I contributed to the UX and system design for an unannounced next-gen sci-fi multiplayer title during preproduction. The project was canceled during production. This case study examines my feature design for a Quest Journal interface.
UX Design Gary Boodhoo QUEST OVERVIEW DOC Studio Design Team
What's a quest?
A quest is a location-based task with steps to complete, and a reward. Different types of quests guide the player through plot points and other activities such as collecting resources.
What's a story?
Stories take shape through interconnected quests, often involving the same characters, locations, and items, with certain quests unlocking only after others are completed.
UX Design Gary Boodhoo
Who needs it?
Players engage with the game in different ways. To guide the design process, I defined several player types. A Collector might seek a quick win nearby, while an Actor may explore an entire district. By mapping player goals to feature needs, we can support different play styles and reduce friction across the system.
UX Design Gary Boodhoo
User Interface
This interface organizes a player's activities by progression and proximity. Quest 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
UX Design Gary Boodhoo
Entering the Feature
Players can open the Quest Journal interface by interacting with various systems
A Case File
Tagged locations
Game Menu
UX Design Gary Boodhoo
Visualizing Story Progression
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.