Planning the Features

Now, before I delve into any creating, I need to plan. What will go on the UI, how will it be presented? Are there any existing UI that's similar to what I'd like to emulate? This is where I figure out what my UI will be, and how it will weave into the world. Let's start with a simple list of what I want to achieve with this UI.

UI Goals:

• Clear, readable UI that has necessary information available at all times
• Immersive, stylised design that fits the visual theme of the game (Sci-Fi Mecha)
• UI with multple layers that exists in a 3 Interactive Dimensions (3ID)
• Functioning product that works in-game in VR
• UI design that weaves within the games world
• Options to counter Motion Sickness for those who have it

I should probably explain my reasoning for these goals, instead of leaving them here at the top.

Clear, readable UI that has necessary information available at all times

This is clear for nearly all UI or HUDs. While some may purposefully hide data from the player, this game would do best with the necessary information available to the player. While things like world temperature and wind are not important, through the available screen space in VR it is possible to have this information in a place that is not intrusive on the gameplay.

Immersive, stylised design that fits the visual theme of the game (Sci-Fi Mecha)

This is also rather common - having a bland and boring UI style can turn away a lot of potential players, so having UI that fits with the theme of the game is both visually attractive and fits with the context of the game world, potentially increasing immersion.

UI with multple layers that exists in Three Interactive Dimensions (3ID)

I mentioned this briefly within my 'VR vs Non-VR' post earlier, but I'd like to clarify what I mean by this. Three Interactive Dimensions refers to the available dimensions the 'cursor' of the player has. For example, on a computer monitor in games, all UI typically has Two Interactive Dimensions (2ID), as the menus are flat screens and you can only move your mouse vertically and horizontally, not forward and back. UI that exists in 3ID has the possibility of moving forward and backward in space, in 3 dimensions. this is most obvious in VR, where your controller acts as the cursor and is able to move in any direction.

While 3ID and 2ID is not a common term (that I have seen) in Games Development, it's one I've made to help label my meanings for this area of work. Maybe one day this will be a common use term in Games Development. That would be cool, wouldn't it?

I'm getting off track. Effectively, the definitions (at the moment, as this is very early usage of the term) are this.

3ID - Three Interactive Dimensions: The Player's cursor, or method of interacting with UI elements, has access to 3 Dimensional space within the game's world.

2ID - Two Interactive Dimensions: The Player's cursor, or method of interacting with UI elements, is on a flat 2D plane and can only move horizontally and Vertically on top of the game's world.

Note: While the UI elements maybe skewed to appear within the game world, it is still considered 2ID if the cursor moves within a flat plane on the screen. All examples that use the mouse to select buttons on a UI screen can be considered 2ID, even if the UI screen in question is within the game world.

With that semi-official definition of these terms, I want to make use of the 3ID to create a concrete example of what I mean by 3ID. So, my UI through this work must not simply be in a 2D plane in front of the player, rather be part of a sphere or cube around the player, that the player can interact with in three dimensions.

Functioning product that works in-game in VR

This one is rather obvious - I want a functioning example working in-game. Not just ideas or demos, something that actually works. 

UI design that weaves within the games world

Basically, I want a design that is part of the game world rather than on top of it. Potentially some way of interacting with the world. There isn't much more I can say about this, but it's the obvious way to link this to my word, 'To Weave'.

Options to counter Motion Sickness for those who have it

Motion Sickness is a big issue with VR, and my game would probably be a prime example of inducing motion sickness if people played it. (un)Fortunately, I don't suffer from motion sickness, so I am unable to test what methods are most effective (It is hard to playtest when you're in the middle of nowhere and not everyone has a HTC Vive). However, through research and theory I'll hopefully be able to create some suitable methods of Motion Comfort.

With these goals in mind, I can start working on my UI. Finally, practical work for my project! At least I can say I did a lot of research and theory.