MA Games Design Diary

At the start of semester 2, I had no prior experience with Unreal Engine 5. To broaden my skillset, I set a goal to learn the fundamentals of the engine and create functional UI elements within the engine, each with a unique design style. I initially planned to create a health bar, speedometer, and item collection counter; however, as I became more confident using Unreal Engine 5, I shifted my focus towards creating more complex UI prototypes tailored to three distinct game concepts, each with unique genres, themes, and gameplay. To achieve this, I dedicated most of semester 2 to learning about Blueprint scripting within Unreal Engine 5 in preparation for creating my 3 UI prototypes in semester 3.  Learning UE5: Throughout semester 2, I used tutorials and courses to learn the fundamentals of Unreal Engine, and then applied this knowledge by creating a variety of systems within Unreal Engine, such as health bars, door animations, item pickups, and more. Creating a book of common nod...

This week, I used the lists and mind maps I created earlier to narrow down the concept of my Western game. Although I'm not creating a full game, I considered the synopsis, genre, and themes of the game to ensure I create cohesive and clear UI designs.  My interview with Daniel Rhodes highlighted the importance of understanding industry trends to create intuitive experiences for players. By understanding common tropes in open-world and action-adventure games, I can create a UI prototype that incorporates these trends, such as a mini map in the bottom left corner, to create cohesive and seamless user experiences. I collected various examples of HUD designs from similar video games and identified common UI elements, placements of UI elements, and controls.  Once I had a concept for my Western game, I then made a mind map of possible UI elements I could include and ideas for blueprint functionality within UE5. 

This week, I completed my book about common nodes and variables from UE5. I ended up writing over 200 pages about the functions and common uses of nodes and variables, and the process of creating the book helped me understand blueprint scripting in UE5 much more.  For my Western UI design project, I researched competitor games and summarised their plots and game genres, and themes to help me generate ideas for my game concept. I also began to collate examples of looting and interaction systems from various video games to generate ideas for my looting system.    Week 14 Plan: 

My interview with Dan Pratt last week highlighted the importance of having an efficient design process and fully understanding a game at the start of a project. This week, I used Miro to create a design process guide and a mind map of aspects that define a game, which I will use as references in the future.  Daniel Rhodes' response to my questions  explained how the team at Codemasters prioritizes player immersion in the F1 game franchise with the use of realistic HUD designs, inspired by graphics in official Formula 1 TV broadcasts. I played F1 23 to experience the game first-hand and analyse how the UI impacts player immersion to discuss it in my essay.  For my practical module, I played Crime Scene Cleaner and Red Dead Redemption 2, and collected examples of their interaction systems to analyse them. I found that a consistent and clear highlighting system makes interaction much easier, and using simple and consistent controls can prevent the player from getting confuse...

This week, I started to create a book of common nodes and variables from UE5 to use as a reference in the future. This process helped me understand blueprints much more and made me realise I can create more complex UI prototypes in UE5. Originally, I intended to create 3 functional UI elements in UE5, such as a health bar, speedometer, and item collection counter; however, now with more knowledge of UE5, I intend to spend more time on my UI designs to create detailed prototypes containing multiple functioning UI elements. To achieve this, I will dedicate more time to learning UE5 and spend more time on the UI design process; therefore, I will complete my 3 UI designs for the semester 3 deadline, rather than the semester 2 deadline. By doing this, I aim to develop my knowledge and skills within UE5 and create more detailed UI prototypes that I can use in the degree show.  Even though I intend to spend more time on my UI designs, I have started the process of brainstorming ideas for...