Project Overview
Battle Rally is a dynamic racer-shooter gaming app developed by Koolhaus Games, Inc. Launched initially in Southeast Asia (Indonesia and the Philippines), this app combines exhilarating racing with shooter mechanics and is available on iOS and Android platforms.
I was responsible for overseeing UX and UI design tasks, from conducting initial research to the final implementation in Unity. This involved crafting detailed flows, wireframes, prototypes, and mockups essential for game updates.
Design and Documentation Guidelines
I led the development of the game's initial design system phases to ensure a consistent style and visual language across all components. The objective was to create a scalable library of reusable components that could be quickly assembled to maintain consistent experiences, supported by thorough standards and documentation.
Problem Space: Initial Loading Experience and User Retention
In this case study, I'll explore the challenge of initial user abandonment during the game's loading phases, a critical issue that resulted in poor retention rates. New players frequently exited the game during the splash and transition screens due to prolonged wait times, prompting a focused effort to refine these initial user experiences.
Research and User-Centered Design
Identifying Challenges and Developing Solutions:
Despite receiving positive initial feedback from users, user retention became a significant challenge, particularly due to lengthy loading times that frustrated new players. My research was targeted at enhancing the initial user experience, focusing on improving the load times on the splash and transition screens to bolster retention.
Insights and Strategy Development:
User Insights: Conducted usability & play testing with users, identifying critical pain points related to the game's loading phases.
Competitive Analysis: Reviewed loading screens from competing games to benchmark industry standards and feasible improvements.
User Journey Mapping: Developed detailed journey maps for new users to identify specific frustrations during loading times.
Design Solutions and Implementation
Loading Screen Enhancements:
Perceived Performance Improvements: Introduced a progress bar with both animated and textual indicators, markedly enhancing the perceived loading speed.
Iterative Design Process: Refined multiple loading screen concepts through continuous user feedback, optimizing the overall user experience.
Technical Implementations:
Prototype Development: Utilized Adobe XD for prototyping and Unity for implementations, assessing the effectiveness of various design solutions.
Final Design: Worked alongside motion designers to integrate an animated progress bar that featured game characters, making the loading process more engaging and visually appealing.
Conclusion
Outcomes
Improved User Retention: Redesigned loading screens contributed to a 30% increase in user retention.
Reduced Wait Times: Optimizations led to a 15% reduction in loading times after frame rate adjustments.
Player Acquisition: Recorded an average weekly increase of 120+ new players in targeted regions.
Learnings and Next Steps
Collaboration and Communication: Effective teamwork and communication, especially with remote partners, were key. Recognizing technical constraints early enhanced our project execution.
Holistic Performance Considerations: Design significantly impacts app performance. Our approach not only considered technical elements but also user experience, emphasizing the importance of optimizing every interaction to retain user interest.
Data-Driven Design Decisions: Our consistent use of data to guide and improve our design choices was crucial in exceeding user expectations.
Case Study 2021-2022
Made with •ᴗ• in Vancouver, BC
