Concept Interface Design - Comments and Input Appreciated

James Jacobson · 2012-11-10T17:55:09

Hello, everyone. I am currently taking a class on Interface design for video games. Right now, I am supposed to present three specific functions in my game, and how to make each one usable in my game design. I will then post the said information on a game design site (like this one) and wait for feedback to turn in to my teacher. Unfortunately for you poor souls, my functions are quite lengthy. If you can take the time to read this post, and to respond to it, I would be grateful. It is, after all, for a grade. Also, keep in mind that this interface revolves around an Xbox 360 controller. EDIT: IMPORTANT - I do not claim any rights to the images used to make my designs, however I guess I can claim intellectual rights to the designs themselves (unless if someone has used my exact designs before, that I am not aware of) As per stage 1 – this is not an MMO idea As per stage 2 – this is nothing but concept. I understand that something might be VERY hard to actually design and code, but I am in a theory/design class. All I need to know is if this is a good idea/needs improvement/should be done this way/etc. Also, this is a VERY log post. As per stage 2, I organized it as best I could to facilitate reading. You have been warned. First Function - The first function, of course, is general movement and interaction. As is standard to any game, movement will be controlled by the Left Analog, and the camera will be controlled by the Right Analog. In addition to this, pressing down on L3 will toggle the holographic interface (explained later), and pressing R3 will activate a special ability that the player has assigned. LT initiates a light attack, and RT initiates a heavy attack. The “A” button will interact with objects, such as picking up items, opening doors, and reloading, and holding it down will cause the player to sprint. The “X” button will be used for blocking, “Y” will be used for jumping, and “B” will be the button that accesses the inventory/map/etc. menu. “Left” on the D-pad will activate Combo Mode, “Up” on the D-pad will activate Tactical Mode, “Right” on the D-pad will activate Strategy Mode, and “down” on the D-pad will cycle through available camera zooms for each mode. One of these modes, Combo Mode, will be explained later. However, in addition to these standard functions for each D-pad and action key, pressing LB will display a secondary menu (on the bottom left screen for the D-pad, bottom right for the action buttons) for each D-pad and action button. In this menu, the player will be able to assign various skills and abilities. Pressing RB will accomplish the same effect, but instead as a tertiary menu. This gives the player to assign 16 abilities/potions/etc. to these buttons. Also, I almost forgot to say that you will be able to press LT and RT in sequence, at the same time, etc. to activate combos that the player has unlocked. This control scheme is for the general movement and interaction for events that may go on in the action screen. screen. Movement List*********************************Action List Walk/run/move********************Access secondary + tertiary skill menus Jump*****************************************************block interact*********************************************Light attack Camera rotation********************************* Heavy attack Enter inventory menu******************************sprint Toggle Holo-interface*******************************reload quick slots **************************************special abilities Also, buttons to switch interface modes Concept of Control scheme: Xbox 360 controller – Left analog: movement right analog: camera L3: toggle holographic interface R3: activate special abilities LB: secondary interfaces RB: tertiary interfaces LT: light attack RT: heavy attack A: interact (pick up items, doors, talk, reload, hold to sprint) X: block Y: jump B: enter inventory/map/etc. menus D-pad: switch between interfaces, and change camera zooms. LB and RB will, when held, show the secondary and tertiary menus for the D-pad and action buttons, for which the player can assign skills, items, etc. Diagram of Control Scheme - see attatchment for a picture of actions mapped to a 360 controller. [attachment=12122:control scheme.gif] EDIT: sweet, I didn't realise that it would actually show the picture. I thought it would only have a download link. Second Function - The second function is the three different combat modes. Our three modes feature different styles of gameplay that will (hopefully) be able to be interwoven easily, and encourage the player to mix it up over the course of the battle. Each will display relatively the same information, but in different ways that will facilitate the gameplay each mode offers. Combo mode will provide gameplay that is very close to the character, and will support skills that are specifically designed to attack enemies. As a rule for this mode, the player will only be able to see information in his or her immediate area. Activating the holographic interface (explained later) for example will only show information on party members very close to the player. The HUD (there wont be much of a HUD though, I plan to keep it as diegetic – or in the game world – as possible) will allow the player to focus on the game play, and will be designed in a way that facilitates it – much like an interface in a First Person Shooter would. Information in this mode will be almost exclusively diegetic, displaying the health and any effects on an