Game Design, Secret of the Sages

Marc Saltzman, 2000, Game Design Secret of the Sages second edition, Macmillan Publishing

Chapter 12, The all important User Interface and Game Control, page 249-262

While it's likely that you'll find some conflicting advice in areas of this book on art techniques, level design suggestions, or the best way to animate a character, it's universally recognized that a bad user interface (UI) in a game can be its own demise, regardless of how good the content is.

UI and game control may be a personal thing, so many developers of PC and console games are now allowing players to customize these setting to their liking. Most games, in all genres, allow players to remap keys/buttons to their liking, or assign hotkeys or macros. Give players the option to make the game their own.

"You must attempt to immerse customers into the experience- make them forget who they are and make them believe they're the character on screen"
                                                               - Vance Cook, Lead designer Sierra Sports

"Gamers are notorious for not reading manuals. If they can't quickly and easily get into a game, they'll become frustrated and look to other games for satisfaction"
                                                               - Scott Orr, EA sports

Age of Empires II won an award for best interface in 1999 from Computer Gaming World magazine.

"The Backhoe Operator Syndrome: Making the UI so intuitive to the gamer that he or she becomes one with the onscreen avatar. By making the UI as simple as possible, without limiting the players options. "
                                                               - Richard "Lord British" Carriott, Texas Origin Systems

"Your mom should be able to play the game intuitively, even if she doesn't like it."
                                                               - Tom Hall, Ion Storm