Nakano：This project began as a self-initiated idea. DENSO, as a B2B company specializing in automotive components, sometimes struggles to convey the passions of its engineers to internal and external audiences. Within the Design Department, we often use tools to depict "future visions" that showcase how DENSO's products might enhance future lives. These visions not only convey the appeal of our work but also spark creativity and encourage others to align their ideas with our products.

When I realized this during my work, I became excited about the possibility of making these future visions more interactive. I hypothesized that a game would be the ideal method to achieve this, so I proposed integrating a game engine into our workflow. As we explored this approach, we identified several benefits:

Simplified Understanding: Consolidating multiple pieces of information into a single interactive experience makes it easier to understand.
Active Engagement: Interactive experiences allow users to enjoy the process while intuitively grasping the developers' intentions and ideas.
Additionally, I wanted to encapsulate DENSO's philosophies and products into a single content piece through HX thinking. This ambition led me to approach my supervisor with the idea, and the HX City project was born.

Nakano：The process of creating the game required leveraging all my previous experience in branding, UX, UI, and product design:

Branding: Incorporated the concept of a "Circular Society of Happiness" into the game's world and storyline.
UX: Expressed the transformation to a "Mobility Society Tier 1" provider through the city's evolution, tying the "Five Flows" into event triggers.
UI: Designed the interface to prioritize clarity and feedback, ensuring players could easily grasp their actions and see tangible results.
Product Design: Redesigned products as stylized 3D characters to align with the game's world.
A key focus was depicting the evolution of the city. Simply making buildings taller or larger would have conveyed a sense of convenience-focused urbanization, which didn't align with our vision of a future where happiness circulates. Instead, we aimed for a city that coexists with nature and celebrates diversity, even including playful touches like butterflies in the evolution effects.

Nakano：On August 23, 2024, at the Komaki Children's Future Museum, we introduced HX City as part of the HX for Kids event hosted by the Design Department. I was initially worried about how children and families would respond in this era of saturated gaming content.

However, my worries quickly faded when children eagerly asked, "Can we play?" They started quietly, but soon I saw them discussing strategies with friends and family, retrying levels they couldn't complete, and replaying even after fully clearing the game. Seeing the game transform from "work" to "play" for users was incredibly fulfilling.

When asked for feedback, players shared comments like, "It's fascinating because it's based on real technology," and "I want to join DENSO in the future." These words reinforced that this game could only have been realized by DENSO, with its wealth of research and products.

Thank you to everyone who played the game and supported the project!

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