works

Bridge to Kultur

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid board-digital game where players, as faction diplomats, navigate cultural values to build trust and survive The Calamity.

Client •

Academic Project

Category •

Interaction Design

Date •

2025

Project Overview:

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid digital and physical board game that explores how cultural values and communication affect collaboration. Players take on the roles of diplomats navigating a fictional world divided by elemental factions where each has distinct priorities and social norms. The goal is to build trust, negotiate, and survive a looming crisis called “The Calamity.”

Click here to try out our prototype

My Role

Lead Product Designer & System Designer

Duration

8 Weeks

Collaborators

Our Client

GameStop is a large retail brand best known for video games, consoles, and collectibles, with locations across the U.S. In addition to retail, some stores host community experiences such as Trading Card Game meetups and beginner-friendly play sessions. These events rely on staff facilitation and physical setup, which makes internal training and consistency a meaningful part of the customer experience.

Stakeholders

Devin connected the work to GameStop’s customer experience and brand standards, and provided ongoing guidance and feedback. As an SMC IxD alum, he also served as a helpful bridge between the academic context and real-world expectations.

Nick advised on how the concept could align with existing digital products and associate workflows.

In the earliest version of Bridge to Kultur, players operated as a single decision-making body. Each turn was resolved collectively, with the group debating and voting on how to respond to scenarios. While this structure encouraged collaboration and thematic immersion, it often led to pacing issues, dominant voices overshadowing quieter ones, and a lack of personal accountability. Gameplay became bogged down in discussion, making it difficult for individual players to feel their choices meaningfully shaped the outcome.

Recognizing these issues, we entered a revision phase focused on restoring individual autonomy while preserving the game's core themes of diplomacy and interdependence. We re-examined the turn structure, scenario flow, and the connection between faction identity and player impact. This led to the introduction of personal turns, individualized scenario outcomes, and a more nuanced trust mechanic—encouraging players to think as both diplomats and representatives of their faction’s values.

‍

Here is the fully codified rule book for Bridge to Kultur! In the final gameplay loop, each player takes their turn individually, traveling around the board into nations territories, responding to scenarios in digital interactions, introducing The Calamity as an opposing force in the game, and managing resources in the phone as a sort of digital book keeper. Nations now gained buffs and debuffs, effecting the way players address different situations ranging from building alliances and resources, facing Omen scenarios, and even passive events like losing money to tax. Scenarios also caused players to gain or lose trust points. This revised structure maintained the richness of faction-driven storytelling while significantly improving pacing, engagement, and player clarity. Importantly, it made each decision feel more personal—and more consequential.

Research

‍

On one axis, we looked at whether player choices are emergent (ie. they develops organically throughout gameplay) or pre-defined by logic.On the other axis, we contrast competitive dynamics versus collaborative ones.

‍

The games that we took particular inspiration from include: Mario Party and its simple-yet-fun gameplay loop, Pandemics collaborative win-conditions, the depth of world building in Dungeon's and Dragons, and Queen's Dilemma's spin on approaching scenarios within a political context.

‍

Netnography

‍

Netnography revealed a consistent tension: stores often optimize for fast transactions, while players need spaces that invite staying, learning, and returning. TCG communities grow through visibility, repetition, and shared ritual, so the environment has to make those behaviors feel natural. In hobby shops and pop-up formats, especially in Japan, that sense of “permission to stay” is often built into the space, while traditional retail layouts can unintentionally interrupt it.

‍

To better understand that difference, we studied how physical environments shape behavior, emotion, and participation in retail and community settings. We focused on how layout, sound, lighting, and visibility influence whether people feel welcomed to linger or subtly pushed to move on. This work drew from servicescape theory, retail design research, and online observation of spaces where play, commerce, and community overlap.

Field Research

‍

Field research showed that events often depended on employee initiative rather than a consistent system. Store space was frequently improvised, with single tables tucked into corners, shifting layouts, and unclear flow for spectators or newcomers. The atmosphere varied widely from store to store. In some locations, the event felt lively and obvious. In others, it was nearly invisible unless you already knew it was happening.

‍

We also noticed that participation hinged less on the table setup itself and more on facilitation. Customers showed strong affinity for staff, but expressed limited attachment to the GameStop brand. Tables and materials helped, but customers only committed when a staff member clearly signaled that play was active, guided what to do next, and welcomed newcomers into the space.

‍

The Big Idea

We sought out to standardize employee education for event procedures & setups so that associates of any level can run consistently great events without needing to rely solely on improvisation.

Key Insights

Discovery

‍

Through our research we discovered a cascading effect that ultimately taints GameStop’s brand identity.

‍

To prevent this, we will focus on the needs of the employee to provide a systematic approach to upskilling.

Subject Matter Experts

Hannah & Stephanie

Hannah grounded our work in the realities of store space. She highlighted how much layouts vary and what can’t be moved, including ADA requirements, shelving, and signage. Her input mattered because it pushed us to design space planning that adapts to each store instead of assuming an “ideal” setup.

Stephanie gave us the operational view of how associates actually receive and use training. With 10+ years at GameStop, she walked us through a sample module in the employee dashboard and explained how information is passed down across stores. Her insight reinforced a key constraint for our prototype: guidance has to be easy to find, quick to absorb, and usable mid-shift.

