Ngā Uiuinga me Anqi Liu

My name is Angie Liu. I am a full-stack user experience and user interface designer with visual and information design backgrounds, applying information organizing, visual impacts, and research skills to experience design. I am currently a senior UI/UX designer at Blizzard Entertainment. I create user-centered designs that are intuitive, elegant, and meaningful. I specialize in user experience, user interface and interactive design for digital devices, App design, and game design.

Yangyuchen Li - a.k.a. Richan, a 2D animator + illustrator!

I was born and raised in Kunming, China, and came to the US to study when I was fifteen. My practices explore language, ritual, and intimacy that overlap across cultures, from modern life to mythological folklore. Exporting these thoughts into fun jpegs, gifs, and movies with a wide variety of art styles is the language that I speak. I currently work at String & Key as a full-time animator.

Richan and Angie have been best friends since high school and share a passion for creativity, having taken art and design classes together to pursue their goals of self-expression and problem-solving. While they went their separate ways in college, their love and enthusiasm for art and design only grew stronger. Richan honed her skills in illustration and animation, while Angie focused on product design. As they built their skillsets and pursued their visions in different fields, their friendship and talent joined in product design. This led to the birth of DG-Meteor, where they continue to inspire and support each other.

We believe creativity means finding the perfect balance between user experience and visuals, so our designs can speak for themselves. Creative ideas and designs are a reflection, a combination, a sum of unique voices amplified by an ever-growing process of learning and experimentation. We're passionate about functionality and problem-solving and express these values through dynamic yet relatable visual designs.

As a collaborative team, our favorite part of the creative process revolves around collaboration and mutual understanding between the two of us, and how we bring our individual strengths together to create a cohesive piece. We strive to learn from and trust each other's expertise as we collaborate and work through the interdisciplinary processes of product design, animation, and illustration. Our shared goal is to achieve visual and functional harmony in our designs.

1. It's solving a problem for the User. 2. It's easy to understand and use. 3. Visually is consist with the concpet

Reading APP is a UI/UX project thoughtfully created to enhance readers’ experience in digital reading and online communities.

The Reading Application provides a space for passionate indie writers to publish their work, for curious readers to find indie writers, and for users, including writers and readers, to exchange their insights.

The illustration highlights a clean shape and lines with a muted complementary color to appear approachable. We strived to provide a friendly style through characters, color, and icons to nurture a cozy, inclusive, and welcoming space for exchanging thoughts.

Reading APP’s main users are people who want to not only read books from indie writers but also share feedback with other readers and writers. They are also those who want to not only publish their book on a platform but also listen to the voices from readers directly.

The Reading Application provides a dedicated space for passionate indie writers to publish their work, for curious readers to find indie writers, and for users, including writers and readers, to exchange their insights.

Many indie writers currently want to publish their work, but there is no suitable platform for them and standard publishing usually involves a complicated process. Readers also got tired of having to find indie writers' books from different websites.

In our Application, indie writers can publish books much quicker than the traditional way. Readers also don’t need to search for a book or writer across different websites.

Research shows that "readers are changing their habits: one in four people in the US reads E-books while one in five readers now listens to audio." Audio Books have become a powerful trend and reading tool in the modern book industry.

The platform provides audiobook and traditional book-reading services as well as communication opportunities. Readers could buy a monthly subscription to unlock all the books on the platform or they could just purchase one book. The indie writer will get paid for purchases. APP communication among users is always free... This business model requires a considerable amount of technical support and indie writer participation at the beginning to attract other readers. However, when users start to use it, the application becomes part of their habit.

It took us about 6 months to prepare this project

We found out there were some Challenges in current reading platforms:

1. There is no significant platform for Indie writers to easily publish their books.

2. No platform provides an adequately vast selection of indie writer's books.

3. Writers and readers need a platform to communicate with each other.

We decided to solve those issue and provide better reading and writing experience

Products create a connection between readers and independent writers. The platform provides a large number of books by indie writers for readers who expect to see more niche worksand the user saves time in scouring through websites and social media.

The product offers indie writers a platform for quickly publishing their works;riters don't need to worry about an overly cumbersome publishing process.

At the same time, the Reading APP also provides a platform for users to communicate. Readers can discover like-minded friends, and writers can hear the latest feedback from readers. The product innovatively integrates the functions of reading and communication, closely connecting readers and authors.

Products create a connection between readers and independent writers. The platform provides a large number of books by indie writers for readers who expect to see more niche worksand the user saves time in scouring through websites and social media.

The product offers indie writers a platform for quickly publishing their works;riters don't need to worry about an overly cumbersome publishing process.

