Toca Boca Days
Timed Event System
My Role: Feature Owner, System & Gameplay Designer
Team Size: 10+
This is a time-based in-game events system that transform existing locations into competitive, replayable experiences with clear directed goals and social rewards that aims to create stronger reason to socialize and self-express.
Responsibilities
Designed system framework for multiple event types.
Defined gameplay and phases for each event type.
Designed the overarching UX flow for real-time guidance.
Conducted and drove the entire playtest process, from planning to execution and analyzing results..
Iterated and balanced event gameplay to maximize engagement and retention KPIs.
Walkthough
The Challenge
Retention was dropping because players quickly ran out of meaningful reasons to return daily.
Many core gameplay loops was mostly a binary choice: “Do I engage, or not?”
Each play session felt the same, with little variation.
Fun peaked in the first days from novelty and multiplayer discovery, but quickly flattened.
Players didn’t know what they could be missing because nothing really changed.
Hero locations looked inviting but lacked compelling gameplay, leaving them underused despite strong player expectations.
We also needed to:
Reuse existing systems (fast results with limited dev time).
Give cosmetics more purpose (a key monetization driver).
Lay a foundation for a scalable system.
Design Approach
Instead of inventing entirely new mechanics - How can we break the binary loop, make choices matter more and create a stronger purpose for cosmetics, while leveraging what we already have?
Give players more interesting choices - avoid flat “yes/no” gameplay.
Add multiple outcomes - make sessions play out slightly differently each time.
Highlight players - recognition is powerful in social contexts
Layer engagement onto existing features - minimizing dev time but deepening value.
The Solution
A dynamic, timed event system that brings locations to life with social, replayable gameplay.
Clear goals: Each event offers a simple but meaningful objective (like “Win the Fashion Contest”).
Dynamic replayability: Each Event Type unfold in multiple rounds or phases with their own unique gameplay, encouraging experimentation and returning to play..
Empowering players: Winners are spotlighted with bragging rights, visual rewards, and recognition.
Integration with existing systems: Reused mechanics and locations, adding bespoke gameplay where needed.
Lingering effects: Rewards extend into the wider social playground, fueling social interaction.
Player Experience Before
Player Experience After
Event Types
Fashion Contest
Mechanic: Dress Up, Showcase & Vote
Win Condition: Most Votes
Target Archetype: Creator, Achiever
Crab Rescue
Mechanic: Plattforming, collect & return resource (crabs)
Win Condition: Most collected resources (crabs)
Target Archetype: Achiever, Explorer
Spotlight Dancing
Mechanic: Perform dance moves in spotlights
Win Condition: Most dance score
Target Archetype: Achiever, Socializer
Event UX flow
Reflection
The Timed Event System transformed previously flat locations into daily engagement drivers by creating more meaningful choices and replayability through diverse event-type gameplay hooks. It also strengthened monetization by putting cosmetics in the spotlight and built social energy around locations, keeping them active hubs rather than dead spaces.
