BATTLEFRONT II
HERO SELECTION REDESIGN
SCHOOL PROJECT - CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
Game Design • UI/UX

DESIGN CHALLENGE

Problem: Hero selection rewards reaction speed rather than player performance.

Goal: Create a fairer system while preserving the value and balance of hero characters.

Solution: Introduce a Hero Queue System that lets players reserve a hero and continue participating in the match.

OVERVIEW

Star Wars Battlefront II rewards players with Battle Points for participating in matches, allowing them to unlock powerful hero and villain characters such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. These heroes are intentionally limited to maintain game balance and make them feel valuable.

While this system successfully rewards player participation, the method of accessing heroes creates a frustrating experience. Even after earning enough Battle Points, players must compete in a "first-come, first-served" race whenever a hero becomes available. As a result, access often depends more on reaction speed and timing than on player performance.

This case study explores a redesign that preserves the original design goals while creating a fairer and more engaging experience.

THE PROBLEM

The existing Battle Points system does many things well.

What Works

  • Battle Points reward players for actively participating in matches.

  • Heroes remain valuable by requiring a significant investment of Battle Points.

  • Limiting the number of active heroes helps maintain balance.

However, the hero selection system introduces several issues.

Pain Points

  • Players who earn enough Battle Points may never get the opportunity to play as a hero.

  • Success depends largely on reaction speed rather than gameplay performance.

  • Players often stop participating in the match once they reach the required Battle Points, instead waiting in the character selection menu and repeatedly attempting to claim an available hero.

These behaviors interrupt gameplay, reduce team contribution, and create frustration for players who feel they have earned the opportunity to play a hero.

The existing Battle Points system does many things well:

What Works

  • Battle Points reward players for actively participating in matches.

  • Heroes remain valuable by requiring a significant investment of Battle Points.

  • Limiting the number of active heroes helps maintain balance.

However, the hero selection system introduces several issues.

Pain Points

  • Players who earn enough Battle Points may never get the opportunity to play as a hero.

  • Success depends largely on reaction speed rather than gameplay performance.

  • Players often stop participating in the match once they reach the required Battle Points, instead waiting in the character selection menu and repeatedly attempting to claim an available hero.

These behaviors interrupt gameplay, reduce team contribution, and create frustration for players who feel they have earned the opportunity to play a hero.

DESIGN GOALS

The redesign aimed to improve the experience without changing the core identity of the system.

The goals were to:

  • Reward player performance rather than reaction speed.

  • Preserve the value and rarity of hero characters.

  • Encourage players to stay engaged in the match.

  • Maintain the existing balance and pacing of gameplay.

PROPOSED SOLUTION

Once a player has earned the required amount of Battle Points, they can join a queue for a specific hero if that hero is currently unavailable.

Entering the queue immediately spends the required Battle Points, creating a meaningful commitment and preventing players from reserving a spot without consequence.

Instead of waiting in the character selection screen, players continue participating in the match while waiting for their turn.

When a hero becomes available, the player receives a notification asking whether they want to deploy. If they do not respond within a short time window, the opportunity passes to the next player in the queue.

This system allows players to keep playing the game rather than repeatedly checking menus, while still ensuring heroes remain limited and desirable.

MOCK-UPS

Mock-up: “Join queue” and a (B) button was added to the UI

Mock-up: Added “Boba Fett available – Deploy now?” and a highlighted Right D-pad icon

Mock-up: Added “Boba Fett available – Deploy now?” and a highlighted Right D-pad icon

Mock-up: “Join queue” and a (B) button becomes greyed out if Hero characters are available.

Proposed UI additions to in-game HUD

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