At the same time, the Reading APP also provides a platform for users to communicate. Readers can discover like-minded friends, and writers can hear the latest feedback from readers. The product innovatively integrates the functions of reading and communication, closely connecting readers and authors.

Research shows that "readers are changing their habits: one in four people in the US reads E-books while one in five readers now listens to audio." Audio Books have become a powerful trend and reading tool in the modern book industry.

The platform provides audiobook and traditional book-reading services as well as communication opportunities. Readers could buy a monthly subscription to unlock all the books on the platform or they could just purchase one book. The indie writer will get paid for purchases. APP communication among users is always free... This business model requires a considerable amount of technical support and indie writer participation at the beginning to attract other readers. However, when users start to use it, the application becomes part of their habit.

Richan Li is the animator and illustrator of this project. She provided her excellent skills to build this fancy visual design for our App.

1. Our primary research method was interviewing users who like reading or listening to audiobooks.

2. Our secondary research method used quantitative and qualitative data from https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/ and US statista website: https://www.statista.com/topics/3928/reading-habits-in-the-us/.

3. Reading APP’s design process included various phases of UX Design Sprints: Understand (find the problem: interview user, search data, create stakeholder map), ideate (understand the problem and brainstorm with persona, storyboard, and user journey map), decide (define the final pain point), prototype, and test (usability test with interviewer).

AVAMEOW was born out of a need for a fun, interactive, and digital solution during the pandemic when traditional board games like "The Resistance: Avalon'' could no longer be played with friends in person. The concept of a digital, conversational strategy party game emerged, incorporating the classic legend of King Arthur and reimagining it as the tale of King Meowthur. This innovative game offers a unique and exciting adventure that can be played both locally with friends in the same room and online with friends in chat rooms.

What sets AVAMEOW apart from other social games is its versatility and customization options. The game offers two modes of play, allowing players to participate both in person and online. The game also features a default story narrative and a timed clock, making it easier for players to participate without the need for a host. It also accommodates different communication preferences, as players can choose to type or use audio chat as part of its accessible design. With the basic mechanic accommodating 5 to 10 players, it is suitable for small to medium-sized groups. However, the custom mode takes the experience to the next level by allowing players to create their own stories and adventures, making it a great option for those seeking a more personalized and unique experience. With its highly customizable features, AVAMEOW provides an enjoyable and bonding experience for friends and family.

With its social capabilities, AVAMEOW offers a unique solution for people who are unable to meet in person, particularly during times such as the pandemic. The game's focus on bonding and social interaction makes it a great way to bring families and friends closer together, or for new friends to form. Whether playing locally or online, AVAMEOW provides a social adventure that is designed to bring people closer, encouraging laughter, and creating lasting memories. This digital conversational strategy party game is a great way to bond and have fun with friends and family.

Later on, we are going to add more reward systems for players to increase the connection between players who don't know each other.

About 6 months

AVAMEOW was inspired by the popular board game "The Resistance: Avalon" and brings a new and unique approach to the party game genre. Our team conducted extensive research into medieval art styles and manuscripts to create a modern and fun animation style featuring various types of cats. The result is a playful and charming game that speaks to players in a fun and engaging voice.

No other company is involved in the production process. We produce this work for our friends and family first.

AVAMEOW offers a fun and engaging experience for social gatherings, bringing people together through strategy-based conversations and overcoming challenges as a team. This game is a contemporary adaptation of the popular board game "The Resistance: Avalon," adapted for a mobile audience. Whether you are looking to strengthen relationships with loved ones or seeking an exciting form of entertainment, AVAMEOW is the perfect journey for those who want an enjoyable and thrilling adventure.

Richan Li the animator and illustrator provide lots of good ideas for our visual design. We did lots of research about the Mideast artwork. That unique art style influences our final design style

What sets AVAMEOW apart from other social games is its versatility and customization options. The game offers two modes of play, allowing players to participate both in person and online. The game also features a default story narrative and a timed clock, making it easier for players to participate without the need for a host. It also accommodates different communication preferences, as players can choose to type or use audio chat as part of its accessible design. With the basic mechanic accommodating 5 to 10 players, it is suitable for small to medium-sized groups. However, the custom mode takes the experience to the next level by allowing players to create their own stories and adventures, making it a great option for those seeking a more personalized and unique experience. With its highly customizable features, AVAMEOW provides an enjoyable and bonding experience for friends and family.

