Hello again, Contractors of the Gourmet Capital!
This is our second development log. Last time, we shared the inspiration behind Feastopia and how the project got started. Today, we're diving into the part of the development process that went through the most revisions and took the longest time to finalize—the UI design.
So, without further ado, let's hand over to Reinhardt to tell this roller-coaster of a story.
Hey everyone, I'm Reinhardt from White Star Studio.
After Feastopia entered full production, things like gameplay design and building concept art progressed quite smoothly. With the experience from our previous simulation game under our belts, we all expected the overall production cycle to be shorter. Initially, we even anticipated a release by the end of last year... but the reality is, we're still not quite done until now.
Aside from continuously adding new ideas and content to make the game more fun as development progressed, another major challenge was the game's UI, which underwent constant iteration and complete overhauls. We truly spent a significant amount of time on this.
So, why did this happen? Looking back now, I'd say the main issue was our insufficient grasp of the visual communication impact. Let me show you our first version of the UI. We used a wood grain and paper texture style to convey a rustic, European town feel. Back then, our focus was on the character Dango and the building designs, thinking the UI's primary role was just interaction and clean presentation.
(First Version UI Mockup)
However, when we implemented this UI into the game for testing, we found it looked a bit too plain. The reliance on mostly brown and white made it feel lifeless and somewhat disconnected from the game's various fantastical and whimsical buildings. So, we discussed with the art team about trying a different style. This time, we incorporated more metallic elements and used a bolder color palette, leading to a completely new second version.
(Second Version UI Mockup)
The second version was significantly different from the first. But even before implementation, other team members called for a stop. Everyone felt the extensive use of deep red made the overall game atmosphere feel oppressive and heavy. Furthermore, the metallic materials made the UI seem bulky. This was a lesson learned: we needed to redefine the UI's role in visual communication—it should help set the game's mood and expand upon the color schemes of the scenes and buildings. However, we still hadn't reached a solid consensus on how to achieve this effectively. So, we tried to optimize the first version again, incorporating some interactive improvements from the second design.
(Third Version UI Mockup)
What did we think of the third version? Well, we still found it stiff and lacking vitality. It just didn't feel lively enough and failed to integrate naturally with the vibrant game scenes and colorful buildings. By the time this third version was ready, it was nearly the end of 2024. We started to worry: if we couldn't find the right UI style, would we have to present a version we weren't even satisfied with to our players?
After much discussion, we decided to burn our boats and make a decisive move. We needed the courage to discard our previous work and boldly explore more vibrant colors, striving to make the visual effects livelier and more dynamic. Finally, our art team delivered under pressure! With limited time left, they created a version that immediately felt much more vivid to all of us—the draft was approved unanimously as soon as it was revealed!
(Fourth Version UI Mockup - The UI you see now!~)
This prolonged UI "tug-of-war" taught us an invaluable lesson: in a comprehensive art form like game development, no single element exists in isolation. The UI is not just a functional vessel; it's an extension of the game's world and a crucial guide for player immersion. We initially treated it as a "minimalist supporting actor," but that almost let it become the "weakest link" in the overall game atmosphere.
Looking back, those repeated revisions weren't wasted effort. It forced us out of our comfort zone and ultimately led us to a visual language that truly resonates in harmony with the game's content and style. We hope that when you all step into the Gourmet Capital in the future, you can feel this fantasy and harmony, delivered right from your fingertips to your eyes.
If you have any feedback – share bugs, ideas, or culinary fantasies, welcome to join our community in the Feastopia Discord!