Live online course

UI/UX for Gaming

Ariel Mallo

Led by Ariel Mallo, Principal UI Artist at Frontier Developments,

who collaborates with top game studios such as Sumo Games, Warner Games, and EA

  • Devise flow charts, UI moodboards, wireframes, prototypes, and UI mockups that hook players and create quality visual experiences
  • Learn and apply accessibility guidelines & self-evaluation tools to make every player feel included
  • Tweak and perfect UI/UX strategies with usability tests
  • Implement UI assets to correct bugs and uphold design quality by game developers
  • Improve your employment future with personalised interview guidance
  • Build a portfolio project for a game that flaunts your UI/UX skills
Dates:
30 January â€“ 21 March
Duration:
(7 weeks)
Who This Course is For
Audience icon
 
Designers
Is designing games your dream job? Increase your chances of entering the industry by preparing a UX/UI portfolio showcasing an engaging and intuitive game interface. Learn how to create wireframes, mockups, and vital UI elements.
 
Game professionals
Dive into player behaviors and thinking processes to improve the interaction between players and the game. Learn to conduct usability tests, ensure designs are accessible and approachable, gain valuable insights, and create attractive interfaces that put the player first.
 
Career switchers
Don’t have enough illustration or coding experience? Not to worry! Ariel will open the door for you by teaching the practical skills gaming companies actually look for when hiring UX/UI designers. And if that’s not enough, instantly get ahead of other applicants with the help of crucial career advice from a true industry expert.

Inside Our Curriculum

What you’ll learn
  • Portfolio
    Prove to your future employers that you are a UI/UX pro.

    Pack your portfolio with a flowchart, paper prototype, UI mockup, moodboard, and wireframe to illustrate your mock game brief. Back up your ideas with usability tests and user stories.

    Identity
  • Tools
    Want to jump to an expert level in Figma and Unity?

    Ariel will help you break down any roadblocks and provide live demos on two of the top game industry softwares. You’ll learn through observation, guidance and practice.

    Communication and campaigns
  • Career
    Get a headstart on your competition.

    You’re not the only one who wants to work for that game studio. Build your career around standing out as you finalise your portfolio, upgrade your LinkedIn, and learn how to ace your next interview.

    Perfomance
 

Instructor

Ariel Mallo is Principal UI Artist at Frontier Developments

Ariel has over 20 years of experience in the gaming industry. Now he wants to help you succeed and stand out.

lector
  • ASOS’

    Worked on UI experience at Sumo Games, Warner Games and EA

  • Oakley 

    Has worked on AAA games such as the NHL and UFC franchises

About the course

Syllabus
đź“”  14 lessons
⏳  21 learning hours
  1. TUESDAY 30th January6 PM GMT
    UX & UI: The Common Area

    Discover the role that UX & UI designers play in game development and learn how they work together.

    • How to work for players instead of users
    • Roles of UX and UI designers in game production
    • UI/UX areas working together
    • Industry insights on UX & UI roles
  2. THURSDAY 1st February 6 PM GMT
    Game Conceptualisation: Flowcharts

    This class teaches you how to create flowcharts and how to use it to empower your UI/UX solutions in a collaborative context.

    • Basic player Personas
    • Flowchart creation & software overview
    • Using flowcharts to resolve UI/UX problems
    • Demo: Developing a mock flowchart in Figma

    Assignment #1: Start working on your course project by selecting one of the three game briefs. Use the data provided and the screen’s template to create a flowchart.

  3. TUESDAY 6th February 6 PM GMT
    Game Conceptualisation: The Moodboard

    Learn how to create different types of moodboard to find the style for your UI.

    • The importance of creating a moodboard
    • Moodboard types and layouts
    • Concepting a moodboard through words
    • Creating UI screen mockups with help of a moodboard

    Assignment #2: Create a moodboard in Figma. Find your conceptual ideas to set the UI style for your game project.

  4. THURSDAY 8th February 6 PM GMT
    UI Fundamentals: Part 1

    Learn the fundamentals of UI elements and UI Types to work as a UI artist in video games.

