Everything You Need To Know About Game UI Design

The gaming industry, whether PC, console, or mobile, is vast and still expanding.

However, the game UI design might appear tough, but with the right guidance, you can do it better.

Everything you need to know about UI game design is covered in this blog. First, we'll learn about the game's user interface. We'll then discuss what constitutes an excellent game user interface.

What is a Game UI Design?

In a nutshell, a game user interface (UI) is an interface designed to assist players in overcoming the fourth wall, which is the hypothetical, invisible wall separating the game from players and interacting with the game by getting the:

• information they require
• information they need
• in-game objectives

The purpose of a game's user interface is not to draw attention from players. Rather, its purpose is to improve gameplay and contribute to the smooth, engaging experience that characterizes the finest games.

In order to assist players in following the correct path in the games, visual signals are created. These visual clues, which can be either subtle or evident, are intended to provide players with the confidence and ability to make decisions as they go through the game.

The art of creating, testing, and designing game user interfaces is known as video game UI design, as you may have already guessed.

PC, console, or mobile game UI design is all critical for games to succeed.

The Market and Demand for Game UI Design

According to Ernst & Young's report, the gaming sector is still growing at an astounding rate. What prospects does the gaming business have for the future?

Given that "an expected 2.9 billion people enjoyed a video game in 2021" and that "global profits for the industry surpassed $193 billion," Ernst & Young saw a notable increase. Additionally, they point to the gaming industry's 15.6% annualized compound growth rate between 2016 and 2021, which is, to put it mildly, swift.

It goes without saying that game UI designers benefit from this industry's strength. The need for qualified game user interface designers is high and growing, and industry pay is typically competitive.

These days, the gaming industry has been revolutionized with the use of Artificial Intelligence to create more dynamic, responsive, and immersive gameplay experiences.

Game UI’s Interface Components

Two ideas that define the four categories into which game UI components may be divided must be introduced before we can start to comprehend game UI components.

• Narrative:

The narrative, to put it simply, is the tale that the player is told by the game.

• The Fourth Wall:

The hypothetical, imperceptible wall that divides the player from the area where the game is played is known as the "fourth wall."

The French philosopher and art critic Denis Diderot is credited for coining the term "fourth wall" in 1758, which is a significant step ahead of gaming. There are fourth walls in literature, film, television, and theater as well.)

However, how do game user interface elements connect to storytelling and the fourth wall? Every element of the game's user interface is grouped according to whether or not it is included in the story and the gaming space (beyond the fourth wall).

The answers to two questions determine which category a component falls into:

• Does the element appear in the narrative of the game?
• Is the component present in the universe of the game?

The responses to these queries yield four types of game user interface elements:

• Diegetic
• Spatial
• Meta
• Non-Diegetic

I. Non-Diegetic

These components are not present in the game and also do not appear in the narrative of the game. Diegetic elements are only ever viewed by the player and exist outside of the game's universe and plot.

These elements have no bearing on the game's plot and are unknown to any of the characters.

But they have a crucial role. They assist the player in monitoring their performance or advancement, and non-diegetic elements include menu displays, health bars, and point tables or statistic meters.

For a game to be playable, non-diegetic sound components must be thoughtfully designed and contextualized.

Non-diegetic elements must be placed carefully to avoid disrupting a player's feeling of immersion, particularly in fast-paced games.

II. Diegetic

These components are present in the game and also appear in the narrative of the game. Characters in the game can see or hear diegetic elements, which are present in both the game's environment and tale, and have a function in the plot.

Holograms, handsets with visual screens, and speedometers are examples of diegetic elements. They might be challenging for the player to observe because they are typically depicted in the game's world on a microscopic scale.

Maps and other portable diegetic elements can be switched to a full-screen display as a result. Because they no longer take up game room and the player is no longer conscious of them, they become non-diegetic.

One of the main causes of poor playability is poorly designed non-diegetic elements, which can irritate and perplex players.

III. Spatial

These components are present in the game but do not appear in the narrative of the game.

They are therefore visible to the player in the game environment, but they are invisible to the characters and have no bearing on the plot.

Spatial components include things like text tags, indicators that indicate the landing spot of an object thrown, and character outlines that identify foes.

An essential component of overall playability is spatial elements. They serve as visual cues that direct the player to their next action, which might be picking an object, going up to a landmark, or picking the right route.

IV. Meta

These components are not present in the game but do appear in the narrative of the game. Scrolling text and colorful overlays that show varying health levels are examples of meta components.

Some meta-components are purposefully conspicuous, while others are unobtrusive. If you're an action or adventure gamer, you may be accustomed to receiving damage and having your field of vision become blurry, shaky, or discolored. Meta components indicate these modifications.

After discussing the four types of game user interface elements, let's take a moment to briefly explain the heads-up display, or HUD.

What Makes an Amazing Game UI Design?

A comment from renowned usability expert and User Interface Engineering (UIE) founder Jared Spool comes to mind when considering what constitutes a successful gaming user interface.

According to him, well-executed design becomes imperceptible. We only become aware of it when it's done badly. Imagine it as the air conditioner in a room. The only times we notice it are when the unit drips on us, it's too hot or cold, or it makes too much noise. However, if the air conditioning is flawless, we don't talk and instead concentrate on the current work.

Naturally, Spool's discussion about design went much beyond the UI game design. However, if you're attempting to figure out what makes a game's user interface (UI) excellent, what he stated made sense.

A few modifications to his phrase highlight the idea that a well-designed game user interface might become imperceptible. Only when it is distracting, perplexing, or too hard to locate or utilize do we notice it. When the user interface of the game is flawless, no one speaks, and we concentrate on the game itself.

No one plays games to evaluate the user interface, just as no one uses their app for mobile banking because they like examining the subtleties of the UI. They serve just as a function to enhance user experience, or playability in games, much like the user interfaces of mobile banking apps.

As a result, an excellent game user interface is:

Unintrusive: It handles space efficiency to provide players with information in a seamless manner without interfering with or distracting from gaming.

Convenient: It is a natural, practical, and accessible aspect of the experience that is easy to locate and utilize.

Clear: It is instructive without being unduly complicated, and it doesn't irritate or perplex players.

Game UI can also be improved by leveraging Artificial Intelligence Solutions to create responsive and adaptive game experiences.

Conclusion

You might be feeling apprehensive about getting into what can look like a daunting industry, but taking practical steps to build up your knowledge about game design and UI game design more broadly will give you the confidence and motivation to keep going.

Immerse yourself in the subject area. Learn the components, their use cases, and their categories according to their relationship with the game story and space.

Play a lot of games, read about them, write about them. Analyze them ferociously. Understand the history and evolution of game UI. Remember that PC, console, or mobile game UI design is all important for delivering the best gaming experience.

And remember, video game UI design is built on the foundation of broader UI design. The principles that apply to UI game design are from UI design.