# Loadout

> A gaming-focused platform built around discovery, helping players find games and setups that actually fit how they play.

- URL: https://renato-dulog.is-a.dev/works/loadout
- Author: Renato Dulog
- Category: website
- Tech stack: Tailwind CSS, Sanity, Typescript, Next JS
- Live: https://loadout-ashen.vercel.app
- Updated: 2026-06-07

**Loadout** is a gaming-focused web platform built end-to-end with Next.js. It's designed to help players quickly discover games and build setups that actually match how they play.

### Why I Built It

I wanted to build a polished, content-rich site from the ground up, one with real depth in its pages and presentation. Gaming was the perfect fit: it's a space I know well, it changes constantly, and it rewards thoughtful design.

### What Sparked the Idea

Most gaming and setup sites either drown you in endless listings or hide the useful parts behind clutter and ads. I kept noticing how hard it was to find games or setups that genuinely matched what someone wanted. Loadout is my attempt to fix that with something curated, focused, and easy to navigate.

### How I Built It

#### 1. Designing a Flexible UI Architecture

Instead of duplicating layouts across pages, I built Loadout around a **reusable, component-driven architecture**. Each page is assembled from modular, configurable React components. This took more upfront design and engineering effort, but it means:

- New layouts can be created without new code.
- UI can evolve without rewriting core logic.
- The platform can scale into new page types and experiences over time.

#### 2. Focusing on the “Find Your Games” Flow

The heart of Loadout is the **discovery experience**, helping someone land on something worth their time, fast. I focused heavily on:

- Guided flows instead of overwhelming filters.
- Clear, opinionated recommendations over raw lists.
- A structure that keeps players moving toward a good match instead of bouncing.

#### 3. Treating Performance as a Feature

For a gaming audience, speed and polish aren’t optional. I treated performance as a first-class feature:

- Optimized Next.js rendering and asset loading.
- Responsive layouts tuned for both desktop and mobile.
- A smooth, low-friction experience that feels as fast as it looks.

### What Makes Loadout Different

#### Composable by Design

Every part of Loadout's interface is built from **composable components**. The site is structured to grow and change without needing a full rebuild or redesign. This lets me:

- Reuse components across pages.
- Rearrange sections to test new layouts and narratives.
- Add new features without major rewrites.

#### Built Around Discovery, Not Just Display

Loadout isn’t just a static showcase of games or setups. The entire structure is optimized around **helping someone actually find what they’re looking for**, that's the core problem it's designed to solve.

#### A Platform, Not a One-Off Page

From day one, Loadout was built like a **platform**:

- New sections and page types can be added without breaking existing ones.
- The component structure is flexible enough to support future features.
- It’s designed to scale with more games, more setups, and more editorial content over time.