Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
used for horizontal lists. The principles of this control can be adapted for your
game's main screen, for example, there are several horizontal screens in a
platform game; the page control can be used to mark each of them, so the
player sees the size of the level and has the opportunity to switch between
screens quickly (on condition that the page control dots are interactive).
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Picker
: This is another original UI detail of iOS. It looks like a cylinder with
some text on its sides, which the user can pick from. The main advantage
of the picker is its fixed screen size, regardless of the number of elements it
stores; it is useful when the screen size is small. But you have to remember
that this UI element is not without some drawbacks. Let me say that the input
process is tricky, mostly because of inertia; it also does not indicate the exact
number of entries it includes. So it is better to use the picker for specific data,
with a predicted number of elements, for instance for entering digits.
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Popover
: This is a more traditional element. It is a list of objects of different
kinds, displayed above the current screen. The user has to choose one of
them. Its functionality is tested over the years, but it is important to note that
popover is a pretty large screen component, and it may have big screen di-
mensions. This is not a problem if it includes a small amount of data.
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Action sheet
: This is very close to popover, but it displays a set of buttons
with a specific action each. It is useful to control different game units, for ex-
ample, in a strategy game each soldier can have a few types of behavior; by
tapping the soldiers, the player activates the action sheet and chooses the
type he needs.
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Status bar
: This is one of the important parts of the information system of
any interface, games are not exceptions. Looking back at the logic of iOS,
it is reasonable to put the status bar at the top, above all the elements. It
should include a button that can start the in-game menu and also pause the
game (this is why some developers use the pause symbol on such buttons).
You are free to choose the position for the menu button, but sometimes it is
good to place it at the left-hand side of the status bar, like native iOS applica-
tions do. It's advisable to add a mute button too, so it can work like an indic-
ator, showing if the sound is on or off. Then the game score and life indicator
should be placed; sometimes, a timer is needed too. I have to mention that
the special graphic panel that symbolizes the status bar is optional, you can
deal with status bar elements hanging in the air, but they have to be aligned
properly and some approaches need to be used to increase visibility; for ex-
ample, contrasting outlines, shadows, and so on.
