Anusha Farooqui

IRL or URL: Navigating the Modern World

A storytelling card game that bridges our physical and digital worlds through playful, creative narratives.

Context

IRL + URL was created as a college project to explore how people live between two realities: offline (IRL) and online (URL). The goal was to design a playful tool that sparks conversations, inspires creativity, and encourages reflection on our relationship with technology.

Design Arcade is my thesis project — an interactive platform where students and young professionals practice design principles through play. This case study focuses on how I built a brand identity that bridges the excitement of arcade culture with the credibility of design education.

Deliverables: Logo System, Color Palette, Typography, Mockups, Brand Guidelines

Scope

Game Design

Storytelling System

Visual Identity

Prototyping

Timeline

4 Weeks

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Challenge

Context

How can a simple card game represent the diversity of digital experiences while remaining fun, adaptable, and thought-provoking? The challenge was to balance educational depth with an accessible and engaging format.

Deliverables: Logo System, Color Palette, Typography, Mockups, Brand Guidelines

Research & Insights
Design Development
Application & Testing

Observed how people multitask with devices in public spaces, identifying patterns in digital–physical interactions.

Brainstormed storytelling as the mechanic, mapped card categories, and generated story prompts combining personal insights with AI-assisted content.

Built low-fidelity prototypes, tested with peers to refine gameplay, and designed a cohesive scrapbooking-inspired visual system with five card types (Story, Character, Action, Moral, Setting).

Outcome

The result was a complete storytelling card deck with multiple tested gameplay modes: Quickest Storyteller, Most Insightful Story, and Creative Collaborator. The project blends nostalgia and contemporary digital themes, creating an adaptable game for solo play, group storytelling, or classroom use. It proved how simple mechanics can spark meaningful conversations around identity and technology.