Independent game development isn’t always the most glamorous lifestyle. It takes determination, perseverance, grit and loads of beer and coffee. But one key trait, that can be difficult to accept at times, is the ability to fearlessly scrap and redesign things you love as a project continues to grow.
Simplicity is key in mobile games; people want to get to the point and play. Despite pouring over 15 hours of work into the UI design for DinoMash, I had to stop and ask myself: is this working? After giving some users the opportunity to play DinoMash, disappointment set in as I recognized the shop interface may be too confusing and hard to understand. I noticed players clicking various icons, with a confused look as to what was going on. Things sliding in and out everywhere… Flashing Icons…The UI may look appealing, the animations may be cool, but ultimately it comes down to whether or not these features add value to the user experience.
So what is the bottom line? Don’t hold on to things that don’t work, even if you have put HOURS into them and they look awesome! Pour yourself another cup of coffee, get ready to work and don’t look back!
