Why Game UI Design?

There is a lot of potential for design within mobile games and games in general. Having UI designers as a specific field for games is relatively new. In former years artist would do the visual aesthetics for the UI. Now UI game design is becoming more of a specialized field and companies are scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to find talent for their games.

There are so many gaming companies. A lot fail, but a lot will do quite well. But the opportunity to improve design skills at a gaming company will make you very valuable for the next opportunity.

Okay, so a lot of game UI is ugly.  A lot of gaming companies don’t care about the aesthetic of the UI as long as the UX functions well. Which, I can totally understand. But if a user is pleased visually their experience will improve greatly, making them want to come back. No one wants to stare at ugly graphics.

I didn’t intend to be a UI game designer. It just kind of happened. But the important part was that I was open to the opportunity. Looking at what was required for a game UI designer seemed to fit me well. It just felt and seemed right for more. Sometimes going with that gut instinct really does follow through to be a good choice. For me, it was.

The opportunities I see in game UI design, is the ability to have an affect aesthetically. My goal is a raise the bar higher and higher for game UI. Games can and are beautiful. Sometimes its not always easy to come by, but it’s becoming more respected and understood that it makes the entire game feel as one piece.

Plus the fun part of designing icons, laying out cool animations for menus, and all the other fun and creative things that go into building a game. Game UI should also feel like a game. Everything should be interactive, exciting and leave the player feeling like they are fully emerged in the experience. Game UX and UI should make the player feel like they have control of the flow of navigation. The more a player feels like they own the experience the more they will come back and take more ownership.

Making UX mistakes is always a good way to learn too. Sometimes what I think works doesn’t work for the user. But sometimes all there is go by is by testing! Test, test, test and test some more. I love getting feedback, opinions and trying to solve complicated questions that UX will hold. Then solving that problem and making it look visually pleasing. What awesome challenges that are encountered when being a UI game designer.

So if you’ve ever wondered why game UI? Well, these are some simple reasons.

  • Freedom in aesthetics
  • Creativity in icon design
  • Ability to improve user experience
  • Watching a game come to life
  • Working with a large team
  • Using illustrator as a primary tool
  • The freedom and ability to grow as a designer
  • The feeling of accomplishment when solving a large problem

 

7 Comments Why Game UI Design?

  1. mercadolibre.com.mx

    Worst-case scenario you will obtain more mail than you would usually like but that’s the
    reason you register with an current email address that you have created
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    Reply
  2. Carla

    Hi Hillary,

    I found your blog trough 1stwebdesigner blog, and I loved the fact that you are a woman into games like me.
    Maybe for you is quite normal having other womans like you around, but for me in very hard to meet one.

    I am a Brazilian (sorry for my english bad spelling) Junior Visual Designer working in London, that has a Fashion Designer degree and since then has been working with technology (I know is confusing). I always loved games, the only one between my circle of friends, and always wanted to be a game designer, but every time I spoke about it with my friends and parents, they laugh thinking that was a joke as profession (In that time mobile was not popular yet). After my Fashion degree I got frustrated with the “bitchness” and the “fashion world” and because of my language skills (Portuguese, Spanish and English) I started working with technology for Microsoft, so Design and Fashion became just a hobbie to me.
    In Microsoft I found out how to mix my passion for design and technology. Visual Design for UI, “that’s it” I thought, and started studying everything I could about UX and UI design. After a year of self-learning, I had learnt new things and improved my design skills.
    I left my job and got a junior position in a big company as Digital Visual Designer, now I design interfaces for mobile and presentations in prezi and camtasia, but for my surprise, our company don’t want to design games for mobile, what made me upset as I was looking forward to learn more about it. I am now self-learning html 5 and css3, schetchnotes, animation and improving my photoshop and Illustrator skills.

    When I saw your blog and your posts about Games UI I got so happy, because never thought that this officially exist, and more because it was a woman speaking about it \o/ I adore the designs you did for the games and now I see you as one role model for woman in games to chase even more this dream.

    Sorry for all this huge life story just to ask you what did you study and do to improve your skills for Games UI?

    Reply
  3. mike (@artisticdork)

    I would love to do work for a game company but I think that all the game dev companies are out on the west coast! No love for the east side :(

    I do have to say that recently I have been noticing very over done game IU, The game might be good but when the loading scene from game play to menu and vice versa requires a loading screen, it bothers me.

    I love quick, simple transitions in mobile gaming. If im playing a console or on the computer, wait time is fine, but not on the phone.

    As a game designer, what do you think?

    Reply
    1. Hillary Hopper

      Mike, every game will have a loading screen or two before the game actually opens. The device has to download information and new assets. I don’t like to have loading screens between different stages of the game. I only believe it is necessary if it’s needed. Every gaming company is different, engineers may work differently and it really just depends on the game and the work involved. But the less loading screens the better!

      Reply
      1. mike (@artisticdork)

        oh for sure each game has a loading screen at the beginning, but there are some games where i feel like I’m watching more loading screen than gaming screen! I’d rather give up some menu 3d-ness than have that much of a loading screen.

        Reply
  4. Kiefer

    Very great article, I have a question though. Would you say it would be a great job for a designer who is a gamer as a hobby? I feel that might be conflict of interest of might have to play two roles of designer and tester.

    Reply
    1. Hillary Hopper

      Kiefer, I would say it would be even that much better if you are a gamer. The more passionate you are about the product, the better. You get used to designing and testing. :)

      Reply

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