Approaching user interface design
When developing a game, there is no official standard or pre-defined set of rules to follow to design its interface. Different games rely on different mechanics and there is always more than one way to implement effective controls for a game.
To approach the task correctly, it is good practice to invest some time in research. A good starting point is to study the general aspects of interaction design. Design affects the shape of the tools we use in our everyday activities at any level and cognitive psychology has thoroughly investigated the means to design effective interactions between humans and the tools and instruments they use. We suggest having a look at The Theory of Affordances by James J. Gibson, described in his book The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affordance) and reading the book by Donald A. Norman The Design of Everyday Things.
The next step is to get proficient with general UI theory. Game engines offer...