Quotes

“Our stores are One in a million...
They're all different snowflakes.” - Hannah

(on event consistency across stores)
“It depends on the manager” - Stephanie

Matt Goodfriend

Matt helped us frame the prototype as a learning experience, not just a set of instructions. He guided how we structured the module so associates could move from understanding to action, using clear objectives, examples, and practice moments. His input mattered because it kept the training focused on real performance on shift, not just information delivery.

Quote

“Training should reflect who we are,
not just information.” - Matt

Insight Journey

What's the big idea?

Standardizing instruction for event procedures & setups so that GS employees can run consistently great events without needing to rely solely on improvisation

Click the image to cycle through drafts

Drafting

We began by drafting the training experience in Figma. That early prototype helped us quickly test the structure, tone, and flow before committing to a full build. During review, we were told the draft was strong enough that GameStop planned to include most of it in their internal education testing. That feedback shifted the stakes for us. It also made it clear that if we wanted the work to be usable inside their ecosystem, we needed to build it in the format their teams actually prefer.

That is what pushed us to move from a Figma draft into Articulate360. We treated the transition as part of the design work, not just a handoff. We adapted our screens into a real module build, tightened pacing, and leaned into interaction patterns that Articulate supports well. Learning a new tool mid-project was a challenge, but it made the prototype feel more realistic and closer to how training could live within Main Menu.

Final Product

‍

‍

Using Princess' excellent branding, as well as Sammy and I's narrative as a background, I designed each scenario card to give a glimpse of a nations world in the illustrated manuscript style. From the Fire Nation in a war-council like scene, to the Water Nation talking commerce in a scenic port town. The back sides incorporate the factions logo and corresponding pattern. One of the more fun parts of designing this was that they are textured, as the black parts of the scenes are raised.

‍

To give the player the classic board game experience of moving around the board turn-by-turn, player pawns were concepted pretty much exactly how they are presented here. Nation colors made apparent, and a large emblem representing their nation. The only major change was instead of 3D printing the logo, which led to multiple print failures, we made vinyl stickers to put on.

‍

‍

When looking at the fortifications mechanic, we felt that we needed to have something function as a tangible representation of earning enough resources to build something. This was the result of those conversations—a simple, single color watch tower to show that players are going to be more watchful of The Calamity from then on.
‍

The game board borrows it’s aesthetic from Dungeons & Dragons and medieval maps; but for its layout and mechanical purposes, Mario Party, Monopoly, and Sorry were looked at.

Click here to try out our prototype

Feedback

Testing occurred over the span of three days at a 40% completion rate (the norm for GS is 45% in two weeks), in three regions. A total of 47 associates participated in the test.

The results showed clear confidence growth after associates explored the Employee Playbook module, with sentiment shifting more positive overall. A meaningful portion (~45%) still stayed neutral, which signaled the need for more personalized and hands-on support in future iterations of the module.

Reflections

Future Considerations

As Bridge to Kultur continues to evolve, several ideas remain in conversation for next years eventual full-release at Indiecade. Things like a collector's or founder's edition with better materials and things like lore books are definitely one thing that excites us on the physical product side, but for the digital side there are some BIG plans.

‍

To begin, our current prototype only has one scenario to run through, but we really want to explore how we can actualize our idea for a Dungeon Master AI Agent. By feeding player choices, faction dynamics, and resource conditions into a generative system, we could offer campaigns that are truly unique. Ensuring that no two playthroughs of Bridge to Kultur ever feel the same. Next, we want to look at how we can create a sort of "Jack Box-esque" feature by also pairing the game to a larger screen like a TV. While the app effectively tracks personal metrics and decisions, a shared screen could enhance group immersion—offering visual updates on player trust, alliance formations, or effects of Omens more interestingly. This central display could also introduce dynamic cutscenes or animations between phases of the game, reinforcing the narrative stakes and elevating the sense of shared storytelling.

‍

What Worked

From the very beginning, we had a strong sense of division of labor, which helped us avoid stepping on each other’s toes and allowed us to move efficiently. Our team’s strengths aligned naturally with the project needs—Alexander and I focused on product design, Princess led branding, and Sammy and Lie handled UX/UI. Tasks were volunteered for rather than assigned (like Sammy and I running narrative and gameplay mechanics), and no one felt stretched too thin, largely thanks to Alexander’s excellent project management and the clear objectives we set at the end of each meeting.

‍

What I Would Do Differently

If I could go back, I would prioritize reaching out to SMC’s Games Club or E-Sports team for more consistent and experienced feedback. While we received valuable insights from our existing playtests, connecting with dedicated players earlier could’ve helped surface deeper issues and refine mechanics more effectively.

‍

What I Learned

This project taught me just how delicate and powerful game mechanics can be—sometimes the difference between something fun and something frustrating comes down to a single tweak. But that’s what makes it exciting. I’ve realized that great gameplay comes from constant iteration, smart testing, and asking the right questions...especially when you're working with dedicated players. I’m more motivated than ever to keep refining Bridge to Kultur, and to keep making games that challenge, connect, and surprise people!

works

Bridge to Kultur

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid board-digital game where players, as faction diplomats, navigate cultural values to build trust and survive The Calamity.

