Using the narrative when designing the user interface for video games

Modern user interface design in games inherits an additional layer for consideration — the game’s narrative. The designer chooses whether the UI is visible to the player’s character (avatar) and linked to the story, based on how story-driven the game is. The player assumes an invisible role in the narrative, much like a narrator in a novel or film.

Diegetic elements

UI elements connected to the story and visible to the avatar are called diegetic. They exist within the game’s geometry. Diegetic patterns are often used where the narrative is set in the future, where UI overlays in daily life are commonly accepted, such as this example Mass Effect.

Both the player and the avatar interact with them through visual, audible or haptic means. Grand Theft Auto used audible and haptic diegetic queues to prompt the user to access UI elements contained within the mobile phone that the player’s character is carrying.

Well executed diegetic UI elements enhance the narrative experience for the player, providing a more immersive integrated experience. However, they also run the risk of…