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Exploring the
Minecraft Inventory

through wireframes
Minecraft.jpg

Minecraft is Incredible

Minecraft is one of the best selling video games of all time with 238,000,000+ in sales. It's been updated and nurtured, given a  surplus of content that anyone can explore and enjoy.

Some friction it was bound to run into with all this scaling was its inventory system. As an academic project, I was asked to explore potential solutions to alleviate some of this tension.

Project Spec

I moved quickly for this project, working on it for about 45 hours across two weeks.

In that time I interviewed 10 Minecraft players about their playstyle, goals, how they organized their inventory, and any thing they found difficult or modded. I also completed 7 user tests on my wireframes as I iterated through different potential solutions. 

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Read on to learn more about my process or click the links below to navigate to a particular section.

Identifying Friction

What are players frustrated by or looking for support with through mods?

  • New players don't know what is needed for what (lots of different crafting).

  • Players are meticulous about where types of items go in their pockets to make it easier to retrieve but these slots can be replaced once the item is used by miscellaneous pickups

  • There's a desire to sort chests by use or function, but this is only supported by memorization

  • Chests quickly fall into chaos and it's difficult to resort them

Minecraft_Inventory.PNG

Every player I interviewed had a system for where items in their hot bar went, and over half of those interviewed reported having designated spots in their inventory for other resources for quick access.

 

They expressed frustration when these spots were taken up by items they picked up.​

Identify Frictin
Create Goals

Creating Goals 

From the pain points, we can identify areas to explore.

Don't know what is needed for crafting

Give players tools to become familiar with crafting rules.

Designated slots can be filled in

Develop a method for players to save their load-outs.

Sorting into chests by use or function requires extensive knowledge

and

Difficult to resort chaotic chests

Create a sorting method that empowers players' unique organizational styles to sort efficiently and get quickly to desired items.

Then we can make an overall problem statement to be a pillar for this project. I decided on:

Modify the Minecraft Inventory in order for Crafters, Miners, and Explorers to mold their inventory to support them.

Research

Games

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Quality of life features

  • Quick sorts

  • Category system

  • Highlights

  • Move Items between chests

Stardew Valley suffers from similar pain points, so the "add to existing stacks button" is especially useful to look at.

Tools

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During the Wireframe phase there was a point at which I was playing with check boxes and so I went to Unity and Canva to see how they treated groups, parents, and categories.

Quality of life features

  • All unchecked unchecks everything under it

    • often used when you want to only have one item checked

  • Unchecking the parent (Unity) retains the children's check state

    • useful for removing everything without completely upsetting your settings like 'all' would​

Mods

I looked at Inventory Tweaks, Storage Drawers, and Mouse Tweaks

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Why Players are downloading mods

  • Players want methods to sort faster and more easily while retaining their custom loadout

  • Players like being able to go granular with organizing

  • Ease of organizing is important (faster methods of moving items and being able to group them)

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Research

Interviews

I interviewed 10 Minecraft players about their experiences with mincraft, their playstyle, how they organized their inventory and discussed with them potential solutions and brainstomred with them. Great ideas come from everywhere.

Takeaways

  • Minecraft players love customizing their hot bar, chests, and inventory space

  • Autosort was a big NO -players expressed having particular layouts for pockets and hot bar

  • Friciton around reorganzing in game

  • New players have trouble identifying what gets used for what- especially coming into the current version

Brainstorm

Ideas are cheap, so let's look at the problems we're trying to solve and drum up as many as we can. Then we can begin to explore those that serve us best.

Problem Statement

Give players tools to become familiar with crafting rules.

  • Tools tips include what tool an item can be used to craft at (crating bench? Furnace?

