EXCLUSIVE AR JOURNEY FOR MEMBERS

Ar Kraken Membership Experience
AR experience blending magic with exclusive access to Kraken stadium for members
  • Year  2020
  • Type  Augmented Reality
  • Location  Seattle, WA
  • Client  Seattle Kraken
Enlarged view

Exclusive AR Journey for Members

An immersive augmented reality (AR) experience designed for Seattle Kraken membership holders, showcasing the new stadium before its completion. This interactive journey took users on a mystical adventure aboard a floating dinghy in Puget Sound, culminating in an exclusive first look at the Kraken stadium.

Open Casestudy

This project was made possible through DCGONE and Aircards.

Team on Project (9)

  • Ninyo Aganon Digital Art Director
  • Andy Lueck Executive Creative Director
  • Kevin Bouldwan Front-end Developer
Expand to see full team

Overview

In 2020, before the completion of the Kraken stadium, the team sought an innovative way to engage membership holders and provide an early preview of the arena in an interactive and memorable manner.

What problem were we solving?

The challenge was to create an engaging AR experience that worked within the technological limitations of 2017–2020 smartphones while delivering an intuitive and visually rich product.

The approach

The concept was developed through collaborative sessions with Kraken representatives, focusing on crafting a narrative-driven AR experience. My role included designing the storyline, creating detailed storyboards, developing UX wireframes, and ensuring that the experience would be accessible and engaging. Additionally, I crafted interaction designs and visual layouts to guide users through the journey seamlessly.

Process

  • 0

    1

    01 of 06

    My friend let me borrow his office during this time, and this was peak covid times.

    Interaction Concepting

    I created detailed storyboards using low-fidelity wireframes to explore trigger ideas and storyline paths for the user experience. The first concept showed a broken ancient compass unlocking a gateway to the stadium. The second, which made it into the final version, began on a wooden platform in the Puget Sound. The third involved scanning a key given to Kraken members to reveal the stadium gates. The fourth was a more streamlined idea showing the full stadium exterior and interior through various outposts. This iterative process helped shape the narrative to match the Kraken team’s vision.

    My friend let me borrow his office during this time, and this was peak covid times.

  • 0

    2

    02 of 06

    Limitation Problem

    The client wanted to showcase the stadium since, during COVID, people couldn’t gather for tours while it was being built. This AR experience gave Kraken members a peek inside. We received the original architectural CADD file, but it had over 2 million triangles—about 70 times more than iPhones could handle in 2020. So instead of trying to simplify that file, our 3D team decided to rebuild the stadium model from scratch. This version shows the solid interior before the rebuild.

  • 0

    3

    03 of 06

    Recorded the ferry sound with our dr-05x audio recorder

    User Journey Mapping

    The experience starts on a wooden dinghy in the Puget Sound, overlooking a silhouetted Seattle skyline. It’s cloudy, a little dark, with tides pushing against the boat. The original idea was a wooden platform, but it shifted to a dinghy to bring in those ambient water sounds with the seagulls in the background. That feeling probably came from years of riding the ferry—15 years in, sounds like the distant ferry horn definitely needed to be added in. Most people wouldn’t think twice, but commuters would for sure catch it. It added a subtle layer of realism that fit the setting.

    Recorded the ferry sound with our dr-05x audio recorder

  • 0

    4

    04 of 06

    Sounds were sourced from EnvatoElements

    Sound Design

    Curated a Celtic-inspired soundtrack and layered in ambient sounds to create a mystical, slightly enchanted vibe that fit the story. At first, I was using Premiere Pro to stack the audio, but constantly copying and pasting clips made it hard to control when certain sounds—like the ferry horn or birds—came in. Around that time, I was learning how to mix music, so I ended up opening four channels in RekordboxDJ instead. One looped the water, another had distant birds with space between calls, another had the sound of water lapping against the boat, and the last was for manually triggering the ferry horn. Funny enough, a tool made for nightclubs ended up being perfect for shaping the audio in this AR experience.

    Sounds were sourced from EnvatoElements

  • 0

    5

    05 of 06

    There is a lot more data, but I'll be adding more in the future

    Some Data

    We ended up getting a decent amount of data from people who entered the experience, but it was a bit of a bummer that we didn’t have control over where the entrance—the QR code—was placed. Another design company handled that part and printed the code on a black-and-white slip that easily got overlooked. It definitely impacted our numbers. Still, it was a solid learning moment about how even small placement and design choices can make a big difference.

    There is a lot more data, but I'll be adding more in the future

  • 0

    6

    06 of 06

    I didn't reach down there, this was how the character was designed, and the "navigator" was placed really close to the .. hand.

    Awkward topic to bring up to the developers

    You can probably imagine how I brought it up—it was funny in the moment, but also one of those things I had to save just for the memory. I mean, we’re in this field for a reason, right? Gotta have a laugh every now and then.

    I didn't reach down there, this was how the character was designed, and the "navigator" was placed really close to the .. hand.

Tools & Tech Stack Used (5)

  • IndesignPresentation document design
  • After EffectsMotion interaction demo for developers, and motion assets for 3D facets
  • SketchAppUI design
  • InvisionAppUX design
  • RekordboxDjImmersive sound concepting/design

Behind the Scenes

First AR Experience

This project was a milestone in my career, combining storytelling, UX design, and technical problem-solving to deliver an innovative AR experience. Designing intricate interactions and resolving unforeseen challenges enhanced my understanding of the complexity of UX design and its impact on user engagement. The project laid the foundation for future AR collaborations, highlighting the value of immersive narratives and user-friendly design. I translated the creative vision into clear, actionable steps for developers and illustrators to stay aligned. This included directing character scale and posture, anchor animations with glowing effects, and key interactions to guide users through the story. I provided visual references, animation sequences, and spatial layouts to keep the scenes cohesive. I also gave notes on sound design, lighting, and UI transitions—ensuring the emotional flow stayed intact from the boat to the ice rink. Each detail helped keep the experience immersive and unified across disciplines.

Results

The AR experience transported users to a floating dinghy in the Puget Sound, where they encountered an enchanted anchor pulling them into an underwater world. After navigating this mystical journey, users were teleported to the Kraken stadium for an exclusive tour. Highlights included exploring the arena, interacting with characters, and customizing historic and modern Kraken jerseys for selfies.

After Party

Despite the experience's innovative design, engagement suffered due to low visual hierarchy of the QR code in the membership box, leading to missed opportunities for user interaction. This was a critical learning moment, informing improvements for future AR projects.

Overall Experience

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