Knockoff: In-Game UI

With the deadline for this project imminent it is all hands on deck for our team. As such, we are each looking out for ways to help out in any way we can. One element of the project that has been lacking up until now has been the UI. This was initially planned to be the responsibility of our other designer but since my planned tasks are all done (other than my continuous testing) and she still has a few other things requiring her attention, we have decided that it would be more efficient for us to work collaboratively on this. While the menus and decorative elements are still being left up to Tanu, I have taken control over the design of the in-game UI. This is also advantageous as I have been our lead gameplay/technical designer and so I have a better insight into exactly what the in-game UI will require and how it should function. This makes it easier for me to quickly design the layout and explain how it should look to Tanu and how it should function to our programmers. I would have needed to be consulted on exactly what was needed anyway so this arrangement is beneficial in that it cuts out the risk of miscommunication. We originally had the idea that I would just write a design document explaining each of UI elements we would need and what art assets should be gathered for them. This would have been quick but it still runs the risk of miscommunication. Instead we decided that I should create a new branch and create a UI prefab using the default Unity assets. This would be non-functional, but would clearly show the rest of the team what we needed and how it should work. I then also created a document with more details about the art assets that should replace the default and the functionality we need for each UI element.

Here is the UI prefab:

Here it is in-game:

Here is the UI element list:

This UI is a simple, sleek design, intended to be unobtrusive but also to clearly provide the player with all of the information they need, while keeping in-line with the game's aesthetic. It will soon have art assets applied and its functionality implemented, resulting in our final in-game UI.