The alpha tests of Gatewalkers have just finished, and once again, we would like to THANK YOU for your great feedback!
During the tests, we have read many opinions about what is working and what is not. The one thing that was pointed quite often was the quite "raw" UI. The idea behind such a basic UI was to create it fast and then check if the proposed layout is working for you. After that, we planned to make a new one based on your opinions.
We are now ready to show you how we have approached creating a new UI/UX and what you can expect from it in the upcoming Beta (which starts February 3, 2021).
The first and essential part of UI/UX is the HUD, which is almost always a visible part of the game. That is why we put special effort to refine it in terms of usability and readability. The previous one was a little bit too overwhelming at first glance.
As you can see, we have redesigned the entire look and feel. Next, we will discuss some (not all) elements of the new UI.
MAIN BAR
The main change involved moving all vital UI elements like HP/shield bar, stamina bar, and effects status bar close to the skill slots and quick slots. Thanks to that, it will be easier to manage all these different gameplay aspects at once, even when you are in combat. Let us take a closer look at each part of the main bar:
- (1) HP/Shield bar - Shows the level of your health points and shield points. Moreover, if you have a barrier, it also indicates how strong it is (more about barrier in the future).
- (2) Stamina bar - Indicates how many skills you can cast without resting
- (3) Skill slots bar - Here, you have all the available abilities that can be used during combat, based on your gear.
- (4) Quick slots bar - Quick items bar to which you can assign hotkeys. Quick slots makes it easier to use items during combat and exploration.
- (5) Active effects panel - Here, you can see all the effects that affect your character, both: positive and negative.
- (6) Passive skills and chargeable skill panel - A place where you can see what passive spells are now active and what chargeable ability is available to you. We will write more information about the mechanics behind passive skills and chargeable abilities in a future post.
- (7) The elemental power on a weapon - The icon shows what elemental power is enchanted on a weapon with information about the accompanying cooperative combo spell.
- (8) Solo combo spell - Description of the solo combo ability that is cast after executing an appropriate sequence of skills.
- (9) Crafting button - Opens the crafting window, where you can make the most important things that do not require a crafting station
- (10) Progress tree button - Opens the progress tree window, which allows you to progress your character in various ways: unlocking new recipes, unlocking new passive skills, unlocking new weapons with enchantments (coop combo) and weapons with the solo combo skill (solo combo). More on a new mechanic called solo combo in future posts.
- (11) Open inventory button
INVENTORY AND STORAGE
An updated view of inventory and icons of items reflects the fantasy and sci-fi feel of Gatewalkers' world.
CRAFTING STATION
We have changed the crafting station panel to include all crucial aspects of items to create here. Also, we have made filter buttons more visible.
CHARACTER STATISTICS PANEL
We have redesigned basic and advanced statistic panels to show essential data concerning your character's build more clearly.
RADAR
The radar serves as a quick overview of the location of active quests and objectives. Button (1) allows you to get back to the Guild. The next two buttons open settings (2) and the map (3) of the expedition's current area.
SURVIVAL PANEL
Here (on the left side of the screen), you can see icons representing hazards that players face during an expedition. In this example, in the forest world, you need to fight with hunger, dehydration, and insanity, All these elements are shown in the survival panel alongside information about the time of day.
PARTY PANEL
A new look of the party panel to track the HP/shield and stamina level of your party members.
DIALOG WINDOW
A new look of the dialog window.
SETTINGS WINDOW
We have expanded settings, so a new window includes new parameters to set.
To sum up, we have shown you changes in UI/UX, and we are eager to hear your feedback. Please remember that it is still a work in progress.
Thank you for reading and be on the lookout for more information about Gatewalkers soon!
Best,
Gatewalkers Dev Team