Astro Hunters VR is a VR extraction shooter set in space. It features resource gathering, crafting, PVP and PVE combat, an expansive open-world environment, and immersive VR interactions. I was responsible for the UX/UI design for the entire project, from start to finish.
Goals
- Create an immersive, compact, aesthetically pleasing, and easy-to-navigate UI.
- Ensure a smooth and intuitive user experience.
Challenges
- Design unique UI for different in-game contexts (e.g., tablets, standing screens, hologram watches) while maintaining a cohesive style.
- Balance the use of new UI solutions with legacy elements to streamline development without sacrificing uniqueness.
- Manage the design process efficiently as the sole UX/UI designer, coordinating with multiple developers.
- Determine appropriate UI and collider sizes for comfortable VR interaction.
- Choose font sizes that are comfortable to read with VR goggles.
- Design diegetic UIs (in-game elements) that enhance immersion, which posed a significant challenge compared to easier non-diegetic (floating) UIs.
- Ensure map icons are visible against colorful backgrounds.
- Design a comprehensive watch UI that displays more information than initially anticipated.
- Fit all necessary information on the Voyager screen while maintaining readability and ease of interaction.
- Design the UX flow for new and complex features like crafting stations.
MY ROLE | UX/UI Designer
DEVELOPED BY | Wenkly Studio
PLATFORM | VR
MY SCOPE:
- UX/UI design for the entire project
- Defining design principles
- Information architecture
- User flow
- Graphic adaptation of external assets
- Icons and buttons design
- UX writing & microcopy
- Marketing content creation
- Feedback gathering
- Playtesting and giving feedback
- Resolving UX/UI issues
- Maintaining project documentation
3D Graphics Team created the environment, models, and 3D icon renders.
My Role (UX/UI Designer) was about the entire UI and UX, while collaborating closely with the Game Designer to maintain the desired flow, look and feel.
Developers implemented the designs, with ongoing feedback and collaboration from me.
QA Testers checked the implemented designs and provided feedback on the UX flow and UI.
I began by thoroughly reading and analyzing the Game Design Document (GDD). Collaborating closely with the Game Designer, we brainstormed player interactions with the UI to align with the game's core loop, use cases, and potential challenges.
I conducted desk research and analysis mostly by playtesting games and analyzing gameplay videos of titles like No Man’s Sky, Seeking Dawn VR, Breacher, HUBRIS, and Guardians Frontline. Additionally, I gathered references from the Game UI Database and other UI sources to inform our design approach.
Further, I defined design principles for the entire project, including:
- Font usage guidelines.
- Color coding for fonts and UI elements.
- Layout rules for different UI contexts (e.g., non-diegetic floating screens vs. immersive diegetic elements).
I also selected external UI assets and icons from the Unity Asset Store to save time.
Information architecture design was done separately for each UI context based on GDD and frequent consultations with Game Designer.
Scope
I created user flow designs based on brainstorming sessions with the Game Designer and wrote item descriptions and microcopy for most of the UI text. The graphic assets bought from the Unity Assets Store were adapted to the needs of the project using Photoshop and Figma. I also designed and created several icons, all wireframes, and mockups, while iterating with feedback from the Game Designer.
Time-Efficiency Measures
Designed multiple contexts simultaneously based on priority, such as crafting stations and upgrade stations, which shared a similar style.
Developed the Tablet and Shop UI together, allowing for shared layout designs despite different styles, which streamlined the implementation process.
I employed good practices such as using placeholder icons to bring UI mockups to life, providing multiple design options for internal A/B testing, and maintaining detailed project documentation and a database of UI assets. Keeping Archive / Parked Ideas database with old unused ideas for features and solutions that didn’t make the cut, may come in handy in the future, and it is also a good practice I follow. I frequently gathered feedback and iterated on my designs while working on each feature. Before implementation, I always conducted "dry-tests" with the Game Designer to identify and resolve potential issues with user flow.
Although I did not implement the UI in Unity myself, I collaborated closely with developers to ensure the final product matched the original designs. I adapted quickly to various work styles of different team members and resolved technical constraints as they arose, often requiring redesigns to maintain a positive user experience. Playtesting and giving feedback was another big part of my job. I playtested each new build in order to spot any areas that require improvement in terms of user experience. Later, I documented all issues, and proposed new solutions.
As it happens in all agile processes the changes are frequesnt and require elastic, iterative approach. Throughout the development process, I iterated on my designs to adapt to changes in the GDD. I needed to go through the user flow each time a change was necessary, to make sure the UX was not impacted in a bad way. Before the launch, I also assisted in creating marketing content for digital platforms, working alongside the Marketing Specialist.
Developed a consistent UI, that provided sufficient information and prevented errorsi.e. all instructions to be executed by VR interaction are consistently written in yellow containers and all warnings that may prevent user error or frustration are written in red font (color-coding), also consistent style and layout for each UI context and features.
Successfully made the process time-efficient with reusability and work batching.
Successfully optimized performance by analyzing other games and displaying damage numbers on the UI instead of rendering them in real-time.
Information overload on the clickable tablet screen was fixed by using icons instead of text strings.
Resolved initial issues with scrolling and excess information on the tablet screen, initial problem with scroll was fixed by adding up and down buttons to navigate on clickable tablet until a right solution for scrolling and swiping was developed.
The prototyping phase was skipped due to time constraints, leading to some issues being resolved during the implementation phase. Some user flows could have been shorter, reducing the number of interactions required, there are still some visibility issues with white UI elements against bright backgrounds, and occasional VR-specific issues like flickering persisted.
I would see a potential in reworking storage upgrade user flow and adding some economy and quest incentive immersed in the environment for better Player Exerience.
This project overall was a hell of a ride for me, and HUUUUGE challenge that pushed me to grow significantly in my role. It’s been wonderful to be a part of this project!
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