Rock Icon Game flow_video edit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grWc6WyulnE

A navigational game flow of a simulated karaoke style singing game

Summing Up of Project

Rock Icon

The brief was to create a ‘1^st Concept Phase’ of a karaoke style singing game for Sony Computer Entertainment called ‘Rock Icon’

Having worked in the games industry for 2 years I was able to call upon and use my experience in creating a section of the game, in terms of look and navigational flow.

I first looked at other games and various graphic styles to create a mood board and core value sheet to represent what the game was about. I wanted to move away from the slick graphic style that is seen in a lot of singing games and create a more textured illustrative feel that mirrored the nostalgic feel of the game as a lot of the music is from various eras of the past interspersed with present day bands.

Once the style had been set I started looking at the game flow and chose a section of the game (Rock Styles) to visualise and animate showing how the game would look and navigate (user interface). A series of menu screens and in-game graphics were created and an animatic of the game flow was produced.

A game such as Rock Icon would usually take between 7-8 months to produce; the first 2 months would be spent on creating a ‘look and feel’, firstly creating mood boards and core value sheets that are used as a guide to what you want the game to aspire too and then producing visuals of menu screens and in-game graphics.

A team of usually 3 or 4 graphic designers would be used to create all the graphics, which is where my skills come into play. Once a style has been set then the graphic designers would start working alongside games designers, coders to produce the assets to be put in-game.

The aim of the project was to produce a series of work that show cases my creativity and design skills to prospective employers.

Rock Icon Game flow

The screen shows the structural flow of the game. I've looked at the Rock Styles section. 

Game flow

Animatic

The screens are more or less created. I've started animating the navigational flow of the game in After Effects

Rock Icon Poster

Rock Icon Promotional Poster

Rock Icon 'Look and Feel'

The style has been set. Using textured backgrounds and rock imagery blended together with colours bleeding into each other almost having a 'watercolour' effect.


The menu screens will be kept simple in layout but will be enhanced by the visual treatment.
The functionality will be a simple 'scroll' up and down.

Rock Icon_Main menu screen

What makes a good user interface?

A good interface makes it easy for users to tell the computer what they want to do, for the computer to request information from the users, and for the computer to present understandable information. Clear communication between the user and the computer is the working premise of good UI design.

Good interfaces are:

Clear

A clear interface helps prevent user errors, makes important information obvious, and contributes to ease of learning and use.

Consistent

A consistent interface allows users to apply previously learned knowledge to new tasks. Effective applications are both consistent within themselves and consistent with one another.

Simple

The best interface designs are simple. Simple designs are easy to learn and to use and give the interface a consistent look. A good design requires a good balance between maximizing functionality and maintaining simplicity through progressive disclosure of information.

User-Controlled

The user, not the computer, initiates and controls all actions.

Direct

Users must see the visible cause-and-effect relationship between the actions they take and the objects on the screen. This allows users to feel that they are in charge of the computer's activities.

Forgiving

Users make mistakes. User actions should be reversible. A good interface facilitates exploration and trial and error learning.

Provide feedback

Keep the user informed and provide immediate feedback. Also, ensure that feedback is appropriate to the task.

Aesthetic

Every visual element that appears on the screen potentially competes for the user's attention. Provide an environment that is pleasant to work in and contributes to the user's understanding of the information presented.

http://uw714doc.sco.com/en/SDK_vtcl/vtclgN.style_goodui.html