enemy creature (wounds, poison cloud, etc) and the same on the character. The holographic interface, which could technically be seen by other characters in the game, can be toggled to display a holographic “screen” that comes out of a module on the character. I have not thought of where to put the module, but the screens will display Mana, Health, and Stamina, as well as a power gauge for special abilities. Tactical mode is a more comprehensive view of the battlefield, detaching the player from an over the shoulder view to a slightly more overhead-and-out view. In this mode, diegetic elements like wounds and effects will be more exaggerated, but not overly so, so that the player can easily identify the effects enemies at a far distance might have. In this mode, the player will be able to see the holographic screens (if toggled) of any other party member in the view of the camera. In tactical mode, the player will be able to use abilities that might require more thought, such as placing a pool of acid, or throwing a fireball spell. This mode focuses more on “tactical” abilities, rather than clobbering enemies. As for how you can tell where the spell will be cast, there will be an identifier of some sort. I cant think of a diegetic one right now, but for a non-diegetic solution, some sort of emblem on the ground will do. I will not be covering the Strategy mode. Though I have an idea of what I will do with it, I do not know how to implement it just yet. Each mode provides a different way to play, but at the same time, you can switch between them at a whim in order to combine many of the elements of them, giving you an almost "I am a general on the battlefield" kind of feeling. Combo mode, as the name suggests, provides gameplay that is very close to the character - namely supporting skills that are specifically designed to attack enemies. Tactical mode supports a more thought provoking way to play, however, this is still centralized to the player. Specifically speaking, Tactical mode will allow the player to perform things like placing an Area of Effect that can buff allies but debuff enemies, or to use a fireball spell that can affect multiple enemies. In Strategy mode, you would probably see gameplay similar to any other RTS, but in a much more deconstructed way (you wont have a city to build every time you start RTS mode, there is no huge empire to construct, etc). From what I am hoping this will accomplish, I will attain a "three step complexity". The Combo mode will be the least complex of the three modes, and the interface will encourage the player to focus on the action, displaying information to the player that is only directly related to them, and any immediate party members. Tactical mode will be slightly more complex than Combo mode, and will provide the player with more information than Combo mode, allowing the player to decide where exactly to place that Area of Effect buff - encouraging the player to do what is most appropriate to the given situation. Strategy mode will be the most complex of these modes, and will allow the player to do many things, like spawn units and create temporary holdings - within reason of course, summoning a unit will consume mana, or some other resource. I am hoping that using these three different "modes" will create a game that can provide gameplay as simple as Oblivion, as intermediate as Dragon's Dogma, and as thought provoking as a simple RTS. Third Function - And for the third and final function; menus. I took the liberty of organizing these into bullet points, since they are a little extensive. 1. Inventory – As is traditional of just about any RPG, there is a lot of item management that the user will wade through, from loot, to buying and selling. Like with our action screen, this will be a hologram that the characters in the game will technically be able to see. When the user accesses the inventory, a hologram of what the user is carrying will appear in front of the character, and the camera will zoom in closely, showing the right profile of the characters face to the left of the screen initially. However, we will allow the player to move the camera around, so the player can see their character better. The holographic inventory will be explained by a digital constructor/destructor that breaks down an item and stores it as data inside of a module. Using the data, this gadget can display to the character a summary of the items a character is holding, and sort them, if the player wishes, into tabs. When the player chooses to wear a different item, let’s say a chest-piece, the icon in the inventory will switch with the icon of what is currently equipped, and will show the new item being constructed onto the character. The inventory itself is basic, and like most RPGs, you will be able to swap (through the left and right bumpers) to other menus – like the map, or quest log for instance. While in the inventory, we will feature sorting functions. These will vary from alphabetic sorting, to type (weapon, armor, and even further into different types of weapons and armor slots) and by-level sorting. Also, the player will be able to see the stats of an item when it is “moused over”, as well as being able to compare the stats of the item and the one equipped by holding down a button Summary: LB and RB – switch to different menu Right analog – camera Left analog – move through items in the inventory, or to buttons such as the sort button “A” – selection button “B” – exit “X” – hold to compare “Y” – reset camera L3, R3, LT, RT – no function as of yet 2. Map – As with