Horror Gameplay UI System

Designing immersive, state driven UI for a first person horror experience

ROLE

UI/UX Designer

Focus

Gameplay UI, Systems Design, Player State communication

TOOLS

Figma, Unreal Engine 5 (Reference for implementation)

Overview

This project explores how UI can support player emotion and decision making in a first person horror game.

The goal was to design a system that adapts to gameplay states instead of remaining static, allowing the interface to reinforce tension, urgency, and recovery without breaking immersion.

Design Goals

  • Maintain immersion through low contrast, minimal UI

  • Communicate player state without overwhelming the screen

  • Reinforce tension through UI degradation during critical moments

  • Build a contextual system that adapts based on player actions

  • Ensure clarity under stress while preserving atmosphere

Core System: UI Across Player States

Instead of designing isolated screens, I focused on how UI behaves across different gameplay conditions.

Exploration State

  • UI remains stable and minimal

  • Flashlight is active, displaying battery in the off hand UI

  • Objectives are visible but not distracting

  • Health bar is intact and readable

Intent:
Provide clarity without pulling attention away from the environment. The player should feel in control.

Critical State (Chase)

  • Objective shifts to “SURVIVE” and is prioritized

  • Health bar breaks into segments and begins leaking

  • UI becomes less stable and more chaotic

  • Off hand UI disappears when no item is equipped

  • Red vignette and camera instability reinforce urgency

Intent:
Reduce clarity slightly to increase tension while still providing enough information for survival.

Recovery State (Healing)

  • Player performs a healing action using a crafted item

  • Off hand UI updates to display healing item and remaining uses

  • A radial timer communicates healing progress

  • Health bar begins to reform gradually

  • Visual intensity decreases but does not fully return to baseline

Intent:
Create a vulnerable moment where the player is recovering, reinforcing risk while restoring control.

Key Systems

Health Bar Behavior

The health system was designed to visually reflect player condition:

  • Normal: Stable and intact

  • Critical: Segments break and leak

  • Recovery: Gradually reforms during healing

This creates a clear relationship between gameplay and UI:

Damage → Failure → Repair

Objective Prioritization

Objectives dynamically shift based on context:

  • Standard tasks are visible during exploration

  • During critical moments, the UI prioritizes survival

This ensures players receive the most relevant information without clutter.

Contextual Off Hand UI

The bottom right UI updates based on the player’s equipped item:

  • Flashlight → Battery indicator

  • Healing item → Remaining uses

  • Empty hand → UI hidden

This system keeps the interface clean while still providing necessary feedback.

Layered Feedback System

Each action is supported by multiple signals:

  • Visual (hands interacting with objects)

  • UI (progress indicators, health changes)

  • Environmental effects (vignette, camera movement)

This ensures information is communicated clearly, even under stress.

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of designing UI as a system rather than a collection of screens.

By focusing on how the interface responds to gameplay, I was able to create a more immersive and emotionally driven experience.

If expanded further, I would explore:

  • UI animation and motion behavior across states

  • Playtesting readability under real gameplay conditions

  • Expanding the off hand system to support additional tools and mechanics

Final Thoughts

This system demonstrates how UI can actively support gameplay by adapting to player state, rather than remaining static.

The result is an interface that enhances immersion while still providing the clarity needed to make decisions under pressure.