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Create a main menu that aligns with the game’s aesthetic, but addresses what kind of game it will be.
Goal: Create a main menu that bridges emotional tone with combat readability, welcoming players into a boss-rush experience with clarity and meaning.
Design Process
1) The first iteration consisted of four buttons: Continue, New Game, Load Game, and Options. Some of these were redundant and unnecessary. Having both a Continue button and a Load Game button didn’t seem right.
2) For the second iteration, I tried a centered layout and removed the character and environment from the scene. This quickly isolated the meaning of the game. When looking at this iteration, we do not get a glimpse of the kind of game we will be playing. Based on feedback, it was also difficult to read due to the font.
3) In this version, the name of the game was changed to Beneath Us Light. While I acknowledge it made no sense, I decided to bring the sword and character back into the main menu. This was done to show the importance of the blade acting as the light in the game.
4) This is when I finalized the game’s name to Our Light Beneath. I changed the layout of the buttons and logo to be positioned towards the right for better readability. I also wanted players to naturally move their eyes from the text to the character. I made the character carry the blade so that the focus becomes more distinct.
5) This is the final iteration, and immediately there were color changes to the text and background. Text and buttons were changed to white to make them more visible. By doing so, users can read the text clearly. Hovering the cursor over the text triggers a background bar behind it and changes the text color to black for contrast. Visual elements in the logo were adjusted to align with the story of the game and emphasize the importance of the blade.
2) For the second iteration, I tried a centered layout and removed the character and environment from the scene. This quickly isolated the meaning of the game. When looking at this iteration, we do not get a glimpse of the kind of game we will be playing. Based on feedback, it was also difficult to read due to the font.
3) In this version, the name of the game was changed to Beneath Us Light. While I acknowledge it made no sense, I decided to bring the sword and character back into the main menu. This was done to show the importance of the blade acting as the light in the game.
4) This is when I finalized the game’s name to Our Light Beneath. I changed the layout of the buttons and logo to be positioned towards the right for better readability. I also wanted players to naturally move their eyes from the text to the character. I made the character carry the blade so that the focus becomes more distinct.
5) This is the final iteration, and immediately there were color changes to the text and background. Text and buttons were changed to white to make them more visible. By doing so, users can read the text clearly. Hovering the cursor over the text triggers a background bar behind it and changes the text color to black for contrast. Visual elements in the logo were adjusted to align with the story of the game and emphasize the importance of the blade.