any RPG, the world the player is in tend to be large, and have cities. The player will need to be able to navigate the world effectively, without being frustrated. Like with our inventory, the map will be displayed holographicaly in front of the character, and will assume the default position. In our map, the player will be able to set waypoints, remove waypoints, zoom in and zoom out, as well as being able to see the waypoint for the quest they are currently tracking. However, unlike other games, we plan to have a multi-waypoint system, and will allow the player to track 4 waypoints at a time (or 5, if they are currently tracking a quest). Like many maps, these functions are basic and are pretty limited. Summary: LB and RB – switch to different menu Right analog – camera Left analog – move cursor across map “A” – set waypoint “B” – exit “X” – remove waypoint “Y” – reset camera LT – zoom out RT – zoom in L3, R3 – no function as of yet 3. Quest log – arguably the most important part of any RPG, the quest log allows the player to keep track of what they have done, what they want to do, and what they are currently doing. Our quest log – like other elements of our game – will be diegetic. When accessed, the camera will assume the default position over the character’s shoulder. Our quest log – like many others before it – will allow players to see what quests they have, what quests they have already done, and what quest they are currently tracking (which will also place a waypoint on the map). However, what I play to be unique about this quest log, is that the log will “receive tasks” from quest NPCs as the NPC is spouting their dilemma. I hope some of you have already played Borderlands 2. I hope you remember the quest where claptrap tries to send you on ridiculous errands to find his secret stash. Remember that, as he speaks, new tasks show up on our top right corner. This is what our quest log will do. As major elements of the quest are outlined, our quest log will seemingly update in “real time”. We plan to implement this holographically, and all dialogue the player participates in will be delivered in a fashion similar to what we see in Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Summary: LB and RB – switch to different menu Right analog – camera Left analog – scroll “A” – track/un-track quest “B” – exit “Y” – reset camera LT – scroll up by 5 RT – scroll down by 5 L3, R3, X – no functions as of yet 4. Talent trees – I have played MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, RIFT, and many others for a very long time, and I have become accustomed to talent trees. A handful of RPGs that have implemented talent trees in their design, some of which were Kingdoms of Amalur and the Borderlands series, as well as Dragon Age and Mass Effect. A game like Oblivion features skill progression, however you do not use your characters “skill development” to its fullest – for example – no matter how skilled you are with your sword skill, you can still only perform very basic move sets. Like our other elements in our game, we will have our talent tree menu appear holographically, and will assume the default camera position when accessed. I am not sure what anyone reading this might think, but to me, the presence of a talent tree shows your character’s progression in its skill. Instead of simply making your character more powerful, they allow your character to do different things – which shows an acquisition, and use of, knowledge. Not only does it do this, but it also allows the player to more accurately develop their character the way they want to. In our game, there are roughly 20 different talent trees, each to their own respective class. When a player chooses a race, that race’s three default trees are available for use to the player. It is up to the player to go out into the world and find teachers for each other class – much like how it was in Dragon Age: Origins. We also plan to possibly have certain party members able to teach you their class. 20 different talent trees seems somewhat daunting, but we will allow the player to switch between trees by utilizing the left and right triggers. We will also have the talent trees pre-sorted into the three main “fighting styles” of our game – heavy melee, agile melee/ranged, and magic, which are governed by the fighters, hunters, and mage guilds, respectively (they have different names, but I cannot remember them right now). Also, our game features no “level cap”. The player can continue to level their character, until ALL talents are spent into their fullest – allowing the player to customize gameplay between all 20 talent trees to an amazing extent. This also seems daunting, but the separation between casual players – and those who want to maximize everything – is the difference between sticking to the 3 initial trees, or broadening the spectrum to include everything. Summary: LB and RB – switch to different menu Right analog – camera Left analog – move cursor through ability tree “A” – spend point “B” – exit “X” - remove point “Y” – reset camera LT and RT – switch between trees inside the current fighting style L3 and R3 – switch between “fighting styles” Please excuse how long this post is, and I hope you will read it. I am having a great time designing interface concepts, and I believe that I am doing a relatively decent job for a first-timer. If any of you reading this post will take the time to comment, suggest improvements, or offer support for any of these ideas, please don’t hesitate to post them. I am looking forward to reading your replies.

