Lessons from shipping a Telegram Mini App game solo

I recently shipped a small game as a Telegram Mini App, working alone, and there were several key lessons learned. The first piece of advice is to start the flow inside a bot, as players already reside in Telegram, making the bot the front door. A simple "/start" message with a button that opens the Mini App is more effective than any landing page. Additionally, you can pass a start parameter to track which post or channel a player came from.

Onboarding should be quick and easy, taking only seconds. Players don't want to be subjected to a lengthy tutorial before they can begin enjoying the game. The initial tap should provide an immediate rewarding experience, and subsequent mechanics can be introduced gradually as the player becomes ready. It's essential to save progress as if there might be a loss of connection, since mobile networks can be unreliable and the webview may be closed at any moment.

Write progress locally first, then sync it to the server when possible, ensuring the merge is safe to repeat. Losing a player's progress is the quickest way to lose them entirely.

Building social loops is crucial, as they offer a reason for players to return that isn't tied to a timer. Clans and cooperative raids create a sense of community and give people a reason to come back, independent of gameplay time. Since Telegram makes sharing and inviting simple, leverage these features instead of developing your own friend system.

Provide players with a long-term goal to give meaning to short sessions. In the game "NeuroTimBot," the robot Tim evolves through 10 distinct forms. Anticipating the next form's appearance gives sessions a greater purpose, and it serves as a clear roadmap for a solo developer. To see the final result, try the bot: NeuroTimBot. For more details about the project, visit the about page.

The author would welcome hearing about how others handle onboarding and saving in their own Mini Apps.