Singtel's first gamification project — a fishing game that anyone can learn in one tap, regardless of language or gaming experience. 2.2 million sessions in 2 months.
I conceptualised, designed, and created hi!Carnival — Singtel's first gamification project. I was one of two designers. Our goal: create a game that could be learned with a single tap, by users from diverse backgrounds, many of whom had never played mobile games before.
Most mobile games assume baseline gaming literacy. Our users — primarily Singtel pre-paid customers, including migrant workers — had diverse backgrounds, limited language capabilities, and often no gaming experience at all.
Majority of pre-paid users were migrant workers with limited language capabilities. The game couldn't rely on text-based instructions or tutorials.
How might we communicate game mechanics without any text or language dependency?
Many users had never played mobile games. Complex mechanics, multi-step tutorials, and abstract concepts were out of the question.
How might we teach game mechanics to someone who has never played a mobile game?
Users from different cultural and educational backgrounds needed to understand the same game without localisation or cultural adaptation.
How might we design a universal game metaphor that transcends cultural context?
The game needed to bring users back to the app every day. A single play session wasn't enough — the loop had to be compelling and self-sustaining.
How might we create a daily return loop using only visual cues and simple rewards?
Our first prototype failed — half the users couldn't understand it. The breakthrough came when we replaced abstract mechanics with a universal metaphor: fishing.
Singtel wants to gamify engagement for their pre-paid users. The challenge: a game that anyone can learn in one tap, regardless of language or gaming experience.
First attempt — a red line on a white strip. Unity prototype reveals only half the users understand it. Back to the drawing board.
The fishing metaphor emerges. A hook, swimming fishes, one button. Playtest success — every user learns it in one try. The "safe room" makes failure impossible.
Interface, backgrounds, CSS transitions, even the music — all designed and shipped within 2 months. 2.2 million sessions within 2 months. CEO Award.
Interactive onboarding instead of text tutorials. A 'safe room' gives infinite tries on the first play — no punishment, just discovery. No translation needed.
Daily 'bait' refills create a natural return loop. Catching special fish rewards extra tries. The core loop — receive bait, play, earn tickets — sustains engagement.
CSS transitions bring users from the app to an underwater fantasy. hi!Buddy performs a fishing action that bridges the narrative gap. Every visual tells the story.
The final game used a fishing metaphor with a single button interaction. Fishes swim across the screen; tap the button, the hook moves up. If it hits a fish, you catch it. Every user learned it in one try.
The core mechanic is elemental: fishes swim across the screen, a hook sits at the bottom, and one button moves the hook up. When hook meets fish, you catch it. Universal, wordless, delightful.
By breaking up mechanics introduction over multiple loops, we could onboard users who had never played games before. No words for "tickets" — just icons. No tutorial screens — just play.
The entry point adapted to user state. New users saw a full banner explaining the game; returning users saw a compact version. The daily bait system created natural scarcity and a compelling return loop.
I designed and illustrated all interface elements and backgrounds, created the CSS loading transitions, and wrote the music. Darryl handled the fish and hi!Buddy character illustrations. Together we shipped the full visual system in under 3 weeks.
