Game Design 2 - Lecture 2 - Menu Flow
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1. The document discusses planning menu flow and interface design for games. It emphasizes clarifying needs, distributing work, and getting approval to save time. 2. User-centric design is important, finding out what users think of other interfaces and designing around their preferences. Flowcharts can help identify how users move between screens to avoid dead ends. 3. The document recommends several flowchart techniques and software tools to plan and mock up interface flows, including 37signals' simple approach using boxes and arrows to show screen options and links.
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Game Design 2 - Lecture 2 - Menu Flow
- 1. Game Design 2 Lecture 2: Planning Menu Flow
- 2. Errata and News I am available: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Thursday Welcome artists? Website still ropey but yesterday’s slides and audio are online http://www.comu346.com [email_address]
- 3. Why plan? Getting it right first time saves time Clarify your needs Distribute work Schedule Get approval
- 4. Helping Games Design CounterStrike ‘buy’ menu. could have been difficult to put in later Civilization 4 Trade screen interface forces single civic change this hurts the design
- 7. User Centric Design You are (almost never) your target user Find out what they think of other interfaces Design around their preferences Test your design and iterate!
- 9. Prioritise Design Goals Always conflicting factors in a design fact filled educational game slick interface Prioritise simplicity or customisation?
- 11. Planning a Front End When designing your Werewolf interfaces, you all considered the layout But did you consider the flow of screens and menus?
- 12. “ Clear communication of the flow of the interface is the number one goal of a flow chart.” 1 1. Brent Fox, Game Interface Design, Page 13
- 13. Identify how you get from A to B If you use good software, you can mock up different flows using same screens. Avoid having screens that you can’t get to Flowcharts
- 16. Flowchart Software Any tool that works Illustrator? Flash? Web tools like lovelycharts.com
- 17. Flowchart Techniques 37 Signals is a company that specialises in well designed groupware. They have a simple approach to flowcharting (article he re: http://bit.ly/37flowcharts ) Good for Use Case modelling
- 21. Multiple possible user actions Multiple outcome actions
- 22. 37 Signals Sketching Pro’s Good for quick idea sketching Good for use case modelling Easy to see important elements without getting lost in detail
- 23. Brent Fox’s Approach Draw a box, place title at top Write screen options in box ‘Guess’ at options in each screen
- 24. Link screens with arrows Italics for important but non interactive items Padlock symbols for ‘locked’ items Simple use of colour Brent Fox’s Approach
- 27. Pop Up Menus Not usually standalone Usually appear on top of screen Cover only part of screen (dim) Modal Usually little info Don’t usually go anywhere (dead end)
- 28. Buttons etc.
- 29. Interaction Options Push Buttons Radio Buttons (toggle) Sliders Lists Text Fields Drop Down Menus
- 34. Radio Buttons Used to either toggle Or select from a group
- 35. Sliders Adjust values with wide range. Numeric ranges. Music volume Often used for settings
- 37. Lists & Drop Downs Used to display ordered data Used to allow navigation Can be single or multiple select\ Either selection can move or list can move
- 41. Text Fields User input for naming or communication Intuitive with PC. OK with iPhone Annoying with console
- 43. Notices By next week, website will have lectures & recommended reading lists online. Twitter? @comu346 If you missed yesterday’s lecture, come see me No tutorial on Thursday but there will be a lab.