Nedbank 4ME is a new banking product aimed at kids between 7 and 14 years olds and their parents. But banking can be boring, so knowing that kids love games, I’ve helped digital agency NATIVE to create a digital version of the age-old party favourite, “Pass the Parcel”.
We wanted to recapture the joy of the game by making the experience as tangible as possible.
To do that, I’ve opted to handcraft all of the elements for the interface and using a stop-motion animation effect. This really brought the experience of unwrapping the parcel to life.
We wanted to recapture the joy of the game by making the experience as tangible as possible.
To do that, I’ve opted to handcraft all of the elements for the interface and using a stop-motion animation effect. This really brought the experience of unwrapping the parcel to life.
Before I started designing any screens I had spent a week exploring the visual style, researching similar game mechanics and determining how things could possibly animate.
Eventually, we settled for a paper-textured look & feel that tied in with the idea of the parcel being wrapped in layers of paper. We also decided that a stop-motion animation would fit in well with that specific style.
Eventually, we settled for a paper-textured look & feel that tied in with the idea of the parcel being wrapped in layers of paper. We also decided that a stop-motion animation would fit in well with that specific style.
I started in Photoshop with the design of the graphics surrounding the parcel: the arrows, hands and clouds. The idea was to re-create the layout with paper and strings.
Although it was pretty close, I found the end-result not good enough. It would also cause some problems when unwrapping to parcel for the stop-motion animation; as the paper elements would get in the way. So I sticked with the initial Photoshop illustration and tried to make that look as realistic as possible.
Although it was pretty close, I found the end-result not good enough. It would also cause some problems when unwrapping to parcel for the stop-motion animation; as the paper elements would get in the way. So I sticked with the initial Photoshop illustration and tried to make that look as realistic as possible.
We had the idea to wrap the parcel in as many layers of paper as possible, taking photos as we unwrapped each layer. It took me 4 days to wrap the parcel in about 70 layers and photograph the parcel, and another 3 weeks to retouch and animate it. Quite a lot of work!
The client wished to incorporate the 4me product design elements into the game; unfortunately it was not the most visually appealing work. I've eventually used some of their design elements into the wrapping paper designs. This had the least impact, whilst still satisfying the client.
As the campaign would run in South-Africa, we had to take in mind that the target-audience uses a broad range of devices: from very low-end phones to high-end desktop. Thus the campaign site was built in a responsive way. This meant that it could resize and fit to any other screen.
I’m available for freelance projects,
email me at hello.nelleke@gmail.com
email me at hello.nelleke@gmail.com
