Diablo Builds
Web and mobile application for the game Diablo IV where you can read guides, create builds and make optimizations for your character utilizing custom calculator and simulation data.
Diablo Builds
Role:
Creative Director, Product Designer
Date:
Jun 2023 - Jan 2024
Preview
One of the primary challenges users faced was finding reliable and up-to-date build guides for Diablo. Many existing platforms were either cluttered with outdated content or difficult to navigate. To address this, I led the design of a clean, intuitive interface that allowed users to easily search, filter, and customize builds based on their preferences. Another challenge was ensuring the platform worked seamlessly across devices, so we developed both web and desktop versions to cater to different user needs. Finally, we prioritized a responsive feedback system, ensuring users received real-time updates as new builds were introduced, improving the overall experience and keeping them engaged.
I led the Creative Direction, Product-User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) of this project. I worked alongside 3 talented designers which gave constructive feedback in order to improve and get other perspectives of what I was designing. Some of my tasks were:
Planning and Scope
Research
Competitive analysis
User Interface & Experience
Design Oversight
The design process for Diablo Builds started with research to understand user needs and the Diablo community. This informed initial concept development, where ideas were brainstormed and sketched.
Next, wireframes and interactive prototypes were created to map out user flows and test functionality. High-fidelity UI designs followed, focusing on visual consistency, branding, and enhancing the user experience.
The process concluded with usability testing, gathering feedback, and making iterative improvements before the final launch.
Research
User interviews were conducted to gather insights directly from players and understand their needs and pain points. We spoke with a diverse group of Diablo fans, from casual to hardcore players, to capture a broad perspective. The interviews focused on how they currently build characters, what tools they use, and what challenges they face. Key insights included the need for a more intuitive, streamlined interface for creating and sharing builds. Players emphasized the importance of quick access to updated game data. The interviews took at most 30 minutes, here are some of the questions we asked:
How often do you play Diablo, and what is your primary goal when playing?
What tools or resources do you currently use to create or find character builds?
Can you describe any challenges you face when trying to build characters?
What features would you find most helpful in a build tool? Why?
Research
Research
Frequency of Play
40% of casual players play 2-3 times a week, seeking a relaxed gaming experience.
50% of hardcore players play daily, focused on optimization and competition.
Tools Used for Builds
30% of players rely on third-party tools but find them cumbersome or outdated.
20% use official game forums and guides.
50% of players look for builds on community platforms like Reddit and YouTube.
Challenges Faced
60% of players find existing tools overly complex or not user-friendly.
70% express difficulty in staying updated with game mechanics and changes.
50% of players feel it takes too long to create or find effective builds.
Research
Maxroll: stands out for its comprehensive guides and strong community engagement, attracting around 500,000+ monthly visits, but its extensive content can overwhelm new users.
Icy Veins offers clear navigation and is beginner-friendly, though it may lag in content updates, with about 300,000+ monthly visits.
Wowhead has a vast database and community features, focusing more on WoW but including Diablo content, with an estimated 1+ million combined visits.
DiabloFans thrives on community-generated content but suffers from a less polished design, attracting around 150,000+ monthly visits.
Overall, there is a strong demand for timely content updates (65% of players), user engagement (70%), and usability (60%), indicating significant opportunity for a dedicated build tool that addresses these needs in the Diablo community.
Design
The concept centered on creating an intuitive, visually appealing interface that allows users to easily access pre-made builds, customize their characters, and stay updated with real-time game changes. By integrating community feedback and leveraging the insights gathered from user interviews, the app aimed to bridge the gap between casual gamers and hardcore players, offering features like sharing capabilities and a robust database of strategies and tools tailored to the needs of the Diablo community.
Design
The Wireframe was designed to build the structure and architecture of the information and only then go to visual and interactions.
Design
Branding
Branding
