Eye on the Prize
Our team, Trebek's Intellects, take on designing, building and developing a fully functional game show exhibit for the Strong Museum of Play. Eye on the Prize debuted at Imagine RIT on April 26, 2025.
Eye on the Prize
Our team, Trebek's Intellects, take on designing, building and developing a fully functional game show exhibit for the Strong Museum of Play. Eye on the Prize debuted at Imagine RIT on April 26, 2025.
Eye on the Prize
Our team, Trebek's Intellects, take on designing, building and developing a fully functional game show exhibit for the Strong Museum of Play. Eye on the Prize debuted at Imagine RIT on April 26, 2025.
Role
UX/UI Design, Animation, User Research, Set Design/Build, Fabrication, Marketing
Tools
Figma, After Effects, Illustrator, Procreate, Cinema 4D, 3D Printer, Building Materials
Duration
14 weeks
Project Type
Team Project with 7 Deisgners and 3 Developers
Role
UX/UI Design, Animation, User Research, Set Design/Build, Fabrication, Marketing
Tools
Figma, After Effects, Illustrator, Procreate, Cinema 4D, 3D Printer, Building Materials
Duration
14 weeks
Project Type
Team Project with 7 Deisgners and 3 Developers
PROBLEM
The Strong Museum of Play is creating a new game show exhibit.
The new exhibit will feature playables that entertain while educating about the history and present state of games shows. We need to pitch ideas and create a prototype playable as an R&D team for the museum.
SOLUTION
Create a game show experience based on trivia & memory games.
We need to work as a team to research, design and develop an interactive game show playable that is a memory game for all ages.
PROBLEM
The Strong Museum of Play is creating a new game show exhibit.
The new exhibit will feature playables that entertain while educating about the history and present state of games shows. We need to pitch ideas and create a prototype playable as an R&D team for the museum.
SOLUTION
Create a game show experience based on trivia & memory games.
We need to work as a team to research, design and develop an interactive game show playable that is a memory game for all ages.
PROBLEM
The Strong Museum of Play is creating a new game show exhibit.
The new exhibit will feature playables that entertain while educating about the history and present state of games shows. We need to pitch ideas and create a prototype playable as an R&D team for the museum.
SOLUTION
Create a game show experience based on trivia & memory games.
We need to work as a team to research, design and develop an interactive game show playable that is a memory game for all ages.
Research & Inspiration
VISITING A CURRENT EXHIBIT
Start with finding out what the Strong already offers.
After we were told our project client, we visited the museum's Level Up Exhibit to gain insights on what types of playables the Strong Museum is already using.
VISITING A CURRENT EXHIBIT
Start with finding out what the Strong already offers.
After we were told our project client, we visited the museum's Level Up Exhibit to gain insights on what types of playables the Strong Museum is already using.
GAME SHOW ARCHIVES
Getting inspired by game show history.
We also saw behind the scenes in their archives, where they have a vast collection of historic game show pieces. We took what we learned during our visit and started ideating what our project would look like.
GAME SHOW ARCHIVES
Getting inspired by game show history.
We also saw behind the scenes in their archives, where they have a vast collection of historic game show pieces. We took what we learned during our visit and started ideating what our project would look like.
Getting Started
BRAINSTORMING
Narrowing down to 3 concepts to pitch.
We created concepts for our playable, one based on Pictionary, the second based on trivia games, & the third based on Plinko.
BRAINSTORMING
Narrowing down to 3 concepts to pitch.
We created concepts for our playable, one based on Pictionary, the second based on trivia games, & the third based on Plinko.
PROJECT PITCHES
Presenting to our client.
We presented our ideas to the Strong Museum and they ranked our pitches in order for what they were looking for in a playable.
PROJECT PITCHES
Presenting to our client.
We presented our ideas to the Strong Museum and they ranked our pitches in order for what they were looking for in a playable.
MARKETING
Starting our social media to document the process & promote our game.
After our concept was selected and work began, we made an Instagram page to market our project, with our team name, Trebek's Intellects.
MARKETING
Starting our social media to document the process & promote our game.
After our concept was selected and work began, we made an Instagram page to market our project, with our team name, Trebek's Intellects.
GAMEPLAY
Initial decisions about gameplay will help with asset creation & development.
We met as a team to start making decisions about how our game would be played, limitations we needed to keep in mind and how we would divide work.
GAMEPLAY
Initial decisions about gameplay will help with asset creation & development.
We met as a team to start making decisions about how our game would be played, limitations we needed to keep in mind and how we would divide work.
Game Show Host
BRAINSTORMING
We started with a lot of ideas.
We started by dumping all the ideas we had for our host on to a whiteboard. There were many of these as we tried to narrow down who our host would be and how they would look.
BRAINSTORMING
We started with a lot of ideas.
We started by dumping all the ideas we had for our host on to a whiteboard. There were many of these as we tried to narrow down who our host would be and how they would look.
ITERATING
We needed to narrow down our options.
A few of our designers continued after our meeting to create sketches so we had three design directions to choose to move forward from.
