Sudoku Friends
Sudoku Friends is a twist on classic Sudoku. Players compete with friends in real-time challenges with achievements and unlockables.
I played a key role in the UX and visual design of Sudoku Friends from the very beginning through to its release. The game underwent several stylistic and UX changes during development, with paper prototyping helping shape unique gameplay and user flows. This was the first game we developed using Unity 2018, which introduced the nested prefab system. This system, designed with atomic design principles in mind, allowed us to work more quickly and flexibly than on past projects.
Contributions
Art Assets
UI & UX
Unity Implementation
Animation
Colourful wireframing
The minimalist design of Sudoku Friends meant we developed the game screens and assets while simultaneously working on user flows and interactions. To refine the gameplay, we used printed mockups pinned to a convenient office wall to present the game to senior management. This process helped us identify pain points and edge cases, which I then designed solutions for, ensuring a smoother player experience.
Furry friends
Although players could connect their social media accounts, we wanted to offer in-game avatars as a unique way for them to express themselves. This also gave us an opportunity to introduce our first reward system. I designed all the avatars, which were based on friendly animals. These avatars were a hit, with the majority of players choosing to use them to represent themselves to friends and opponents.
Flexible screens, flexible animations
Using Unity 2018 allowed me to fully leverage the highly useful nested prefab system. I could create individual components and their variants, as well as base animations that were shared across similar elements. For elements that required more complex movement, I applied overrides, making the development process more efficient and flexible.
