EWENIVERSE
EWENIVERSE is a playful exploration of how interface design can support clarity and connection in complex, management-based game environments. Set in a whimsical galactic world, the project focuses on keeping players emotionally and cognitively connected to their herd through visual feedback and interaction design.
ROLE - UI/UX Designer, Researcher, Interaction Designer
SCOPE - GAME UI/UX, System design, Technical prototype, Motion Studies
OVERVIEW
DURATION
TOOLS
4 Months
Unity, Blender, Figma, After Effect, Photoshop
PROJECT TIMELINE
Project Planning
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Concept ideation
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Thematic Direction
Research
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Comp Analysis
Information Architecture
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Userflow
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Wire-framing
High-Fidelity Design
Implementation & Development in Game engine
01 PROJECT OVERVIEW
Set in a universe where players act as cosmic shepherds managing a flock of alien sheep, EWENIVERSE investigates how UI systems, feedback cues, and motion design can communicate real-time information without breaking immersion.
The project explores how spatial feedback, behavioral cues, and consistent visual language can reduce interface reliance while supporting moment-to-moment decision making in a real-time game system.
QUESTION
Through designing the player’s interface, I aimed to answer:
How might we design an interface that balances fun, clarity, and management complexity in a playful real-time game?
02 RESEARCH - COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
To better understand how players manage multiple entities through limited controls, I analyzed PIKMIN 4 (Nintendo) as a reference for intuitive tool interaction & Spatial cues in EWENIVERSE.
Reference Study: Pikmin’s Command cue and Feedback System
A strong reference for managing multiple entities through spatial cues and contextual feedback rather than explicit UI.
OBSERVATIONS/BREAKDOWN - Calling and Return Pikmins
INTERACTION PATTERN: Color-coded cursor communicates which Pikmin type will act and where, using spatial feedback instead of heavy UI.
FEEDBACK SYSTEM: Visual and audio cues confirm when actions are available and successfully triggered. e.g. color changes, sound effects, and contextual pop-up prompts indicate when an action (such as throw, gather, or attack) can be performed.
STATE COMMUNICATION: Group states are readable through animation and movement rather than interface panels. Allowing players to read system states directly from in-world behavior.
AFFORDANCES: Consistent color and behavior across Pikmin types reduce cognitive load and enable quick recognition.
Spatial Messaging & Area of Effect (AoE) Feedback
When gathering Pikmin, an expanding circular AoE visualizes action range and scope, clearly showing who will respond and where the command applies.
From this analysis, I identified key takeaways that informed EWENIVERSE’s tool system design:
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Spatial feedback communicates function better than UI alone
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Behavioral cues reduce interface dependence
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Consistency builds trust in real-time systems
03 DESIGN PILLARS
Synthesizing insights from the interaction patterns observed in Pikmin, I translated these findings into a set of design principles that guided EWENIVERSE’s tool systems and real-time feedback design.
Visual Cohesion Across Systems
Color, motion, and form function as a shared grammar across tools and states, lowering cognitive load.
Behavioral Cues Over Explicit Controls
Communicate system availability and outcomes through character behavior, animation, and response patterns, reducing reliance on instruction-heavy UI.
Motion as System Feedback
Animation communicates causality, timing, and consequence in real time.
Spatial Feedback Over UI
Design system states to be legible through spatial cues, in-world markers, and area-based feedback, which allow players to interpret intent and outcomes without relying on persistent UI elements.
04 TOOL SYSTEM & INTERACTION DESIGN
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A Commander rod for leading the sheep. Swing it around to gather the sheep to a designated location.
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Good for fending off looming predators.
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A Giant Grabbing hand that allows you to quickly grab and place the nearest EwE around the scene, or even environmental objects.
Tool Interaction Design: From Research to Implementation
Building on insights from the Pikmin analysis, I designed EWENIVERSE’s tool system to communicate actions and outcomes through spatial feedback and motion rather than heavy UI.
Each tool visualizes what will happen and where it applies using in-world effects, timing, and color cues—ensuring interactions feel intuitive, responsive, and consistent with the game’s visual language.
SYSTEM UI
Player status & Tools View:
The Player Status & Tools View functions as a low-frequency reference layer, allowing players to review system state and tool behavior outside of active play. By separating learning and reflection from real-time interaction, the system preserves flow while supporting recall and reorientation.
05 WIREFRAMES
06 IN-GAME INTERACTION SCREENS
07 UI MOTION & DISPLAY
With the visual system in place, I used motion as a functional layer of the interface—guiding attention, signaling state changes, and reinforcing feedback. The following panels highlight how UI transitions and micro-interactions support clarity and player flow while maintaining the project’s handcrafted visual identity.
▲ Menu Screen
▲ Biome Select
▲ Status
▲ Tools
▲ Option Menu
▲ Gameplay - Tool Select, Map View
▲ Inventory
▲ System
08 VISAUL FEEDBACK & STATE COMMUNICATION
Beyond UI motion, I used character animation and VFX as feedback systems. Exaggerated sheep animations and responsive effects communicate states, success, and alerts at a glance—reinforcing gameplay messaging while minimizing reliance on text.
ANIMATION
IDLE
EATING
WALK
BITE
VFX
THE MAKING OF EWENIVERSE
09 PRODUCTION PROCESS
10 VISUAL DIRECTION & STYLE GUIDE
LOGO
The Rod is a main/default tool used in the game by player to lead the sheeps. Thus, I made use of the element and combined it with the title's letter. and by adding some sort of splash effect I am able to reflect the function it brings in game: Guide & Influence > Gather.
ART DIRECTION
To define the UI and icon language, I developed a hybrid visual style that merges two contrasting aesthetics: a clean, rounded futuristic look and a rough, textured botanical feel. This duality reflects the core setting of Eweniverse — a natural biome shaped by cosmic exploration.UI elements tied to the environment (containers, panels, holders) draw from the botanical side, using grounded textures and organic forms. In contrast, UI components tied to the player (information displays, the tool-switching interface, and action prompts )— adopt the smoother, futuristic aesthetic, reinforcing the player’s identity as an astronaut navigating an untamed world.
STYLE GUIDE
The UI throughout the game continues to echo the key themes and ideas at the heart of the concept. Larger elements like containers, holders, and area panels lean into the botanical side of the style, symbolizing the natural ground and environment. In contrast, UI components related to the player — such as the information display, tool-switching interface, and action-based interactions during gameplay — lean more toward the futuristic, clean aesthetic, reflecting the player’s identity as an astronaut.