ITERATING
We needed to narrow down our options.
A few of our designers continued after our meeting to create sketches so we had three design directions to choose to move forward from.
FINAL HOST
In the end, we created Simon.
Simon is our charismatic and witty host. He had enough features that he could show a range of emotions, but he also called back to the name of our game, Eye on the Prize. As we continued designing, we continued to think about where and when Simon's guidance would be needed and how he can add delight to our game.
FINAL HOST
In the end, we created Simon.
Simon is our charismatic and witty host. He had enough features that he could show a range of emotions, but he also called back to the name of our game, Eye on the Prize. As we continued designing, we continued to think about where and when Simon's guidance would be needed and how he can add delight to our game.
PLAYER AVATARS
Simon couldn't stand alone.
Our game show has three podiums, each player would have an avatar to represent them in the game. These avatars have their own individual personalities that shine as you play the game.
PLAYER AVATARS
Simon couldn't stand alone.
Our game show has three podiums, each player would have an avatar to represent them in the game. These avatars have their own individual personalities that shine as you play the game.
Visuals & Asset Creation
CREATING INITIAL GRAPHICS
We started designing our very first iterations of the game screen.
The basic pieces of the game were important to start iterating first, so we had time to improve them and give our developers what they needed to start building the game.
CREATING INITIAL GRAPHICS
We started designing our very first iterations of the game screen.
The basic pieces of the game were important to start iterating first, so we had time to improve them and give our developers what they needed to start building the game.
PASSING OFF TO DEVELOPERS
Starting early helped clear some bumps in the road.
Getting initial assets done was great so we could work out file formatting issues and implementation early.
PASSING OFF TO DEVELOPERS
Starting early helped clear some bumps in the road.
Getting initial assets done was great so we could work out file formatting issues and implementation early.
BRANDING
As our style came together, our logo was finalized.
This graphic became part of our style guide moving forward for promotional materials like posters and other elements we were designing for the game.
BRANDING
As our style came together, our logo was finalized.
This graphic became part of our style guide moving forward for promotional materials like posters and other elements we were designing for the game.
Building Podiums
FIRST PROTOTYPE
Our podium prototype was a great way to fail fast and recover.
Our original cardboard podium was an essential test run to help us with our final builds. It also served as a way to connect a podium to the game for testing.
FIRST PROTOTYPE
Our podium prototype was a great way to fail fast and recover.
Our original cardboard podium was an essential test run to help us with our final builds. It also served as a way to connect a podium to the game for testing.
CONSTRUCTION
Digital designers turned builders.
Some of our design team was taken out of their element to build three wooden podiums. This was a great challenge and turned out to be a great success.
CONSTRUCTION
Digital designers turned builders.
Some of our design team was taken out of their element to build three wooden podiums. This was a great challenge and turned out to be a great success.
FINAL PODIUMS
A coat of paint and some hardware to finish the job.
Adding an outer shell made from MDF, a coat of paint, and implementing our button mechanics into the final podiums got them ready for our final exhibit.
FINAL PODIUMS
A coat of paint and some hardware to finish the job.
Adding an outer shell made from MDF, a coat of paint, and implementing our button mechanics into the final podiums got them ready for our final exhibit.
3D Printing Custom Buttons
PRINTING & PLANNING
We learned a lot while making these buttons.
To make the big, bold buttons we wanted for the podiums, we turned to 3D printing, but it was a trial and error process before we got the hang of things. We also planned what the mechanism of the buttons would be to connect to the Arduino that controlled everything through arcade buttons.
PRINTING & PLANNING
We learned a lot while making these buttons.
To make the big, bold buttons we wanted for the podiums, we turned to 3D printing, but it was a trial and error process before we got the hang of things. We also planned what the mechanism of the buttons would be to connect to the Arduino that controlled everything through arcade buttons.
FINAL BUTTONS
One last print & some spray paint later, they were done.
After our final prints. some spray paint, and building of the internal mechanism, our buttons were ready to be implemented into the podiums.
FINAL BUTTONS
One last print & some spray paint later, they were done.
After our final prints. some spray paint, and building of the internal mechanism, our buttons were ready to be implemented into the podiums.
Game Show Set
SET UP
Transforming a computer lab into a game show set is not easy.
We had to get smart about how we would hide that this was a lab. Pipe and drape was very helpful and we set up our large screen at the back of the room so people walking in could see it immediately.
SET UP
Transforming a computer lab into a game show set is not easy.
We had to get smart about how we would hide that this was a lab. Pipe and drape was very helpful and we set up our large screen at the back of the room so people walking in could see it immediately.
FINAL TOUCHES
Last minute testing & final touches brought the vision to life.
Our final set featured mood lighting, a live studio audience section, and line management. This set up transported visitors into our game show and gave options to sit and watch as well as have a proper line to wait to play the game.
FINAL TOUCHES
Last minute testing & final touches brought the vision to life.
Our final set featured mood lighting, a live studio audience section, and line management. This set up transported visitors into our game show and gave options to sit and watch as well as have a proper line to wait to play the game.
