Million Changes — Mobile App Prototype
Overview
Our client needed a mobile app experience focused on forming habits and rewarding progress over time. I had a significant hand in the design of the art style, the way rewards are represented, and how the app communicates growth to the player through visuals and small game-like interactions.
Outside of UI development, I directed the overall look, cleared animations, and worked closely with my 3D artists. Their work became one of the core metaphors for player progress.
Responsibilities
- Led the visual direction and established the art style and tone for the app.
- Produced concept work for badges, rewards, and progression systems.
- Collaborated with the client to align features and constraints while keeping scope realistic for a rapid prototype.
- Directed a 3D art team to create an environment that visually evolves with player progression.
- Worked with developers to ensure art assets integrated cleanly into the Unity prototype.
- Helped implement randomized animal appearances to increase player retention.
- Provided iterative feedback to meet project standards and delivery schedules.
- Feedback / Revisions
- Quality Control
- Concept Development
- Task Assignment
- Dev ⇄ Art Communication
- Scope Management
- Project Coordination
Badges and Reward Concepts
A big part of Million Changes was making progress feel visible and satisfying. I created different badge and reward systems that could fit within the app's aesthetic, primarily maintaining the idea of future scaling as more habits or “changes” are added.
Feedback + Revisions
I reviewed passes of the environment as it evolved, making sure the changes felt meaningful and readable on a mobile screen, and that the “before vs. after” contrast matched the emotional journey we wanted for the player.
Flower Beds
Although I appreciated the Bronze → Gold concept, it wasn't visually noticeable enough to motivate continued progression. I suggested introducing early-stage rot and decay to wood and metal elements so the progression becomes more readable and emotionally satisfying.
Our 3D Artists did a wonderful job!
Progressive 3D Environment
One of the most visible rewards in Million Changes is a 3D house and yard that starts out cluttered and run-down, then gradually transforms into a clean, welcoming space as the user levels up. I provided direction and feedback on this environment while my 3D teammate handled modeling and animation.
Collaboration and Direction
Million Changes was also where I first stepped into balancing client needs, dev constraints, and artist bandwidth. I had to think not just about what looked good on a screen, but what was realistic to build and iterate in a mobile prototype with limited time.
I spent a lot of time translating between what the client wanted, what the devs needed, and what my artists could deliver. That experience carried forward into later projects where I was fully responsible for art pipelines and quality control.