Starting Menu and GUI

Starting menus are very common elements for video games. They are so common that game designers would make these menus without justifying the necessity. In some cases, however, a traditional starting menu with different bottoms can be totally unnecessary. The menu will only break the illusion without providing any utility. Instead, a starting scene or a “safe zone” can well substitute the functionality of the game and help improve the immersion. The starting scene below made for the game “you may kiss the bride” is an example.

At the beginning of the game, “you may kiss the bride” has a cut scene, where the background of the story is told to players. In the end of the cut scene, the avatar throws a holy grenade and stun the bride. The glaring holy light illuminates the whole screen. As the cut scene ends, the screen fades into black and then the next scene is loaded. If the developing team insert a start menu at this point, the immersion built by the cut scene will be gone and the narrative of the story will get brusquely interrupted. Besides, the start menu’s utility cannot be justified. There is only one game level. It is a short and fast game so players will not save their progress. If there is a start menu, the only functionalities it will serve are entering the only level, reading the controls, checking the credits and quitting the game. The team found the credits can be placed shown at the end of the game, and the quitting function is already in the pause menu. The only functions the game still requires at this point are entering the game level and reading the controls.

The team thus refused to have a traditional starting menu. Instead, a starting scene, or a safe space is introduced to provide the functionalities while extending the narrative of the cut scene and improving the immersion. As the screen fades out in the end of the cut scene, it fades in when entering the starting scene. The connection is seamless except for the perspective. After entering the scene, the player will see the controls explained on the floor.  He/she can also roam around in the scene and try shooting and using the powerup. And a red carpet is used to guide the player to pick up the powerup, magazine and go to the top of the screen. Once the player reaches the top, the player enters the actual gameplay scene. To exit the game in the starting scene, the player can hit the “esc” key and trigger the pause menu, then click quit to exit. With such a starting scene, the narrative is more coherent, the immersion is constant, and it serves all the functions in a succinct way.

In a broader sense, game designers should reconsider the “must have”, “necessary” or “essential” elements of video games. Nothing is “necessary” nor “essential” unless they make the game more fun or contribute to the aesthetics. Nothing should be taken granted. Only if the designers have such mindset can the games be concise and unique.

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