My journey into UX/UI in games began in 1998 with the very first game I ever wanted so badly that I begged my parents to buy it for me — Claw. A 2D platformer that brought me many hours of joy and despair, but also taught me resilience along the way.
Instinctively, I have always leaned toward the creative side of things — drawing, crafting, creating... Designing levels in HOMM3, and clothes for The Sims 2.
Initially I didn't pursue a career as a creative. My professional journey started with various customer-facing roles in the IT industry. As a customer service representative, I learned how to engage with people from different career backgrounds. After years of climbing the corporate ladder and searching for a career path that suited me, I was still unhappy and lacked the opportunity to fully express my creativity.
Then COVID came and I decided to throw out the playbook and start over.
I took an office job at a promising VR game development studio and worked extra hard to gain credibility and showcase my creative potential by taking on additional tasks after hours. I completed a degree in computer graphics design at a local university, along with several professional courses in graphic and game design. Slowly but steadily, I worked my way up to the point where I could take up a creative position — my first creative job.
It finally happened for me!
To date, I have completed several commercial projects and gained valuable experience in the game development industry. I enjoy discovering funny and clever UI solutions and witty UX writing, and I aspire to create such work in the future.
Identifying project requirements using workshop techniques to understand the Game Design Document (GDD), game's premises, core loop, features' use cases, flow, and potential issues.
Conducting additional research according to the scope required to gather necessary information and insights.
Creating a moodboard with UI inspiration and references, selecting a color palette and fonts, and establishing the information architecture. Discussing the approach with the team, including the Game Designer, Graphics, Developers, and other relevant members.
Drafting the first set of lo-fi wireframes using UX techniques, based on the GDD and research outcomes. Gathering feedback and implementing necessary changes in an iterative process.
Moving on to the mockup and prototype phase, collecting feedback and conducting initial "dry-run". Making necessary adjustments based on this feedback.
Working closely with developers during the implementation phase and carrying out thorough testing alongside QA testers. Gathering feedback from testers and other relevant team members, and incorporating additional changes as needed.
Making small changes and refinements until the final version is approved. Finally, ensuring the final design is fully implemented and launched within the game.
Not my proudest moment, though.
It was bloody...
I can quote each character.
Good workforce management is key.
For real!
Yes. That's me.
Each jump made me appreciate my life more...
And I always sew my own costumes.
Can't stop dancing!
Yum!
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