mobile app for digital arcade tokens

BARQODE

mobile app ui/ux logo design

My Role
Project Lead
UI/UX Design
UX Research

Team
Aubrey K. Young (Solo)

Project Duration
3 months

the situation

Arcade patrons want to distribute digital arcade tokens to avoid carrying pockets full of tokens around the entire night.

the goal

Create a mobile app for BARQODE Arcade that allows users to purchase, share, and use tokens from their mobile devices.

User Research

Research Summary

My research goal was to determine if features like social sharing, mobile payments, and money transfers could be effectively integrated into a retro arcade setting.

To understand how modern mobile technology could enhance the arcade experience, I interviewed 5 adults aged 25-50 who regularly use mobile devices for social interactions, payments, and planning group activities.

research results

My user study identified the following key pain points:

1

Purchase Flexibility

Users desire the option to purchase either game tokens or digital game credits

2

Token Distribution

Frequent players and groups find distributing tokens cumbersome

3

Activity Tracking

stat nerds lack a way to track their arcade habits and high scores

personas

After analyzing the interview data, 2 personas emerged:

Gerald needs to distribute game tokens to his coworkers because he does not want to carry the tokens around with him all night.

Kelly needs to monitor her budget and which games her children play because she is writing a parenting blog article on children’s digital fun and safety.

Competitive Analysis

A comparison of 4 local and national arcade venues revealed variations in pay systems, mobile apps, and rewards programs.

Dave & Buster’s offers a convenient Power Card for rewards but lacks social sharing features

EightyTwo focuses on adult-oriented gaming but lacks a mobile app or rewards system

Lucky Strike Lanes prioritizes bowling and family-friendly entertainment, with limited arcade features

Neon Retro Arcade provides an all-you-can-play model but caters to a younger demographic and lacks an online presence

Opportunities

The following opportunities help BARQODE stand out from the competition:

1

Hybrid Payment

Offer both digital mobile payments and a token system

2

Gamer Rewards

Implement a rewards program that allows users to earn points off-site

3

Responsive Website

Ensure the website is fully responsive and offers the same functionality as the mobile app

Low Fidelity Design

My Approach

Gerald's goal is to easily share tokens, which Kelly and her husband could also use with their children. Meanwhile, Kelly seeks more rating information on video games , while Gerald wants to track scores and stats for future BARQODE outings.

BARQODE mobile app will address these needs by simplifying token purchases and sharing, while also providing accessible game stats for users.

User Flow

The main user task is to first purchase, then distribute, digital arcade tokens.

Lo-fi Wireframes (Paper)

My pen and paper sketches emphasized the ‘Play,’ ‘Purchase,’ and ‘Share’ buttons for immediate user engagement.

Lo-fi Wireframes (Digital)

BARQODE mid-fi home screen — Home screen

BARQODE mid-fi share screen — Share screen

BARQODE mid-fi buy tokens screen — Buy tokens screen

Lo-fi prototype

Lo-fi Usability Testing

The following user concerns emerged after of usability testing, which I used to create my hi-fi mockups.

1
"How do I actually play an arcade game?"

Problem: users had trouble locating the Play button on the Home screen

Solution: The Play button is prominently placed in the bottom menu, accompanied by intuitive icons for easy recognition

2
“There’s a lot going on with the share credits screen.”

Problem: users report Share Credits screen presents too much information.

Solution: I reduced clutter by splitting the Share Credits screen into two separate screens and redesigning the buddy selection window as a scroll area

3
Bonus: Tutorial screens

Problem: Users appreciate explanations of unfamiliar functions.

Solution: I created a 3-slide tutorial for first-time users, which can be exited or repeated from the Main Menu

BARQODE hi-fi tutorial screen 1 — Tutorial screen 1

BARQODE hi-fi tutorial screen 2 — Tutorial screen 2

BARQODE hi-fi tutorial screen 3 — Tutorial screen 3

High Fidelity Design

Colors & Fonts

BARQODE uses dark colors to match the dim lighting of an arcade, with bright accents guiding users to their games.

#674bda

#fbca37

#29a8e8

#ff5c72

Maven Pro is a modern, legible sans-serif with fun variations.

The logo font Equinox evokes old-school space shooters. The letter "Q" in the font resembled a joystick, so I included that image within the logo.

coup de grâce: final screens

BARQODE represents an app that includes both ease of use for a first-time user, and in-depth features to add a social aspect to their arcade play.

Design Details

•FULL BRIEF•

•HI-FI PROTOTYPE•

Future Iteration Ideas:

BARQODE streamlines arcade interactions and reestablishes social connections through modern technology.

Here are a few ideas to capitalize on further iterations:

1

User Profile Customization

Enable users to link social media accounts to their BarQode profiles

2

Gamer Rewards System

Implement a rewards system for competitive and cooperative arcade experiences

3

Gaming History

Conduct further user research to explore the benefits of a Gaming History section