| name | ui-hud-patterns |
| description | Structure HUD and menu implementation so UI remains understandable, maintainable, and aligned with UX goals. |
| origin | everything-game-dev-code |
| category | engineering-common |
UI Hud Patterns
Purpose
Structure HUD and menu implementation so UI remains understandable, maintainable, and aligned with UX goals.
Use When
- HUD complexity is growing
- UI logic is leaking into gameplay code
- navigation and state are hard to maintain
Inputs
- flow maps
- screen inventory
- input model
- localization and accessibility needs
Process
- separate state, navigation, and presentation
- define UI ownership and update triggers
- minimize coupling between gameplay systems and widget hierarchies
- support localization, scaling, and platform variation
- verify focus, persistence, and feedback loops
Outputs
- UI architecture notes
- HUD ownership map
- navigation model
- integration constraints
Quality Bar
- UI reads game state through a defined binding layer, never by reaching into gameplay internals
- HUD elements update from events or observed state changes, not per-frame polling of unrelated systems
- screen flow (stack, transitions, modality) is owned by one navigation system
- UI is testable with mocked game state
Common Failure Modes
- gameplay code directly manipulating UI widgets
- HUD logic duplicated per screen instead of shared binding patterns
- navigation state spread across individual screens, causing stuck or double-open menus
- layouts that break at non-default resolutions or aspect ratios
Related Agents
- ui-programmer
- ui-ux-designer
- accessibility-reviewer
Related Commands
- ui-flow-review
- tech-design
- verify
Related Skills
Notes
- Keep this skill aligned with the relevant rules layer and current project documentation.
- If engine-specific constraints materially change the workflow, hand off to the matching engine skill or engine-specific reviewer.
- Boundary: this skill owns runtime HUD architecture and data binding;
ui-animation-pipeline owns UI motion authoring and tuning conventions.
