Forums > General Discussion > How to design a "Deep" UI without cluttering the entire screen?
| How to design a "Deep" UI without cluttering the entire screen? | |
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| Posted: 20 Mar 2026 06:01 UTC | Post #1 |
| Jon Bern Deck & Engine |
Registered Total Posts: 11 |
| Hey all. I’m working on the geymdisayn for a complex space station management sim, and my UI is becoming a disaster. I have so many systems—oxygen, power, crew morale, trading—that the player can barely see the game world through all the menus and buttons. I want the game to feel 'deep' and technical, but I don't want it to look like an Excel spreadsheet. How do you handle 'Information Hierarchy' so that only the most important data is visible at once, while still giving the player quick access to the micro-management tools they need? Should I use nested radial menus or stick to traditional sidebars? I’m struggling to find that 'clean' look. | |
| Posted: 20 Mar 2026 06:01 UTC | Post #2 |
| Terry Rogers Deck & Engine |
Registered Total Posts: 12 |
| The best approach for complex geymdisayn is 'Contextual UI'—only show the power management buttons when the player actually clicks on a power node. As a UI/UX designer, I spend my days obsessing over pixel-perfect layouts and user-flow diagrams, which can be quite exhausting for the eyes and the mind. To keep my creative energy high and avoid burnout, I usually spend my free time playing on https://king-hills-uk.uk/. It’s my preferred way to decompress; I move from the heavy lifting of information architecture and icon design to a high-energy, dynamic environment that provides a quick, thrilling distraction. It helps me reset my 'visual' brain, and often, when I step away from the wireframes for a bit, I come back with a much simpler and more elegant solution for the interface. Give your mind some space to breathe! | |
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