  • Filter out items that can't be used at a crafting station + don't let them be clicked on

    • Does this apply to items that can't be used because they lack the full recipe?​

      • No, doing so would not allow players familiarity and association with those items and the tool​

  • Sort items based on where they can be used for crafting

  • Have a tooltip on crafting stations themselves describing what types of items can be crafted there

Interview
Brainstorm

Problem Statement

Develop a method for players to save their load-outs.

diablo-2-resurrected-inventory.jpg

  • Give players an extra row of inventory, and have the hot bar not count as inventory space but instead reference items in the inventory. Allow a Hot Bar 1 and Hot Bar 2 (I'm thinking how you can equip secondary weapons, why not a secondary hotbar?)

  • Rotate through your inventory like Stardew Valley- removes the need to open pockets​​

  • Create a system that allows players to assign categories to spaces in their inventory- click once to only allow blocks in that spot, twice for consumables, etc

  • Create a pin system that remembers past items- when used that spot stays reserved until the item is unpinned

  • Refill player's loadouts- if something comparable is in pockets replace it upon running out (pick axe runs out so a second pickaxe moves in)

  • Create a 'filter down' system, where when something runs out it's replaced with the item above it in inventory

    • This is sort of nice because it allows players to stack food above their hotbar and it will be refilled- same with tools. ​

    • Interesting too because these space get filled in last by picking things up

Problem Statement

Create a sorting method that empowers players' unique organizational styles to sort efficiently and get quickly to desired items.

  • Auto-sort items when players open their pockets (before they see them) to establish an organization system such as blocks to the top left, then consumables, tools, etc

    • Note when this idea was ran by players it was quickly shot down, players have organizational desires that we should be supporting, this idea led to the problem statement as it is currently (used to focus only on organizing)​

  • Give players a sort button that does the above but after being pressed (the system of filling in left to right by items picked up is intuitive to Minecraft players and shouldn't be messed with)

  • Allow players to auto refill stacks in chests and in their pockets from chests

  • Allow players to dump lots of items into chests

  • Allow players to remove items from being allowed to be stored in a chest (like the storage system in RimWorld)

What suits our goals best?

All ideas can be good in the correct context. For this, our goals are the best context to compare against, since our goals are aimed at reducing player friction.

Problem Statement

Create ways that give players tools to become familiar with crafting rules.

  • Tools tips include what tool an item can be used to craft at (crating bench? Furnace?

​

​

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  • Filter out items that can't be used at a crafting station + don't let them be clicked on

    • Does this apply to items that can't be used because they lack the full recipe?​

      • No, doing so would not allow players familiarity and association with those items and the tool​

​

  • Sort items based on where they can be used for crafting

​

​

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  • Have a tooltip on crafting stations themselves describing what types of items can be crafted there

This method, while it may increase familiarity it creates a 'search situation', forces players to read through items, and relies on memorization.

This method may be the one to explore. By just now allowing players to interact with items that can't be used at that station, we naturally boost familiarity by reducing the noise. May get visually taxing.

This method may help create 'categories' but messes with how players are use to items going in their pockets, and makes it hard to find new items.

This method requires established familiarity with categories and material types.

Chosen for Exploration

Filter out items that can't be used at a crafting station + don't let them be clicked on.

By limiting visuals and not allowing interactions with uncraftable materials, we can hopefully build player trust and boost crafting exploration all the while building familiarity with the crafting rules.

Selct

Problem Statement

Develop a method for players to save their load-outs.

  • Give players an extra row of inventory, and have the hot bar not count as inventory space but instead reference items in the inventory. Allow a Hot Bar 1 and Hot Bar 2 (I'm thinking how you can equip secondary weapons, why not a secondary hotbar?)

​

  • Rotate through your inventory like Stardew Valley- removes the need to open pockets​​

​

​

  • Create a system that allows players to assign categories to spaces in their inventory- click once to only allow blocks in that spot, twice for consumables, etc

​

  • Create a pin system that remembers past items- when used that spot stays reserved until the item is unpinned

​

​

  • Refill player's loadouts- if something comparable is in pockets replace it upon running out (pick axe runs out so a second pickaxe moves in)

​

  • Create a 'filter down' system, where when something runs out it's replaced with the item above it in inventory

    • This is sort of nice because it allows players to stack food above their hotbar and it will be refilled- same with tools. ​

    • Interesting too because these space get filled in last by picking things up

This method is interesting, but toggling between hot bars isn't the easiest action, and has familiarity issues. Likely supports the builder player the most.

