Introduction

SEED is an MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) game currently in development by Klang Games. Set in an always-on society simulation, SEED allows players to coexist in a shared world, build relationships, and live virtual lives through their Seedlings.
One of the critical challenges in any product, especially games, is keeping users engaged. In early playtests, we noticed a significant drop-off rate among players, much higher than anticipated.

My Role

As the UX/UI Designer, I led the user experience design while closely collaborating with Game Designer Theodore Mendez. User research was conducted by Merve, implemented by our engineering team, and overseen by the Product Owner.

The Problem

Players were losing interest too quickly

In previous playtests, players disengaged and dropped out earlier than expected.

Limited personalisation options for Seedlings and homes

A significant portion of our audience valued customizing their Seedlings and homes—adjusting clothing, accessories, furniture, and more. However, once they had explored all the predefined content in the store, they lost interest.

Inability to tailor products to market needs

Entrepreneurial players sought exclusive items they could sell for maximum profit, but the limited options led to market saturation and heavy competition. This lack of profit drove players away.

Manual content updates

Game designers were required to manually create and introduce new content, which stifled organic trends and made the game feel less dynamic.

Impact

Although SEED hasn’t launched yet, the new feature led to significantly higher player retention in the playtests compared to previous versions. Societies were consistently filled with fresh, user-generated content, sparking conversations among players and even attracting new ones through word of mouth.

Early Ideation

I partnered with the Game Designer to identify user pain points and delve into their root causes. We began brainstorming potential solutions, keeping all ideas on the table. Collaborating with the Product Owner and Lead Engineer, we also accounted for technical and timeline constraints.
We landed on the idea of a crafting tool that allowed players to mix items in their inventory and create new, hybrid items with combined attributes. I sketched initial concepts and iterated based on team feedback.
Once the concept felt solid, I created a user flow and invited the team to review and provide feedback. Recognizing the scope of this feature, we decided to break it into three manageable phases to align with sprint cycles and testing schedules.
Using Figma and our Design System, I transformed the sketches into high-fidelity mockups. Two prototypes were developed to address a key debate: whether to use a stepper navigation or a breadcrumb-style navigation.

User testing

Methodology

Merve, our UX researcher, recruited five players (a mix of new and returning) for usability testing. The testing followed a think-aloud protocol combined with heuristic evaluation.

Key Findings

WHAT WORKED WELL

• Players understood the feature’s purpose and its role within the game.
• Most players grasped why certain item combinations didn’t work (e.g., a punching bag and pizza).
• The error-recovery messages encouraged experimentation, which players appreciated.
• Stepper navigation (Prototype A) was intuitive and preferred over breadcrumbs (Prototype B).
• Players recognized the feature as beneficial for Seedling-related businesses.

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

• Some players found it unclear which Seedling had the skills to craft certain items.
• Players believed they couldn’t proceed if they lacked specific ingredients, creating unnecessary friction.
• Icon misinterpretations occurred: one player mistook a punching bag for hot sauce, and another confused salami with a tomato.
• The “+” sign in the UI caused confusion for a few users.

FINAL DESIGN

Investing in the future

I added clear titles and tooltips in each section to eliminate doubts about the feature’s purpose.

Streamlining the interface

The “+” sign was removed to simplify the UI, as testing revealed it was unnecessary. Similarly, inventory warnings were deferred to later steps to prevent unnecessary roadblocks.

Clarifying concepts

The stepper component was integrated into our Design System after testing confirmed its necessity. While this required additional time upfront, it set the stage for reusability in future features.

FOR THE FUTURE

While placeholder icons were used during testing, creating a dedicated icon library will be a priority to enhance the feature’s usability. These icons could be designed to reflect the qualities of the items they represent, enriching the user experience.
Additionally, exploring the potential of generative AI to expand crafting possibilities could bring even more value to the feature. A comprehensive UX review of the crafting system and its inherited components is also recommended to identify further enhancements.
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