.