Client •

Academic Project

Category •

Interaction Design

Date •

2025

Project Overview:

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid digital and physical board game that explores how cultural values and communication affect collaboration. Players take on the roles of diplomats navigating a fictional world divided by elemental factions where each has distinct priorities and social norms. The goal is to build trust, negotiate, and survive a looming crisis called “The Calamity.”

Experience the digital product on Figma

My Role

Lead Product Designer & System Designer

Duration

8 Weeks

Collaborators

Lie Burgess, Alexander Johnson, Princess Rivia, Sammy Schreier

Introduction

‍

To kick off our final project for Interaction Design Studio 2, we underwent an exercise that explored two categories: problems that need to be solved, and things that we found cool in either tech, culture, or society. After filling three white boards with ideas, the cohort separated into four groups based on their interests, in which I was fortunate enough to land in a super-group of a team that wanted to focus on cultural understanding and games. This case study lays out our journey and shows how we approached bridging these two topics.

‍

‍

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, cross-cultural interaction has become a part of everyday life; shaped by global travel, digital communication, and diverse social environments like college campuses and international programs. Yet cultural misunderstandings, especially around social norms, continue to cause friction in both personal and collective spaces, which led to us asking the question...

How might We...

design a game that tests players abilities to navigate cross-cultural communication through different scenarios?

Research Methods

To further solidify our understanding of intercultural communication and how games could possibly be used as a medium for addressing the friction that it caused in a more focused product, we underwent using research methods such as: mind mapping, insight sorting, and from-to exploration. ‍

With the team also performing competitive analyses on games (the most informative of which will be mentioned below), we were also able to develop a matrix that compared how games created decision-experiences to more clearly understand how we wanted to represent Bridge to Kultur (as well as discover how it would play).

‍

On one axis, we looked at whether player choices are emergent (ie. they develops organically throughout gameplay) or pre-defined by logic.On the other axis, we contrast competitive dynamics versus collaborative ones.

‍

The games that we took particular inspiration from include: Mario Party and its simple-yet-fun gameplay loop, Pandemics collaborative win-conditions, the depth of world building in Dungeon's and Dragons, and Queen's Dilemma's spin on approaching scenarios within a political context.

‍

Making the game

Game Narrative

At the heart of Bridge to Kultur is a world fractured by history, scarcity, and cultural divergence. Rather than casting players as conquerors or traders, the narrative invites them to step into the roles of diplomats. Individuals tasked with navigating trust, survival, and identity in a land on the brink of collapse.

Each of the four nations—Fire, Water, Earth, and Air—possesses its own worldview, aesthetic, and moral compass. Through branching scenarios, faction-based dilemmas, and evolving trust dynamics, the narrative challenges players not only to survive a looming Calamity, but to wrestle with the social and political costs of doing so. This isn't just a story players observe, but one that they co-author with every scenario they encounter, every alliance they build, and every bridge they dare—or refuse—to cross.

System Design

Creating the mechanics for Bridge to Kultur meant balancing narrative depth with strategic clarity. From the start, our goal was to design a system that encouraged meaningful choices, personal agency, and diplomatic tension—while staying intuitive enough to support both analog and digital components. The mechanics evolved through multiple iterations, each one bringing us closer to a structure that supports individual storytelling within a shared world. As someone who has been playing games for as long as they can remember, having the opportunity to design the mechanics and flow of the game was an exciting and complex challenge for me.

In the earliest version of Bridge to Kultur, players operated as a single decision-making body. Each turn was resolved collectively, with the group debating and voting on how to respond to scenarios. While this structure encouraged collaboration and thematic immersion, it often led to pacing issues, dominant voices overshadowing quieter ones, and a lack of personal accountability. Gameplay became bogged down in discussion, making it difficult for individual players to feel their choices meaningfully shaped the outcome.

Recognizing these issues, we entered a revision phase focused on restoring individual autonomy while preserving the game's core themes of diplomacy and interdependence. We re-examined the turn structure, scenario flow, and the connection between faction identity and player impact. This led to the introduction of personal turns, individualized scenario outcomes, and a more nuanced trust mechanic—encouraging players to think as both diplomats and representatives of their faction’s values.

‍

Here is the fully codified rule book for Bridge to Kultur! In the final gameplay loop, each player takes their turn individually, traveling around the board into nations territories, responding to scenarios in digital interactions, introducing The Calamity as an opposing force in the game, and managing resources in the phone as a sort of digital book keeper. Nations now gained buffs and debuffs, effecting the way players address different situations ranging from building alliances and resources, facing Omen scenarios, and even passive events like losing money to tax. Scenarios also caused players to gain or lose trust points. This revised structure maintained the richness of faction-driven storytelling while significantly improving pacing, engagement, and player clarity. Importantly, it made each decision feel more personal—and more consequential.

Product Concept Sketching

When figuring out what would be the functional anchor between between physical board and digital app, we initially thought of an AR enabled product due to my experience. However, the tangibility aspect felt lacking; which led us to think about other forms of tech that has some tangible interaction associated with it. This led me suggesting an NFC enabled card that the player taps onto their phone and activates a Game Master AI agent that creates scenarios! This initial sketch explored the materials needed to create the cards, as well as further showing the world of BtK.

Prototyping

Physical Components

‍

Using Princess' excellent branding, as well as Sammy and I's narrative as a background, I designed each scenario card to give a glimpse of a nations world in the illustrated manuscript style. From the Fire Nation in a war-council like scene, to the Water Nation talking commerce in a scenic port town. The back sides incorporate the factions logo and corresponding pattern. One of the more fun parts of designing this was that they are textured, as the black parts of the scenes are raised.

