Practical Game Design

Request or create a style guide and enforce it

The person responsible for the visual style of the interface has to develop and maintain a UI style guide. A document that sets the standards for the entire game, starting with the color scheme (including colors behind confirmation, rejection, and neutrality), as well as text and title fonts, the shapes and shading styles of buttons, tabs, text boxes and any other common UI building blocks. A style guide simplifies the day-to-day challenges, ensures the game sends a cohesive message and reduces player confusion. Once the style is set, stick to it. Avoid special cases and exceptions at all costs. If you change something, make sure the change is reflected across the board.