HOT WHEELS RIFT RALLY

LEAD UI ARTIST - PS, iOS (2023)

Hot Wheels Rift Rally built upon everything we'd done in Mario Kart Live, and took it to 200%. A new remote-controlled vehicle with enhanced handling and a better camera; a new viewing perspective when in gameplay; a rich collection of Hot Wheels vehicles with customization options; whole new styles of interaction with your track and environment; and a stunt system.

For the UI, I tried to imagine what an in-car menu system of the future might feel like - information-forward, with a clean modern aesthetic, that left room for the vehicles to shine.

In a game about collecting and driving cars, the Collection system becomes a central focus. In this system, players can earn, view, upgrade, and select between their vehicles.

At the top level of Collection, players browse, unlock, and select their car. Cars can be visually and functionally customized.

In the Appearance Customization subscreen, players choose from alternate paintjobs or may build a completely custom color palette for their car.

In the Performance Customization subscreen, players assign tuning points to different vehicle stats to fine-tune driving and handling.

The Campaign Map is your point of access for the game's progression. An abstracted virtual circuit, the map has 2 training areas and 3 activity areas, all radiating from a central progress chip.

Each activity area has a primary path that threads through Rally races, with branching paths to other activity types and awards. Completing activities grants the user XP and assorted other rewards that include unlockable vehicles, upgrade chips, and radio stations.

This video shows the player's First Time User Experience, including the ways the UI and background work together to guide the player through unlocking vehicles, navigating the Collection, and entering the Campaign Map.

The Driving HUD is focused primarily on 2 corners of the screen. At top-left, the player sees their map, as well as challenge-specific information (race place, laps, timer, or objective count). At bottom-right, we display the vehicle's speed, energy meter, special ability meter, and gear.

Other information, such as radio station, or momentary messaging, can come and go.

This video shows the Driving HUD in action during Stunt Mode, which adds a trick counter at the top center of the screen.

Basic building blocks, typefaces, and color swatches used throughout the UI.

Icons for vehicles' Special Abilities, shown in the Collection system and in the gameplay HUD.

This early exploration of a main menu art style was built on the idea that everything was cobbled together from roadside trash.

This early experiment in visual style for the game's menu system was based on the graphics of energy drink cans.

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