Jared Ciano
Tester & Designer:
- Product Review
- Bug Reporting / Fixing
- Content Planning & Assembly
- Minor Copywrite Work
- Minor Design Work
Project Description
Meet your new Game Master. The free HeroQuest Companion App allows you to run your next tabletop game session so everyone can play as heroes! The app takes on the role of Zargon using the onscreen quest map.
HeroQuest
Companion App
My Job:
My work on the companion app for HeroQuest began with conducting a deep dive bug hunt through all its current content. As my familiarity with the app grew, I became tasked with prepping the content of the new quest books into playable experiences. This included deconstructing the different quest systems and creating storyboards and assets for the various event panels.
By the end of my time at Hasbro, I learned how to edit and assemble content for the app myself through experimentation and coaching from the team's programmers.
My Work:
By the end of my contract term, I had worked the launching of 5 different HeroQuest campaigns:
Rise of the Dread Moon
The Dread Moon release was my first real project with Hasbro. Due to the programmers revamping the panel systems to account for this quest's new content; my first task was to review ALL the quests from all the campaigns to record and catalog any issues that may have appeared.
This effectively became my research into the HeroQuest, how the app conveys the different physical products.
On Reflection:
HeroQuest was one of my first experiences working on a long-existing product. Before this, my work either focused on either starting from step 1 or reskinning existing IP. With this, I learned how to decode and add content to an existing product. Because of this, I managed to learn so many things.
- Always learn the limitations of a system before you give a task
- Make sure to assign bugs based on who's code it is
- NEVER attempt to clean/organize asset files after the fact
- Lighten the programmer's load whenever possible
Thanks to my experience working on HeroQuest, I am far more confident I can join in-development projects without causing serious slow-downs.