Game Design and Theory Game Design

Started by lonedrow1 November 07, 2012 12:19 AM

12 comments, last by lonedrow1 11 years, 5 months ago

lonedrow1

111

Author

November 09, 2012 06:01 PM

Here is our fifth installment - the quest log

[attachment=12190:quest log.jpg]

REMEMBER, this is the quest log

Here is the control scheme

LB and RB – switch to different menu
Right analog – camera
Left analog – scroll
“A” – track/un-track quest
“B” – exit
“Y” – reset camera
LT – scroll up by 5
RT – scroll down by 5
L3, R3, X – no functions as of yet

It seems that the quest log is practically the same design as the inventory screen. I am not sure if this is necessarily good or not, but the design seems to suit both very well.

The same functions that exist in the inventory screen will exist in the quest log, however, (especially since many RPG styled games have a seemingly innumerable amount of quests) we will feature a "scroll by 5" option, assigned to the left and right triggers, to scroll up or down, respectively.

There is a need for a sort button - which I accidentally removed. Just pretend that the sort button for the inventory is still plastered at the top of the quest log for now. This sort button will allow the player to sort by two parameters: By area (each section separating completed/unfinished quests) or in one huge mesh, separating only completing and unfinished quests.

Hooray for me, I guess, I only have one more menu to do until all of my planned interfaces are done - the talent trees, probably the most complicated of the menus.

lonedrow1

111

Author

November 09, 2012 07:08 PM

And here we are, our sixth and last installment of the interface design.

[attachment=12193:Talent Trees.jpg]

REMEMBER, this is the talent tree

heres the controls-

LB and RB – switch to different menu
Right analog – camera
Left analog – move cursor through ability tree
“A” – spend point
“B” – exit
“X” - remove point
“Y” – reset camera
LT and RT – switch between trees inside the current fighting style
L3 and R3 – switch between “fighting styles”

Though it might be the most complicated menu interface, it seems to be relatively simple. I had thought of this a little late, but I thought it would be a good idea to implement buttons onto the interface that simulate the buttons on the controller, so that when the player presses a button, the correct button on the interface looks as if it was pressed.

For example, hitting R3 would press the R3 button on the interface. However, as you can imagine, R3 wont be displayed on the button in the interface, instead "fighting tree" would be displayed. The same would go for all of the other buttons in the other menus, though I probably mentioned this a little too late.

The talent tree menu will display two menus at a time, LT and RT will switch between the active style's trees. Pressing A on a tree will cause it to enter that tree, in which the player can make changes, and you can imagine B will be to return to the tree scroller.

The overall design simply has the player pressing buttons to switch menus, and the A button to confirm.

And there we have it; all of the designs for the interface that I have a rough Idea of now have mock-ups. As always, comments, suggestions, and feedback are welcome.

Orsonof

101

November 10, 2012 05:48 PM

I think so far you have a pretty good design going, however all the controls are a bit to take in a once. Now I know this is still in the processing stage, but someone like me who hasn't had an Xbox for very long and suddenly jumps into the game, it'd be a little bit overwhelming considering I barely know the controller. All in all, I think it's a good start on your interface, hope you do well in your class

lonedrow1

111

Author

November 10, 2012 05:55 PM

@Orsonof

Well assuming the game ever gets made, we would definitely include a tutorial. We even plan to explain the camera as a military device designed for combat. Though we would allow the player to go into first person, combat would be strictly handled by the third person camera. Explaining it as some sort of combat device leads us to the assumption of the progression of military technology. If newer guns come out, and they can be proven to be better than previous models, why wouldn't you use them in a life-or-death situation?

The tutorial itself would probably have to be in depth. Though the control scheme seems to be very easy to learn, it can take a while for anyone to get used to an interface that is new to them, especially for a new game the developers want to look and feel different than other games.

Concept Interface Design - Comments and Input Appreciated

This topic is closed to new replies.

Popular Topics

Recommended Tutorials

Concept Interface Design - Comments and Input Appreciated

This topic is closed to new replies.

Popular Topics

Recommended Tutorials

Reticulating splines