Forum Discussion
Grim Depths — A JRPG Prototype Made with Storyline 360
EmilianoPireddu, This is wild (in the best way)! 👏 You mentioned balancing classic JRPG vibes with smooth readability. Were there any UI patterns you tried that you learned didn’t work well for this style of game?
Also, I wanted to let you know we’ll be sharing this in an upcoming ELH Weekly newsletter as an example of rethinking gamification. Be sure you’re subscribed if you want to receive that. 🎉
Thanks, Katie-Jordan—great question! I studied classic JRPG UIs (FFVII–IX), modern indies like Chained Echoes/Darkest Dungeon, and Atlus’s solutions (Persona/Metaphor). Among the patterns I dropped was the old-school text menu/submenu system: too deep and it slowed the pacing, especially on mouse/desktop. I also tried a radial command wheel (striking, but slower with a mouse). I ended up with a floating, slightly translucent UI with high-contrast command bands and clear icons that sit around the large sprites without covering them and integrate cleanly into the layout. Thanks for planning to include it in the ELH Weekly!