I am not affiliated with Nintendo or the Animal Crossing franchise. The project is a conceptual design for learning purposes.
Project Overview
Role
UX Research
UX/UI design
Coded Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Visual Studio Code
Nookipedia API
Timeline
4 weeks
Background — What is Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a cozy simulation game in which players manage their island, interact with villagers, and complete daily chores. One of the game's most alluring features is the ability to catch, collect, and sell in-game versions of real-life bugs, fish and sea creatures — collectively known as "critters."
Here's the catch: each critter has a specific availability window for when it appears on your island, determined by the time of day and the current season—both on your island and in real life.
The Problem
Critter information is referencable through the in-game encyclopedia, but the documented information is limited in value and not immediately accessible—each critter's information must be unlocked through their individual discoveries.
While this progression-based discovery system is intentional, much of this information is revealed routinely through other gameplay elements, making the game's decision to withhold it unnecessary. Additionally, the lack of accessible information within the encyclopedia itself makes the system inconvenient and frustrating for some players, especially those who are less familiar with the game or who have specific gameplay goals.
With nearly 200 catchable critters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, how might I make critter information more accessible to players?
Audience
The target audience of this problem is Animal Crossing: New Horizons players, as outlined in the Research Methods section.
The Solution
The solution to information inaccessibility lies in eliminating unjustified barriers and ensuring the communication of clear, relevant information.
This approach reduces cognitive load by displaying only situationally relevant information and streamlines gameplay by accelerating the player's journey to their desired solution. These elements enhance the player's focus on the game and minimize the risk of disrupting immersion.
Design Strategy
The development of this project follows the Double Diamond method.
Research Methods
Gameplay Analysis (SWOT Analysis)
Personas
Character Icons from Pablo Stanley's Open Peeps.
Early Wireframes
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Peer Feedback
Style Guidelines
Brand Alignment and Visual Inspiration
It was important that the visual design of this tool matched the style of Animal Crossing: New Horizons' in-game UI, ensuring that the connection between the two products was intuitive to users. To achieve this, I used resources like the Game UI Database, Nookipedia (the website, not the API), and Katherine Manalo's Animal Crossing UI Kit for visual references, iconographic assets and design inspiration.
Style Guide
Code and API Implementation
I used the Nookipedia API to fetch critter icons and information that meet the precise parameters defined in JavaScript: real-world time, season, and the user's residing hemisphere (These parameters are dynamic and determined by each user's system data).
Final Product
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Impact
Relevant Results
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Reflection
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Next Steps
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