    • Case study: Game genres and their interfaces
    • Core elements of UI design
    • Types of interfaces in video games
  5. TUESDAY 14th February 6 PM GMT
    Accessibility

    GOAL: Learn how to make games more accessible, and enable more people to enjoy the benefits that come with playing them.

    • Accessibility guidelines
    • Colour blindness disabilities
    • Audio disabilities
    • Alternative controls
  1. THURSDAY 15th February 6 PM GMT
    Building Wireframes

    Learn how to create wireframes in order to achieve your UI/UX goals in the earliest stage of the game pipeline.

    • Low-fidelity vs. high-fidelity wireframes
    • Wireframing for Gaming: basic theory
    • Demo: Developing a wireframe in Figma

    Assignment #3: Based on the brief you selected, you will be assigned to create a wireframe for a player profile screen of your game project.

  2.  

    WEEK BREAK

  3. TUESDAY 27th February 6 PM GMT
    UI Fundamentals: Part 2

    Learn the fundamental UI considerations to develop UI/UX solutions for different types of devices.

    • Video game devices: PC, Console and mobile
    • Multi-platform game UI design
    • Exploring UI Gaming evolution to create better interfaces
  4. THURSDAY 29th February6 PM GMT
    UX: Cognitive Science Behind Games: Fireside Chat with a Guest Speaker

    GOAL: Discover advanced UX methodology and cognitive principles to get a deeper understanding of player behaviors and evaluate the designs.

    • Different UX roles: researcher, writer, designer & analyst.
    • Motivation, Emotion, Attention.
    • Player Persona: Behavioral and Experiential methods.
    • UX Heuristic reviews & expert analysis.
  5. TUESDAY 5th March6 PM GMT
    Prototyping and Usability Testing

    Move forward in the next step of the video game pipeline and create an interactive prototype to test your created UI and learn how to handle the feedback received from your usability test.

    • Demo: Developing a prototype in Figma.
    • Usability test criteria & priorities
    • Developing a test plan
    • Handling the feedback from the usability test

    Assignment #4 : Create an interactive prototype for your project game using Figma to add simple animations to your wireframe. (+ template)

  6. THURSDAY 7th March6 PM GMT
    User Onboarding

    Learn how to create an engaging onboarding experience for all types of players.

    • First-time user experience (FTUE) framework
    • Walkthrough vs. Hands-on approach
    • The Learning Loop in action
    • How to shape tutorials
  7. TUESDAY 12th March6 PM GMT
    UI Mockups

    Learn how to craft the identity of the UI, without losing all the work that you achieve in the previous steps.

    • Mockup creation & software overview
    • UI mockups & design consistency
    • Working with a Style Guide
    • Demo: Developing a mockup with a UI kit (Figma)

    Assignment #5 : Create a UI mockup. Transform your wireframe in a video game screen using the UI kit provided by Ariel or create your own UI assets (using Photoshop or other tools).

  8. THURSDAY 14th March6 PM GMT
    UI Implementation

    Learn why taking ownership of UI implementation will make you a better UI Artist.

    • Best practice to asset creation in video games
    • Asset implementation & software overview (Unity, Unreal, company frameworks)
    • Basic bug resolution
    • Demo: Basic UI implementation in Unity

    Assignment #6 (optional): Practice implementing the provided UI assets in Unity, using the provided screen template.

  9. TUESDAY 19th March6 PM GMT
    The Role of a Game UI/UX Designer

    GOAL: Boost the soft skills you will need as a UI/UX Designer & learn to collaborate at various stages of the game development pipeline.

    • Transitioning UI/UX roles in the game production pipeline
    • Working with cross-functional teams
    • Complementary skills to grow in UI/UX
    • Gaming companies: find your fit
  10. THURSDAY 21st March6 PM GMT
    Kick-start your UI/UX Career

    GOAL: Learn how to prepare your portfolio, get ready for an interview and plan your own career growth as a UI/UX designer in game development.

    • The importance of resumes & portfolios
    • Interview process & common industry questions
    • Linkedin profile boosters
    • Roadmap to develop your career
    • What is a Gaming Jam?

    Assignment #8: Bring your game project pieces together into the UI/UX design case study. Integrate it into your current portfolio or build one from scratch using the Figma template provided by Ariel.

   

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