One of my early goals was to have an alternate “expert” switch that you could flip, adding a significant quantity of detailed information to the screens and mouseovers. Ultimately, we didn’t end up with as many information overlays, screens or modes as I would have liked. My one disappointment with the UI was the general lack of “power features” tailored for hardcore fans.
I have very much carried this philosophy forward into ATG. Rarely-used actions like disbanding a unit were tucked away into sub-screens. the end turn button is bigger than the button which shows toggleable map options. The size of each interface element reflects its relative importance, e.g. We did a great job of focusing the player’s attention on what really matters. Picking up a new strategy game is always tough, and a key factor in shaping that learning curve is how much help the interface provides (or doesn’t). Out of all aspects of Civ 5 that I was involved with, I’m particularly proud of what our team accomplished with the UI. If my past work has given you reason to doubt my talents, I hope that this article might then help replace that with a new confidence.īelow, I’ll be sharing the design lessons I learned during and after Civ 5’s development, along with explaining how I’m actually applying said lessons in ATG.Īlright then, it’s about time we got this show on the road!
It wasn’t always easy, but I’ve answered many of the questions that at one time perplexed me. I have no problem admitting that my design wasn’t perfect – we improve through constructive criticism and self-reflection, and that is another reason why I’m writing this.
However, before really getting into the details (this is a long essay folks!) I’d like to step back and wax philosophical for a moment.Ĭiv 5 was a great success both critically and financially, and I’m especially proud of what the team accomplished. But there’s no ignoring the fact that Civ 5’s gameplay didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations. My goal is to lay out the similarities and differences with complete clarity so that both existing and potential contributors know what they’re signing up for. The short answer, though, is that there’s no guarantee if you loved Civ 5 that you’ll also love ATG, nor that if you hated one that you’ll also hate the other. Upon first telling people about At the Gates I’m often asked, “How does it compare to Civ 5, the last game you designed ?” Well, in this article I’ll be providing an in-depth response to that very question!
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