Eorzean Pocket Guide is a search tool and information database for the popular video game Final Fantasy XIV. Using this mobile application, users can look at different items and gear within the game, compare statistics, and find the actions and requirements needed for each piece
When Final Fantasy XIV launched back in 2010, the game was relatively straightforward. Wearable gear and other items were simple to find, and there wasn’t a need to seek out information that the game did not already provide the player. However, upon the release of 3 additional games, and 10 years of constant development and updates, the game has become so large that now there is a lack of communication within the game and to the users as to how to obtain items, armours, and other cosmetics. With over 10,000 collectable gear items, newcomers would have a very difficult time catching up with the various ways to acquire the equipment necessary for progress and aesthetics.
How might we organize existing data to help newer players find information and discover new gear sets that the game does not already provide?
Introducing Eorzean Pocket Guide - a mobile application that allows users to search a variety of different criteria to match their gear needs and find personalize their FFXIV experience.
With this guide application, users can make more informed decisions, and newer players are able to easily access comparison information and complete their in-game goals faster
To better understand the problems faced by this project’s target audience, research was conducted to determine both usability needs and technical requirements for the project. Through research about the online game, it was determined that there were no in-game search functionalities for gear that was not directly tradable, there existed a limited amount of ways to obtain gear, and the existing FFXIV App on the IOS store only allowed users to search the market board for tradable items.
The target users are newcomers and players that have completed at least part of the game. These users understand the game and have developed preferences for their gameplay and personal style or character statistics. A Key differentiator of this group is that they are very experienced with the game itself, and the different methods of gear acquisition, so they will want to see something that feels familiar to their past experiences.
Wireframes were created in adobe Xd to allow for rapid prototyping and visual information architecture planning. These established a blueprint for how the user flows would document the intended user experience. These low-fidelity designs allowed for the integration of pain point markers and mapping out the ideal user flows on a whiteboard.
High-Fidelity mockups allowed for a polished user experience, with images, colours, and finalized user flows and branding. These designs can then be used to create an interactive prototype for further user testings and final iterations. The visual design was created with affordances in mind, so the team utilized existing concept art from the game, and used simple drop down and search fields to allow for a very simple and familiar user interface experience.
The high fidelity prototype shows the main user interactions, touch points, and choices intended for the user. This showcases examples of the expected user flow and will be used for further user testing. The layout and interactions will allow the team to find any existing problems and make changes based on testing feedback.
