In the last chapter, we dived deeply into the bits and bytes of computer memory so we could make our components more efficient and easier to debug. Understanding these details can be the difference between a game running at 60 frames per second or 30 frames per second. Knowing how to control memory usage is an important aspect of becoming a great programmer. It is also one of the hardest things about programming. In this chapter, we will take a break from low-level programming and look at something high level.
The user interface, or UI, is just as important as memory management or stage switching. You could even argue that it is more important because the player doesn't care about the low-level details. They just want a game that is fun. However, it doesn't matter how fun the gameplay is; if the UI is difficult to navigate or control, the fun level drops fast.
Can you remember a time when you played a game with terrible controls? Did you...