Making a UI for a game can’t be hard. Now I don’t have personal experience making one, but seeing how often a mod for a game is a UI edit or complete overhaul, I’d bet good money it’s not THAT hard to make something decent.
I bring this up because the UI in GTA V for the PC is a console-port abortion. If I have to click more than twice to close the damn game, your UI sucks. Also if during the tutorial you leave in using the left arrow key on the keyboard as something you expect players to normally do, your UI sucks. And again, this stuff isn’t that hard, and there are plenty of examples to refer to on how to make a basic, acceptable UI for the PC. Pro-tip; using the mouse shouldn’t be an afterthought!
This reminds me of Skyrim all over again, only this UI isn’t AS BAD as Skyrim was, but its perhaps more frustrating because the PC version of GTA V is coming out YEARS after the console versions, so clearly the devs have had plenty of time and budget to make changes, but they didn’t so instead they could focus on a built-in movie editor? Really?
And much like Skyrim, the fact that the UI sucks isn’t enough to ruin the game. GTA V on the PC is glorious. The big change is of course the graphics, and yes, GTA V looks phenomenal maxed out. First person view is also very nice, especially since you can switch between it quickly, so shooting-heavy parts I go first person, but for most other situations I use the standard view. But man would the whole thing be much better if the UI didn’t get in the way as often as it does. Bring on the mods I guess.
Hardcore Casual 
UI does seem to be a difficult point with games. Look at how Blizzard has totally outsourced UI design to modders. Maybe it’s seen as a necessary evil of design, not anything they want to sink too many resources into.
I played a lot of Vice City back in the day, but I remember playing GTA4 and thinking “yep, still GTA, what else you got?”. What does 5 do to change it up?
But you bought it, didn’t you? Why not engage in some wallet voting and stop buying (bad) console ports?
Why would you think he thinks it’s a bad console port?
Exactly, other than the UI, it’s an amazing game, well worth buying.
Unfortunately wallet voting is limited to buy or not buy. The signal you sent to the developers is one of complete approval. Since people agree with you that the UI is not worth vetoing a game over, don’t be surprised the next time they resurrect the skyrim UI designer and take him for a ride.
” The signal you sent to the developers is one of complete approval.”
No it isn’t.
Wallet voting is indeed limited to two choices “I didn’t like your game enough to buy it”, or “I did like your game enough to buy it”. Neither of those choices is “complete approval”.
Happily, in addition to wallet voting, there are other methods to convey opinions, like, say, blogs.
Right, if it was complete approval, would we ever buy any game? Which one was perfect that you feel comfortable saying “I like 100% of this”?
It’s very easy for a game to be 100% perfect. First, it has to be your favorite game. Second, you have to be 14 years old.
Which one was perfect that you feel comfortable saying “I like 100% of this”?
Planescape: Torment