interface posts

Independent Minds aims to take various aspects of indie gaming and present them to you each week. From game round-ups to design elements to interviews with prominent members of the scene, it's an exploration of what makes indie gaming great as well as what makes someone an indie.

There's a section of game design that a lot of designers, professional and otherwise, often overlook. They get too caught up in making their game beautiful or deep that they forget one of the most important parts altogether. The element that crosses the border of form and function to merge the two together into a coherent experience. I am talking about the interface, and it's one of the most important part of any game design. We've even mentioned it before on Independent Minds, but it really requires more in-depth viewing. After all, overlook your interface or design it poorly, and your game will suffer from a lack of players and kill your market! And that's not good at all.

Electronic Arts announced today that the PC version of BioWare's Sci-Fi RPG Mass Effect has gone gold. The game will reach store shelves in North America on May 28th. The European release date is June 6th.

The press release notes that customers who pre-order the game from EA's online store will get some free Dead Space merchandise -- "the first issue of the Dead Space comic book and a Dead Space poster while supplies last." It's probably a safe bet that the two sci-fi themed, third-person games appeal to a similar crowd.

Mass Effect, originally released on Microsoft's Xbox 360 console, will include some new features in its PC incarnation -- a revamped user interface, more customizable and powerful combat controls, and 90 minutes of additional storyline content available to 360 users only as a pay-to-play download, called Bring Down the Sky.

BioWare head honcho and EA VP Ray Muzyka spoke with IGN in a video interview about the PC gaming industry and his company's upcoming projects for the platform. He had positive things to say about the state of PC gaming.

"I think the PC market right now is a very strong place. It's stronger than it's ever been," he said. He talked a bit about microtransactions, digital downloads, and other new developments, but added: "You know at the end of the day it all comes down to can you make a really great game really fun for your fans? And if you can do that and you understand who your fans really are, I think it's an incredibly great opportunity to develop for PC."

He also commented briefly on BioWare's mysterious new Dragon Age IP, saying it's the next generation of and the spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights tradition. There's some discussion of Mass Effect in the interview, as well -- reassurance about the DRM controversy, talk of the PC version's interface enhancements, and speculation about future games in the franchise.