This method is interesting, suffers the same toggle issues as above. It also likely means a lot of flipping through- since many items are materials that don't have 'uses' in hand

The process of cycling could likely be improved here, but this idea has the potential to explore as it supports a custom load out for the whole inventory.

This one is interesting. It's fewer steps then the above idea and if players are not changing their load outs often may be more elegant.

This is a feature in one of the mods from the research phase that reduces the friction of things breaking or being used up.

This requires a lot of manual upkeep of the player but is supporting the loadout goal.

Chosen for exploration:

Create a pin system that remembers past items- when used that spot stays reserved until the item is unpinned.

This option may allow us to support players' unique ways of organizing items in their pockets while keeping the intuitive way items fill in their pockets.

Problem Statement

Create a sorting method that empowers players' unique organizational styles to sort efficiently and get quickly to desired items.

  • Auto-sort items when players open their pockets (before they see them) to establish an organization system such as blocks to the top left, then consumables, tools, etc

    • Note when this idea was run by players it was quickly shot down, players have organizational desires that we should be supporting, this idea led to the problem statement as it is currently (used to focus only on organizing)​

​

  • Give players a sort button that does the above but after being pressed (the system of filling in left to right by items picked up is intuitive to Minecraft players and shouldn't be messed with)

​

​

  • Allow players to auto refill stacks in chests and in their pockets from chests

​

​

  • Allow players to dump lots of items into chests

​

​

​

  • Allow players to remove items from being allowed to be stored in a chest (like the storage system in RimWorld)

While initially, this idea might sound useful, it would likely completely throw off veteran players and doesn't support player-made loadouts.

This idea would likely also disrupt player made load outs and instead provides a game loadout for players to familiarize themselves with.

This likely is a useful UX feature to explore as players currently do so manually- but isn't addressing the friction of player load outs being disturbed.

Also likely is a useful UX feature to explore but isn't addressing the friction of player load outs being disturbed.

RimWorlds system is complicated but if simplified may match our goal here.

Chosen for exploration:

  • Allow players to autorefill stacks in chests and in their pockets from chests

  • Allow players to dump lots of items into chests

  • Allow players to remove items from being allowed to be stored in a chest (like the storage system in RimWorld)

​

These options allow us to explore various ways to empower players in their organziation.

Wireframe Exploration

After gathering information from interviewing players I began to create wire frames and go through cycles of wireframing and User Testing.

User Test

Iterate
Solution

Wireframe

Exploe

Wireframes

You can play through all my wireframes here:

You can also view my wireframes here:

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Iterations

One of my wire frame sets focuses only on the normal inventory. This action is performed when the player wants to find something in their pockets, wants to look for an item they just picked up, need to replace something that broke in their hot bar, or need an emergency item to escape enemies.

Looking at these problem statements: "Develop a method for players to save their load-outs" and "Create a sorting method that empowers players' unique organizational styles to sort efficiently and get quickly to desired items." will support these actions and help us explore this inventory better.

Scalability Issues

After the User Test I also took  a closer look at how this tab system would scale. The use of words and this rectangle shape not only doesn't really fit Minecraft's style, but they also make it much more difficult to scale the inventory.

Wireframe 1

I decided to focus on the sorting goal first. I explored having a tab system that players could flip through. The idea here was that being on the blocks tab would show you a version of the inventory with only the blocks that were in your pockets.

User Test

Before I fleshed out what inside a tab looked like I got a Minecraft player to take a look and asked them what they thought the new elements would do.

They described them as tabs but mused that they felt out of the way. They said they felt like the tab would only show them that category in their pockets and expressed that this probably wouldn't work for them as they wanted to see everything where it was and build familiarity with their pockets. If this information was constantly changing then they wouldn't be able to do so.

