Key Contributions
- Designed approachable multiplayer interactions for public audiences with different levels of gaming experience.
- Improved long distance readability and reduced control complexity through frequent on site playtesting.
- Created short, shared screen sessions that kept queues moving while giving spectators a reason to join.
01Key design decisions
Public play introduced a different constraint: a visitor might give the experience only a few seconds before walking away.
Design decision
Simple, but effective
Many participants had little gaming experience. I simplified the interactions until new players could understand the objective and begin almost immediately.
Solution
- Three core actions
- Immediate onboarding
- Minimal instructions
Design decision
Short sessions
Long queues formed at events, so I shortened each session to give more visitors a chance to participate without sacrificing the sense of progression.
Solution
- Fast starts
- Brief rounds
- Visible progress
Design decision
Multiplayer first
Spectators wanted to participate rather than only watch. Shared screen multiplayer encouraged friendly competition and turned the installation into a social experience.
Solution
- Shared screen play
- Friendly competition
- Spectator clarity
02Designing for a large screen
Playtests showed participants naturally stood one to two meters from the display, making desktop sized interfaces impossible to read comfortably.
Optimize for a glance, not a stare
I increased interface scale, reduced on screen text, kept rankings visible, and tested comprehension at the same distance people used in real events.
Solution
- Large interface elements
- Minimal copy
- Persistent progress
- Distance testing
03Simplicity in design
Familiar inputs and a tightly edited flow helped people start playing in seconds.
Use what people already know
Xbox controllers offered a familiar button layout and the most reliable Bluetooth connection during testing. I observed that adding more buttons slowed onboarding and caused hesitation, so I limited the controls to movement, jump, and duck. Most players could then understand the game within seconds.
Remove non essential decisions
Powerups activated automatically, checkpoints communicated progress, and a steady camera helped people track their characters on a large display. We also reduced onboarding to a few simple screens before gameplay after observing that every additional menu increased drop off.
04Important adjustments
Refinements to the camera, session pacing, difficulty, and variety kept the game readable, approachable, and engaging in a busy public setting.
Removal of split screen
Early playtests used a traditional four player split screen, where each participant had an individual camera. While this matched common racing games, participants frequently struggled to track their character from several meters away. Spectators also had difficulty following the action.
After multiple playtests, I replaced the split screen layout with a shared camera that kept every player visible simultaneously. This significantly improved readability, reduced confusion, and made the experience more enjoyable for both players and spectators.
I tuned game speed and session length so rounds felt satisfying without slowing event queues.
I adjusted obstacle density and challenge so first time players could participate without removing replayability.
I balanced randomness with predictable rules so repeat sessions still felt fresh and understandable.
Key learning
When users may interact with a product only once, clarity, simplicity, and immediate engagement matter most.
That principle shaped the entire experience: controls became simpler, sessions became shorter, and every screen communicated from a distance. In future public facing products, I would prototype in the real environment earlier so scale, attention, and audience behavior inform the design from the beginning.