Wizard Tag
We take cases for granted in this technological era. The case of a new phone is often the least fascinating thing about it. In fact one of the first things most people do is put a cover over their new phone case! We don’t care about the case of a new tv remote control, only that it is intuitive and can control the tv.
Every part of the Wizard Tag Wand case was designed with three things in mind. They have to look great, work as envisioned, and be designed for manufacturing.
Wand Case Design is Influenced by Everything!
Why is the case important?
When you first see it, the case of the wand has to look magical, unique, and take you into a fantasy world!
It must protect the technology inside the wand from the environment, drops, and collisions. It needs to secure the rechargeable battery, dissipate heat buildup, and transmit speaker sound. Some materials have to be completely opaque.
Other components must allow two-way transmission of infrared energy, and at the same time be translucent for visible light, but not transparent, so that you don’t see the technology!
What did design for manufacturing have to do with case design?
Hardware limitations determined a lot of the design of the wand. We decided on the components that had to be included. Then we tried to find the narrowest way to string them together. The current wand configuration has components packed in, top and bottom and uses some really creative electronics design.
The battery we chose for the wand determines the size of the handle, which influenced the rest of the wand, so that it was in proper proportions. Some of the components also impacted the size of the wand either from the space they take up in the surface area (leaving clearance for traces) and the height of the components.
The wand as it is, is comfortable to wield and has the wand shape that we wanted.
What is Unique about the Wizard Tag Case?
Design features on the exterior of the wand are meant to not only be functional, but to look good!
Sometimes you can do both at the same time. The grip of the wand has a honeycomb texture, which brings nature and technology together. It protects the unseen power button, hides the USB port, and gives you a solid grasp that you might not have on a thin wooden wand in the heat of battle!
The crystal fields breaking out of the shell are both aesthetically pleasing and useful. This wand produces dozens of light animations that enhance the game and are especially fun to cast at night.
The animations are displayed through the crystals, which help out of game to navigate menus, and in-game to show information such as life, mana, team, game mode roles, target, and spells being cast.
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
- What do you think of the Wizard Tag Wand case?
- What is important to you when you look at the case of a new electronic device?
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I agree the case is important, but most people DO appreciate their phone case and cover it to protect it, vs for aesthetic purposes. In fact, I believe Steve Jobs and his designers put as much thought into their cases as they did in the technology. What you’ve come up with is clever and authentic.
You are right, Simmi. Sometimes the case is so cool, that people put a clear case over it to protect the look. The overall appearance of the Wizard Tag wand has changed a lot since the first concept drawings, and it is still evolving, but getting closer to the combination of elegance and functionality that we were looking for.
Thanks for your kind words! In a few days we will be inserting the newest electronics and doing some testing with the latest software! The parts in the picture that are pointy and green will be translucent in the next version and the animations should look really cool. As soon as we get good video we’ll share it!