‍

To give the player the classic board game experience of moving around the board turn-by-turn, player pawns were concepted pretty much exactly how they are presented here. Nation colors made apparent, and a large emblem representing their nation. The only major change was instead of 3D printing the logo, which led to multiple print failures, we made vinyl stickers to put on.

‍

When looking at the fortifications mechanic, we felt that we needed to have something function as a tangible representation of earning enough resources to build something. This was the result of those conversations—a simple, single color watch tower to show that players are going to be more watchful of The Calamity from then on.
‍

The game board borrows it’s aesthetic from Dungeons & Dragons and medieval maps; but for its layout and mechanical purposes, Mario Party, Monopoly, and Sorry were looked at.

Digital Component

‍

User Testing

During our two rounds of player testing, one thing became immediately clear...players loved the world we were building The cultures, aesthetics, and the scenarios we built resonated with them, often drawing comparisons with Avatar the Last Airbender.

‍

However, without a guided tutorial or onboarding experience, some players felt uncertain about how to engage with the core mechanics—particularly how to navigate decisions or track progress.

‍

We also found that while the physical board and digital companion both held value, players craved a stronger connection between the two—something more intuitive to help them understand how their in-game actions translated across mediums.

‍

Lastly, our original structure of 30 turns felt excessive. Players began to disengage midway through, leading us to rethink pacing and how to keep gameplay impactful without dragging.

Final Product

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No items found.

Digital Demo Experience

Game On

Experience the digital product on Figma

Reflections

Future Considerations

As Bridge to Kultur continues to evolve, several ideas remain in conversation for next years eventual full-release at Indiecade. Things like a collector's or founder's edition with better materials and things like lore books are definitely one thing that excites us on the physical product side, but for the digital side there are some BIG plans.

‍

To begin, our current prototype only has one scenario to run through, but we really want to explore how we can actualize our idea for a Dungeon Master AI Agent. By feeding player choices, faction dynamics, and resource conditions into a generative system, we could offer campaigns that are truly unique. Ensuring that no two playthroughs of Bridge to Kultur ever feel the same. Next, we want to look at how we can create a sort of "Jack Box-esque" feature by also pairing the game to a larger screen like a TV. While the app effectively tracks personal metrics and decisions, a shared screen could enhance group immersion—offering visual updates on player trust, alliance formations, or effects of Omens more interestingly. This central display could also introduce dynamic cutscenes or animations between phases of the game, reinforcing the narrative stakes and elevating the sense of shared storytelling.

‍

What Worked

From the very beginning, we had a strong sense of division of labor, which helped us avoid stepping on each other’s toes and allowed us to move efficiently. Our team’s strengths aligned naturally with the project needs—Alexander and I focused on product design, Princess led branding, and Sammy and Lie handled UX/UI. Tasks were volunteered for rather than assigned (like Sammy and I running narrative and gameplay mechanics), and no one felt stretched too thin, largely thanks to Alexander’s excellent project management and the clear objectives we set at the end of each meeting.

‍

What I Would Do Differently

If I could go back, I would prioritize reaching out to SMC’s Games Club or E-Sports team for more consistent and experienced feedback. While we received valuable insights from our existing playtests, connecting with dedicated players earlier could’ve helped surface deeper issues and refine mechanics more effectively.

‍

What I Learned

This project taught me just how delicate and powerful game mechanics can be—sometimes the difference between something fun and something frustrating comes down to a single tweak. But that’s what makes it exciting. I’ve realized that great gameplay comes from constant iteration, smart testing, and asking the right questions...especially when you're working with dedicated players. I’m more motivated than ever to keep refining Bridge to Kultur, and to keep making games that challenge, connect, and surprise people!

works

Bridge to Kultur

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid board-digital game where players, as faction diplomats, navigate cultural values to build trust and survive The Calamity.

Client •

Academic Project

Category •

Interaction Design

Date •

2025

Project Overview:

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid digital and physical board game that explores how cultural values and communication affect collaboration. Players take on the roles of diplomats navigating a fictional world divided by elemental factions where each has distinct priorities and social norms. The goal is to build trust, negotiate, and survive a looming crisis called “The Calamity.”

My Role

Lead Product Designer & System Designer

Tools Used

VR: Unity, Meta Quest 3, TactGlove DK2, After Effects
Projection Mapping: Touch Designer, After Effects,
(Bambu Labs P2S for 3D print)

Duration

8 Weeks

Introduction

‍

To kick off our final project for Interaction Design Studio 2, we underwent an exercise that explored two categories: problems that need to be solved, and things that we found cool in either tech, culture, or society. After filling three white boards with ideas, the cohort separated into four groups based on their interests, in which I was fortunate enough to land in a super-group of a team that wanted to focus on cultural understanding and games. This case study lays out our journey and shows how we approached bridging these two topics.

‍

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, cross-cultural interaction has become a part of everyday life; shaped by global travel, digital communication, and diverse social environments like college campuses and international programs. Yet cultural misunderstandings, especially around social norms, continue to cause friction in both personal and collective spaces, which led to us asking the question...

