Why I don’t like nested scrolling for my games!
Every choice you make in the field of game design affects how the player feels. The selection of scrolling mechanics is one frequently disregarded detail. When showcasing a list with a big number of items, Nested scrolling is the preferred method among UX designers.
But there are a lot of drawbacks related to use of the nested scrolling in game development, I am writing this to highlight its complexities and why simpler scrolling approaches might be more advantageous.
Lets understand what nested scrolling is, In game development, nested scrolling refers to the creation of multiple scrollable items within each other. It's similar to having one scrollable contained within another, resulting in many layers of scrolling.
This concept introduces complexity by allowing different parts of the game , such as maps , inventories and etc. to scroll independently with the larger game viewport.
Now lets talk about the complexities that arises while implementing the Nested Scrolling.
The first is the technological challenge involved in establishing Nested Scrolling systems, as we must manage multiple levels of scrollable elements within the Game UI. Complex coding is required to handle interactions between different scrollable parts, ensuring they function independently while also responding logically to the Player’s input. Coordinating these elements with no conflicts or unexpected behaviors requires careful review in your game’s code.
Now with multiple scrollable elements significantly impact game performance, particularly resource- intensive environments. Each scrollable layer adds to the computational load, requiring additional processing power for rendering and managing the scrolling behavior. This increased workload leads to frame rate drops, lag and reduction in overall performance , especially in games with complex graphics or dynamic contents. While object pooling can somewhat solve the memory overload issue in case of dynamic content which I used in one of my previous games, which I will try to discuss in another article.
Input confusion is one of the most common issue with nested scrolling which hampers player experience. When multiple scrollable elements respond to the same input (such as mouse wheel , touch gestures, controller inputs or keyboard controls) it can lead to unexpected or undesired behaviors within the game. For instance , Scrolling intended for one element might inadvertently affect another, disrupting the player's intended interaction or navigation with the game. this confusion can lead to frustration and less intuitive gaming experience. Managing and distinguishing input across nested scrollable layer becomes crucial to avoid such issues.
We can develop smoother, more intuitive UIs by using Simple scrolling mechanisms, letting players to focus on enjoying the game’s content without distractions or issues. And that is why I avoid nested scrolling.
