Behind the Scenes: How We Designed a Revolutionary Game Effect for Block Blast!
At [Company Name], we're passionate about crafting immersive gaming experiences that captivate players worldwide. One such example is our popular mobile puzzle game, Block Blast!, which boasts an impressive 40 million daily active users and 160 million monthly active users globally by the end of 2024. In this article, we'll delve into the creative process behind one of our favorite visual effects: the rainbow elimination.
Why AI-Powered Mobile Apps Matter
As developers, we understand that designing engaging features requires a deep understanding of player behavior and emotional triggers. To create an unforgettable experience, we need to consider factors like visibility, stage presence, and emotional payoff. By leveraging AI in mobile apps, we can optimize our game design for maximum impact.
The Birth of the Rainbow Elimination Effect
Our R&D team aimed to craft a feature that would trigger a sense of reward and create an emotional reaction. What started as a simple idea for a color upgrade evolved into a high-impact experience through a series of design decisions and refinements we call "chemical reactions."
Chemical Reaction 1: Matching Visuals with Sound
In the early stages, designer Niancheng experimented with a "brick-shattering" visual effect to accompany the rainbow elimination. We found that this matched our block visuals well, creating a sense of texture and depth.
To amplify the emotional impact, our sound designer created a brand-new explosion sound effect tailored specifically for the animation. This synergy between visuals and audio created an unforgettable experience.
Chemical Reaction 2: A Bigger Clear for a Bigger Payoff
Initially, blocks cleared line by line, but we debated whether to keep this style or switch to clearing all at once. We ultimately chose the full-board rainbow clear due to its visually impressive nature and satisfying sound effects (especially for big clears with heavier sounds).
Chemical Reaction 3: Changing Direction
As animation speed increased, we decided the clearing pattern should change too. Instead of clearing from the center outwards, we implemented an animation that moves from one side to the other.
This directional movement makes the effect feel faster and more explosive, further amplifying the emotional payoff.
Chemical Reaction 4: Creating Variation Without Overlap
Upon closer inspection, you may have noticed that the clearing direction varies in the rainbow elimination effect. This is because our designer Hengrui built a quadrant logic system to prevent gradients from overlapping and introducing natural variation in direction.
Chemical Reaction 5: Building Anticipation with Pre-Clear Visuals
After implementing the initial version of the rainbow elimination effect, we realized that the pre-clear (preview) effect still showed blocks in solid colors. To increase anticipation and amplify emotional engagement, we added rainbow-colored pre-clear visuals, giving players a glimpse into what's to come.
Why It Works: Visual Impact and Emotional Engagement
The rainbow elimination effect builds on a combination of visual stimulation, satisfying audio, and thoughtful pacing to deliver a high-impact moment that players feel. Here's why it works so well:
Even with all the right elements in place, we know that more visual exposure doesn't always mean a better experience. Our goal is to deliver peak experiences that boost emotional engagement and keep players coming back.
Implementing the Rainbow Elimination Effect
Once the effect was finalized, our team had to decide when it should appear. The goal was to make the rainbow elimination feel like a reward, triggered by moments of skill, strategy, or momentum.
We chose two triggers that work independently and in parallel:
- Combo Trigger: Four consecutive eliminations retain the original color logic (based on block color). Starting from the fifth consecutive combo, the elimination effect switches to the rainbow-colored animation.
- Elimination Trigger: Eliminating three or more rows/columns at once also triggers the rainbow effect. If placing a block will result in a rainbow-colored elimination, the pre-elimination visual (preview effect) will also appear in rainbow color.
Results and Player Impact
The rainbow elimination effect launched across iOS and Android versions of Block Blast!. The results were nothing short of phenomenal – players responded enthusiastically to this new feature, further solidifying our game's reputation for emotional engagement.