VR MMO Combat Game User Interfaces and Interactions Design
Goal: Design the user interface and user experience for a large-scale VR Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Game, combining immersive world-building with social mechanics, quest systems, inventory management, and real-time interaction.
Design Focus:
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Intuitive navigation in 3D space
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Seamless multiplayer interactions
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VR-optimized inventory, quest, and communication systems
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Accessibility and performance across extended play sessions
Discovery & Requirements Gathering
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Player Persona Research: Hardcore MMO players transitioning to VR
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Casual players exploring VR for social gameplay
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VR-native users with high sensitivity to motion and UI comfort
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Competitive Analysis: Analyzed UI systems in games like Zenith, OrbusVR, Final Fantasy XIV (for system inspiration), and VRChat (for social UX)
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Gameplay Goals: Enhance immersion without sacrificing functionality
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Enable fast access to critical systems (inventory, map, chat, skills)
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Support complex game systems without overwhelming the player
UX Flow Design
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Player Journey Mapping:
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Onboarding → World Exploration → Social Connection → Questing → Combat → Leveling → Crafting & Trading
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Core UX Flows:
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Combat Interaction Flow: Quick gesture-based skill casting, dodge mechanics, lock-on targets
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Inventory Management: 3D spatial inventory using floating windows or “backpack” mechanic
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Party System: Invite, manage roles, access group quests—all through a wrist menu
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UI Prototyping & Interaction Design
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Wireframes & Spatial Layouts:
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Sketched menu placement in 3D space (e.g., wrist UI, floating windows, diegetic scrolls)
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Designed circular/arc menus for rapid access in combat scenarios
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Gestural Controls:
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Developed motion-based controls for equipping weapons, casting spells, and interacting with menus
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World UI Integration:
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Used diegetic elements (e.g., magic books, floating compasses, glowing markers) to reduce reliance on 2D HUD
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Visual UI Design
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Design System:
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Fantasy/sci-fi hybrid UI theme depending on lore
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Iconography for fast recognition (classes, potions, gear types)
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Semi-transparent, depth-aware UI panels with subtle animation
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Feedback Mechanisms:
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Haptic and audio cues for confirming actions (item equipped, quest accepted, friend added)
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Ambient lighting cues to guide user attention during exploration or combat
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Social & Communication UX
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Voice & Emote System:
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Mapped to quick-access radial menu
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Voice indicators with distance attenuation and mute blocklists
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Friends & Guild Management:
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Simple interaction gestures to send friend invites
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Customizable guild insignias and quest boards in player hubs
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User Flow Demo: Including Unity, animation, video editing and C# scripts
Developer Handoff & Documentation
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Figma to Dev: Annotated all screens with interaction notes, spacing, and component links
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Design Exported: Unity Packages, svgs, ready to use reusable UI components
Testing & Iteration
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User Testing: Conducted playtests with alpha players to evaluate ease of navigation, comfort, and social interaction flow
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Performance & Comfort Tweaks: Adjusted UI element distances to reduce VR sickness
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Optimized inventory and map interactions for motion-controller fatigue
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Iteration Highlights: Replaced traditional grid-based inventory with 3D object shelf
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Swapped full-screen menus for modular, gaze-toggleable panels
Deliverables: 3D UI Components examples
UI Interaction Designs
UX Interaction Design Examples
Figma exported PNGs as Unity svg files Examples
Results
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Delivered an immersive and player-friendly UI system supporting rich multiplayer experiences
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Seamless access to complex game mechanics like inventory, party management, and crafting without breaking immersion
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Built a flexible design system scalable to future content expansions, new classes, and cross-platform VR