Dev Blog #2 - Amtharus
Originally posted 1/12/24 on my game dev website
This week, for my game design education, my task was to create an in-engine spatial or diegetic UI feature. I decided to incorporate it into my Amtharus project as I’ve needed to figure out how to display the different systems and information to the player (like inventory and mission info etc).
I started by researching different UI designs for games with a similar theme to mine (Interface In Game & Game UI Database were very helpful websites for that!), then created several wireframes in Figma to figure out the flow and overall design, as I wasn’t certain what information I wanted the player to have on the first screen.
After several iterations, and positive feedback from my instructor, I set to work re-creating the UI design in Unity. A classmate located this handy tool for importing from Figma into Unity, but ultimately it worked better for me to re-create it in-engine (I had some sizing issues). While it's still a work in progress, the prototype offers an idea of the envisioned interaction for the game.
What are a few features of the design?
Large, clickable buttons to simulate a handheld device a researcher might hold and interact with while wearing gloves
Additional world information in the map (eventually I'd want to include a galaxy and local map), personal log (as written by the character), and planet/lore screens
Mission/quest information with trackable objectives
A screen showing the status of the ship (this is relevant as the character has crashed on the planet & the ship requires repairs)
The ability to call and ask the ship’s computer questions
A message screen where you can read and listen to messages that were sent to the main character. This serves to further enhance the narrative.
So what’s next?
If I had the technical skills and time, I’d love to make the UI more diegetic by including a hand holding the device (like Subnautica) or something that makes it feel more like the character is interacting with it. I’d also love to include more audio dialogue with the ship’s computer, as that’s a large part of my design, and add custom artwork and animations.
If you’re interested in seeing the UI in my game, you can watch my progress update video below.