Responsibilities

Defined the project thesis and learning goals
Researched XR education, haptics, and coordinated work
Designed the training flow and interaction structure

Developed 360 educational videos for context between tasks
Directed the visual language of the VR and exhibition experience
Planned physical exhibition artifacts and supporting signage

The Brief

‍

The brief was to create a senior capstone that demonstrates a clear design thesis through a working interactive experience. I chose to focus on XR education because I believe immersive technology is strongest when it helps people rehearse experiences that are difficult, expensive, dangerous, or inaccessible in real life.

‍

My self-directed brief became:

‍

How might We...

Use VR to turn coordinated work from something people watch into something they can rehearse?

‍

Formula 1 pit crews became the case study because they make coordinated work highly visible. A pit stop contains role responsibility, timing, tool use, communication, pressure, and system-level consequences. The challenge was not to make a racing game. The challenge was to use the emotional pull of motorsport to explore how VR can teach embodied procedural skills.

‍

Record-breaking 1.8 second wheel change by Team McLaren

F1 is the case study. VR education is the project.

Process

Research
& Framing

I began by studying where VR education makes the most sense: environments where practice is valuable but difficult to access. Operating rooms, job sites, emergency response scenarios, technical field work, and energy infrastructure all share a similar problem. Learners need repetition, but real-world practice can be expensive, risky, or logistically limited.

From there, I looked at pit crews as a visible example of coordinated procedural work. Pit stops are short, physical, role-based, and easy to understand from the outside. That made them a strong container for exploring a larger question about embodied training.

Lo-Fi Testing

For a low fidelity test, I had four participants put together a 3D printed F1 kit card to see how people understand roles as well as receive feedback.
From early testing and observation, I learned a few things fast.

First: clarity beats realism in the first minute—if players don’t instantly know their job, they freeze.
Second: most mistakes aren’t ‘too slow,’ they’re procedural—wrong order, missing a step, or not confirming something is ‘done.’
Third: people trust feedback they can feel—strong audio and haptics make them commit to actions with more confidence.
And lastly, error recovery matters more than punishment: if you want learning, you need quick ways to reset and try again.
‍

Defining the Learning Model

To keep the prototype focused, I reduced the experience to three universal skills:

Control
Using a tool correctly and recognizing confirmation through feedback.

Calibration
Making a small adjustment and understanding its system-wide impact.

Verification
Following a sequence, checking status, and confirming completion.

These three skills became the backbone of the experience. Each F1 task represents a larger learning pattern that can transfer beyond motorsport.

In the earliest version of Bridge to Kultur, players operated as a single decision-making body. Each turn was resolved collectively, with the group debating and voting on how to respond to scenarios. While this structure encouraged collaboration and thematic immersion, it often led to pacing issues, dominant voices overshadowing quieter ones, and a lack of personal accountability. Gameplay became bogged down in discussion, making it difficult for individual players to feel their choices meaningfully shaped the outcome.

Recognizing these issues, we entered a revision phase focused on restoring individual autonomy while preserving the game's core themes of diplomacy and interdependence. We re-examined the turn structure, scenario flow, and the connection between faction identity and player impact. This led to the introduction of personal turns, individualized scenario outcomes, and a more nuanced trust mechanic—encouraging players to think as both diplomats and representatives of their faction’s values.

‍

Here is the fully codified rule book for Bridge to Kultur! In the final gameplay loop, each player takes their turn individually, traveling around the board into nations territories, responding to scenarios in digital interactions, introducing The Calamity as an opposing force in the game, and managing resources in the phone as a sort of digital book keeper. Nations now gained buffs and debuffs, effecting the way players address different situations ranging from building alliances and resources, facing Omen scenarios, and even passive events like losing money to tax. Scenarios also caused players to gain or lose trust points. This revised structure maintained the richness of faction-driven storytelling while significantly improving pacing, engagement, and player clarity. Importantly, it made each decision feel more personal—and more consequential.

Experience Flow

‍

The final experience alternates between short 360 videos and guided VR interactions. The videos frame why each skill matters, while the interactions let the learner practice the skill with their body.

‍

The structure follows a simple rhythm:

‍

Watch → Practice → Reflect → Practice → Transfer → Verify

‍

This helped separate the emotional layer of the project from the learning layer. The story pulls the learner in. The task teaches the skill. The recap helps the experience stick.

‍

The flow goes as follows (and is visualized underneath:

‍

Intro video — why embodied learning matters
Tire gun interaction — control
Feedback video — motion becomes learning
Front wing interaction — calibration
Coordination video — tasks belong to systems
Electronics reset interaction — verification
Outro — recap and project thesis

‍

Interaction &
Haptic Design

Haptics were treated as feedback, not decoration. Instead of using vibration constantly, the experience uses tactile cues at key moments: contact, alignment, confirmation, and completion.

For the tire gun task, haptics reinforce tool engagement. For the front wing, feedback supports the feeling of adjustment. For the electronics reset, tactile and audiovisual cues help confirm that the sequence has been completed.

The goal was not to perfectly recreate professional pit-crew work. The goal was to help learners understand what correctness feels like inside a simplified procedure.

On the right is the haptic glove being tested, as well as the pattern for designed in bHaptics Designer. Below is a description of how these play out in-game.

