Disney's Gnome Town

A city builder set in a whimsical world of gnomes — built in six months.

Gnome Town was a city-builder game set in the Enchanted Forest, where players were tasked with saving the forest and its inhabitants from the Evil Gnome. Along the way they could rebuild their own town, rescue adorable animal helpers, and unlock a world full of charm — teacup houses, mushroom trees, even a disco ball dance hall.

What made Gnome Town stand out was the specificity of its world. Every building, every item, and every UI element was rooted in the gnome universe — tiny-scale furniture, forest materials, and a warmth that players responded to immediately. The game launched on Facebook and built a loyal community throughout its live operations.

Lead designer from concept to launch — and through two years of live ops.

I was the main designer responsible for the look and feel, as well as the user experience of the entire game. Working closely with the other leads, I helped design a unique and compelling experience — completing the initial project in just six months. I collaborated with the art team to develop the visual design language and worked directly in Flash to implement all UI assets.

Beyond launch, I continued supporting the game through its live operations phase, designing new features, quests, and events as the team iterated on what was working with players.

A consistent world across every interaction.

From the main town view to quests, collections, and the in-game market, every screen needed to feel cohesive and grounded in the gnome world. The challenge was maintaining the whimsical visual language while keeping the UI clear and functional for a casual audience.

Sending your gnomes on adventures.

Gnomespedition was one of the game's standout social features — players could send their gnomes on expeditions to explore new areas and return with rare items. The UI needed to communicate a sense of journey and discovery while remaining simple enough for a casual audience. I designed the flow from the expedition selection screen through to the reward reveal, making it feel like a mini-adventure within the game.

Designing for connection and community.

Social mechanics were central to the Facebook gaming ecosystem. I designed the gifting system, in-game letters, and house-of-gnomes (HOG) features to encourage players to invite friends and stay engaged with their neighbor network — all while keeping the interactions feeling warm and on-brand with the game's world.