Playvalve
- UX/UI Test
Playvalve is a Game Studio based in Barcelona and Bucharest.
In 2023 I made a UX/UI Test for them when I applied for the Game Artist position.
Here, I'd like to show you the results.
GOAL: Design a Home Page for a Block Puzzle Game
DETAILS: Style: colorful, playful, juicy colors / Screen resolution: 1024x1914
WHAT SHOULD BE ON THE SCREEN:
-
play button
-
home (not necessarily), settings,shop, collection, and rank icons/buttons
-
player’s profile (avatar + name)
-
player’s best score
-
daily challenge/additional quest icon
-
amount of coins/diamonds/stars/other assets to collect +option to get more
01
01 - THE TASK
UI Inspiration from: Behance, Dribbble, Google Search, Google Play games
UX AND GAMEPLAY RESEARCH: Competitors (such as Block!, Block Puzzle+, etc.) and other famous casual games (like Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Soda and Plants vs. Zombies 2)
02
02 - RESEARCH
THE PROGRESS: Based on my research, I wanted the Home Page layout to feel familiar while playing the game. So, I tried to keep a similar layout to the existing one. However, I did look at the structure, functions, and order of the pages.
I made sure to keep important buttons like Play and Daily in the same place, but I moved some others like Settings and Achievements around, and I grouped the Buy More Coins function with the Shop because their purpose is the same.
I added two new functions to the page. I put the Avatar in the Header as the main element, and I placed Special Events on the side of the screen. Sometimes Special Events won't be available, so it would look weird if they disappeared from the main space.
03
03 - WIREFRAMING
As I was working on the wireframe, I realized that with more time, I could revamp the entire Home Page. Currently, the main focus is on the big Play button, which takes you to a casual game. Next to it is the Daily Challenge, which is more thrilling and has a goal to achieve. Additionally, you have Special Events, which can be even more engaging.
To encourage users to play every day, I would highlight these two functions and keep casual play next to them. This would help engage users more and make them want to keep coming back to the game.
TIME SPENT: 3,5 hours
USER INTERFACE: The goal was to have a colorful, juicy, and playful UI. I chose a glossy, vector style for this page.
BACKGROUND: I noticed that all of our competitors have a textured background, but I feel like it makes the space feel crowded. It's like standing in front of a door that's blocking your view. I want our background to have a more open feeling. To achieve this, I plan to use a mild background animation where round vector shapes move around slowly. This should create a sense of movement and give the impression of more space.
LOGO: I made a basic logo as well, that fits the style.
USED MATERIALS (NOT OWNED): When I work on a project and have the capacity, I prefer to create every element and material myself. This way, we can ensure a consistent style and have unique materials that stand out. However, for this Test Project, I used reference images and icons since I was short on time and resources. While they may not be mine, I made sure to choose high-quality references that fit the style we wanted to achieve:
Avatar picture: Freepik - Credit to @mamewmy
Special Events picture: Dribbble - Credit to @tubik.arts
Detailed icons: Freepik - Credit to @upklyak
Vector icons: Freepik
Fonts: CarlMarx, Milkshake
04
04 - RESULT
I enjoyed working on this project. It was exciting to research and redesign something in such a short amount of time. I believe that this type of game can be reimagined to be more efficient and engaging, which could help it stand out from its competitors. To achieve this, more research on user behavior and user testing should be done. By gathering data and feedback from users, we can better understand what works and what doesn't, which can ultimately lead to a more successful product.
Overall, I am happy with the result and I hope you like it too. If you have any thoughts or feedback, please don't hesitate to share!