One of the major issues in video game HUD (heads up display) design today is that it is oftentimes anathema to the overall player experience. This is because, in simple terms, "current information interfaces are either interruptive or too detailed". Contemporary UI (user interface) practices often result in presentations that lessen the player experience of a title through pushing a constant awareness of information that is either unnecessarily interruptive or too time consuming to interpret for the player.

The presence of a well-designed UI can overcome these conventional drawbacks, however, when considered as a potentially effective information delivery system. Video games are perceived by most as an integral system that provides motivation for the player based on the attempted accomplishment of a quantifiable goal. While one could attempt to flirt with the notion of redefining some of the key elements of this definition (and many do in a myriad of currently published works), what is generally agreed upon is the need to present the player with an effective means to interpret the current state of the game system. It is through this output of game state that the designer can provide the player with appropriate feedback concerning their actions within the game, and thus motivate them to play effectively and adequately complete the game experience.

Starting with in-depth observations regarding the strengths and weaknesses of current accepted UI implementations, the accomplished work outlines the means used to evaluate success versus failure in practical applications. Through building this understanding, the study lays the groundwork for the development of a qualitative means of game UI analysis. Beyond just aiding in the analysis of built systems though, the metrics established by this exercise set the stage for a potential design informative development methodology.