Introduction

💼 Client

Sheep Apps, a small product company based in the United States, specializes in creating mobile applications that address real user needs.

⚠️ Problem

The client aimed to develop a unique social platform where individuals could engage not only in creating pixel art but also in interactive battles that promote teamwork and artistic collaboration.

🎯 Audience

The target audience for Dots.io includes young adults who are enthusiasts of both digital gaming and art. This audience appreciates interactive, collaborative, and competitive digital experiences.

Challenges

🛠️ Technical

  • Designing an efficient, real-time collaborative drawing system;
  • Managing a massive digital canvas while maintaining performance;
  • Implementing a robust, fair, and engaging competitive gameplay structure;
  • Ensuring seamless cross-platform compatibility and user experience.

🖌 Design

For Dots.io, a uniquely blended design was developed, seamlessly integrating elements of both app and game design. The design includes illustrative elements that resonate with game apps, alongside other features typical of more general applications.

📱 Platforms

While the primary focus was on developing a mobile application for Android and iOS, considerations were made to include a web version for closed alpha testing, which could potentially serve as a basis for future expansion.

Dots.io: Home Screen, Battle Screen
Dots.io: Home Screen, Battle Screen

Solutions

⚙️ Process

The project began with the client's concept. We worked closely with them to design the product. Then, we split the development into milestones, focusing on iterative improvements based on user feedback. This process took 2 months.

👨‍💻 Team

  • UX/UI designer;
  • 2 Flutter Engineers;
  • Technical Lead.

🧩 Features

  • Real-time collaborative drawing on a shared canvas;
  • Intuitive drawing tools and customizable color palettes;
  • Daily battles with different themes and objectives;
  • In-app currency system to acquire additional pixels and premium features;
  • Social sharing options and community features for interaction among users;
  • Cross-platform compatibility for a consistent experience on Android and iOS devices.
Dots.io: Battle Screen
Dots.io: Battle Screen

🖥️ Technologies

Foundation:

  • Flutter
  • Material Design
  • Google & Apple Sign In

Backend:

  • Web Sockets

Architecture:

  • Riverpod
  • Clean Architecture

Firebase:

  • Realtime Database
  • Authentication

Advanced:

  • Push Notifications
  • Payment Gateway
  • Custom Rendering Engine

Deployment:

  • GitLab CI/CD

Integrations:

  • Mixpanel Analytics

Testimonial

👍
«WTF team not only delivered a top-quality app, but also exceeded our expectations in terms of user experience and gameplay mechanics. We're thrilled with the results and grateful for their outstanding work.»

Sheep Apps Inc., USA

Conclusion

Throughout the project, we refined our development approach, transitioning into a support stage to ensure ongoing maintenance and updates. Key lessons included the importance of scalable backend solutions to support real-time user interactions.

At What the Flutter, we thrive on bringing innovative ideas to life. Whether you're looking to create a dynamic gaming experience or a collaborative creative platform, our team is ready to help. Reach out to us today to see how we can turn your concept into reality!

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