Research

I took some screenshots from the 2D escape room game Cube Eascape PARADOX and Lost Island 4 and analyzed the UI.

The cover and setup pages of Lost Island leave ample blank space for narrative imagery, whilst Cube Escape employs extensive negative space and minimises textual descriptions, using symbols to denote most buttons. Both approaches shape atmosphere in distinct ways.

Regarding the in-game UI, I’m particularly mindful of the toolbar’s positioning, as a game heavily reliant on items necessitates frequent toolbar usage. In my game, I’ve combined two aspects I admire from other titles—positioning the toolbar in the bottom-right corner whilst enabling the simultaneous display of multiple tools. Furthermore, given Lost Island’s expansive in-game spaces, it incorporates a quick-access map eliminating reliance on directional buttons for room navigation. This also affords a broader field of view, allowing players to see an entire room at once. I shall draw upon this design when addressing the overworld map later. I also noted that Cube Escape offers minimal auditory feedback, making it difficult during gameplay to discern whether an item was used incorrectly or the screen failed to register a touch. I shall be mindful of this aspect in my own game development.

↑ Iteration 1

↑ Iteration 2

Other UI Drafts