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Players Play Games Through an Interface

The "interface" is the point of tangency between the player and the game - the computer screen, the keyboard, and the controller. The interface accepts input from the player and provides feedback to the player.

It's a critical element, and the goal of the game is to make the interface as invisible as possible - such that the player is not distracted by the interface, but places their primary focus on the game.

The failure of interface is when it becomes intrusive or adds complexity: the user fails at the game because they cannot figure out which button to press on the controller.

In designing the interface, response time is critical. It is estimated that the player expects some kind of response within a tenth of a second, or they begin to assume that the interface is defective. For example, elevator buttons that "light" when pressed give the user confidence that their action has been received and understood and the display of the elevator's progress indicates that the machine is acting on their instruction.

Beyond the physical device, an "interface" also comprises the game screen, which often shows additional information (your score, player name, a chat window, etc.) outside of the area where the game is being played.

Suggestion for interface design:

In some instances, interface "modes" can be used - for example, the screen may look one way when managing inventory, another way when wandering through town, another way when managing skills and inventory, etc. This may be a full screen replacement, or it may mean there are various dialogs on screen.

More random tips for interface design:


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