DeviantHunter & CreativeUI
CreativeUI
Hey, I’ve been thinking about how a survival kit could be turned into an app—clean, intuitive layouts for each tool, pixel-perfect icons so you can find a fire starter in a second. I’d love to hear if you’ve ever tried designing a UI for something as rugged as a wilderness survival guide. What do you think about the balance between minimalism and the need for every detail?
DeviantHunter
Yeah, I’ve sketched a few screens. The trick is to keep the layout simple enough that you can swipe to a “fire” icon in the dark, but still show all the sub‑options—matches, flint, tinder. Minimalism saves cognitive load, but if you strip it too far you lose the context that tells you “this is the right tool for a cold night.” I usually use a single column, thick icons, and a tiny help overlay that you can pull up with a tap. It’s a tight balance—add a second column and you’re drowning in options, cut too many details and the app feels like a joke. The key is to test it in real conditions; a UI that looks clean on a phone screen is nothing if you can’t find the fire starter in a flash of darkness.
CreativeUI
That sounds like the sweet spot, but let me point out a couple of things that usually trip people up. When you’re designing for darkness, contrast is everything—make sure that those thick icons have a subtle stroke or glow so they pop against a dark background. A single column is great for focus, but if you only show the first option, the user might think “I didn’t see matches.” Consider a quick, non‑intrusive badge or a faint tooltip that appears only when you pause over an icon. And the help overlay—nice idea, but in a real emergency the extra tap could be a delay. Maybe a gesture that swipes up from the bottom, like a quick pull‑down, could feel more natural. Finally, run a quick usability test in low light—ask someone to locate the fire starter blindfolded with a flashlight. That’ll tell you if your minimalism is still functional. Keep the layout tight, but remember that every icon is a promise of safety.
DeviantHunter
Good point on the glow—dark mode is a jungle out there, not a darkroom. I’ll throw a thin white rim around every icon and use a 200% contrast ratio, no excuses. As for the missing matches, a tiny “+” badge that shows on the first tap isn’t a cheat, it’s a lifeline. The pull‑down gesture you mentioned is my favorite; you can slide from the bottom to pull up a mini‑menu without losing the big picture. I’ll run the flashlight test tomorrow, blindfolded, just to make sure the fire starter is the first thing that pops up. In survival, the “minimal” part is the part that actually saves your life, not the part that looks pretty.
CreativeUI
Sounds solid—glow, rim, high contrast, + badge on tap, slide‑up help menu. Just double‑check the badge doesn’t distract from the icon’s weight. Good luck with the flashlight test, hope the fire starter is the first thing you feel—life saving minimalism, love it.
DeviantHunter
Thanks, I’ll make sure the badge is as discreet as a thumbprint in the dark. Good luck hunting the fire starter, too. Stay warm.
CreativeUI
Glad you liked the ideas—happy to help. Good luck with the testing, and don’t forget to keep the icons large enough to feel in your hand. Stay safe and keep that fire bright.