My UI worked perfectly. Buttons clicked. Logic ran. But visually… it looked messy.
This post is part of my daily learning journey in game development.
I’m sharing what I learn each day — the basics, the confusion, and the real progress — from the perspective of a beginner.
On Day 87 of my game development journey, I explored UI design vs UI logic in Unreal Engine (UMG).
What I Used to Think
I thought once the UI works, it’s done.
I added:
- Buttons
- Events
- Basic interactions
Everything functioned correctly.
But the layout didn’t feel right.
What I Realized
UI in Unreal has two separate parts:
Logic
- Handled using Blueprints
- Relatively easy to implement
Design
- Controlled using layout tools
- Requires planning
Things like:
- Anchors
- Alignment
- Padding
- Size and scaling
These decide how UI behaves across different screen sizes.
Why This Matters
UMG does not automatically fix layout issues.
If anchors and alignment are not set correctly:
- UI shifts on different resolutions
- Elements overlap or stretch
- Design looks inconsistent
Good UI also depends on:
- Spacing
- Visual hierarchy
- Consistency
These are design decisions, not just technical ones.
What Finally Clicked
Working UI ≠ good UI
Logic makes it functional.
Design makes it usable.
Both are required.
Practical Fix
- Use anchors for responsive layout
- Use Vertical Box / Horizontal Box for structure
- Maintain consistent padding and spacing
- Test UI on different screen resolutions
- Keep design simple in the beginning
One Lesson for Beginners
- Avoid absolute positioning
- Use layout containers instead of manual placement
- Anchors control responsiveness
- Consistency improves UI quality
- Reusable widgets save time
Why This Matters in Real Projects
UI is the player’s first interaction layer.
Even if the system works perfectly, poor design reduces usability and overall experience.
Learning layout systems and basic design principles is just as important as learning Blueprint logic.
Slow progress — but I’m building a strong foundation.
If you’re also learning game development, what was the first thing that confused you when you started?
See you in the next post 🎮🚀
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