Dice Cat (formerly Meeplr): From Concept to Published App

Role: UX Designer & Full-Stack Developer

Timeline: Concept (2024) | Development (2025) | Published (January 2026)

Year: 2024-2026

Client: Personal project

Status: Live on Google Play Store | App Store Coming Soon

THE HOOK

Took a UX concept from Figma prototype to live, published mobile app—validating the idea through research, building the platform, launching on Google Play Store, and now acquiring real users.

THE CHALLENGE

Dice Cat connects tabletop gaming enthusiasts for in-person gaming sessions. It's a two-sided marketplace where:

Players discover local gamers with matching game libraries and availability
Users coordinate schedules and find compatible play styles
The app facilitates connections based on location, games owned, and free time

The problem:

Board game players consistently face the same frustration: they have shelves full of games but no one to play with. Existing solutions (Facebook groups, Discord servers, Meetup) require manual coordination, lack game library matching, and don't consider availability overlap. An agency client had attempted a WordPress solution that was barely functional—poor navigation, confusing architecture, and wasn't converting visitors into users.

Players needed:

A way to find local players who own the same games
Schedule coordination to identify overlapping availability
Confidence that potential gaming partners share similar preferences and skill levels
A streamlined, intuitive mobile experience for on-the-go coordination

THE APPROACH

Phase 1: UX Research & Validation (2024)

For details on the original UX research phase, see the complete UX case study for Meeplr.

Key highlights from the research phase:

Conducted competitive analysis of existing solutions (Meetup, BGG, Facebook Groups, Discord)
Created proto-persona "Harold" - representing recently relocated gamers seeking local groups
Developed feature cards for potential MVP features
Ran Kano analysis through user surveys to validate feature priority
Built Figma prototype and conducted 3 rounds of think-aloud usability testing with 15 participants
Iterated on information architecture and navigation based on feedback

Result: Overwhelming positive reception. All planned features tested as either performative or attractive—strong signal of product-market fit.

Phase 2: Building the Real Thing (2025)

Validation was so positive that I decided to build it for real. This required:

Architecting a scalable backend for real-time matchmaking
Implementing complex multi-criteria matching algorithm
Building cross-platform mobile app with native-like performance
Creating secure database architecture with proper access controls
Developing real-time features for instant connection updates

Tech Stack:

Phase 3: Rebrand & Launch (January 2026)

During beta testing and pre-launch preparation, trademark research revealed that "Meeple" was owned by a German trademark holder, creating potential legal issues for international distribution. This forced a strategic rebrand to Dice Cat, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise:

Trademark Freedom: No legal encumbrances for global app store distribution
More Memorable: "Dice Cat" tested significantly better in recall tests
Broader Appeal: More approachable name for casual and hardcore gamers alike
Stronger Visual Identity: Cat theme provided rich opportunities for branding and marketing
Perfect Thematic Fit: Tied seamlessly into existing customizable avatar system

The rebrand included updating all marketing materials, app store listings, and visual assets while maintaining the core functionality that users loved during testing.

KEY FEATURES IMPLEMENTED

Smart Matchmaking Algorithm: Multi-dimensional matching considering game libraries, location (PostGIS radius queries), availability overlap, and play preferences with weighted scoring
Comprehensive Game Database: 10,000+ board games searchable locally with manual addition for niche titles, ensuring no game gets left behind
Game Library Management: Users catalog their collections; algorithm identifies overlapping interests
Availability Scheduler: Visual weekly schedule builder with automatic overlap detection
Connection Request System: Request-based connections with instant mutual matching when both parties are interested
In-App Messaging: Secure, encrypted chat system for planning game sessions
Custom Avatar Builder: Personalized avatar builder with layered SVG rendering and accessories
Real-time Updates: Supabase subscriptions for instant connection state changes across devices
Push Notifications: FCM integration for connection requests and gaming opportunities
Secure Architecture: Row Level Security policies protecting user data while enabling matchmaking

TECHNICAL CHALLENGES SOLVED

Challenge: Complex matchmaking queries with multiple JOINs (games, availability, location) were taking 3-5 seconds.

Solution: Implemented strategic database indexing and query optimization, reducing average query time to under 500ms.

Challenge: Connection states needed to sync instantly across multiple devices without constant polling.

Solution: Leveraged Supabase real-time subscriptions with React state management for instant updates when connections change.

Challenge: BoardGameGeek changed their API access, eliminating the planned integration for game data.

Solution: Built comprehensive local game database with 10,000+ titles and implemented manual game addition feature for niche/new releases, giving users control while maintaining data quality. This pivot actually improved the user experience—users can add obscure games immediately rather than being dependent on third-party database updates.

Challenge: Database triggers for push notifications failed with permissions errors in Supabase environment.

Solution: Migrated notification logic to Supabase Edge Functions and utilized built-in Realtime features instead of custom triggers.

Challenge: Layered SVG avatars needed proper z-ordering without impacting list scroll performance.

Solution: Built modular component architecture with React memoization and optimized CDN asset loading.

THE RESULTS

Successfully Published: Live on Google Play Store (January 2026) with 10+ downloads in first weeks
Complete Product Journey: Concept to research to development to launch
Full-Stack Implementation: Architected and built complete system from database to UI, including deployment and app store publishing
Performance Optimized: Achieved sub-500ms matchmaking queries handling complex multi-table JOINs
Real-time Features: Instant connection updates across devices using Supabase subscriptions
Secure by Design: Comprehensive RLS policies protecting user privacy while enabling matchmaking
Complete Feature Set: All MVP features operational including in-app messaging, push notifications, and smart matchmaking

KEY LEARNINGS

UX Research Pays Off: Extensive upfront validation provided clear direction and prevented feature creep throughout development
Database Design is Critical: Time invested in proper schema design and indexing delivered massive performance benefits
Start Small, Validate, Then Build: Proving the concept in Figma before writing code saved months of potential wasted development
Real-time Expected: Modern users expect instant updates; implementing subscriptions significantly improved perceived performance
Security from Day One: Building RLS policies from the start was far easier than retrofitting security later
Cross-Platform Trade-offs: Ionic simplified development but platform-specific features (notifications) still required careful handling
Adaptability Matters: When external dependencies fail (BGG API), pivoting to better solutions (local database + manual additions) can actually improve the product
Branding Influences Adoption: The rebrand to Dice Cat improved user recall and made the app more approachable to broader audiences

WHAT'S NEXT

User acquisition and marketing campaigns
iOS version launch
Feature expansion based on real user feedback and analytics
Community building features (group gaming events, regular meetups)
Expanded game database with continued community-sourced additions
Game store partnerships for discovery and promotion
Enhanced matching algorithm based on actual usage patterns

Website: dice-cat.com

View on Google Play: Dice Cat: Meet Tabletop Gamers

Original UX Case Study: Meeplr Concept & Research Phase