Final Year Project: ComCre

About:

ComCre, the community creature, is a virtual pet (V-Pet) game installation that aims to make players aware about the interconnectedness of cause and effect; where our actions transcend the artificial boundaries of our singular lives and permeate into those of others and the actions of others unto ours. This is conveyed through the natural chaos of communal cooperative game play, in which the community interacts with minigame stations to evolve the v-pet into the form that embodies their values the most. Within this space, every action and interaction has gravity and affects the V-Pet’s growth.

Role:

Solo Designer and Developer

Project Brief:

Create your magnus-opus in a year.

Challenge to myself:

I decided to do a project that would incorporate all the skills that I have learnt in my four years of studying at NTU:ADM, namely game design and interactive design. Thus, I laboured to create a non-traditional game that was not just limited to the screen. I also chose to push the boundaries of cooperative play and decided to make a game that would allow a whole community to play together.

UX Goal:

ComCre was designed as a communal “Tamagotchi room,” so the core UX goal was to make cooperation feel natural, joyful, and immediately understandable even for first-time players.

Why Physical Interfaces:

I chose custom physical interfaces to elevate the sense of presence and shared play. In a communal installation, the “UI” is not just what’s on screen, but also what people can see, touch, and react to together. Physical controls make the "play" visible.

Station Design and Learnability:

Each station was designed around a simple, repeatable interaction loop: approach, understand in seconds, perform an action, see immediate feedback. New players could learn quickly and focus on collaboration rather than instruction.

Tactility and Input Satisfaction:

The physical controls were designed to provide tactile feedback and a satisfying input experience, enhancing the overall engagement and enjoyment of the game.

Designing for Shared Enjoyment:

Many digital co-op experiences hide emotional payoff behind individual screens. ComCre does the opposite: it externalizes success through visible actions, satisfying controls, and shared feedback so enjoyment becomes contagious. Seeing others smile, react, and celebrate becomes part of the interface, and strengthens engagement through social reinforcement.