ZTX Crafting
UX Research, UX Design, UI Design
UX and UI for the ZTX Crafting Forge.
ZTX is a gaming project linked to Zepeto, a virtual world and social platform where users create 3D avatars. ZTX integrates blockchain, allowing players to play, socialize, and earn.
Introduction
The Crafting Forge is a virtual table where players combine materials to create NFTs, mainly avatar wearables and furniture. These items can be sold on NFT marketplaces. Recipes, which detail required materials, can be purchased or unlocked through gameplay.
Feature
The initial design of the crafting forge was based on player personas I created through user interviews with blockchain metaverse gamers, sourced via Discord surveys since our game wasn't live yet. ZTX is a passive game where players can socialize, customize avatars, and engage in activities like crafting furniture for their homes.
Market Research
After receiving requirements from the product team, I sketched user flows and wireframes for the crafting forge, where players trade materials for items. Playtests would follow once the feature launched, leading up to the beta.
Flows and Wireframes
The feature required extensive collaboration and approvals from Product Managers and Game Designers. After iteration, we were ready to test usability.
Testing a prototype
We tested with 5 players who had joined our Discord channel in anticipation of our closed beta and token launch.
Iterating
After conducting task-based moderated user testing, I identified a few usability issues players encountered with the first crafting forge design:
• Players struggled to quickly determine if they had sufficient quantities of a specific material to craft an item
• Players desired a quick method to obtain the necessary materials for crafting an item
Before
After
To address players' difficulty in determining if they had enough materials, I incorporated a feature that shows the surplus of each material over the required amount, accompanied by a green checkmark indicating sufficiency.
Hover
Click
I added hover and click states to inventory thumbnails for easier material acquisition. Hovering shows the extraction/harvesting time, while clicking lets users purchase or extract remotely.
Moment of Realization
Well… testing a flat prototype will only get you so far when identifying usability issues with an interactive game.
My testing method was flawed, and I did not get enough from testing my prototype — I needed a Unity build to see real player interaction with the crafting forge. The devs created a build with my mid-fi wireframes, and we resumed testing, providing participants with test net assets.
More Iteration
I tested the fully interactive Unity build to see how players used the crafting forge alongside other features, as they needed to play to earn materials for crafting.
• Players frequently forgot recipes, leading them to run back and forth between the crafting forge and extractor. To solve this, I added a main navigation option for viewing recipes remotely.
• Players desired the ability to bypass the crafting timer and receive their crafted items immediately, without having to wait.
Player at the Extractor
Players can now easily check recipes while deciding which materials to extract, ensuring they gather the right items.
Skip Timer
Players now have the option to pay to bypass the crafting timer at any time after confirming the crafting job. This introduces another revenue stream for ZTX while enhancing player satisfaction.
Ship
We released the first version and have received plenty of feedback, which we're continuously iterating on. Stay tuned!
@2024 Emma Hosn