Transcript
FUNDAMENTALS OF GAME PLAYUSER INTERFACE DESIGN
Sayed AhmedBSc. Eng. in CSc.MSc. in CSc.http://sayed.justetc.nethttp://www.justETC.net
Presented at the University of WinnipegWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
TOPICS General Principles of User Interface Design A process for designing your interface
How to manage the complexity Interaction Models Camera Models Examine most widely used visual and audio
elements in game UI Analyze the functionality of various types of
input devices A variety of navigation mechanism
Camera Models Input Devices
TOPICS How to make your game customizable
IS USER INTERFACE IMPORTANT? A bad interface can kill a game
Even with a great game play The User Interface creates the player’s
experience Making the game Visible, Audible, and Playable
The user interface has an enormous effect on how the player perceive the Game Satisfying Disappointing Elegant Graceless Fun Frustrating
WHAT IS THE USER INTERFACE? Lies in between the player and the internals of
the game Knows all about any supported input and output
hardware Translates the player’s input
Into actions in the game Pass those actions to the core-mechanics
Presents internal data that the player needs In visible and audible format
Output Visual Elements and Audio Elements
Input Control Elements
WHAT IS THE USER INTERFACE Feedback to the player
Gives important information to the player About his activities The state of the game world The state of his Avatar
Feedback Elements The elements that provide this information
Visual or Audio
PLAYER CENTRIC INTERFACE DESIGN UI plays more complex rules in games than in any other
software Games exist to entertain
Other software take data, process data, control processes, and visualize results
Game UI must be easy to learn but Must not tell everything that is happening inside the
game Must not give the player the maximum control Mediate between the internals and the player Create an experience for the player that feels to
him like game play and storytelling
PLAYER CENTRIC INTERFACE DESIGN Focus on what the player needs to play the game well Provide smooth and enjoyable experience
ABOUT INNOVATIVE UI Innovation is good in almost all aspects of
Game Design Theme Game World Storytelling Art Sound Gameplay
Do not innovate unnecessarily when designing a new interface Button assignments on controllers and keyboards
ABOUT INNOVATIVE UI Over the years
Most genres have evolved a practical set of feedback elements Control mechanisms suited to their gameplay
Play the games in your chosen genre Pay special attention to games that are widely admired as the best –
Their UI probably helped them secure that reputation Adopt whichever of them is appropriate for your game
Want to offer a new user interface for a familiar problem Build a tutorial level Test them with novice and experienced players Take their feedback Check if it’s a substantial improvement or not
If not, go back to what works Allow the player to customize the interface
SOME GENERAL PRINCIPLES Be consistent Give good feedback Remember that the player is the one in
control Limit the number of steps required to take an
action Permit easy reversal of actions
Remember game balance Minimize physical stress Don’t strain the player’s short-term memory Group related screen-based controls and
feedback mechanisms on the screen
SOME GENERAL PRINCIPLES Provide shortcuts for experienced players
WHAT THE PLAYER NEEDS TO KNOW What is happening in the game world What they should do next Need to know whether their actions are leading
them to success or failure Information the player must know to play the
game – according to player centric view of game design Where am I? main view, map, audio feedback What am I actually doing right now? What challenges am I facing? Did my action succeed or fail? Do I have what I need to play successfully Am I in danger of losing the game
WHAT THE PLAYER NEEDS TO KNOW Am I making progress? What should I do next? How did I do?
WHAT THE PLAYER WANTS TO DO Move Look around Interact physically with nonplayer characters Pick portable objects up and put them down Manipulate fixed objects Construct and demolish objects Conduct negotiations and financial transactions,
and set numeric values Give orders to units or characters Conduct conversations with nonplayer characters Customize a character or vehicle Talk to friends in networked multiplayer games
WHAT THE PLAYER WANTS TO DO Pause the game Set game options Save the game End the game
THE DESIGN PROCESS Define the Gameplay Modes First Choosing a Screen Layout Telling the Player What he Needs to know Letting the Player Do What She wants to do Shell Menus
DESIGN PROCESS Define the Gameplay Modes First
Once you have chosen Camera Model Interaction Model Gameplay for the primary gameplay mode
You can begin to create the details of the user interface
Choosing a Screen Layout General screen layout The visual elements that it will include Main view – largest Balance between main view and feedback
elements and on-screen control Not a big issue in computer or console games
TELLING THE PLAYER WHAT HE NEEDS TO KNOW Think what the player needs to know
Apart from the current view of the game world What critical resources does he need to be aware
of all times What’s the best way to make that information
available to him Select the data from your core-mechanics that
you want to show Choose the feedback elements most suited to
display those data What warnings the player needs to be given
Decide how New type of feedback element
LETTING THE PLAYER DO WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO
SHELL MENUS
MANAGING COMPLEXITY Simplify the Game
Abstraction Automation
Depth Versus Breadth Broad Interface Deep Interface
Context Sensitive Interfaces Avoiding Obscurity
Artistic Over Enthusiasm The pressure to reduce UI screen usage Developer familiarity with the material
INTERACTION MODELS Avatar Based Multi present Party-based interaction model Contestant model Desktop model
CAMERA MODELS 3D Versus 2D Question
For 2D Graphics 1st and 3rd person perspectives will not be available
Most games running on powerful game hardware are 3D Small games or games played in browsers are
sometimes 2D First-Person Perspective
Advantages Don’t display avatar – reduced development cost No AI to control the camera Players find it easier to aim the enemies The player may find interaction with the environment easy
Disadvantages Doesn’t have the pleasure to watch himself – cannot
customize looks
FIRST PERSON PERSPECTIVES No body language or facial expressions
Reduces the player’s sense of her as a distinct character with a personality and a current mode
Personality must be expressed in other ways No cinematic camera angles for dramatic
effect Certain types of moves become difficult Motion sickness
CAMERA MODELS Third Person Perspective
Challenges Camera Behavior when the Avatar turns
Camera always behind Motion sickness No fun of watching his or her side and front
Camera moves behind slowly Implement side view – slow camera move – image
dizzying Super Mario 64
Camera reorients only after the avatar stops moving Toy story
Intruding Land Scape Objects Player adjustments to the camera
CAMERA MODELS Aerial Perspective
Omnipresent interaction model Top down perspective Isometric Perspective Free roaming camera
Aerial Perspectives
VISUAL ELEMENTS Main View Windowed Views Opaque Overlays Semitransparent Overlays
FEEDBACK ELEMENTS Indicators
Digits Needle gauge Power bar Small multiples Colored lights Icons Text indicators Mimi maps Color Character Portraits Screen buttons and menus Text Localization Typefaces and formatting
AUDIO ELEMENTS Sound Effects Vibration Ambient Sounds Music Dialog and Voiceover Narration Input Devices
TERMINOLOGY Accelerometers GPS
TWO DIMENSIONAL INPUT DEVICES Directional Pads Joysticks Mouse Touch Sensitive Devices
ONE DIMENSIONAL INPUT DEVICES
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