Story & 360 Video Design

‍

Exhibition System

‍

Using Princess' excellent branding, as well as Sammy and I's narrative as a background, I designed each scenario card to give a glimpse of a nations world in the illustrated manuscript style. From the Fire Nation in a war-council like scene, to the Water Nation talking commerce in a scenic port town. The back sides incorporate the factions logo and corresponding pattern. One of the more fun parts of designing this was that they are textured, as the black parts of the scenes are raised.

‍

To give the player the classic board game experience of moving around the board turn-by-turn, player pawns were concepted pretty much exactly how they are presented here. Nation colors made apparent, and a large emblem representing their nation. The only major change was instead of 3D printing the logo, which led to multiple print failures, we made vinyl stickers to put on.

‍

When looking at the fortifications mechanic, we felt that we needed to have something function as a tangible representation of earning enough resources to build something. This was the result of those conversations—a simple, single color watch tower to show that players are going to be more watchful of The Calamity from then on.
‍

The game board borrows it’s aesthetic from Dungeons & Dragons and medieval maps; but for its layout and mechanical purposes, Mario Party, Monopoly, and Sorry were looked at.

Results

The final result is a short haptics-centered VR training experience that uses pit-crew work to demonstrate a larger model for embodied learning. Players move through a sequence of educational videos and guided interactions, practicing control, calibration, and verification inside an F1-inspired environment.The project demonstrates how VR can make procedural learning more physical, memorable, and emotionally engaging. Rather than positioning simulation as pure realism, Feeling the Fastlane uses story, feedback, and simplified interaction to preserve the core mental model of coordinated work.

Feeling the Fastlane is not a full professional training program. It is a keystone prototype that proves a repeatable learning loop:
Story → Guided Action → Haptic Feedback → Reflection

Reflections

Future Considerations

As Bridge to Kultur continues to evolve, several ideas remain in conversation for next years eventual full-release at Indiecade. Things like a collector's or founder's edition with better materials and things like lore books are definitely one thing that excites us on the physical product side, but for the digital side there are some BIG plans.

‍

To begin, our current prototype only has one scenario to run through, but we really want to explore how we can actualize our idea for a Dungeon Master AI Agent. By feeding player choices, faction dynamics, and resource conditions into a generative system, we could offer campaigns that are truly unique. Ensuring that no two playthroughs of Bridge to Kultur ever feel the same. Next, we want to look at how we can create a sort of "Jack Box-esque" feature by also pairing the game to a larger screen like a TV. While the app effectively tracks personal metrics and decisions, a shared screen could enhance group immersion—offering visual updates on player trust, alliance formations, or effects of Omens more interestingly. This central display could also introduce dynamic cutscenes or animations between phases of the game, reinforcing the narrative stakes and elevating the sense of shared storytelling.

‍

What Worked

From the very beginning, we had a strong sense of division of labor, which helped us avoid stepping on each other’s toes and allowed us to move efficiently. Our team’s strengths aligned naturally with the project needs—Alexander and I focused on product design, Princess led branding, and Sammy and Lie handled UX/UI. Tasks were volunteered for rather than assigned (like Sammy and I running narrative and gameplay mechanics), and no one felt stretched too thin, largely thanks to Alexander’s excellent project management and the clear objectives we set at the end of each meeting.

‍

What I Would Do Differently

If I could go back, I would prioritize reaching out to SMC’s Games Club or E-Sports team for more consistent and experienced feedback. While we received valuable insights from our existing playtests, connecting with dedicated players earlier could’ve helped surface deeper issues and refine mechanics more effectively.

‍

What I Learned

This project taught me just how delicate and powerful game mechanics can be—sometimes the difference between something fun and something frustrating comes down to a single tweak. But that’s what makes it exciting. I’ve realized that great gameplay comes from constant iteration, smart testing, and asking the right questions...especially when you're working with dedicated players. I’m more motivated than ever to keep refining Bridge to Kultur, and to keep making games that challenge, connect, and surprise people!

In the earliest version of Bridge to Kultur, players operated as a single decision-making body. Each turn was resolved collectively, with the group debating and voting on how to respond to scenarios. While this structure encouraged collaboration and thematic immersion, it often led to pacing issues, dominant voices overshadowing quieter ones, and a lack of personal accountability. Gameplay became bogged down in discussion, making it difficult for individual players to feel their choices meaningfully shaped the outcome.

Recognizing these issues, we entered a revision phase focused on restoring individual autonomy while preserving the game's core themes of diplomacy and interdependence. We re-examined the turn structure, scenario flow, and the connection between faction identity and player impact. This led to the introduction of personal turns, individualized scenario outcomes, and a more nuanced trust mechanic—encouraging players to think as both diplomats and representatives of their faction’s values.

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Here is the fully codified rule book for Bridge to Kultur! In the final gameplay loop, each player takes their turn individually, traveling around the board into nations territories, responding to scenarios in digital interactions, introducing The Calamity as an opposing force in the game, and managing resources in the phone as a sort of digital book keeper. Nations now gained buffs and debuffs, effecting the way players address different situations ranging from building alliances and resources, facing Omen scenarios, and even passive events like losing money to tax. Scenarios also caused players to gain or lose trust points. This revised structure maintained the richness of faction-driven storytelling while significantly improving pacing, engagement, and player clarity. Importantly, it made each decision feel more personal—and more consequential.

works

Bridge to Kultur

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid board-digital game where players, as faction diplomats, navigate cultural values to build trust and survive The Calamity.