AVAMEOW is more than just a game, it's a social platform where friends can come together to share an adventure or make new friends along the way. Unlike other conversational social games, AVAMEOW boasts a highly autonomous system that provides not only a familiar and beloved legend of King Meowthur but also gives players the option to create their own custom storylines. This opens up an exciting world of possibilities, allowing players to explore their own unique adventures and experiences.

We combined the cat, our main character,(Meow), and Avalon game together.

Figma, ProtoPie, After Effect, and Procreate

AVAMEOW's highly customizable features provide a level of creativity and autonomy that is unmatched by other social games. Players can design their own story arcs, choose their characters, and play at their own pace, making it a truly personalized experience. Whether players are looking to bond with existing friends or make new connections, AVAMEOW offers a social platform that is fun, engaging, and always full of surprises.

Richan Li the animator and illustrator for our project. She helps us to build nice visual designs and concepts.

Angie Liu is the UI/UX designer and Art director for the project. She designed this social game with a nice UI, and UX.

YES. When we started this project, we received lots of feedback about different social games or social applications. Depending on that feedback we start to build Avameow.

My name is Angie Liu. I am a full-stack user experience and user interface designer with visual and information design backgrounds, applying information organizing, visual impacts, and research skills to experience design. I am currently a senior UI/UX designer at Blizzard Entertainment. I create user-centered designs that are intuitive, elegant, and meaningful.

I specialize in user experience, user interface and interactive design for digital devices, App design, and game design. My weapons of choice are Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, and Figma. I also work on Game UI design for some of the big game companies for example NetEase.

A few of my favorite things are user-based UX/UI design, game design, animation, and travel all over the world.

Problem-Solving: Design is often driven by the desire to solve problems and improve experiences. Designers have the opportunity to address complex challenges and find innovative solutions that can enhance people's lives, whether it's through user-friendly interfaces, efficient processes, or intuitive product designs.

I believe I choose to become a designer because I love creating something different to solve issues.

I usually design interfaces for digital products especially video games to improve the UX.

Keep learning new styles and technology from different people. Don't worry about making mistakes. Keep trying new things until find your style.

Attention to Detail: Great designers pay meticulous attention to every aspect of their work. They have an eye for detail, ensuring that their designs are polished and refined. They take the time to refine typography, spacing, color choices, and other elements to create a harmonious composition.

Empathy and User Focus: Great designers have a deep understanding of their target audience. They empathize with users, placing themselves in their shoes to design experiences that are intuitive, enjoyable, and cater to their needs. They prioritize user research and feedback to inform their design decisions.

Efficiency and Functionality: Good design improves efficiency and functionality. It streamlines processes, eliminates unnecessary complexity, and simplifies interactions. By considering user needs and workflows, well-designed systems, interfaces, and products can enhance productivity and user satisfaction.

I want to design a diving log for scuba divers.

I want to join some Open World game projects.

Increased Engagement and Conversion: Good design can significantly impact user engagement and conversion rates. Whether it's a website, mobile app, or marketing material, aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly designs attract and retain users' attention. Well-designed interfaces and visuals can guide users through a desired flow and encourage them to take action, leading to increased conversions and business growth.

Jonathan Ive: Jonathan Ive, formerly the Chief Design Officer at Apple, played a pivotal role in shaping the company's iconic product designs. His focus on simplicity, minimalism, and seamless user experiences contributed to the success of products like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

Milton Glaser: Milton Glaser was an American graphic designer known for his versatile and imaginative approach. He co-founded the iconic New York Magazine and designed the famous "I ❤ NY" logo. Glaser's work showcased his skill in using typography, illustration, and symbolism to create memorable designs.

Richan and Angie have been best friends since high school and share a passion for creativity, having taken art and design classes together to pursue their goals of self-expression and problem-solving. While they went their separate ways in college, their love and enthusiasm for art and design only grew stronger. Richan honed her skills in illustration and animation, while Angie focused on product design. As they built their skill sets and pursued their visions in different fields, their friendship and talent joined in product design. This led to the birth of DG-Meteor, where they continue to inspire and support each other.

DG-Meteor is a creative studio that welcomes day-to-day challenges, approaches them with a creative mindset, and designs fun and techy products that meet human needs. The studio was founded in 2020 by UI/UX Designer Anqi (Angie) Liu and Animator/Illustrator Yangyuchen (Richan) Li.

At DG-Meteor, we believe design means finding the perfect balance between user experience and visuals, so our designs can speak for themselves.

Creative ideas and designs are a reflection, a combination, a sum of unique voices amplified by an ever-growing process of learning and experimentation. We're passionate about functionality and problem-solving and express these values through dynamic yet relatable visual designs.

