3 ms·

Rules like this are often for websites without a lot of actions on a given page. Does anyone have a link to a site with tips or can give their own thoughts for

Rules like this are often for websites without a lot of actions on a given page. Does anyone have a link to a site with tips or can give their own thoughts for extremely action heavy sites? I run an extremely complicated game with a ton of actions and complexity, and I find it very difficult to provide even a not terrible UI, let alone a Gorgeous one.

Pxtl 12y ago
Simplify the game. I'm not joking. Since games have no real "purpose", it's easy to treat all features as equivalent in value. After all, every feature is there for fun. But the reality is that many features are just cruft that distract from the core gameplay that's actually "the fun part".
jamesdelaneyie 12y ago
User orientation and regularity or commonality of action should define the most prominent and accessible navigation and actionable clicks/taps. Where are you, what are you most likely doing, then give them the items needed for those scenarios while holding back the rest somewhat.
tripzilch 12y ago
A bit heavier on the theory (still a great introduction), describing what to me pretty much seem axioms of human perception in the area of user interfaces, you're going to need the Gestalt Principles: http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-1-figure-ground-relationship.php http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-1-figure-grou... It's a series of five, that should provide great insights on principles like spatial relationships, grouping, contrast, size, texture, and more. Read them, get a piece of paper and a pencil, list all the actions and buttons and whatnot you need, start sketching until you've got something sensible. Oh but before that, do what Pxtl said, and simplify. I was going to say, "you can't confuse a user with a button that's not there", but that's not strictly true. You gotta make sure the user doesn't expect the button to be there either :) Still, simplify ruthlessly. And make it easy for the player. I don't know your game, but say there's a number of buttons that almost always get used in sequence or together. Combine them into one. Even if you think "yes but this is a powerful combo move that I want the players to discover", that's cool but you can always make your game harder later on, after you've made it easier to play. Another (tangentially related) rule of gameplay UX is this one: make the game follow the player's intention, which is not always the literal machine-like interpretation of the rules. For instance for action-platformer games, make the hitbox of powerups slightly bigger, and the hitbox of enemies slightly smaller. Add a bit of leeway to jump after you walked off a ledge. Again it makes the game easier, but the player will feel their intentions are followed (also, barely missing an enemy that you feel you should've hit is fun, as is just barely grabbing an item that you didn't think you could reach, the opposites of both are not fun), you can always add more stuff to challenge them, but without encumbering the gameplay. Now your game sounds like some sort of strategy game so these platformer-tips won't apply directly, but I hope it shows the right way of thought, that you can translate to be relevant for you.
- AndyNemmity 12y ago
  Helpful thoughts. Thank you for the considerate post. I will do as you say and study the Gestalt Principles, thank you for linking them. I find that ruthlessly simplifying is useful for the new player, but the player base hates it. Perhaps it's the way I've been simplifying that is the problem and less the simplification, but the user who already understands the complexity doesn't want to relearn. I think it's a solvable problem though, so clearly it's in the execution. Thanks for the detail here.

Pxtl 12y ago

Simplify the game. I'm not joking. Since games have no real "purpose", it's easy to treat all features as equivalent in value. After all, every feature is there for fun. But the reality is that many features are just cruft that distract from the core gameplay that's actually "the fun part".

jamesdelaneyie 12y ago

User orientation and regularity or commonality of action should define the most prominent and accessible navigation and actionable clicks/taps. Where are you, what are you most likely doing, then give them the items needed for those scenarios while holding back the rest somewhat.

tripzilch 12y ago

A bit heavier on the theory (still a great introduction), describing what to me pretty much seem axioms of human perception in the area of user interfaces, you're going to need the Gestalt Principles: http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-1-figure-ground-relationship.php http://www.andyrutledge.com/gestalt-principles-1-figure-grou... It's a series of five, that should provide great insights on principles like spatial relationships, grouping, contrast, size, texture, and more. Read them, get a piece of paper and a pencil, list all the actions and buttons and whatnot you need, start sketching until you've got something sensible. Oh but before that, do what Pxtl said, and simplify. I was going to say, "you can't confuse a user with a button that's not there", but that's not strictly true. You gotta make sure the user doesn't expect the button to be there either :) Still, simplify ruthlessly. And make it easy for the player. I don't know your game, but say there's a number of buttons that almost always get used in sequence or together. Combine them into one. Even if you think "yes but this is a powerful combo move that I want the players to discover", that's cool but you can always make your game harder later on, after you've made it easier to play. Another (tangentially related) rule of gameplay UX is this one: make the game follow the player's intention, which is not always the literal machine-like interpretation of the rules. For instance for action-platformer games, make the hitbox of powerups slightly bigger, and the hitbox of enemies slightly smaller. Add a bit of leeway to jump after you walked off a ledge. Again it makes the game easier, but the player will feel their intentions are followed (also, barely missing an enemy that you feel you should've hit is fun, as is just barely grabbing an item that you didn't think you could reach, the opposites of both are not fun), you can always add more stuff to challenge them, but without encumbering the gameplay. Now your game sounds like some sort of strategy game so these platformer-tips won't apply directly, but I hope it shows the right way of thought, that you can translate to be relevant for you.

AndyNemmity 12y ago
Helpful thoughts. Thank you for the considerate post. I will do as you say and study the Gestalt Principles, thank you for linking them. I find that ruthlessly simplifying is useful for the new player, but the player base hates it. Perhaps it's the way I've been simplifying that is the problem and less the simplification, but the user who already understands the complexity doesn't want to relearn. I think it's a solvable problem though, so clearly it's in the execution. Thanks for the detail here.