Drop Zone, an innovative experiential marketing activation, emerged from a high-profile partnership between Microsoft, Mountain Dew, and Doritos to promote the launch of the Xbox One X. My agency, HYFN, was tasked with designing and executing this groundbreaking campaign, described as "capture the flag meets Pokémon Go." We developed an AR-style app that virtually "dropped" Xbox consoles within physical geofences across New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

About the project

Company

HYFN

March 2017 - February 2019

Contribution

UX Designer

Team

Nick Boes - Creative Director

Kruise Sapstein- Art Director

Geoff Roseborough- Interactive Designer

Aaron Buchanan - Engineer

Designing the UX for Drop Zone required meticulous attention to detail, as video game design introduces a unique set of challenges and opportunities. I initiated the process by crafting a comprehensive set of basic gameplay mechanics, carefully extrapolated from our original concept pitch. This foundation was crucial in ensuring a cohesive and engaging user experience. Our task was to anticipate and account for all possible scenarios that could unfold within the game, leaving no stone unturned. This proactive approach was essential in creating a seamless and intuitive experience, mitigating the risk of overlooking critical interactions or edge cases that could potentially disrupt gameplay. By thoroughly mapping out these mechanics and potential scenarios, we laid the groundwork for a robust and engaging AR experience that would captivate users across three major cities.

To visually illustrate key aspects of the experience, I created user flows for registration and code banking, as well as a comprehensive gameplay mechanics diagram. This diagram became a crucial, living document that we constantly updated and referenced as we refined and tested various elements of the in-game experience. It served as our primary visual guide, ensuring all team members were aligned on the intricate details of Drop Zone's gameplay mechanics throughout the development process.

In the scenario below, the red player captures one of the virtual Xbox consoles and becomes the target. The red player is also in possession of a shield which prevents the console from being stolen. The purple player, however, approaches with a shield buster and successfully breaks the shield and steals the console.

Approach

Midway through the project, a significant challenge arose when the client's legal team flagged potential liability issues associated with conducting scavenger hunts across large urban areas. To mitigate these risks, we swiftly pivoted our strategy. Our solution was to relocate the hunts to expansive parks, free from roadways, thus eliminating the danger of vehicular accidents. This new approach necessitated a check-in process where participants would sign waivers before joining the event.

​To facilitate this transition and ensure a smooth user experience, I developed a series of comprehensive user flows. These visual guides served dual purposes: they helped the client grasp the revised concept and provided our development team with a clear framework for app construction. The flow diagram below illustrates the user's journey through the reimagined scavenger hunt process, from check-in to completion.

This adaptive approach not only addressed the legal concerns but also enhanced the overall safety and manageability of the Drop Zone experience, while maintaining its core excitement and engagement.

Next I conducted a series of working sessions with our visual designers and developers to determine UI and functionality needs of the app. Our sketches evolved into a a number of wireframe iterations shown here.

After many decisions were made, I fleshed out a round of slightly higher fidelity wireframes and annotated them for client presentation and also added technical notes for our developers when needed.

Conclusion

I worked closely with other designers on the team to make sure each UI element thought through and all the motion and microinteractions were smooth and meaningful. We were extremely pleased with our final result, as was the client.

These screens are examples of a user that is tracking a console. The user activates a steal booster, then taps a capture button when the come within range of another user that has posession of a console.

App preview video that was made for Comic Con

Drop Zone Scavenger Hunts successfully unfolded across three major U.S. cities - Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York - during the fall of 2017. Each event provided valuable insights, contributing to the overall refinement of the experience. The campaign garnered significant positive media attention, with prominent outlets such as Hypebeast, a.list, and Gamespot featuring favorable coverage of the events. Adding to the buzz, celebrity Joel McHale made a notable appearance at the New York Drop, further amplifying the campaign's reach and appeal. This multi-city rollout not only showcased the scalability of our concept but also demonstrated its effectiveness in generating substantial PR impact, fulfilling a key objective of the project.

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