Client •

Academic Project

Category •

Interaction Design

Date •

2025

Project Overview:

Bridge to Kultur is a hybrid digital and physical board game that explores how cultural values and communication affect collaboration. Players take on the roles of diplomats navigating a fictional world divided by elemental factions where each has distinct priorities and social norms. The goal is to build trust, negotiate, and survive a looming crisis called “The Calamity.”

Experience the digital product on Figma

My Role

Lead Product Designer & System Designer

Duration

8 Weeks

Collaborators

Lie Burgess, Alexander Johnson, Princess Rivia, Sammy Schreier

Introduction

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To kick off our final project for Interaction Design Studio 2, we underwent an exercise that explored two categories: problems that need to be solved, and things that we found cool in either tech, culture, or society. After filling three white boards with ideas, the cohort separated into four groups based on their interests, in which I was fortunate enough to land in a super-group of a team that wanted to focus on cultural understanding and games. This case study lays out our journey and shows how we approached bridging these two topics.

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In today’s increasingly interconnected world, cross-cultural interaction has become a part of everyday life; shaped by global travel, digital communication, and diverse social environments like college campuses and international programs. Yet cultural misunderstandings, especially around social norms, continue to cause friction in both personal and collective spaces, which led to us asking the question...

How might We...

design a game that tests players abilities to navigate cross-cultural communication through different scenarios?

Research Methods

To further solidify our understanding of intercultural communication and how games could possibly be used as a medium for addressing the friction that it caused in a more focused product, we underwent using research methods such as: mind mapping, insight sorting, and from-to exploration. ‍

With the team also performing competitive analyses on games (the most informative of which will be mentioned below), we were also able to develop a matrix that compared how games created decision-experiences to more clearly understand how we wanted to represent Bridge to Kultur (as well as discover how it would play).

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On one axis, we looked at whether player choices are emergent (ie. they develops organically throughout gameplay) or pre-defined by logic.On the other axis, we contrast competitive dynamics versus collaborative ones.

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The games that we took particular inspiration from include: Mario Party and its simple-yet-fun gameplay loop, Pandemics collaborative win-conditions, the depth of world building in Dungeon's and Dragons, and Queen's Dilemma's spin on approaching scenarios within a political context.

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Making the game

Game Narrative

At the heart of Bridge to Kultur is a world fractured by history, scarcity, and cultural divergence. Rather than casting players as conquerors or traders, the narrative invites them to step into the roles of diplomats. Individuals tasked with navigating trust, survival, and identity in a land on the brink of collapse.

Each of the four nations—Fire, Water, Earth, and Air—possesses its own worldview, aesthetic, and moral compass. Through branching scenarios, faction-based dilemmas, and evolving trust dynamics, the narrative challenges players not only to survive a looming Calamity, but to wrestle with the social and political costs of doing so. This isn't just a story players observe, but one that they co-author with every scenario they encounter, every alliance they build, and every bridge they dare—or refuse—to cross.

System Design

Creating the mechanics for Bridge to Kultur meant balancing narrative depth with strategic clarity. From the start, our goal was to design a system that encouraged meaningful choices, personal agency, and diplomatic tension—while staying intuitive enough to support both analog and digital components. The mechanics evolved through multiple iterations, each one bringing us closer to a structure that supports individual storytelling within a shared world. As someone who has been playing games for as long as they can remember, having the opportunity to design the mechanics and flow of the game was an exciting and complex challenge for me.

In the earliest version of Bridge to Kultur, players operated as a single decision-making body. Each turn was resolved collectively, with the group debating and voting on how to respond to scenarios. While this structure encouraged collaboration and thematic immersion, it often led to pacing issues, dominant voices overshadowing quieter ones, and a lack of personal accountability. Gameplay became bogged down in discussion, making it difficult for individual players to feel their choices meaningfully shaped the outcome.

Recognizing these issues, we entered a revision phase focused on restoring individual autonomy while preserving the game's core themes of diplomacy and interdependence. We re-examined the turn structure, scenario flow, and the connection between faction identity and player impact. This led to the introduction of personal turns, individualized scenario outcomes, and a more nuanced trust mechanic—encouraging players to think as both diplomats and representatives of their faction’s values.

‍

Here is the fully codified rule book for Bridge to Kultur! In the final gameplay loop, each player takes their turn individually, traveling around the board into nations territories, responding to scenarios in digital interactions, introducing The Calamity as an opposing force in the game, and managing resources in the phone as a sort of digital book keeper. Nations now gained buffs and debuffs, effecting the way players address different situations ranging from building alliances and resources, facing Omen scenarios, and even passive events like losing money to tax. Scenarios also caused players to gain or lose trust points. This revised structure maintained the richness of faction-driven storytelling while significantly improving pacing, engagement, and player clarity. Importantly, it made each decision feel more personal—and more consequential.

Product Concept Sketching

When figuring out what would be the functional anchor between between physical board and digital app, we initially thought of an AR enabled product due to my experience. However, the tangibility aspect felt lacking; which led us to think about other forms of tech that has some tangible interaction associated with it. This led me suggesting an NFC enabled card that the player taps onto their phone and activates a Game Master AI agent that creates scenarios! This initial sketch explored the materials needed to create the cards, as well as further showing the world of BtK.

