Last UI Thoughts

So as a game designer, think about your initial impression to your audience. How do you want them to view your design? What comments should your design inspire in your audience?

When I designed a product entitled Flicks! Film Review Library, which was a film database containing information about 30,000 films (the director, the actors, synopsis of plot), I had to decide to either design a database program that would be functional but boring or a highly colorful, fun, and easy-to-use product. I chose the latter, letting the user access all the controls from the main screen.

The reviews really praised the product, calling Flicks! “an indispensable tool for every VCR sold,” “easy to use,” “attractive,” “mouse or key based,” and “the only program you’ll ever need.” These are the comments that a good UI program should expect, along with a solid design behind it.

I designed Flicks! from a fanatical user POV and as though it would be used by a novice computer person like your grandmother or young child. The searching power of multiple fields “and” and “or-ed,” combined with simple a click on an actor’s name to see all of his films, made the product enjoyable and sought after by film, video, and computer enthusiasts.