Re:set

Inspiration

The inspiration for Re:set (originally ShareBreak) came from the growing realization of how much our lives are dominated by "empty" scrolling. We wanted to create a platform that doesn't just track screen time but actively incentivizes the opposite: intentional offline moments. We were inspired by the idea that health isn't just about physical fitness, but about digital hygiene and the quality of our real-world connections.

What it does

Re:set is a social gamification platform that encourages users to take breaks from their digital lives. Users can:

Join Challenges: Participate in specific activities like "Reading," "Health," "Photography," and "Fitness."
Earn Points & Badges: Progress through tiers from "Novice" to "Master" and earn profile ranks like Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Social Connectivity: Connect with friends, track mutual progress, and see who's leading the pack on the leaderboard.
Best Friend System: The app dynamically calculates your "Best Friend" based on shared challenge completions, reinforcing real-world bonds through digital achievement.

How we built it

We used a modern, scalable stack to ensure a responsive and reliable experience:

Frontend: Built with React and Vite for a fast, modern UI, using Tailwind CSS for a clean, mobile-first esthetic.
Backend: A robust ASP.NET Core Web API handling complex logic like point calculations, badge tiering, and social interactions.
Database: Entity Framework Core with a relational database to manage users, challenges, and the intricate friendship/interaction mapping.
Architecture: We implemented a service-oriented architecture, separating concerns between badge logic, challenge management, and privacy settings.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest hurdles was designing the Social Interaction Engine. We had to create a logic that didn't just track who you are friends with, but how you interact through challenges. Calculating "Best Friend" status in real-time based on mutual activity required careful database querying to remain performant. Additionally, ensuring seamless synchronization between the React frontend and the .NET backend using a generated TypeScript client eventually saved us hours of debugging.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Gamification Logic: We're proud of our tiered badge system (Photography, Health, Reading, etc.) that gives users a genuine sense of progression.
- Dynamic Leaderboard: Implementing a real-time leaderboard that updates as users finish challenges.
- The "Best Friend" Algorithm: Creating a system that rewards shared activities between users, making the "social" aspect of the app feel meaningful rather than just a list of names.
- Responsive UI: Delivering a dashboard that looks great on any device, making it easy to "reset" while on the go.

What we learned

This project taught us the importance of Full-Stack Synergy. We learned how to effectively bridge the gap between a flexible React frontend and a structured .NET backend. We also gained deep insights into User Retention Psychology—learning how badges and social proof can be used as "nudge theory" to promote healthier offline habits. On the technical side, we improved our skills in EF Core migrations, JWT authentication, and complex LINQ queries.

What's next for Re:set

We see Re:set growing into a comprehensive wellness ecosystem:

Wearable Integration: Connecting with Apple Health or Google Fit to automatically verify physical "off-screen" challenges.
Community Groups: Creating larger "Clubs" for specific hobbies like local hiking or book clubs.
AI Break Recommendations: Using machine learning to suggest specific challenges based on a user's historical preferences and stress levels.
Mobile App: Expanding into a native mobile application with push notifications for "Break Reminders."