Prototyping

Physical Components

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Using Princess' excellent branding, as well as Sammy and I's narrative as a background, I designed each scenario card to give a glimpse of a nations world in the illustrated manuscript style. From the Fire Nation in a war-council like scene, to the Water Nation talking commerce in a scenic port town. The back sides incorporate the factions logo and corresponding pattern. One of the more fun parts of designing this was that they are textured, as the black parts of the scenes are raised.

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To give the player the classic board game experience of moving around the board turn-by-turn, player pawns were concepted pretty much exactly how they are presented here. Nation colors made apparent, and a large emblem representing their nation. The only major change was instead of 3D printing the logo, which led to multiple print failures, we made vinyl stickers to put on.

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When looking at the fortifications mechanic, we felt that we needed to have something function as a tangible representation of earning enough resources to build something. This was the result of those conversations—a simple, single color watch tower to show that players are going to be more watchful of The Calamity from then on.
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The game board borrows it’s aesthetic from Dungeons & Dragons and medieval maps; but for its layout and mechanical purposes, Mario Party, Monopoly, and Sorry were looked at.

Digital Component

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User Testing

During our two rounds of player testing, one thing became immediately clear...players loved the world we were building The cultures, aesthetics, and the scenarios we built resonated with them, often drawing comparisons with Avatar the Last Airbender.

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However, without a guided tutorial or onboarding experience, some players felt uncertain about how to engage with the core mechanics—particularly how to navigate decisions or track progress.

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We also found that while the physical board and digital companion both held value, players craved a stronger connection between the two—something more intuitive to help them understand how their in-game actions translated across mediums.

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Lastly, our original structure of 30 turns felt excessive. Players began to disengage midway through, leading us to rethink pacing and how to keep gameplay impactful without dragging.

Final Product

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No items found.

Digital Demo Experience

Game On

Experience the digital product on Figma

Reflections

Future Considerations

As Bridge to Kultur continues to evolve, several ideas remain in conversation for next years eventual full-release at Indiecade. Things like a collector's or founder's edition with better materials and things like lore books are definitely one thing that excites us on the physical product side, but for the digital side there are some BIG plans.

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To begin, our current prototype only has one scenario to run through, but we really want to explore how we can actualize our idea for a Dungeon Master AI Agent. By feeding player choices, faction dynamics, and resource conditions into a generative system, we could offer campaigns that are truly unique. Ensuring that no two playthroughs of Bridge to Kultur ever feel the same. Next, we want to look at how we can create a sort of "Jack Box-esque" feature by also pairing the game to a larger screen like a TV. While the app effectively tracks personal metrics and decisions, a shared screen could enhance group immersion—offering visual updates on player trust, alliance formations, or effects of Omens more interestingly. This central display could also introduce dynamic cutscenes or animations between phases of the game, reinforcing the narrative stakes and elevating the sense of shared storytelling.

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What Worked

From the very beginning, we had a strong sense of division of labor, which helped us avoid stepping on each other’s toes and allowed us to move efficiently. Our team’s strengths aligned naturally with the project needs—Alexander and I focused on product design, Princess led branding, and Sammy and Lie handled UX/UI. Tasks were volunteered for rather than assigned (like Sammy and I running narrative and gameplay mechanics), and no one felt stretched too thin, largely thanks to Alexander’s excellent project management and the clear objectives we set at the end of each meeting.

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What I Would Do Differently

If I could go back, I would prioritize reaching out to SMC’s Games Club or E-Sports team for more consistent and experienced feedback. While we received valuable insights from our existing playtests, connecting with dedicated players earlier could’ve helped surface deeper issues and refine mechanics more effectively.

‍

What I Learned

This project taught me just how delicate and powerful game mechanics can be—sometimes the difference between something fun and something frustrating comes down to a single tweak. But that’s what makes it exciting. I’ve realized that great gameplay comes from constant iteration, smart testing, and asking the right questions...especially when you're working with dedicated players. I’m more motivated than ever to keep refining Bridge to Kultur, and to keep making games that challenge, connect, and surprise people!

works

Bridge to Kultur

Client •

Category •

Date •

Project Overview:

My Role

Duration

Collaborators

Our Client

Stakeholders

Research

Netnography

Field Research

The Big Idea

Key Insights

Discovery

Subject Matter Experts

Hannah & Stephanie

Quotes

Matt Goodfriend

Quote

Insight Journey

What's the big idea?

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Drafting

Final Product

Feedback

Reflections

Future Considerations

What Worked

What I Would Do Differently

What I Learned

works

Bridge to Kultur

Client •

Category •

Date •

Project Overview:

My Role

Duration

Collaborators

Introduction

How might We...

Research Methods

Making the game

Game Narrative

System Design

Product Concept Sketching

Prototyping

Physical Components

Digital Component

User Testing

Final Product

Digital Demo Experience

Game On

Reflections

Future Considerations

What Worked

What I Would Do Differently

What I Learned

works

Bridge to Kultur

Client •

Category •

Date •

Project Overview:

My Role

Tools Used

Duration

Introduction

Responsibilities

The Brief

How might We...

F1 is the case study. VR education is the project.

Project Challenge

Process

Research & Framing

Lo-Fi Testing

Defining the Learning Model

Research
& Framing

Interaction &
Haptic Design