This is written on FEB 16th, 2026 .
Device Design
Reminder of the Experiential goals:
- Designed for kids - rounded corner, colorful
- Implied futurism of the early 2000s - smooth material, metallic, glossy, matt, plasticky (toy-like)
- Implied drag and drop interaction and the use of a stylus
- Handheld and can be hold with 1 Hand, can be kept in pocket
- Horizontal-oriented
- 1-Screen
- Minimum amount of buttons
- Kids feel special using it – feel like they are for a specific purpose
- Recognizable size and silhouette, in which NPC kids can be seen interacting with it
Capable of playing games onNo Games on this Device!
The Result
We decided to go with the ‘Happy’ shape!
It obviously is a playful shape, implied the trend of the early 2000s, and a little bit impractical in shape but very much something that a kid would enjoy using. They come in colorful variations like Tamagotchi, and we plan to have various colors for each of the kids.
- Power Button
- Flashlight Button
- The stylus dock is to the side bottom of the device.
- 2 notification lights at the 2 bumps
- Main flashlight at the center between the 2 bumps
Interaction
- The device hangs out at the bottom center of the screen at all times.
- Upon receiving a notification for example an updated status, the device will do a small bump up animation, as well as the 2 notification lights will light up.
- The flashlight will automatically turn on when the time is Night.
- The 2 buttons, power and flashlight, are not outlined due to having actual gameplay usage.
- Although, we are considering the flashlight just being reactive for fun.
- The power button possibly being a meta button that brings the player to a pause menu screen. This instead of closing out of the device, as that is already available through clicking elsewhere on the screen, and using the button for turning off the screen doesn't make sense or would have any use.
- When the player has unlocked DMs, the other character’s device (or different color) will come down from the top of the screen to tap with the player’s own device, notification lights blinking a specific color.
Art Style
The device is in the same style as Characters, Items & Manmade Structures to signal its connection to the player as an in-world object, not just a non-diegetic UI (the issue we had with the previous UI art style).
The device will live on screen at 950px in width!
Further Notes
- Like the Nintendo Game & Watch, I will add a grid on the screen to signal the interactable screen in which the stickers live.
- We still need a name for this device!
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Also, Style Guide coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!!
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