Mass Effect 2 Mind Map

screen capture UI

1) Does the gameplay require a pointing or steering device? Should those be analog, or will a D-pad suffice? What do they actually do in the context of the game? The game will require the ship to be steered to the left and right and shots to be fired in 360 degrees. Analog will be needed for accurate shots to be fired.

2) Does the Function of one or more buttons on the controller change within a single gameplay mode? If so, what visual cues let the player know this is taking place? The majority of the game will be controlled with the two analog sticks, one for firing and one for steering the ship. There will also be four buttons for distributing power-ups. The numbers on the right side of the screen will show how much of each power-up you have at your disposal. There will also be a button to activate special weapons. Special weapons become available after the ship collects them from different areas on the play field.

3) If the player has an avatar (whether a person, creature or vehicle), how do the movements and other behaviors of the avatar map to the machine's input devices? Define the steering mechanism. The steering is simply left and right movement. Press right and the ship moves right. Press left and the ship moves left.

4) How will the major elements of your screen be laid out? Will the game use a windowed view, opaque overlays, semitransparent overlays or a combination? The screen will be a windowed view. The game play takes place in the middle and all relevant information will be in windows to the left and right of the gameplay.

5) What camera model will the main view use? What interaction model does the gameplay mode use? Is it one of the common ones or something new? (review chapter 8 if you are unsure as to what gameplay mode is) How does the camera model support the interaction model? It is a top-down static view. It is a common gameplay mode.

6) Does the game's genre, if it has one, help to determine the user interface? What standards already exist that the player may be expecting the game to follow? Do you intend to break these expectations, and if so, how will you inform the player of that? Most players are should be familiar with top-down shooters so the genre will help determine the UI. My game will differ from traditional Top-down shooters because you attack enemies from above and collect power-ups from below. Also your avatar is in the middle of the screen and can only move horizontally. The game will have a tutorial explaining all this to the player.

7) Does the game include menus? What is the menu structure? Is it broad and shallow (quick to use, but hard to learn) or narrow and deep (easy to learn but slow to use)?

The game will have very basic menus to adjust music/sound and change the difficulty.

8) Does the game include text on the screen? If so, does is need provisions for localization?

There will be no text on the screen.

9) What icons does the game use? Are they visually distinct from one another and quickly identifiable? Are they culturally universal?

There are icons for health, weapons, and oxygen. They will be color coded and easily identifiable.

10) Does the player need to know numeric values (score, speed, health)? Can these be presented through nonnumeric means (power bars, needle gauges, small multiples), or should they be shown as digits? If shown as digits, how can they be presented in such a way that they don't harm suspension of disbelief? Will you label the value and if so, how?

All numeric values will be represented with power bars.

11) What symbolic values does the player need to know(safe/danger, locked/unlocked/open)? By what means will you convey both eh value and its label?

When the player is near death the screen will take a red tint. When the player or planet is nearly out of oxygen the screen will take a blue tint.

12) Will it be possible for the player to control the game's camera? Will it be necessary for the player to do so in order to play the game? What camera controls will be available? Will they be available at all times or from a separate menu or other mechanism?

The camera is fixed at all times.

13) What is the aesthetic style of the game? How do the interface elements blend in and support that style?

It is a bright and colorful game. The UI will be bold and simplistic with bright colors contrasting to a gray background so everything is easy to see and understand just by taking a quick glance.

14) How will audio be used to support the player's interaction with the game? What audio cues will accompany player actions? Will the game include audio advice or dialog?

Each power-up will have a different sound when collected so the player can associate sounds with what they are collecting. When the ship fires, takes damage, hits an enemy ship, etc. there will be an appropriate sound to go with it.

15) How does music support the user interface and the game generally? Does it create and emotional tone or set a pace? Can it adapt to changing circumstances?

The music will be upbeat and cheery for almost all of the game. Boss fights will have more intense dramatic music.

Game Screen Capture

My game will be similar to shooter games like 1942 and Space Invaders. Like 1942, enemies will fly down and attack you from the top of the screen. Destroying enemies will give you power-ups and health. Like Space Invaders, my game will have a static background. You will get score points for destroying enemies and collecting items.