Character Design
The art style is familiar, stylized, and minimal. Proportions were carefully chosen to allow for details in fashion, accessories, recognizability, and cohesiveness with the amount of detail in the environment. Character detail is just reduced enough to not compete with in-shop experiences.
Map
The map was designed with users well being in mind. It prioritizes navigability but allows for extendable stretches of shops so that users are able to get somewhere with intention and autonomy, but the spontaneity of browsing a bustling area isn’t lost.
I formed the experience around findings in alternative education and non-hostile architecture. Being that the game simulates a public space, I found the hostile design choices in things like malls and casinos and chose to empower rather than discombobulate. The marketplace is easily accessible, users can fast travel to shops by tapping them on the map, save locations, the map is laid out in a radial grid, and features an open mingling space in the center that can be used as a reference point so as to avoid getting lost in the market.
I formed the experience around findings in alternative education and non-hostile architecture. Being that the game simulates a public space, I found the hostile design choices in things like malls and casinos and chose to empower rather than discombobulate. The marketplace is easily accessible, users can fast travel to shops by tapping them on the map, save locations, the map is laid out in a radial grid, and features an open mingling space in the center that can be used as a reference point so as to avoid getting lost in the market.
Accessories
Users have two special tools to help them make DigiMart a fully functional experience: the phone or “cell” and desktop. The cell allows quick access to notifications, messages, payment options, saved items/shops, certain in-app purchases, and the map. It allows users to do the things they’d normally need in their shopping experience, but without breaking the immersion. The art style even coincides with the nostalgic themes in this virtual world. The desktop takes this a bit further and adds functionality for shop management including: messages, notifications, orders, listings, view stats, accounting, and shop building.Both have stylized keyboards that fit the familiar layout of a traditional mobile-phones keyboard.
Locations
The main location of DigiMart is the marketplace. Once users fast travel here by tapping their drop off spot on the digital map, they can enjoy the best features of the app, browsing, mingling, shopping, even decorating the environment with virtual stickers from their favorite shops (yes shops can sell digital goods as well). They activate functions by approaching active elements then tapping their pop up buttons. For example, approaching a storefront allows the user to enter, loading a new scene.
The users room holds 4 functions. The first is cosmetic, it can be customized with virtual posters found in shops or trinkets like lava lamps provided by DigiMart. Second, it allows users to get on their in-app computer to open up a shop. From there, the computer can be used to managed the business. Third, the users can customize their characters in their closet with clothes from DigiMart or purchased from shops. Last, they save cosmetic changes by “resting” on their bed before finishing a session.
Inside, the merchants have carefully laid out the contents of the main floor. They’re full of racks and displays featuring the best highlights of the merchants’ inventory, with the option to load additional floors. Shoppers approach the virtual goods and a window pops up (left) that gives information and purchase options. This interaction is the most similar to a traditional ecommerce service. For the merchants, there are desktops placed in the main floors of any given shop. Interacting with the computers in a merchants own shop enables business management functions.
Inside, the merchants have carefully laid out the contents of the main floor. They’re full of racks and displays featuring the best highlights of the merchants’ inventory, with the option to load additional floors. Shoppers approach the virtual goods and a window pops up (left) that gives information and purchase options. This interaction is the most similar to a traditional ecommerce service. For the merchants, there are desktops placed in the main floors of any given shop. Interacting with the computers in a merchants own shop enables business management functions.
