My Responsibilities:
- Own and drive the UX design
- Information architecture, menu flow & hierarchy,wire-framing, prototyping.
- User testing & Research plan and engagement

Date: 2015 - 2016
Developer(s): UBISOFT
Genre(s): Online-Dancing
Tools: Unity 3D
Platform(s): Tablet, TV, Mobile, Web
Position: Senior UX Designer

Introduction:

Just Dance Now (CHINA) is a multi-platform online dancing game, targeted to Chinese market. It brings the biggest music video game franchise of all time, without needing a console. All the player needs is an internet-connected screen and a smartphone as a controller.

The player needs to pick a song from the catalog of over 500 tracks, hold the smartphone in the right hand and follow the dancer on the screen! Their movements are tracked and scored by the game, by perfect those moves to get a perfect score!
There is no limit to the number of players you can dance with! Your friends and family can jump in at any time for even more fun.

Official releases of game consoles in China has only been since 2014, after a 14-year ban on those products was lifted. The ban has led to PC, and now mobile, being the dominant forms of gaming amongst Chinese consumers.

New concept of dancing game & Installation

This dance game appeals to a broad range of players without a specific age focus. While Just Dance has established a substantial fan base in European and American markets, it remains relatively unknown to Chinese players. The concept of using Kinect from Xbox or the controller from Wii for motion tracking is also a novel idea. During the initial market research, players struggled to understand the connection between mobile phones and dancing. Thus, providing guidance for beginners becomes a crucial initial challenge. The message, “Your smartphone turns into a controller and tracks your moves!” is a key introductory concept for players.

Challenges:

1. Platform Interaction: A significant challenge in interaction design lies in enabling players to engage with different platforms effectively. In this game, players are required to interact with a monitor (Web/TV/Tablets) and a mobile device simultaneously, holding the mobile device in one hand while dancing. Our design goal is to create an interaction that is seamless and intuitive. It should be straightforward for players to understand how to move and interact with both platforms concurrently.

2.Hand Movement Tracking: Another challenge lies in accurately tracking and measuring the player's hand movements. Since the scoring system relies on the precision of these movements, it's essential that the interaction design facilitates accurate tracking and provides immediate feedback to the player. This design must offer clear and instant feedback, enabling players to enhance their performance and achieve higher scores.

3. App Download and Setup: A significant challenge involves assisting players with downloading and setting up the game app on both monitors and mobile devices. Our design should simplify this interaction, offering clear guidance for players to download and install the app on both platforms seamlessly.

Once players grasp the idea of using their smartphone as a motion-tracking device, they find following the straightforward installation guide effortless.
They simply need to hold their phone firmly in their right hand, as shown in the instructions, and they are ready to dance.
Thanks to the familiar use of QR codes and room codes for connection, everyone present can easily join the game.

4. Real-time synchronization across multiple platforms: In multiplayer games, information synchronization and transparency are crucial. Keeping other players engaged, even when they don't have control over certain choices, can enhance the experience. Although song selection is controlled by one person, real-time synchronization allows everyone present to view a list of songs on a large monitor. This includes seeing the songs the host is browsing through and listening to them.