UI Design Help?

I've just now discovered Empty Epsilon, as I'm a huge fan of Artemis, this game has really piqued my interest.

First, I love that the game is open source, and I'd love to get involved in some way. Has a UI revamp been considered? I'm a professional designer and I'd love to try my hand at some UI design for a bridge simulator.

Would the current contributors to the game be interested in this?
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Comments

  • For now, the images representing the different boxes, buttons and sliders can be modified (in the "resources" folder). You can see for reference the modifications done by @TrevorHillHand, inspired by BSG : bridgesim.net/discussion/171/ts-mods
  • I can tell you, the main developer (me) would be interested in this.

    I'm an embedded engineer by nature. I know nothing of design (both graphical and interaction wise)

    The current ways it can be modified "as it is" are limited, as it's using only 2 images. But if you make mockups, I can go from there quite quickly most likely.

    Note that the UI is build out of widgets, and some layout magic is happening. Best to see when you put the game into window mode and resize it. Some widgets are "attached" to the left, right or center of the screen.
  • I'd like to see some mockups! So bring it on! I would like to see more improvements to the UX, than adding graphical overhead. F.e. engineering view could be arranged a bit better etc. My advice is to play the game for a bit to understand the pain points and start iterating from there.

    I can also help if needed, at least give constructive critic in good manner. :)
  • I'll definitely work up some mockups (I've actually already started, but nothing to show yet).

    I downloaded the game last night and played around with the UI to get a good idea of how things function, I've got some ideas already for things like the overheating of certain elements.

    I like the existing minimalist nature, my main goal would be to make it more elegant while retaining the minimalist style. Also adding iconography for enhanced visual grepping :P

    (I also noticed that the game is currently lacking an icon, I can probably also help with that too)
    image
  • Some minor improvements:

    image
  • The game has an icon already but it's not too great to be honest with you. :)

    image

    Your icon looks really cool, especially the latter. Could you quickly make a version where EE letters are golden? I don't know if it would make any difference but just a thought.
  • Ah, when I ran the game in Windows it didn't have an icon.

    Something like this?

    image

    Initially I didn't think it would look good, but it's actually pretty decent looking.
  • edited March 2016
    It's also important to note what it'll look like when it's much smaller on a desktop:

    image
  • Almost like I imagined. It looks like copper now, tho. Heh. I really like the shapes. :)

    Anyway, looks like this on the mac. The outer border is probably a bit too small as are the letters. It looks like it's too packed so a little bit of breathing room all around could probably help. What do you think? Drop shadow could be a bit lower like on the Google Chrome icon.

    Good work indeed.

    image
  • I've got both a PC and a Mac at work, so I'll make sure and test there as well, I think you're right about the drop-shadow, it should probably be offset just a smidge. I could shift the "gold" to be less orange and more yellow, though my personal preference is more of an orange gold. It's worth trying at any rate.

    When you say "breathing room" are you specifically talking about the empty space between the circle ring and the EE wings?
  • Actually, I think I see it now, I think what needs to be done is that the space between the circle and the EE wings should probably be the same distance as between the horizontal lines in the E's and the spacing between the E's and the inverted arrow in the center, if that makes sense. Proportionally, the circle is closer to the E's than every other element.
  • I'm not graphic designer myself so take these as a grain of salt. ;)

    You mentioned most of the things I was about to write. Anyway, stretch the blue line a bit and give those red lines more breathing room so negative space around EE's wings aren't too close together. Also having equal spacing all around could make a difference.

    image
  • The android version required an icon. That's why I threw something together quickly in Inkscape. Just ignore that... thing.

    I like what I'm seeing here :D
  • Ok, here's an update based on feedback, slightly yellower gold and even (and increased) negative space around all elements, I've also offset the drop shadow a smidge.
    image
    Here's an example of the icon in an OS X dock:

    image

    And on the Windows desktop:

    image
  • While we're at it, here's a couple mock-ups for logo concepts:
    image
  • nice

    liek number 3 @Interesting John last post
  • Simply amazing ! :smiley:
    The third one's font has really a "Aliens" vibe to me, very cool :)
  • Logo: Third one is the best out of those three. I added bit more space around logo just to see what it would do. Great job and nice font choice! :)

    My proposal is the bottom one.

    image
  • While I also like the bottom one the most, I think the right "EPSILON" font is a slight bit too thin. Maybe it should have the same thickness as the lines of the circle in the logo.
  • +1 for the bottom one.
    daid said:

    image

    Nice 3d Print.
    I was thinking about silk screening the design to a T-shirt. :)
  • I'm willing to try and cast this in pewter. Would be nice as a medal of sorts.
  • That 3D print is incredible, I love it!

    Ok, based on feedback here's a second round, the text has been spaced out from the icon a bit and the "epsilon" was made a bit heavier. There's also an alternate concept that's identical but with more stylized text, thoughts?

    image
  • dont like the 2nd one.
    it looks broken to my eyes

    my 2 cents
  • I agree on that, the 2nd one seems to overdo it.
  • Any other feedback @daid ?

    (I've almost got a UI mockup done for Helm)
  • Other then that I love it? And I'm wondering what you used as background picture. As that looks like a prettier star-field then what the current game is using as star background.
  • I believe it's this.
  • edited March 2016
    The version above alternate (styled) version is perfect! Also, waiting for svgs to be posted :)
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