• Weaving a User-Friendly Path Through Chumbi Valley: Rapidly prototype design elements that made navigating the forest intuitive and delightful, enhancing the core gameplay experience.
• UI Infused with Chumbi Spirit: Ensured every button, animation, and bit of information reflected the playful, creature-centric heart of Chumbi Valley.
• A Design System Rooted in Chumbi Lore: Developed a framework that mirrored the game’s visual style while allowing flexibility to expand the Chumbi world and its features.

• UI/UX Design
• As the lead UI/UX designer on this project, I spearheaded the transformation of Chumbi Valley’s digital presence. I aimed to create an enchanting experience that seamlessly integrated with the game’s whimsical lore.
• Design Process
• Discovery & Research
  • Immersion: I delivered into the gameplay, studied character designs, and analyzed the Chumbi Valley universe’s vibrant style and themes.
  • User Personas: Developed personas representing core player types (collectors, breeders, casual explorers) to guide my design decisions.
  • Competitive Research: Examined websites of similar fantasy/creature-collection games for inspiration and to identify best practices.
• Information Architecture
  • Sitemap Creation: Crafted a new sitemap for both the website and web app, prioritizing intuitive navigation and quick access to:
    • Chumbi Profiles and Marketplaces
    • Game Lore and Worldbuilding
    • Breeding/Nurturing Resources
    • Community Hub
  • Wireframing: Used Balsamiq for low-fidelity wireframes, emphasizing clarity and user flow.
• Visual Design
  • Moodboard: Assembled a moodboard with textures, organic patterns, and a color palette inspired by the game’s forest setting and the elemental Chumbi creatures.
  • UI Kit: I built a comprehensive UI Kit in Figma, including custom buttons, form fields, cards, and icons infused with playful touches reminiscent of the game’s art style.
  • Typography: Chose a friendly, rounded primary font for readability, and a decorative secondary font for headlines, evoking a sense of storybook charm.
• Interaction Design
  • Micro-animations: Added subtle animations (e.g., glowing elements, hovering Chumbi) using Lottie to bring the interface to life.
  • Gamified Elements: Incorporated progress bars with forest-themed metaphors for breeding cycles and resource gathering.
  • Sound Design: Collaborated with a sound designer to create light, nature-inspired sound effects to enhance interactions.
• Prototyping & Testing
  • High-fidelity Prototyping: Created interactive prototypes in Adobe XD, showcasing transitions and animations.
  • Usability Testing: Recruited Chumbi Valley players for remote testing. Used screen recording and surveys to gather feedback on navigation, visual clarity, and overall enjoyment.
• Development
• Tech Stack (Hypothetical – Aligning with fantasy theme)
• Front-End
  • Leafwind Framework: (Invented) A lightweight JavaScript framework specialized in crafting whimsical UI elements and micro-interactions.
  • Web Components: Built with Polymer or Stencil.js for reusable Chumbi profiles and modular design.
• Back-End:
  • Enchanted Oak Server: (Invented) A Node.js-based server for game data synchronization and secure marketplace transactions.
  • Database: MongoDB for flexible data storage (Chumbi attributes, player profiles, etc.)
• Blockchain Integration:
  • Whispering Vines Protocol: (Invented) Custom blockchain solution tailored to Chumbi NFTs, ensuring transparent ownership and trading.
• Collaboration
• Worked closely with game devs to ensure the design complements in-game art and to sync with backend functionality.
• Consulted blockchain specialists for NFT integration and marketplace design.
• Outcome The redesigned website and web app embody Chumbi Valley’s spirit. Navigation is a breeze, interactions delight players, and the aesthetic seamlessly extends the game world.

See Chumbi website here