As a collaborative team, our favorite part of the creative process revolves around collaboration and mutual understanding between the two of us, and how we bring our individual strengths together to create a cohesive piece. We strive to learn from and trust each other's expertise as we collaborate and work through the interdisciplinary processes of product design, animation, and illustration. Our shared goal is to achieve visual and functional harmony in our designs.

Design a logo for my first company

Behance, which is a good platform to share ideas with different designers and artiest.

Functionality: Design should serve a purpose and be functional. Whether it's a website, an app, or a physical product, usability and ease of use are crucial considerations.

Combine visual and functional.

Minimalist: This style emphasizes simplicity, clean lines, and a focus on essential elements. It often involves the use of ample white space, minimal color palettes, and concise typography.

We recommend seeking inspiration from peers and creatives in your field, as well as exploring nature and history to find what interests you and what problems you would like to solve. Even the smallest things in life can lead to amazing projects. Keep your passion alive in your work, and viewers will be able to sense it through your creations!

Our creative process begins with the two of us exchanging casual conversations while walking our dogs or driving, discussing what we like and how we can learn or draw inspiration from the daily things that surround us. Once we settle on a topic, we dive into research, sharing insights and inspirations to set the tone, wireframe, and visualize our ideas through experimentation. After the initial brainstorming, we move into production, giving each other space to work, but actively critiquing and sharing feedback to unleash our creativity in our respective areas of expertise and bring the final product to life.

Communication and understanding the problem

Our Behance: https://www.behance.net/angielu1; https://www.behance.net/richanlyyc;

Avameow was born during the pandemic when we were all stuck at home, missing our friends and those fun board game nights. A lot of us on the team spent that time with our cats, who became the stars of our days (and nights). That’s when the idea hit us—what if our cats could take on the roles we used to play in those games? That’s how the characters came to life, inspired by our own cats. The medieval theme came naturally since Richan, our illustrator and animator, is super into medieval manuscript art and animal bestiaries. Combining those elements gave us the perfect mix of whimsy and adventure to create King Meowthur’s world in Avameow.

We wanted to keep that classic board game vibe alive, even though we were taking it digital. A lot of the magic in The Resistance: Avalon comes from the interaction between players, and we didn’t want to lose that. Angie, our UX designer, worked hard to make sure the app was super easy to use. She designed everything to feel intuitive, so players could just focus on the adventure without getting bogged down in navigating menus. We also added a virtual guide to keep the game flowing and make sure players could jump straight into the fun—just like you would with a physical game host.

We’ve always believed everyone has a little storyteller inside them! Avameow is built around conversations, so it made sense to let players shape the stories they tell. The base storyline is simple—find your team and work together to save King Meowthur—but every game ends up being different because of how players interact. We thought, why stop there? By giving players the tools to create their own storylines, we’re handing them the reins. The automated game flow handles the structure, so players can focus on having fun and getting creative with their adventures.

We wanted to create something that felt fun and unique, and the medieval art style just clicked for us. Richan drew a lot of inspiration from The Book of Beasts from the Getty Museum and the Arms and Armor exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. The medieval vibe paired with our cat characters was such a quirky and charming combo. It made the world of Avameow feel like this whimsical, adventurous place you’d want to dive into. Plus, designing all those cats in medieval outfits was honestly a blast!

Yes, this has been the biggest challenge in the journey—integrating the technical aspects, such as building the app and incorporating the virtual assistant and audio guidance. The guidance would primarily be provided in written form, like on loading screens, with an ideal option for audio to create a more engaging experience. The user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design play a key role in ensuring smooth functionality. As the concept and prototype received recognition from the A’ Design Award, we are incredibly grateful and remain focused on overcoming these challenges to better develop the automated game flow.

We wanted to make sure everyone felt welcome, whether they’re more comfortable talking or typing. Avameow has options for in-person games, online games with friends, and even games with strangers, so it’s flexible for different types of players. We’re also exploring voice modulation for role-playing—it’s a fun way to add even more personality to the characters. The goal is to make the game as inclusive and adaptable as possible, so anyone can jump in and enjoy the adventure.

Collaboration was central to Avameow’s success. Angie, our UX designer, laid the structural foundation by ensuring seamless navigation and logical game flow. Once the skeleton of the game was complete, Richan added vibrant visual storytelling through her illustrations and animations, bringing the world of Avameow to life. This dynamic partnership between functionality and aesthetics created a cohesive product that invites players into an engaging and visually captivating social experience.

