How can I implement a dark mode feature in my game’s user interface to enhance user experience?

Implementing a Dark Mode Feature in Godot

Adding a dark mode feature to your game’s user interface can significantly enhance user experience by offering an alternative color scheme that reduces eye strain in low-light conditions. Here’s a detailed guide on implementing this in Godot:

1. Designing the Theme

• Use Godot’s StyleBoxFlat for custom UI elements to control colors for normal, hover, and pressed states.
• Define color palettes for both default and dark modes.
• Create a separate theme_dark.tres resource file for the dark mode.

2. Switching Themes

func switch_to_dark_mode():
    var dark_theme = preload("res://themes/theme_dark.tres")
    get_node("UIRoot").set_theme(dark_theme)

Ensure the UIRoot node is the root of your UI, so the theme applies globally.

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3. User Preference

• Store the user’s preference in a configuration file using ConfigFile:

  var config = ConfigFile.new()
  config.load("user://settings.cfg")
  config.set_value("ui", "dark_mode", true)
  config.save("user://settings.cfg")
  

4. Implementing Toggle Option

• Add a toggle button in your settings menu to switch modes:

func _on_DarkModeToggle_toggled(button_pressed):
    if button_pressed:
        switch_to_dark_mode()
    else:
        switch_to_light_mode()

Ensure to save the toggle state to the configuration file.

5. Testing

• Test UI elements under different lighting conditions.
• Check for consistency and visibility of text and icons in both modes.

Considerations

• Use semantic colors instead of hard-coded ones for easily maintainable themes.
• Provide a preview option for users to see changes before applying.

Implementing dark mode can positively influence user engagement by catering to user preferences and accessibility standards.