Roam: A Game-Based Emotion Management App

Embark on a Spiritual Journey

In the face of the pressure from society, no matter how powerful the system is, it will collapse. In the era of information fragmentation, our emotions are also easily affected and extreme. At this time, emotion management is very necessary. This app allows people to easily record their emotions by means of games, and better manage their emotions through communication and reflection.

Roam, designed by Gong Qi, stands out from other emotion management apps with its unique approach. It offers users a platform to record their emotions through games, fostering better emotional management through communication and reflection.

The design process began with several sketch versions to determine the basic structure of the app. The prototype and low-fidelity production of the interface were then created using ink knife software. After testing and iterating the low-fidelity prototype, high-fidelity visual elements such as illustrations and icons were drawn using Adobe XD, Illustrator, and Procreate software. Interactive models were developed on XD to enhance the user experience.

This app perfectly reproduces people's beautiful experience in the process of travel. Users become members of the train operation upon registering the right to use an interstellar train. By recording their mood, they invite "mood passengers" to join them on the journey. These passengers, represented by different creatures like flowers in the world garden or cats on Cat Island, reflect the user's mood. Sharing experiences and engaging in conversations with these passengers helps users better understand and manage their emotions.

Roam encourages users to reflect on their emotions and provides advice to help them overcome emotional difficulties. By identifying patterns in users' emotions, the app can offer appropriate solutions in advance. Users can complete tasks and earn gold coins, which can be used to buy decorations or plant seeds in the store. Planting seeds unlocks new travel places and allows users to explore different game landscapes and meet more creatures, creating a fascinating overall experience.

Roam operates as a game, motivating users to record their mood and engage with their travel partners. It offers a series of incentive mechanisms to make users feel like they are truly traveling and can communicate with their mood passengers. With the recorded information, Roam analyzes users' emotions and provides suitable suggestions during challenging times.

The Roam project began in March 2021 in Nanjing, China, and was completed in October of the same year. The design team, led by Gong Qi, worked diligently to create an app that addresses the pain points of emotional management and encourages users to embrace their emotions.

Roam has been recognized for its innovative approach and creative design. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Mobile Technologies, Applications, and Software Design category in 2022. This prestigious award honors designs that exhibit strong technical and creative skills and contribute to improving the quality of life.