msports In-game Communication

PLAYPHONE

CHALLENGE

Communicate information to gamers about tournaments and msports offers, without taking away focus from game play.

OUTCOME

For phase I of msports, we released a few different sets of communications that players see during game play, including time, game win/loss, and incentives. 

We took time to organize and observe gamers playing casual games in a competitive setting. We noticed clearly that when gamers are deep in their game trying to get their highest score, everything other than game play felt like distraction and noise.

In-game notifications, however, area a necessary evil. Gamers had to know when to start playing, how much time they had left to play, who they'd be playing against, and more. 

For game timers (which communicate how much time you have left to play and post a score to a tournament), we played with 4 different designs. We came up with a few concepts and put it in front of potential users. While a persistent timer stressed some players out, others welcomed the information. We eventually designed a solution that conveyed urgency progressively as game play time reduced.

We also came up with a standard messaging template to guide gamers through tournaments.