Based on the usage status after release and the voices received from everyone, we have re-verified the recent UI revision. As a result, we confirmed that while we emphasized improving operability, we had not sufficiently designed or verified several values that the management should maintain.
Before explaining our future response policy, I would like to explain why we performed this revision, its purpose, and the overall project policy.
Overall Project Policy
Looking ahead to the 10th and 20th anniversaries, Kotodaman values both continuing to provide enjoyment to those currently playing and preparing an environment where new players can also enjoy the game.
Last year's logo change and this UI revision are initiatives aimed at allowing more people across a wide range of generations to enjoy Kotodaman for a long time.
With the support of those who have played for a long time, the number of new players is increasing, and we are seeing a broadening of the generations playing the game. We will continue to use trial and error to ensure even more people can enjoy Kotodaman.
Purpose of This UI Revision
In this UI revision, we aimed to organize the departure and formation screens, which had become complex due to the information and functions added over long-term operation, so that current players can proceed more smoothly and new players can set out on quests without confusion.
However, as a result of focusing on improving operability and creating a simple, non-confusing screen, there were deficiencies in the revision process, the diverse values the screen holds, and verification in actual usage environments.
Three Deficiencies Confirmed in Re-verification
1. Changing operations too drastically at once
Habitual operations and ways of viewing information are part of the experience built up by playing for a long time. In this revision, we made multiple changes at once without sufficiently evaluating the burden caused by the change.
Originally, we should have confirmed the range in which previous operational experience could be utilized and made changes step-by-step as necessary.
2. Narrowly perceiving the value of the departure and formation screens
We primarily viewed the value of the departure and formation screens as operational functions. We failed to sufficiently design and verify the value of the series of experiences: looking at collected and trained characters, thinking about combinations to strategize, and saving/reusing those formations.
Furthermore, regarding the "Favorite" function to bring out collection value, we overlooked that "Favorite Character" and "Favorite Deck" have different roles and that one cannot replace the other.
3. Specifications and development recognition not keeping up with changes in device environments
Development and confirmation were mainly conducted in "High Resolution," but in reality, more than 50% of players play in "Medium Resolution" or lower. Especially on vertical devices, there were cases where text and icons became difficult to see.
The resolution selection function was implemented when device performance was lower than it is now. Since then, even if device performance improved through model changes, the specifications were such that previously auto-set resolutions were carried over. Meanwhile, the development side had a misconception that many people were playing in "High Resolution" and failed to notice this situation.
Based on past specifications, we should have confirmed actual setting conditions, individual differences in visibility, and the operational load at high resolutions.
Future Response
We will return the formation screen layout to 4x3 and make character icons larger. The 4x3 layout is not an intermediate stage before changing to another arrangement; we are re-adopting it as the form that currently offers the best balance of operability, information volume, and character visibility. This is not a response based on the premise of changing to 6x2 in the future.
In addition, we will proceed with improvements regarding training and strategy information such as Word Break, Tribe, and Attribute, the overall visibility of the deck, and the saving/reusing of formations. We will consider a form that balances the ease of checking necessary information with screen visibility and character appeal, and will announce the specifications and implementation timing as soon as they are decided.
We will review the design to match the actual usage environment so that necessary information can be confirmed even in "Medium Resolution" or on vertical devices. While checking device performance and operational load, we will also proceed with measures to make "High Resolution" easier to use.
Until the response is implemented, visibility may improve by changing settings on devices that operate without issues in "High Resolution." If the operation becomes heavy, please do not change the resolution and wait with your current settings.
In Closing
We will continue our policy of updating design and experience to allow more people to play Kotodaman.
On the other hand, we do not believe that such updates should damage the operational experience, affection for characters, or strategy records of those who have played for a long time.
In this revision, we failed to sufficiently design and verify these values, causing inconvenience and resulting in an unpleasant experience. We sincerely apologize.
We will proceed with revisions so that the experience is easier to play for more people and feels uniquely like Kotodaman.
Kotodaman Producer, Kazuhiko Otsuki