Timed gameplay elements add a layer of excitement and challenge to Avameow’s conversational mechanics. The urgency encourages players to think quickly, heightening tension and engagement. This aligns with the game’s core objective: creating a lively and dynamic interaction among players. The ticking clock reinforces the sense of adventure and strategic decision-making, making each round a thrilling and memorable experience.

Avameow represents a bridge between traditional board gaming and digital multiplayer experiences. By combining narrative freedom, automation, and inclusive design, it sets a precedent for future games to foster meaningful connections in digital spaces. Our recognition from the A' Design Award strengthens our vision of embracing both analog and digital interactions to create social environments where friendships are forged, stories are shared, and adventures are co-created.

With the growing trend of AI assistant techniques and the popularity of open-world game mechanics revolutionizing the industry, we’re excited about the potential for technology and creativity to come together. We envision Avameow not just as a game where players embark on a journey together, but as a platform where they can create that journey collaboratively with friends.

Our research began with an in-depth exploration of indie publishing communities and their challenges. We noticed a gap in platforms that truly supported independent writers while fostering meaningful engagement with readers. Through surveys, interviews, and feedback loops with indie authors and avid readers, we identified common pain points—such as limited discoverability for writers and the lack of vibrant communities for readers to connect over shared interests. These insights shaped our vision for Meteor Lodge, prioritizing features that address these needs while creating a seamless, enjoyable user experience.

The idea came from observing how people naturally discuss and share their favorite books in online forums or social media groups. We wanted to bring that organic sense of community directly into the app. By combining book discovery with interactive features like reviews, recommendations, and discussion boards, we aimed to make reading a more social and connected experience. Our design philosophy centered around accessibility and fostering relationships, ensuring that users feel both inspired and supported—whether they’re browsing for new reads or connecting with like-minded readers.

Balancing these needs meant treating writers and readers as equally important stakeholders. For writers, we focused on creating tools for self-publishing, analytics, and visibility to help them grow their audience. For readers, the priority was a personalized, intuitive interface that made discovering indie works a joy. We achieved cohesion by designing features that bridged the two—like interactive author pages where readers can connect directly with writers, fostering a sense of collaboration and mutual support.

The visual design was all about creating a calm and immersive environment for readers. We used warm, neutral tones to reduce eye strain and incorporated customizable text sizes, fonts, and background colors to suit different preferences. Intuitive navigation ensured users could easily move between chapters or sections without breaking their focus. We also kept animations minimal and transitions smooth to maintain a distraction-free experience, making the app feel like a natural extension of the reading process.

One challenge was balancing the integration of interactive features, like discussion threads and direct messaging, without overwhelming the reading experience. To overcome this, we implemented a modular interface where users can choose to engage with the community or keep their focus on the book. Notifications were designed to be non-intrusive, and all social features were accessible without interrupting the reading flow. This approach ensures the platform remains versatile and user-centered.

We see Meteor Lodge evolving as a hybrid space that combines traditional digital reading with emerging technologies. For example, integrating AI-driven content recommendations and interactive storytelling elements could keep the platform at the forefront of innovation. We also plan to expand the community aspect with more collaborative tools, like group reading challenges and co-writing opportunities, to keep fostering connections between writers and readers as the landscape grows.

A key insight was recognizing that simplicity drives engagement. We focused on creating an interface that feels intuitive from the first interaction, eliminating unnecessary complexity. Another critical factor was listening to our users early and often—testing prototypes with both writers and readers helped us refine the app to meet real-world needs. Combining these insights with a visually appealing, community-driven design made Meteor Lodge stand out.

One pivotal moment was during initial user research, where we discovered that users preferred a more flexible layout for navigating between reading and community features. This led us to redesign the app’s modular interface, making it easier to switch between modes without losing progress. Another milestone was perfecting the book recommendation algorithm, which significantly boosted user satisfaction during beta testing. Each of these iterations brought us closer to a final design that truly met user needs.

Audiobooks were added to give users more ways to enjoy their favorite stories. We designed the audio player to be simple and distraction-free, with features like playback speed control, bookmarks, and sleep timers for flexibility. Compatibility across devices was also a top priority to ensure a seamless listening experience. By including audiobooks, we aimed to make the platform more inclusive, catering to users who prefer listening or need alternatives to traditional reading.

Meteor Lodge is positioned to become a hub where writers and readers can connect on a deeper level. As digital reading evolves, we envision the platform fostering stronger collaborations—whether through live events, interactive Q&A sessions, or co-creation opportunities. By bridging the gap between creators and their audience, we hope to empower indie writers to thrive while giving readers a more personal and engaging way to explore their favorite stories.