UI design services for video games have been on the rise in recent years, with more and more developers realizing the importance of user experience to player retention and satisfaction. A well-designed UI can make all the difference in a game’s success, and several elements go into creating an effective UI. From menus and inventory systems to UI flow and interactivity, there are many factors to consider when designing a UI for a video game.
In addition to being easy to use, a good UI should also be visually appealing, providing players with an immersive and enjoyable experience.
Priority on minimalism
While designing applications or websites, we often think that all information is important. With the fear of losing the user, we enlarge the buttons and pull out all the options on top. However, often less means more. For example, if 80% of bank clients use their apps to check account balances, see transaction history, and make a domestic transfer, we should leave these three options on the dashboard and hide the rest in the menu. It is said that if everything is important, nothing is interesting. Therefore, it is better to focus on fewer elements and make them work well than overload the interface with a bunch of useless stuff. This applies to mobile banking applications, various websites, and video games.
In early video games, the interface was a key element because it saved computing power. The more interface there was, the less space there was on the screen that had to be devoted to rendering objects. Over time, interfaces in games have become increasingly minimalistic as computing power has increased. This is especially evident in open-world games, where contextual interfaces are becoming increasingly popular. In Days Gone, for example, interface elements are displayed on environmental objects when they are relevant – such as the fuel level on the side of a motorcycle when filling it up. In Metro 2033 and its sequels, the HUD is almost completely invisible most of the time, only appearing when the player needs to use it. This trend towards minimalistic and contextual interfaces is likely to continue as video game graphics continue to improve.
Implementation of useful features
The release date of the first episode of the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII remake was one of the most important pieces of information to come out of this year’s E3. The remake of Resident Evil 2 was released in January to critical acclaim, and Blizzard Entertainment is releasing World of Warcraft Classic this year – a slightly streamlined version of the original release of the legendary MMORPG. Soon, we should also get Shenmue 3 – an adventure game that fans have been waiting for over a dozen years, which was eventually financed on Kickstarter.
In all of these cases, game developers and publishers are doing exactly what the players have asked for. In some ways, it could be seen as a cynical attempt to make money through nostalgia, but the most important thing is that users are satisfied. The excellent reviews and sales figures for these games speak for themselves.
Readable fonts and nice colors
In the production of video games, the use of universal symbols known to players is also popular. If we encounter red barrels in the shooter, we can be sure that they can be blown up. Question marks visible on maps in open-world games mean that an adventure or treasure is waiting for us in a given location. Exclamation marks over non-player characters mean that they have a task for us to do. The already mentioned colors are also used to mark individual resources of the hero — life points are always red, magical energy is blue, and stamina is green. Thanks to these universal symbols, a player starting a new game can quickly enjoy the gameplay. By using symbols that are already familiar to players, game developers can create a more user-friendly experience and minimize frustration. As a result, universal symbols can play an important role in the success of a video game.
In many video games, players are bombarded with information during gameplay. In fast-paced games that require instant decision-making, the player must know what they are dealing with at the moment. For example, in the 1998 e-sport Real-Time Strategy game Starcraft, the colors of units help players to identify which units belong to which player, even if units from the same faction are fighting each other. This is important because there can be dozens of moving objects on the screen at the same time. In 1999’s Quake 3, opponents are marked in red and allies in blue. Interestingly, the opposite team sees it in the same way from their perspective. Red is associated with danger and blue with safety, so this color scheme helps players quickly identify enemies and allies. In fast-paced games, clear visual cues like these are essential for allowing players to make quick decisions and remain engaged in the game.
Pay attention to reviews
Game developers face a unique challenge when it comes to social media. On the one hand, social media provides a direct line of communication between developers and players in a virtual gaming marketplace, which can be invaluable for collecting feedback and troubleshooting issues. On the other hand, the visibility of the player community can also lead to situations where developers are forced to make changes in response to public pressure. In either case, social media plays a significant role in the relationship between game developers and players. As the industry evolves, it will be interesting to see how this relationship continues to evolve along with it.
Give users more control
For the longest time, video game interfaces have been something that you were just stuck with. However, as technology has progressed, so too can customize your video game interface become more commonplace. Nowadays, virtually every video game worth its salt allows you to change at least some aspects of the interface to better suit your needs. This is a huge boon for gamers, as it allows us to tailor the interface to exactly how we want it, instead of being forced to deal with whatever the developers decided was best. This level of customization is especially important in games that rely heavily on their UI, such as MMORPGs. In World of Warcraft, for example, there is an entire community dedicated to creating mods and addons that change the way the interface looks and feels. This kind of customization is essential for many gamers, as it allows us to create an interface that is truly our own.
Conclusion
Universal symbols, clear visual cues, and user customization are all essential features of a successful video game. By using these elements together, developers can create games that provide a more immersive experience for players. Furthermore, by paying close attention to player feedback on social media outlets and allowing for greater control over the UI customization, developers will be able to keep their products competitive in today’s highly competitive world. All of these practices will make the game in which they are applied more interesting and enjoyable for the players.
