Project Overview

For the capstone project of my B.S. in Information Science & Interactive Technology, I collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to develop an interactive, rhythm-based game. This project brought together elements of game development, music and sound design, and user interaction, showcasing our ability to blend technical expertise with creative problem-solving.

Background:

Problem Statement:

How might we create an engaging and interactive game that balances entertainment with societal concerns regarding hyperstimulation from digital media and declining attention spans?

Project Duration:

10 Weeks (Feb - April 2024)

Role:

UI Programmer & Graphic Designer

My contribution to the project:

Designed and programmed the user interfaces for the main menu, level selection, & gameplay screens
Created all 2D asset components utilized throughout the project.

Responsibilities:

An interactive rhythm-based game was produced, set in a visually appealing winter wonderland with engaging, progressively challenging gameplay, original music, and a polished UI.

The Final Result:

User & Market Research

Our game, Fight or Flake, differentiates itself with dynamic, music-driven mechanics. Player inputs directly impact the music's tempo—well-timed actions speed up the beat, while missed inputs disrupt the flow, reinforcing the importance of timing and coordination. Additionally our game emphasizes a unique theme and aesthetic encapsulating a snowball-infested winter wonderland.

Unique Value Proposition:

Clean UI is essential: User feedback emphasized the need for a minimal interface to avoid distractions.
Addressing clutter: Many previous rhythm games have overwhelming visuals, making it difficult for players to focus.
Intuitive mechanics: The core game mechanics should be easy to understand and engaging from the start.
Smooth progression system: The gameplay needs to slowly become more challenging as users advance through the game

Initial User Feedback:

Our rhythm game targets a younger demographic, though it is designed to appeal to a broad audience. Market research indicates rapid growth in rhythm games across platforms (PC, mobile, console, and arcade). As of 2023, the market generated $3.03 billion in revenue, with projections estimating it will reach $4.18 billion by 2027, highlighting the rising demand and potential for our game.

Key competitors include Beat Saber, Pistol Whip, Hi-Fi Rush, Guitar Hero, Crypt of the Necrodancer, and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. These titles have found success by delivering cognitive benefits, such as enhanced focus, improved coordination, and stress relief. Research from Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain further supports the positive effects of rhythm games, noting improvements in attention span, concentration, and problem-solving skills.

Summary:

1 Music games - worldwide: Statista market forecast. Statista. (n.d.). https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/app/games/music-games/worldwide

2 School, S. R. (2023, June 29). Are rhythm games good for you? unveiling the benefits of the beat.Medium.https://medium.com/@adam_8474/are-rhythm-games-good-for-you

2D UI Gameplay Assets and Components Sheet

One of my key contributions to this project was designing the 2D gameplay assets and UI components used throughout the game. I created all original elements from scratch using Adobe Photoshop.

Designing the Screen Layouts and UI Components

The Main Menu Screen serves as the user’s first interaction with the game, setting the tone for the overall experience. My goal was to create a design that is intuitive and easy to navigate, while also ensuring it feels refined and visually engaging. I focused on achieving a balance between simplicity and aesthetics, emphasizing clarity in layout and polished visual elements to deliver a good first impression

The Main Menu Screen

Main Menu Buttons

Part of creating a good user experience includes designing components that user’s want to interact with. Therefore I took inspiration from popular mobile games to create desirable looking buttons.

Creating Desirable Interactions

The level selection screen incorporates essential UI interactions for a better experience. Key features include a Home button for quick menu navigation, a Settings button for audio adjustments, a star counter for tracking overall progress, and a score progression board for each level. A confirmation screen before starting new levels ensures players are ready to proceed.

Level Selection Screen

Due to the time constraints placed upon us for this project, we focused on developing 4 playable levels. Each level has a unique soundtrack along with additional in-game mechanics and quick-time events that scales in difficulty with the level.

When it came to designing the various screen layouts, the gameplay screen was the most important as users will be interacting with it the most. I focused on designing it to be clean and easy to grasp without excessive visual stimuli that is prevalent in other video games.

The Gameplay Screen:

To enhance player enjoyment and control, the gameplay screen includes a Pause Menu, allowing players to restart or exit levels as needed. This menu also provides an audio adjustment option for player’s convenience

Pause Menu

Gameplay Mechanics & Interactions

Core Game Mechanics:

Additional Gameplay Interactions

When players achieve a streak of 10 consecutive correct inputs, they throw a snowball at the snowman, boosting their score multiplier by 1. This mechanic rewards accuracy and adds a fun, interactive layer to gameplay progression.

Score Multiplier Feature

If a player misses an input, the snowman retaliates with a snowball, resetting the player’s streak to zero and their score multiplier to 1. A missed input is also signaled by an auditory cue, and the screen briefly freezes over when the player is hit, adding feedback that reinforces precision and enhances gameplay immersion.