When we started designing the interface we knew that we needed to improve on the UI from the original game. We wanted it to be more functional and clearer in conveying information and feedback that the player needs. However, we wanted it to retain a Mediaeval-like feeling, so that it remains in line with the game and the general visual aspects of it.

Crossroads Inn vs. Crossroads Inn 2As you can see, the new UI design is lighter, and smoother, while also being much clearer as to its functionality, details of objects, and so on.


As it often happens during a creative process, we went to some of our favourite games to find inspiration for the new UI. First of them was Anno 1800. With its clear division of elements of the UI, it creates a functional system that’s not obscuring the game itself, while the colours, textures, and slight decorations create a visual feeling bringing the setting to life.

While completely different in mood, Two Point Campus is another of our inspirations. The UI is not overly stylized and it conveys all the important feedback and information in a clear way, never leaving the player wondering what exactly is going on and where, how, and what they can do.


Another game worth a mention is The Witcher: Monster Slayer. While it’s a game aimed at a different platform, the use of clearly defined icons and brackets, combined with aptly chosen textures and ornaments, creates a perfectly clear and yet climactic UI.


There are a couple of things that we wanted to change from the UI design of Crossroads Inn, and one of those is the colours - and textures. We also wanted to avoid design choices typical for most Mediaeval-set games wherein choices of colours and textures create a very heavy and morose atmosphere.

There is no denying that that does fit many games, but in case of Crossroads Inn 2 we wanted the UI to be something that’s pleasing to look at not just within the setting of the game, but also aside from it, for when the player needs to forget for a moment about world immersion and focus on purely managerial, technical, and strategic elements.

Colour palette and textures.

Of course, keeping the Mediaeval tone of the UI was still very important for us. But to make it lighter, we decided to avoid overabundance of dark colours or metal and stone textures. Instead, we chose beige and dark, navy blue, combined with paper, wood, and textile textures. We’ve also added some Medieval-inspired ornamental patterns to finally achieve a clear, functional, but also era-appropriate UI.
And, since the art direction is overseeing UI, 2D, and 3D graphics, it all fits together nicely, having been designed together simultaneously from the start.


Taking into consideration all that we’ve learned from Crossroads Inn, and with new people on the team bringing new ideas, we’ve decided to step away from the UI of the original game which seemingly favoured visuals over functionality. The visuals themselves also did not fit our vision for Crossroads Inn 2, so, in the end, we went in a completely different direction, creating a much clearer UI that makes the navigation much easier, while making the visuals equally stylized, but in a more complex fashion.

Placing furniture in Crossroads Inn and Crossroads Inn 2.

As you can see, the UI is much clearer, while also offering much more data and feedback to the player.

Guest list and guest details in Crossroads Inn and Crossroads Inn 2.

Aside from offering more information, the design ideas behind the new UI included avoiding creating empty spaces often present in the UI windows from the first game.

Worker list and details (and worker promotion window) in Crossroads Inn and Crossroads Inn 2.

As it’s been said - more details, more data, everything much clearer.

And last, but not least: event windows:

Crossroads Inn and Crossroads Inn 2 events.

Again - less empty space, clearer, and stylistically pleasing.


According to Maja, our Art Director, the aim of the design team and the art direction is ‘to create a unified but unique feeling of all the artistic aspects of the game - UI, 3D assets, and 2D illustrations. We are trying to find a sweet spot between the gray and grim medieval world and colorful and free realm of fantasy.’

Thanks to this clear vision, Crossroads Inn 2’s visuals are all working in tandem, bringing to life the same vision of the world, no matter if it’s through the guests that arrive in the inn, the graphics representing different elements, or the interface through which the player navigates.


And keep an eye out for our next dev blog - there’s a lot more that we’d like to share with you!

We've got one more thing, Here are some questions you've often asked:

FAQ:
Question: Is the new system going to be more responsive than in the previous game?
Answer: Yes, one of our main goals was to make the UI clear and intuitive, while also providing the player with all the feedback they may need.

