Sprint 3 Implementation: Pause Menu

Description

The pause menu allows the user to pause the game and have an easy access to the key bind menu as well as the exit. This can be accessed anytime during the game for an easier menu settings.

How to use

• To access the pause menu, the user have to press the "esc" button on the keyboard.

Inspirations

After the key bind menu screen was made, it was noticeable that there is a design different between the pause menu and key bind menu. To ensure that the design is consistent in the game, a new design for the pause screen menu is made that will have similar elements to the key bind menu. Therefore, it will have similar inspirations which is listed below.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/1rnxgw/occc_game_menu_screen/

Source: https://github.com/Maescool/Catacomb-Snatch/issues/477

Draft 1: Initial Design

The base design is a hanging board message with golden chains. This is to match a similar design layout from the current key bind screen.

Draft 2: New pause screen design

Old Design	New Design

From the old design, it kept its element with the pole as the background as well as similar colour scheme. The new pause screen design kept its consistency with the key bind screen. However, the plunger and water were removed to decrease the clutter from the design. In addition, a player sprite was added in the left corner to add uniqueness whilst keeping it simple.

User Testing Plan

Aim: The aim of the survey is to attain constructive feedback from the user and further improve the design of the pause menu as well as getting the user feedback regarding the removal of water and plunger elements in the design.

Instructions: Fill out the survey: https://forms.gle/ZLuRpZ5fH46Sma4b9

Questions:

• For consistency, the pause screen will be redesigned to follow a similar design structure. How can the pause screen design be improved?

Note: The same survey was made for the key bind menu screen but only the last question related to this screen.

Results

Initially, the screen design is made to be more simple by removing elements such as the plunger and the water at the bottom of the screen. However, people suggested to have more theme related decorations in the screen. Therefore, in the new design, these elements will be added again. Another user also commented to lower the "resume, controls and exit" buttons accordingly.

New Design - Pause Screen

Since the users all suggested to include more elements in the design was added which is listed below:

• Water: to add atlantic features to the screen
• New buttons: to match with the buttons in the key bind screen as well as to make it pop out more
• Player sprite: this was added to show the main character of the game as well as to include more theme related elements to the screen
• Veins in the pole: Greek related features
• New text alignment: to make use of the white space and ensure that the buttons and centred.

Future Testing Plans

• In the future, animations can be implemented such as having a moving background or having the player sprite walk around the border of the screen or have the chains to swing side to side.