Travel Buddy: A Game-Changing Browser Experience

Stefan Maier-Wimmer's Game Merges Fun and Functionality

The concept of 'Travel Buddy' is a masterstroke of innovation by Bloom, designed to acquaint users with new offerings from Holiday Extras. This browser-based game employs gamification to connect with players on a personal level, allowing them to discover more about their travel tendencies. It's not just a game; it's a journey of self-discovery and product exploration.

What sets 'Travel Buddy' apart is its parallax scrolling feature, which immerses players in a virtual travel escapade. As players guide a couple through their vacation planning, they simultaneously navigate through a series of graphic elements that move with a sense of depth and realism. This interactive experience is not only entertaining but also educational, subtly introducing the company's extensive product range.

The game's development hinged on a blend of concept, text, and parallax user experience storytelling. The meticulous programming of each graphic element's movement ensures a seamless parallax effect, creating a truly interactive experience for the player. This attention to detail is evident in the game's responsive design, which adapts flawlessly across various devices, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

'Travel Buddy' is the result of a collaborative effort, with Stefan Maier-Wimmer at the helm as Creative Director. The team, including Art Director Sebastian Hudl, Text Specialist Jakob Wassenaar, and Programmers Patrick Fürst and Gerald Gömmel, among others, have crafted a game that is as visually stunning as it is functionally robust.

Players engage with 'Travel Buddy' by scrolling or swiping, answering questions about their travel preferences along the way. The culmination of this virtual journey is a personalized travel type test result and a shopping voucher, rewarding players for their participation and potentially converting them into customers.

From concept to launch in early 2023, the project faced the challenge of integrating a comprehensive product introduction into a playful format. By analyzing other games and media, the team successfully leveraged parallax navigation to craft an impressive user experience that educates and entertains.

'Travel Buddy' is not just a game; it's an interactive narrative that showcases Holiday Extras' products through a parallax game world, offering a novel approach to vacation planning. This innovative design has been recognized with the Iron A' Design Award in Advertising, Marketing, and Communication Design for 2024, a testament to its creative and practical excellence.