Question: Have you improved the readability of text from the original Crossroads Inn?
Answer: Yes, it was one of the more important items on our Fix-It list, since it is a management game with narrative elements, meaning the player needs all the information and feedback served in the most coherent way possible.

Join us on Discord where you can ask devs directly about Crossroads Inn 2: https://discord.gg/gmrTUWsgpq

Hi! Today we’d like to announce Crossroads Inn 2, a real-time management simulation game where the player takes on the role of an innkeeper in a fantasy world. Build, manage, and make choices that will affect your business, your story - and maybe the whole continent.


In Crossroads Inn 2, we've taken the building and furnishing systems to the next level. The completely redesigned functionalities not only create a more seamless and intuitive design experience, but they also help avoid potential pitfalls that could impact the smooth running of your inn. The rooms themselves are divided into different types, each with its own functions, while your furnishing choices may affect the guests, their satisfaction, and your general popularity among different social groups.

Crossroads Inn 2 takes a significant leap forward with our transition from the Esenthel engine to Unity. This transformative change allows us to refine and expand on various gameplay aspects, including ergonomics, pathfinding, and NPC behaviours. The shift to Unity also provides a more fluid and responsive experience when it comes to objects and interactions on the grid where the true magic of Crossroads Inn 2 comes to life.


In Crossroads Inn 2, we have entirely re-envisioned the NPC system to create more believable, diverse characters. The new system enables these characters to make intelligent decisions influenced by the environment you've created and your skilful inn management. This interactivity adds depth to the gameplay and makes your guests' needs more evident - and fulfilling them is the cornerstone of the game. The menu, the services you provide, the style and quality of your inn - it all matters!

Our enhancements extend to the most essential NPCs - your workers - too. The revamped system provides a more transparent overview of your staff’s activities and highlights areas needing your attention as a clever innkeeper. By investing time in managing your workers wisely, you elevate your inn's ability to meet customer demands, creating an unmatched hospitality experience in your tavern.


On top of all that, we have decided to go above and beyond our game's core element - the living world and its unfolding story. In Crossroads Inn 2, you develop your innkeeper character and gameplay style your way, choosing the path that suits you best. Whether you wish to focus solely on mastering the art of management, or you aspire to be a savvy entrepreneur who knows everything about the world's events and how to cleverly interact with them, the choice is yours. Immerse yourself in a life of an innkeeper in a world where your actions truly matter.


The main idea behind the art direction in our sequel is to put a stronger emphasis on semi-realistic fantasy visuals, and to have them correspond with the game mechanics. For example, given how the continent of Delcrys is made of three different countries (Yorevale, Untermarch, and Sambria), we want the citizens of each of them to have their own, instantly recognizable colour schemes and style. The styling of those will be based on different real-life cultures, from medieval Nordic and Slavic fashion to early Renaissance French, German, and Italian looks and trends.


Creating UI for a tycoon and/or simulation game is never an easy task. The most challenging part is giving the player a lot of different options - there’s walls to be built, furniture to be set, people to hire, people to welcome, and so on - while also making it clear and coherent from the get-go. So, while the UI in the original Crossroads Inn was sometimes a bit cumbersome, we’re taking all that we’ve learned to heart to make it all more clear, while also keeping the game mechanics, and even improving on those.


Since Crossroads Inn is all about recreating the life of an innkeeper in late-medieval/early Renaissance (with a dash of fantasy, of course), we needed the sound to be rather diverse. First, we need the outside of the inn, the sound of wind, trees, etc., which invoke feelings of calm and progress; not being too intrusive, but always being there, as it’s in real life, even if we don’t notice it. But there is more to that - we have a day and night cycle, different regions with their own atmosphere, and we want it all to be represented by sound - and music. An inn has to have music, after all!

And that’s it - for now! We’ll have a lot more to share with you in the future, near and distant, but we want you all to know that our passionate team is working hard and can’t wait to show you what Crossroads Inn 2 will be all about!