For a long time I’ve considered button prompts in video games to be an element of lazy game design. “Shouldn’t a well-designed game give players a play space so rich with affordance and feedback that players would frictionlessly and joyously discover the game mechanics and their associated inputs?” Not only did I think this, but I thought game designers were pretty universal in the idea; if button prompts can be eliminated, then shouldn’t it be done?
But on episode 55 of the podcast “Play, Watch, Listen” Bithell dismissed the inherent goodness of an absent UI, saying it’s really just an aesthetic choice. I was surprised by this, because Mikey B is an awesome game designer and I had simply assumed every game designer would eliminate overt button prompts if they were capable enough.
So in this video I talk about how Mike Bithell helped me rethink user interface design, specifically in regards to on-screen button prompts. Thank you, Mike Bithell.
Mentioned:
Play, Watch, Listen, episode 55 https://playwatchlisten.libsyn.com/55-what-makes-bad-game-design
Music credit:
Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3454-bossa-antigua
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Pump by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4252-pump
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
#GameDesign #MikeBithell #PlayWatchListen
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In case you missed my last thoughts-heavy video about video games —-> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=060aFx56hZ8
Some people dislike ui because it "breaks immersion", which is a lie, because immersion doesn't mean what those people think. Immersion means becoming involved with the game. People who cried when Aeris was killed in 1997 was immersed, i.e. involved with the characters and their story. RPGs rely on ui most of the time, ui didn't break immersion, people still cried.
I suppose the developer could offer a choice in the options menu to include more or less ui like button prompts. I like button prompts because I often find myself pressing the wrong buttons- especially if your switching from PS4, Stadia, and Switch controllers.
I was playing Ys Viii on Stadia and the button mapping was so messed up I couldn't play the game until I changed it to a "conventional" mapping like the jump button is the face button on the bottom.
Best intro I’ve ever seen!
Good job 👍🏻
I love that when I watch your videos, you send me down a rabbit hole, listening/watching/reading the sources you provide.
You ever played Myst? I don't know where to find it these days, but try it without an online guide. We had a friggin paper journal to record our actions and try to figure it out.