User interface design process of Barotrauma: Investigating the balance between usability and visual aesthetics

This thesis focuses on creating a practical framework on how to balance usability and visual aesthetics in designing the user interface for video games. The productive outcome of this thesis is a graphical user interface for a game called Barotrauma using the framework. This thesis and its productive outcome were commissioned by Fakefish Oy. After providing a context by discussing Barotrauma’s premise, gameplay, target audience, and art direction, the thesis explored the concept of usability, visual aesthetics, and their applications in video games’ user interface design using the methods of literature review and case study. The harmonious connection between usability and visual aesthetics in user interface design was the focus of discussion in this thesis. The practical sections of the thesis concerned the actual production of the user interface of Barotrauma. The production process started with mapping the user’s needs in which two personas and two scenarios based on such personas were created. After creating use case diagrams to put into a structure the user’s needs, the process continued with creating information architecture, wireframing, and prototyping. The prototype created during this stage was then put into testing before developing the user interface’s visual presentation. The visual development process for Barotrauma’s user interface started with brainstorming to achieve a general idea of how it should look and feel. Eventually, concept arts were created and the process of creating icons and finalising the graphic elements was also discussed. The thesis successfully achieved its objectives of a practical framework and creating an actual product based on the framework. As the development continues, the framework is expected to be further applied to adjust and expand the user interface