Design Practice Exercise - USER INTERFACE
1. Design and draw one icon for each of the following functions in a game:
■ Build (makes a unit build a certain structure)
■ Repair (makes a unit repair a certain structure)
■ Attack (makes a unit attack a certain enemy unit)
■ Move (moves a unit to a certain position)
■ Hide (makes a unit hide to be less visible to enemy units)
Briefl y explain the design choices you made for each icon. All icons should be for the same game, so make them consistent to a game genre of your choice.
2. In this exercise, you will practice designing user interfaces for two different
gameplay modes, each of which has different indicators. Using the following
descriptions of the modes, decide how best to display the functions to the player
and sketch a small screen mock-up showing how these indicators can be positioned
on the screen. Briefl y explain your design decisions.
In the primary gameplay mode, the avatar can move around in the game world and
do different things such as attacking, talking to NPCs, and so on. The mode is avatar-based in the third-person perspective.
Functions/indicators:
■ Character’s health
■ Character’s position in the game world
■ Currently chosen weapon
■ Waypoint to the next mission
■ Character visibility to enemies (indicate that, if the character stands in shadows
or in darkness, he is less visible to enemies)
In the secondary gameplay mode, the player enters vehicle races that include shooting at other vehicles driven by non-player characters. The perspective is fi rst person.
Functions/indicators:
■ Vehicle health
■ Vehicle speed
■ Primary weapon ammo left
■ Type of secondary weapon mounted, if present (if not present, so indicate)
■ Position in race
■ Laps remaining in race
3. In this exercise, you design the same UI, once for breadth and once for depth.
Make the broad UI no more than two levels deep at any point. Make the deep UI at
least three levels deep at one point, offering no more than three options at the top
level. Present the UIs by making flowcharts showing the different levels of interaction or how you group different functions. Include all the following functions.
Briefl y explain your design decisions.
Attack Defend Guard Patrol Move
Set waypoint Choose weapon Research Build barracks Build headquarters
Build hospital Destroy Repair Harvest Save current game
Load game Quit game Change video Change sound Change control
settings settings settings
4. A game intended for a console needs to have its functions mapped to a game pad with a limited number of buttons. Make a button layout that supports all the
actions in the primary gameplay mode (described in the following list). Discuss the pros and cons of your button layout.
The game pad has the following button layout:
■ A D-pad
■ One analog joystick
■ Four face buttons
■ Two shoulder buttons
The main gameplay mode has the following actions:
N ORMAL HARD ATTACK HIGH ATTACK (attack upward) LOW ATTACK
Normal Hard Attack High Attack Low Attack Block Attack
(attack upward) (attack downward)
Jump Crouch Move forward Move backward Strafe left
Strafe right Rotate left Rotate right Choose weapon Use health pack
Design Practice QUESTIONS
1. Does the gameplay require a pointing or steering device? Should these be analog, or will a D-pad suffi ce? What do they actually do in the context of the game?
Our game does require a steering device but as it is a side scroller, the D-pad will suffice. We will allow the player to change between the analog or D-pad depending on their preference. They will steer the character through the level avoiding enemies, traps, etc.
2. Does the function of one or more buttons on the controller change within a single gameplay mode? If so, what visual cues let the player know this is taking place?
There will be a button that allows players to play in 1st person to allow for better aim of enemies. The player will be able to do so at any point in time.
3. If the player has an avatar (whether a person, creature, or vehicle), how do the
movements and other behaviors of the avatar map to the machine’s input devices?
Defi ne the steering mechanism.
4. How will the major elements of your screen be laid out? Will the game use a windowed view, opaque overlays, semitransparent overlays, or a combination?
5. What camera model will the main view use? What interaction model does the
gameplay mode use? Is it one of the common ones or something new? How does
the camera model support the interaction model?
6. Does the game’s genre, if it has one, help to determine the user interface? What
standards already exist that the player may be expecting the game to follow? Do
you intend to break these expectations, and if so, how will you inform the player of
that?
7. Does the game include menus? What is the menu structure? Is it broad and shallow (quick to use, but hard to learn) or narrow and deep (easy to learn, but slow to
use)?
8. Does the game include text on the screen? If so, does it need provisions for
localization?
9. What icons does the game use? Are they visually distinct from one another and
quickly identifiable? Are they culturally universal?
10. Does the player need to know numeric values (score, speed, health)? Can these
be presented through nonnumeric means (power bars, needle gauges, small multiples), or should they be shown as digits? If shown as digits, how can they be
presented in such a way that they don’t harm suspension of disbelief? Will you
label the value and if so, how?
11. What symbolic values does the player need to know (safe/danger, locked/
unlocked/open)? By what means will you convey both the value and its label?
12. Will it be possible for the player to control the game’s camera? Will it be necessary for the player to do so in order to play the game? What camera controls will be
available? Will they be available at all times or from a separate menu or other
mechanism?
13. What is the aesthetic style of the game? How do the interface elements blend in
and support that style?
14. How will audio be used to support the player’s interaction with the game? What
audio cues will accompany player actions? Will the game include audio advice or
dialog?
15. How does music support the user interface and the game generally? Does it create an emotional tone or set a pace? Can it adapt to changing circumstances?
