BeBoulder

context

solo project

role

designer, developer

timeline

fall 2024
8 weeks

tools

ethnographic research
figma
illustrator

Physical climbing + wearable technology as a mechanic for immersive narrative-based gameplay.

Background

Bouldering is a physical activity where participants climb boulders—either natural rocks outdoor or bouldering gyms indoor—without safety ropes. It involves completing short "problems," or climbing routes, using the mind and body in conjunction. It's one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide, and was recently introduced into the Tokyo Olympics. What makes the bouldering community unique and how can we design an immersive experience tailored to their interests and needs?

Research

User Interviews
Long-form interviews and short gym chats

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Archival Research
Social media, articles, documentaries

Ethnography
‍Participation in climbing community

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Observation
‍Photo/video documentation

Overall, data confirmed that bouldering was a sport currently trending in popularity and that it had a vibrant social community behind its growth.

Further analysis revealed the core aspects of bouldering that make the sport so unique and loved by the participants. The bouldering audience can be categorized into three distinct user personas depending on their motivations for climbing and the core aspects they enjoy.

Adaptability

Intuitive full-body movement, diverse routes and approaches

Strategy

Problem-solving mechanic, route grades offer skill  progression

Community

Short routes and open gyms allow for ample social downtime

Thrill

Inherent risk of climbing,  physical exertion and accomplishment

Problem

Participants were generally highly satisfied with the bouldering experience and rarely mentioned any pain points, but one issue that did reoccur was repetitiveness. Although the climbing routes are different each time, the end goal of reaching the top stays the same, creating on/off cycles of interest.

The challenge: conceptualize an immersive experience that would engage our audience of climber and address the issue of repetitiveness.

Goal

How can we increase replayability and reward progression within the bouldering experience?

Concept

To address this challenge, we envisioned bouldering as a mechanism for a narrative-based adventure game.

RPG style: Climbing is the mechanic through which story choices and storyline progression are made. Each completed bouldering problem is a quest that builds up to an overarching narrative goal, providing a progressive incentive that eases feelings of repetitiveness.

NFC integration: User movements are logged via NFC tags on the climbing wall, which can be scanned by the user's wristwatch to transmit data to a mobile app.

Concept Features for Personas

  • Narrative pressure and haptic immersion induces sense of risk and excitement for the DAREDEVIL
  • Team cooperation and social player profiles provides community for the SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
  • Story-relevant restrictions and buffs create strategic play for the STRATEGIST

Prototyping

Based on the concept, wearable technology (smartwatch) is the ideal affordance for this interaction. Smart watches can read data NFC tags, which are low-cost and easy to install at gyms, and allow for a seamless experience that doesn't distract from the physicality of bouldering.

Multiple rounds of user testing were conducted in collaboration with the Climbing Wall at Gregory Gym.

Deliverable

Demi Hu © 2024