Iterate

Wireframe 2 - Filter

Getting rid of the tabs and moving to a more Minecraft esque square select system.  I also moved them down in the inventory to have better association, and the plan now is to not change the inventory at all but rather filter out items not in the category.

On a controller, this means using the bumper to to filter through categories and leaves the joystick to automatically select above the next element matching the category.

Wireframe 2 - Lock

To meet the goal of allowing players to save their loadouts, I've also now introduced a 'lock' system. This is meant to save the object that the player chooses to store there- so if they run out of that object but pick up more of it later it will fill in that spot. Likewise, other objects cannot take up that spot. It will treat the inventory as full if the only empty spots left are locked to a category.

User Test

Players understood that the new elements would be categories but responses varied from clicking on them would show a new inventory space to filtering out other objects.

 

Some players expressed wanting other categories. Builders felt while useful, when they're looking to switch out objects they have other categories in mind like crafted pieces (doors, stairs, frames, fences, etc) and Redstone elements.

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Players also were not sure about the locks. They interpreted it as these items can't be moved when asked about the functionality, but after discussing with them the intended use feedback was positive. They expressed that they want the power to unlock, and for when their pockets are full to not automatically remove the lock.

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Wireframe 3 - Expand

After the last user test I took another look at the categories and added two for builder players, these would be Redstone and Crafted Blocks.

As it stood, now our categories are: Blocks, Edible Food, Farming Needs, Materials, Armor, Redstone, Crafted Blocks, and Tools.

I rearranged these items according to User Survey data of when players would want to use them and need, by the number of clicks it takes to get to a category on controller.

 

These would be:

  1. Blocks and Tools

  2. Edible Food and Crafted Blocks

  3. Farming Items and Redstone

  4. Materials and Armor

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A concern here to test for is if this is actually unintuitive to players and if a more mental schema-based order would be easier and faster.
 

Wireframe 3 - Pins not Locks

I also changed the lock icon to that of a pin for the next round of user tests. Players were intpreting the lock as more permanent and unmoveable. Pins carry different heuristics however and I'm hoping for the functionality to be more intuitive. Pins are have a more temporary feel but are still associated with saving something for later.

User Testing

During this round of user testing the pins read much better then the locks and players expressed how they'd use them to retain loadouts as well as make sure they have reserved space for particular resources they're looking for.

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The armor tab may not be necessary but more testing should be done. Some users expressed wanting to be able to customize what category filters they have and the order.

 

It also came up during testing that they felt like they could not move items from the hot bar while objects are filters which is the action they'd want to do next if they were using the filter to retrieve an item faster,

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Wireframe 4 - Clarify

In this wireframe I wanted to emphasize that players can still make changes to their hot bar while in filtered mode. This does mean that players can't select things outside of the filtered mode but perhaps further exploration could be that picking up an item switches the mode back to all. My concern here would be with so much visual change and so often, it may become visually taxing.
 

Onwards

Iteration 4 is where I stopped for this potential solution. If I were to explore it more I would look at potentially using highlights rather than filters- similar to the hover highlights in the chest wireframe section. I would also explore removing some of the categories from here- such as materials and armor since these don't seem to be things that Minecraft players want to access quickly. This change is interesting though because it does affect the shared language of the chest categories that worked well in user testing.
 

Other Solutions

To explore my other wireframe solutions in their latest iteration, feel free to explore the links below.
 

Post-Mortem

It was really fun to take a closer look at Minecraft as a game that millions of people have enjoyed, and try to think about the different ways that goals created to address friction could be approached. This process saw me sending too many short-clips of awesome Figma features and really get to thinking about an audience that I was not a part of.

What I learned:

  • More about organizing, creating flows, and assets in Figma

  • Discovering the power of reordering and changing margin in Figma groups

  • What it's like to work on the design of a game that you haven't played

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What I practiced

  • Wireframing various solutions to different goals

  • User Testing

  • Creating Problem Statements to drive design

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