Pod Up
Role
Technologies
A queueing application for Magic: The Gathering Commander players to facilitate better game experiences
Pod Up is a free-to-use web application for Magic: The Gathering Commander players. Players can join a live queue and automatically match into groups to start their games. They can choose to queue as guests or create an account to track game history.
Responsive UI built with flebox grids to fit any device
Brand guidelines including logo, typeface, colors and components
Custom logo using the Google Font Nabla
Reducing the friction and anxiety of finding groups and getting players into games faster
Problem
Commander, Magic: The Gathering's most popular and social format is built for groups of four players. Players that don't come to a game night with a pre-arranged group often face the challenge of breaking into an unfamiliar social scene or approaching new people to play games with. This leads to players waiting for extended periods of time to find a group or potentially not finding one at all.
Solution
To reduce anxiety around approaching strangers and facilitate better gaming experiences, I created a simple web application for players to get into groups more quickly. Invested users can make a free account to track their game history and rate their games and who they played with for better matching in the future.
Key features
Live Queueing
Real-time queue that automatically groups players, re-checking the queue every 10 seconds
Account flexibility
Users can opt to join as a guest or create an account to unlock more robust features of the application
Confirmation & Re-queue system
Once matched, players must confirm within a timed window. If all players don't, the group is dissolved and all players are seamlessly returned to the queue
Ratings & Game History
Account holders can rate their experience and the players they played with, influencing future matchmaking. Games are saved for later review and to add additional notes
Outcomes
Pod Up directly addresses the social barrier of finding a play group, a real friction point in the Commander community, by replacing an awkward, manual process with a seamless, automated experience.
Business
- Less stress, more games The app is designed to keep players engaged and at the table longer, reducing long waits or failed group formation
- Reliable game formation Confirmation and re-queue systems ensure a reliable matchmaking loop, protecting the user experience from bad actors
- Low barrier to entry Pod Up accommodates both casual drop-in players and invested regulars without alienating either, broadening its potential user base
Technical
- Real-time polling architecture The queue is routinely checked, balancing responsiveness with server efficiency
- Stateful session logic The game confirmation window handles player timeouts, partial acceptances and fallbacks
- Mobile-first approach Pod Up was built with mobile-first in mind with a simple, lightweight interface and fast performance
- Persistent data model The ratings and game history tie user accounts to session records in a MongoDB database, informing smarter, preference-based matchmaking in the future