Gareth's Dev Log #2: Our Journey to Mobile-Friendly Controls

Introduction

When developing Career Quest, one of our earliest and most important decisions was choosing the platforms to publish on. We ultimately decided on itch.io and the Google Play Store (Android). While the reasons for these choices aren’t the focus here, they explain why we’re optimizing Career Quest for mobile devices.

Goals

• Keep the controls simple to avoid overwhelming the player.
• Ensure the controls are intuitive and easy to use for players of all ages.

Challenges

• Design controls that minimize on-screen clutter while maintaining functionality.

What We Are Trying

We used Unity's new input system and on-screen controls, which made setting up on-screen buttons remarkably easy. Here's what we've implemented so far:

• Added on-screen buttons for left and right movement.
  
• Created action buttons for triggering skills, which only appear once the player acquires those skills.
• Designed interaction buttons for actions like picking up objects or opening doors, visible only when near interactable objects.
• Implemented a "tap anywhere" function to advance or end dialogs.
  

By dynamically showing buttons only when needed, we aim to keep the interface clean and user-friendly.

Closing Thoughts

Since this system is newly implemented, it’s too early to determine if we’ve fully achieved our goals for mobile controls. However, on a positive note, my 8-year-old daughter found the controls intuitive, which suggests we're on the right track.

One thing is certain: Unity’s new input system has been a pleasure to work with, making the process of implementing mobile controls seamless—at least so far!