Gateways Creative

Designing a Physical-Digital Interactive Experience

Tools

Figma · FigJam · Illustrator

Role

Product Designer (UX/UI, Interaction, Systems Design)

Project Type

Location-Based Gaming · Spatial UX · Interactive Systems

Overview

Gateways Cinescape is a location-based reality gaming experience that blends physical props with real-time projected interfaces.

For Ghost Writer’s Study, I designed the interactive UI systems supporting a 4-vs-1 asymmetric horror gameplay experience.

The Challenge

One Game. Two Different Experiences.

Gateways creates real-world, immersive games where players interact with both physical environments and digital interfaces.

In Ghost Writer’s Study, players are split into:

  • 4 hunters (ensemble) sharing a physical space and projected UI

  • 1 ghost (solo) controlling the game from a separate room

This creates asymmetric gameplay, where each role has different goals, information, and controls.

The Design Problem

How do you design two systems that feel fair, clear, and immersive?

Communicate

Critical game states instantly in a low-light physical environment

Support fast-paced

Physical and digital interaction loops under extreme pressure

Avoid overwhelming

For the solo player managing multiple variables

A Ghostly Game of Hide and Seek

At its core, the experience follows two opposing loops:

Mapping the Core Interaction Loop

Designing for Fast Recognition

The hunter experience was built around clear, repeatable states:

  • Searching → no feedback

  • Ghost found → audio + visual signal

  • Stunned → strong visual + vibration cue

  • Captured → clear resolution

Each state needed to be instantly recognizable in a dark, high-energy environment.

Stun & Capture States

Designing Within a Real Space

Designing for this experience required considering physical layout, visibility, and interaction flow alongside digital UI.

System 1: The Shared Projection

A Single Source of Truth

The projected walls act as a shared UI system for all hunters.

They communicate:

  • Time remaining

  • Hearts remaining

  • Power status

  • Game events

Designing for State Transitions

Instead of static screens, the system responds dynamically:

  • Full Power → full control

  • Low Power → limited tools

  • Disabled → no interaction

  • Restored → gameplay resumes

This creates a tight feedback loop between physical action and digital response.

System 2: Solo Ghost Controller Room

The Hidden Control Layer

The ghost operates from a private command interface providing:

  • Real-time spatial awareness

  • Health tracking

  • Ability control

  • Stun feedback

This dashboard empowers strategy while maintaining clarity under time pressure.

Designed for Scalability

Modular Framework

The system supports multiple ghost characters through:

  • Standardized health logic

  • Reusable animation states

  • Modular ability structures

New characters can be introduced without redesigning the core interface.

Outcome

The final experience:

  • Clearly differentiates player roles

  • Maintains readable feedback during fast gameplay

  • Supports scalable character expansion

  • Creates tension through intentional information imbalance

Next Up

Enterprise Trading Platform Optimization

This project focused on improving the usability and workflow efficiency of an internal commodities trading platform used by professional traders and risk analysts.

Read more