Description

Overview

Puzzling Places is a meditative 3D jigsaw puzzle game for VR that brings real-world locations to life through photogrammetry. While the gameplay offers a deeply immersive spatial experience, its interface was rooted in early VR conventions—functional but limited in visual hierarchy and usability. Unlike traditional games, VR interfaces must balance spatial depth with legibility, yet users still carry expectations shaped by 2D design patterns. My task was to modernize Puzzling Places’ UI by bridging these expectations—creating a more intuitive, visually coherent interface that feels both familiar and truly native to the VR environment.

Previous Design

The menu is not easily accessible when floating at the top.
You can’t see your partner.
Icons are unlabeled, making navigation unclear.
The environment doesn’t simulate what you’d expect when doing a jigsaw puzzle with friends.
Only one music option is available.

Depending on where players place their puzzle pieces, it’s easy to forget a few pieces behind their point of view and not realize the puzzle isn’t actually complete. A progress indicator is needed to address this.
Displaying Room and Host information can also help users identify which database their puzzle-in-progress is stored in, allowing them to log in later and continue seamlessly.
Additionally, the backend structure needs to be updated to allow any user entering a room to resume and complete the puzzle. Currently, the host must log in first for the puzzle to load, which creates a major usability issue if the host accidentally leaves or their headset battery dies. This interruption breaks immersion and disrupts the overall experience.

A viewpoint where at least four players can sit around a table, mimicking real-life puzzle building.
The menu is positioned at the bottom for easier accessibility.
Menus are clearly labeled and grouped into Settings Control and Puzzle Control.
A circular progress indicator lets users know when they’ve officially completed the puzzle.

Details