This workshop covers building a sample skill which uses In-Skill Purchasing, specifically consumable products.
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The skill we will build in this workshop is a basic game where the player is presented with a clue (specifically the name of an actor or actress). The player then attempts to guess the answer (a television show on which the actor portrays a major character). If the player would like another clue (an additional actor or actress), then the player can ask for a hint. Hints are sold in packs of five, with a list price of $0.99 for each pack of five.
The following is an example user interaction with the skill. Some of the dialog has been shortened to make it easier to read.
💬 User: "Alexa, open name the show"
🔊 Alexa: "Welcome to Name the Show, the game where you try to guess the show based on the actors in it. Are you ready to begin?"
💬 User: "Yes"
🔊 Alexa: "Your clue is Billy Bob Thornton. What show do you guess?"
💬 User: "Man in the high castle"
🔊 Alexa: "That is incorrect. Please guess again. What show do you guess?"
💬 User: "Give me a hint"
🔊 Alexa: "You currently do not have any hints, would you like to learn more about the Five Hint Pack?"
💬 User: "Yes"
🔊 Alexa: "The Five Hint Pack is available for 99 cents. Would you like to buy it?"
💬 User: "Yes"
🔊 Alexa: "Great, you now own a five hint pack. Here's your clue: Billy Bob Thornton and Nina Arianda. Which show do you guess?"
💬 User: "Goliath"
🔊 Alexa: "Correct, the show I was thinking of was Goliath. Would you like to play again?"
💬 User: "No"
(skill exits)
The architecture of the skill consists of an AWS Lambda function which uses and Amazon DynamoDB table to store persistent attributes (including hint inventory) across user sessions. The Skill's interaction model is managed by the Alexa Skills Kit, and the In-Skill Product catalog and Payment Flow is managed by the Alexa Monetization Service. The Skill's handler logic is coded in node.js and utilizes the Alexa Skills Kit SDK (ASK SDK).
Here is a detailed architecture diagram:
This workshop is broken up into three labs. Each lab will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
The starting state of the skill is such that the premium feature (the hints), has already been added to tke skill. The workshop will add the In-Skill Purchasing of the hint pack.
In Lab 1, you will setup the workshop prerequisites, deploy the base skill and add a product to the In-Skill Product Catalog.
In Lab 2, you will update the skill's voice interaction model to include intents related to buying hints. Additionally, you will update the skill's handler code to handle these new intents as well as to interact with Alexa Monetization Service.
In Lab 3, you will update the skill's interaction model to include intents to check hint inventory levels, create the Amazon DynamoDB table which will store hint inventory levels, and update the skill's handler code to handle the new intent and persist the inventory levels in the data table.
Once you have completed the workshop, you are ready to take your skill to the next level. Suggested next steps can be found here
This library is licensed under the Amazon Software License.