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Weather Indicator

Photograph of Ben Gammon

Created by Ben Gammon

16th June

To make the player aware of the current or impending weather at their location.

  • Time and weather indicator

    20:35

  • Time and weather forecast

    20:35

  • When to use

    • Use when the environment has multiple types of weather
    • Use when the weather has a direct affect on the player
    • Use when the temperature has a direct affect on the player
    • There is no need to display the weather type if the weather does not change

  • Solution

    • An icon depicting the current weather
    • A number to indicate the current temperature
    • Display multiple icons chronologically next to each to show future weather
    • Display the time next to the icons so the player can gauge how long the current weather will last
    • Optionally, display an up/down arrow next to the temperature to show if it is rising/falling

Game Examples:

Tap on or hover over an example thumbnail to view the context of the Weather Indicator, if a screenshot exists.

  • Zelda: Breath of the Wild

  • Xenoblade X

  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Technical Details

The player should be able to quickly establish what the weather is via a quick glance at the indicator.

Clarity should always be a priority when choosing appropriate icons. For example: a snowflake is a better choice than an icon showing a cloud and snow, as that could easily be mistaken for rain.

Colour is particularly useful when depicting temperature: blue feels cold, red feels hot.

When showing current and future weather in chronological order, displaying it next to the current time is a good way of helping the player understand what the information is depicting. As time increases, the weather timeline moves. This not only informs the player of what weather is coming next, but also allows them to estimate how long the current weather will last.

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