Indrashish Dutta Roy - ARK - Studio Wildcard

Timeline

November 2022 - 1 week sprint

Tools Expertise

Figma, Adobe Suite

Ark: Survival Evolved is a 2017 action-adventure game by Studio Wildcard where players survive on maps filled with dinosaurs, fantasy creatures, prehistoric animals, natural hazards, and hostile players.

My Goal

I interviewed with Studio Wildcard and was assigned a UX design test to improve Ark's HUD and Character Inventory System.

Analyze the current HUD design

I analyzed Studio Wildcard's prototype HUD and Inventory screens using Usability Heuristics, identifying key user pain points.

After identifying the pain points, I created a user flow and information hierarchy map to address and resolve the issues.

Wireframes and Prototyping a solution.

I developed a fully functional prototype showcasing the proposed solution, highlighting improvements and key features to enhance the HUD and Inventory System.

Analyzing the Current Design

HUD

CHARACTER - INVENTORY

SKILL TREE

TOOLTIPS

Formulating Pain Points

After analyzing the HUD and Inventory screens, I identified the following pain points:

HUD Visibility Concerns

The HUD fades into the background, making it difficult to monitor key stats, especially during combat. This is problematic given the game’s combat focus and numerous status effects.

Cluttered Inventory Mixed with Character Level Up

The inventory screen is cluttered, detracting from item management and crafting. The character stats panel takes up too much space, increasing cognitive load. Inventory, crafting, and character upgrades should be streamlined into a single flow to reduce UI clutter, especially for console players with limited buttons.

Skill trees are visually confusing

The visual design of the skill tree is scattered, making it hard to follow progression. Skill tooltips should be larger, especially for console players where TV readability is essential.

Proposed Changes and Solutions

Began creating user flow charts to effectively address the issues mentioned above, mapping out potential solutions to improve the screens above.

Visibility of Player Status - HUD

Players should always have clear visibility of their character’s key stats. The current HUD vitals are hard to track due to their color and placement far to the right. I propose adjusting their design for easier monitoring. Additionally, on consoles with large TVs, the small HUD icons are less noticeable and should be made more prominent.

Segment Layouts and Simplify Screens

For layouts to work effectively on both PC and console, elements should be grouped by purpose. Unrelated features should be segmented or moved to reduce complexity. This segmentation helps players navigate game systems more easily and make quicker decisions by lowering cognitive load.

Wireframing

After mapping out the information hierarchy, I transitioned to wireframes, designing new greyscale layouts that directly addressed the previously identified issues, providing a cleaner, more intuitive user experience.