Disclaimer: I do not own/claim any rights to this game nor I am affiliated with FromSoftware or Bandai Namco Entertainment. This is a passion project that only considers my own design decisions and research.
A case study of UX issues and designed
alternative solutions in Elden Ring
Elden Ring is an open-world, role-playing, and adventure game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco entertainment. Since the release of Elden Ring, there have been debates in the video games community discussing its player experience. As a fan of the game and a designer, this has piqued my curiosity and began this independent project to further investigate.
• UX Researcher
• UX Designer
• Solo Project (myself)
To identify and evaluate usability issues in Elden Ring by gathering research data from gaming communities, UX/UI designers, and game developers. Using this information, I will develop and propose effective solutions to improve the game's user experience.
1) Collect data from game communities, Reddit, and game store reviews
2) Identify UI & UX design issues
3) Organize pain points in Excel
4) Online Interviews and survey
I used the convenience sampling method to generate data quickly and efficiently by selecting participants who were readily available and willing to participate, rather than using random selection methods.
• Content Creators
• Game Developers
• Hardcore Gamers
• UX Designers
• Game Level Designers
Target age for the game is for those 18 years and older
• 7 users: 18-25
• 6 users: 26-40
+30 Hours of standard playtime in Elden Ring
• Players would look up guides to help them progress through quests
• Difficult to switch between items and weapons during combat
• First-time or new players could not find or overlook the tutorial area
• Some players find it confusing to use the menu or equipment menu
I gathered qualitative and quantitative data from various sources, including game communities, interviews, and game reviews, and used this data to create user stories.
Priority scale 1 to 6; 1 lowest priorty and 6 highest priority
Focus on the top 4 design problems based on the data gathered from Step 2: Define
1. Players have difficulty accessing their spells quickly in the mist of a battle
2. Players would look up guides and take notes to locate quests
3. Tutorial section is not as obvious for players to locate
4. Equipment menu is not as clear or easy to understand for players
Majority of open world games enable players to track their progress on quests. However, Elden Rings lacks a way to do so, which left players frustrated and have to keep referring to online guides.
Problem: Players found it difficult to individually scroll through spells one by one to get to their desired selection. Especially, during combat where one second of hesitation will result in players' death.
Solution: Designing a weapon wheel system in which the player can efficiently select their desired spell.
Majority of open world games enable players to track their progress on quests. However, Elden Rings lacks a way to do so, which left players frustrated and have to keep referring to online guides.
Problem: There are no quest journals or quest location identification within Elden Ring. Players had to keep track or look up online guides.
Solution: Implement quest markers and quest journals in the pause menu. In doing so, players will progress efficiently without keeping track or exploring the whole map.
Tutorials have been in many games and usually appear at the start of the game. As for Elden Ring, the tutorial is hidden and doesn't give a clear directions on where to look.
Problem: Players would overlook the tutorial section, which is the dark pit near the beginning of the game near the glowing tree. The dark pit isn't very inviting for new players to explore.
Solution: The tutorial should be more noticeable to the players. Or after the players have created their characters, there should be a pop-up warning for players who would like to do the tutorial or a message for players if they missed the tutorial section.
The current equipment menu UI is overcrowded and difficult to navigate and understand. Players would take extra steps to compare an item and their equipped item.
Problem: Players find it difficult to understand the equipment menus. Menu contents were unclear and indistingushable.
Solution: Design visual updates to the existing in-game menus.
As a new player of Elden ring, this was a fun and fascinating case study. Although the game has made millions of copies, there is still room for improvement. I enjoyed working on this project and am excited that I can create better experiences for players.
Navigating the equipment menu system, map, and toggling spells during combat was arduous. Watching tutorials and reading online guides, I can understand players' attitudes and behavior toward the game designs. To further develop this project, I would take time to do usability testing to confirm my design decisions.
After spending a significant amount of time playing and watching players play the game, I discover more positive and negative aspects of the game. When conceptualizing any game, I believe it's better to understand the developers' and creators' vision when designing Elden Rings. The UI and UX practices from FromSoftware do not incorporate the same as it does with today's practices.
Disclaimer: I do not own/claim any rights to this game nor I am affiliated with FromSoftware or Bandai Namco Entertainment. This is a passion project that only considers my own design decisions and research.
