GUI Design

GUI is short for Graphic User Interface and refers to things like menus and the game’s HUD (Heads Up Display) objects. Having a clean, good looking GUI can certainly enhance a game, though it’s not really near the top of the priority list. Actually, in my opinion, one of the biggest problems with GUI design in modern games and software is that too many GUI designers emphasize appearance over functionality, with the result being a good-looking GUI that’s a pain in the neck to navigate. Well, Aurora’s Nightmare will have an easy to use GUI, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to ignore its graphical design either. That will involve creating shapes, color schemes, sprites, choosing a font, and the like.

That said, I haven’t started on the GUI design for Aurora’s Nightmare yet. It’s one of the last things on my to-do list (a work-in-progress GUI is just fine until late in development) and, while I’ll likely be playing around with a few different designs, the specifics of what I can and can’t do with the GUI will depend a bit on my engine. Anyway, just another one of the many things that need to be completed in order to make a game.