Mobile game development is an exciting but rather difficult niche in the gaming industry. Sometimes creating a mobile game takes the same time as developing AAA projects. A vital element of any modern game is the UI. It can simultaneously break the game and bring it to the first lines of stores. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of a great game UI and how it can impact the success of your mobile game.
A well-designed UI can enhance the gameplay, making it more engaging and enjoyable, while a poorly designed UI can frustrate and discourage players from continuing to play. The UI encompasses everything the player sees and interacts with on the screen, including buttons, menus, and game controls. A great game UI should be intuitive, easy to use, and visually appealing. It should guide the player through the game without being too distracting or confusing.
Elements of a great user interface
Creating any interface involves complex work with several aspects: game UX, style, syntactic structure, ergonomics, logical features, ui meaning in games, and much more. Most of the information gamers receive through visual perception and attractive design, harmoniously matched colors, and matching shapes can help improve the overall quality of the product.
A game interface is a way of conveying information to gamers to interact with a game. When talking about the game interface design, they often think of health bars, mini-maps, interaction, or control buttons, because they help to understand what is happening in the game. These small but, at the same time, essential elements help players not to get lost in the game and follow what the developers expect from them.
Separately, these elements are not able to captivate the player by themselves. They make sense only within the game cycle, and the interface, as a result, should guide the player in this cycle.
Why is UI design for mobile gaming so important?
Would you personally play a game that didn’t explain goals, paths, stats, or just control tips? Any, even just an indie project, has an interface. Game user interface can be terrible, ugly, but at the same time informative and useful for the players. Whatever it is, every interface is designed to serve the same purpose: clearly and quickly convey information to the player.
A game without an interface is an unknown world or ecosystem. Gamers join and do not know what to do. Many modern players, even small children, understand the controls and know how various CCGs or arcade games work. But making games with the expectation that users already know everything is wrong. The interface is Gandalf, who accompanies Bilbo, Frodo, and the Fellowship of the Ring throughout the gameplay.
Mobile game development: UI design’s business impact
Mobile game development is a very profitable business. But it becomes profitable with the correct use of resources and mechanisms. In the case of game UI design, one of the main elements is the ability to place advertising integrations, pop-up messages, etc.
The mobile games industry is among the most popular for advertisers since the game interface allows you to embed ads in the gameplay and UI. A simple example is getting resources for watching an advertising or promotional video. The player can decide whether to do this because, in the context of the game, it does not affect the gameplay too much.
Also, popular titles often collaborate with well-known brands, which positively affects the business of both participants. But it’s not enough to put in an advertising image, post, or video. You need to do it correctly before updating and improving the interface. Otherwise, the integration will not bring the desired asset to advertisers, and the developer studio will receive a negative response from the community.
Common UI design mistakes in mobile game design
You have learned so far the importance of a great game UI. One of the biggest and most common mistakes you can make is poor onboarding or lack of it. Onboarding is step-by-step training for a new user. Many developers throw the user immediately into action after the game’s installation without telling them anything. Players do not know what to do; accordingly, not everyone will reach at least 1% of the game. The most important game ux of the user is the game’s first launch, which some studios ignore.
There is also a technical mistake in ignoring the variability of devices and their screen resolutions. Some studios only test the mobile game UI on a few popular devices and 1-2 budget smartphones. Currently, there are many resources and tools for testing, but sometimes you can find a game with scaling errors or a crooked interface. Another mistake is the cluttering the screen with too many elements, making it difficult for users to navigate. Another mistake is using small font sizes, which can strain the user’s eyes and make it hard to read important information.
It is also worth mentioning that common mistakes can be the lack of analysis and correction of errors, the creation of a non-intuitive interface, and an overabundance of visual effects. You need to ensure that the UI is intuitive and easy to use, as complex controls can discourage users from playing the game. By avoiding these common mistakes, developers can create a more enjoyable and engaging mobile game experience for their users.
FAQs
What impact does video game UI have on user experience?
Mobile game UI aims to keep players from the first minutes of the game’s launch so that they can experience the experience and meaning that the game developers laid down.
What makes a good UI design for mobile games?
Minimalism, attention to detail, and optimization are the basic principles of good UI design for modern mobile games.
How do I create a great UI for my mobile game?
First of all, you need to practice and learn the basic knowledge of mobile game design. Otherwise, you can outsource services or find a freelance UI designer.
Conclusion
If you had reached so far, then you understood the importance of a great game UI. In a nutshell, it is a visual introduction to the player and a business impact. But it is important to balance everything because even the most remarkable and beautiful interface will not save the game from failure if it lacks other game elements. And vice versa, modern gamers will close even the most exciting and story-driven game in 2 minutes if the interface is weak or undeveloped.