Mastermind App
As part of a seminar at Montana State University the goal was to design, build, test and demo a mobile Android app with Kotlin.
Based on a game called Mastermind, such an Android app should be developed over the course of the semester, fully functional and running on a real device.
Using an intuitive, modern and minimalistic approach I successfully met those requirements by using the following approach:
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Research & PrototypingThe first step was to get familiar with the gameplay and its small modifications: Basically, one player sets up a code of specific colors and number of pins and the other player has to guess it within a certain number of tries. The code maker gives feedback after each guess, indicating how many pegs are in the right position or color. The code breaker uses these to make more educated guesses.
With the usual game layout and gameplay rules in mind, a first prototype was established by creating an initial design of the UI in an online editor called Balsamiq.
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DevelopmentUsing version control software from the get-go, I started with the implementation of the game logic by creating a .java file with a terminal interface. This approach ensured the correctness of color code generation and the computer-generated clues.
Using the high-fidelity sketches made in the first step, I created a first prototype already inheriting the proposed design language, a color picker, buttons and pop-up dialogues.
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Adding Features & Final ProductOver several iterations a final version was created including menus, music, sound effects, data storage, an action bar and, of course, ads. Adding music and a dedicated app icon truly completed the app.
The minimalistic design using a distinct font-family, soothing peg colors and carefully placed buttons really give this app a modern look that stands out.