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, guided by our Assistant Director to create a new way to engage users. 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 initial concept was a game where a red line would move along a white strip and users had to tap a button when the line landed on a yellow strip. We did a quick prototype in Unity to test it and realised that only half our users understood how to play. Going back to the drawing board, we changed the core mechanics to reflect the action of "fishing." By tapping the button, the hook would move up and when it collides with a fish, the fish gets caught.
Our onboarding experience was done through interaction as opposed to using text to explain. We designed it by introducing a "learning through play" concept used in game design. This helped to reduce the work needed for translating the game.
The game was built in an in-app browser and part of the design was to determine the best entry point. We created a banner that would show users information on what the game was about on their first view and then later shrink it in further sessions.
Upon clicking into the entry point, an animated transition was created to bring the user from the app to the game. This animation was done by me in CSS. I also designed and illustrated all the interface and background in the game while my partner Darryl designed the fishes and the hi!Buddy illustrations.
Our first prototype failed. Half the users couldn't understand it. The breakthrough came when we replaced abstract mechanics with a universal metaphor: fishing.
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. It 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.
Within 2 months of launch, hi!Carnival had driven 2.2 million game sessions and increased monthly active users by 20%. The project was awarded the Singtel CEO Award for Innovation and Engagement.
The fishing metaphor and "learning through play" onboarding meant every user we tested could learn the game within one try. No text, no tutorials, no translation needed.
This was my first project in the working world. I was glad I could use my wide range of skills: animating, coding, designing, and even writing the music. The 2-month timeline forced sharp prioritisation and close collaboration.