1. Design and draw one icon for each of the following functions in a game:
■ Build (makes a unit build a certain structure)
■ Repair (makes a unit repair a certain structure)
■ Attack (makes a unit attack a certain enemy unit)
■ Move (moves a unit to a certain position)
■ Hide (makes a unit hide to be less visible to enemy units)
Briefl y explain the design choices you made for each icon. All icons should be for the same game, so make them consistent to a game genre of your choice.
2. In this exercise, you will practice designing user interfaces for two different
gameplay modes, each of which has different indicators. Using the following
descriptions of the modes, decide how best to display the functions to the player
and sketch a small screen mock-up showing how these indicators can be positioned
on the screen. Briefl y explain your design decisions.
In the primary gameplay mode, the avatar can move around in the game world and
do different things such as attacking, talking to NPCs, and so on. The mode is avatar-based in the third-person perspective.
Functions/indicators:
■ Character’s health
■ Character’s position in the game world
■ Currently chosen weapon
■ Waypoint to the next mission
■ Character visibility to enemies (indicate that, if the character stands in shadows
or in darkness, he is less visible to enemies)
In the secondary gameplay mode, the player enters vehicle races that include shooting at other vehicles driven by non-player characters. The perspective is fi rst person.
Functions/indicators:
■ Vehicle health
■ Vehicle speed
■ Primary weapon ammo left
■ Type of secondary weapon mounted, if present (if not present, so indicate)
■ Position in race
■ Laps remaining in race
3. In this exercise, you design the same UI, once for breadth and once for depth.
Make the broad UI no more than two levels deep at any point. Make the deep UI at
least three levels deep at one point, offering no more than three options at the top
level. Present the UIs by making flowcharts showing the different levels of interaction or how you group different functions. Include all the following functions.
Briefl y explain your design decisions.
Attack Defend Guard Patrol Move
Set waypoint Choose weapon Research Build barracks Build headquarters
Build hospital Destroy Repair Harvest Save current game
Load game Quit game Change video Change sound Change control
settings settings settings
4. A game intended for a console needs to have its functions mapped to a game pad with a limited number of buttons. Make a button layout that supports all the
actions in the primary gameplay mode (described in the following list). Discuss the pros and cons of your button layout.
The game pad has the following button layout:
■ A D-pad
■ One analog joystick
■ Four face buttons
■ Two shoulder buttons
The main gameplay mode has the following actions:
N ORMAL HARD ATTACK HIGH ATTACK (attack upward) LOW ATTACK
Normal Hard Attack High Attack Low Attack Block Attack
(attack upward) (attack downward)
Jump Crouch Move forward Move backward Strafe left
Strafe right Rotate left Rotate right Choose weapon Use health pack
Design Practice QUESTIONS
1. Does the gameplay require a pointing or steering device? Should these be analog, or will a D-pad suffi ce? What do they actually do in the context of the game?
Our game does require a steering device but as it is a side scroller, the D-pad will suffice. We will allow the player to change between the analog or D-pad depending on their preference. They will steer the character through the level avoiding enemies, traps, etc.
2. Does the function of one or more buttons on the controller change within a single gameplay mode? If so, what visual cues let the player know this is taking place?
There will be a button that allows players to play in 1st person to allow for better aim of enemies. The player will be able to do so at any point in time.
3. If the player has an avatar (whether a person, creature, or vehicle), how do the
movements and other behaviors of the avatar map to the machine’s input devices?
Defi ne the steering mechanism.
4. How will the major elements of your screen be laid out? Will the game use a windowed view, opaque overlays, semitransparent overlays, or a combination?
5. What camera model will the main view use? What interaction model does the
gameplay mode use? Is it one of the common ones or something new? How does
the camera model support the interaction model?
6. Does the game’s genre, if it has one, help to determine the user interface? What
standards already exist that the player may be expecting the game to follow? Do
you intend to break these expectations, and if so, how will you inform the player of
that?
7. Does the game include menus? What is the menu structure? Is it broad and shallow (quick to use, but hard to learn) or narrow and deep (easy to learn, but slow to
use)?
8. Does the game include text on the screen? If so, does it need provisions for
localization?
9. What icons does the game use? Are they visually distinct from one another and
quickly identifiable? Are they culturally universal?
10. Does the player need to know numeric values (score, speed, health)? Can these
be presented through nonnumeric means (power bars, needle gauges, small multiples), or should they be shown as digits? If shown as digits, how can they be
presented in such a way that they don’t harm suspension of disbelief? Will you
label the value and if so, how?
11. What symbolic values does the player need to know (safe/danger, locked/
unlocked/open)? By what means will you convey both the value and its label?
12. Will it be possible for the player to control the game’s camera? Will it be necessary for the player to do so in order to play the game? What camera controls will be
available? Will they be available at all times or from a separate menu or other
mechanism?
13. What is the aesthetic style of the game? How do the interface elements blend in
and support that style?
14. How will audio be used to support the player’s interaction with the game? What
audio cues will accompany player actions? Will the game include audio advice or
dialog?
15. How does music support the user interface and the game generally? Does it create an emotional tone or set a pace? Can it adapt to changing circumstances?
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