Mapping the Narrative, feature design for a Quest Journal
This case study covers my design work on a Quest Journaling feature for an unannounced sci-fi multiplayer game. Brought in as a creative consultant, I collaborated with the internal team and another external partner to invent the UX for this ambitious new IP. The project was later canceled during production.
Context and Definition
What's a quest?
A quest is a location-based task with steps to complete, and a reward. Different quests guide the player through plot points and other activities like collecting resources. Stories take shape through interconnected quests, often with recurring characters, locations, and objects. Certain quests are conditional, unlocking only after others are completed.
Quest Tracker Overview · UX Design, Presentation Gary Boodhoo
Player-Centered Design
Who needs it?
Players engage in different ways—sometimes diving in for hours, other times just dropping in. I identified player types like Collectors chasing quick rewards and Managers who want to pick up right where they left off. By linking player circumstances to feature design, I supported varied play styles and created a more cohesive interface.
Quest Tracker Roles & Goals · UX Design, Presentation Gary Boodhoo
Structure
User Interface
These wireframes organize a player's activities by both progression and proximity. Activity details include an interactive visual record of rewards and intel gained along the journey.
Feature Goals
Ground quest objectives in the story by showing who they involved and where they took place
Associate game lore with quest progression
Quest Journal, Wireframes · UX Design, Presentation Gary Boodhoo
Integration
Accessing the Feature
Players can open the Quest Journal interface by interacting with various systems
A Case File
Tagged locations
Game Menu
Case File, Wireframe · UX Design, Presentation Gary Boodhoo
VISUALIZATION
Every City Has a Story
I used real San Francisco distances to build a quest dataset, then mapped it across the city to see how it might feel in play. Like blocking a scene in theater, this helped the designers I worked with explore pacing, flow, and how quests might overlap or stand apart. I chose SF because I know it. I could sense the scale and rhythm without guessing.
Fictional Quests on a Map of San Francisco, Data Visualization · UX Design, Presentation Gary Boodhoo
Outcome