Design Writeup (300 words)
Oxygen Not Included (ONI) is a complex colony simulation game where players manage duplicants in a subterranean environment, balancing oxygen, heat, waste, power, and survival. Although its simulation depth is a major strength, it can quickly become overwhelming, especially for beginners. The game offers little in the way of in-game guidance once the tutorial ends, which has resulted in a widespread dependence on community-made tools, spreadsheets, and wikis. However, this information is fragmented, inconsistent, and often difficult to navigate—especially on mobile.
This project proposes a mobile-first, user-friendly companion app designed to consolidate key ONI tools into a single, cohesive experience. The app is designed for newcomers and experienced players, providing guidance, calculators, tips, and contextual recommendations that adapt to the player’s in-game world.
The app’s core feature, “Your World,” allows users to input their current colony status—such as available geysers, duplicant count, resource limitations—and get tailored recommendations. This includes buildings they can support, warnings about sustainability issues, and suggestions for long-term planning.
Two user personas informed this direction. Emma, a cautious beginner, often restarts her colony due to lack of foresight and wants clear, guided support. Alex, an advanced player, uses tricks like prioritizing geysers to pre-plan but finds the multi-tab method inefficient. Both users want something cleaner, quicker, and easier to reference mid-play.
Visually, the app reflects ONI’s personality through color, iconography, and tone, while avoiding UI clutter. Key features are swipeable, grouped logically, and mobile-responsive.
This app isn’t just a reference sheet—it’s a design-focused solution that supports players through intuitive layouts, helpful logic, and centralized knowledge. By reducing confusion and streamlining decision-making, it enhances both the onboarding experience for new players and the optimisation process for experts.
Mission Statement
To centralize and simplify the ONI player experience by creating an accessible, mobile-friendly companion app that merges multiple planning tools into one seamless interface.
Competitor Research
- ONIcalc – Offers strong power/gas calculations but lacks intuitive navigation.
- oni-db – Good data aggregation, but not responsive and poorly styled.
- Professor Oak’s Heat Tool – Useful but isolated and not integrated with other tools.
- r/Oxygennotincluded (Reddit) – A strong knowledge base, but not structured or easily searchable on mobile.
User Personas
Persona 1 – Emma (Beginner)
- Age: 21
- Platform: Plays ONI on a casual basis (Steam Deck or low-end PC)
- Struggles with: Game systems, colony collapse, managing early-game survival
- Needs: Clear UI, guided advice, and understanding of basic sustainable builds
- Goal: Survive beyond cycle 100 and feel confident in her decisions
Persona 2 – Alex (Experienced Planner)
- Age: 28
- Platform: Dedicated PC setup with mods
- Struggles with: Efficiency, long-term automation, and pre-planning
- Needs: Fast access to geyser viability, power chain feedback, simulation-based forecasts
- Goal: Build long-running megabases with zero-waste loops
Figjam
https://www.figma.com/board/aZFZimwNM960DLTMuc7wQ7/Moodboard—Style?node-id=0-1&t=VAULjseaiQA2fnR6-1
References
Klei Entertainment (n.d.) Oxygen Not Included – Official Game Page. Available at: https://www.klei.com/games/oxygen-not-included (Accessed: 19 May 2025).
Oxygen Not Included Wiki (n.d.) Oxygen Not Included Wiki Homepage. Available at: https://oxygennotincluded.wiki.gg/ (Accessed: 19 May 2025).
ONI Calc (n.d.) Oxygen Not Included Calculation Tool. Available at: https://onicalc.com (Accessed: 19 May 2025).
ONI-DB (n.d.) Oxygen Not Included Database. Available at: https://oni-db.com (Accessed: 19 May 2025).
Professor Oak’s Shell (n.d.) Heat Exchange Calculator. Available at: https://www.professoroakshell.com/HeatExchangeCalc.html (Accessed: 19 May 2025).
Reddit (n.d.) r/Oxygennotincluded – Community Discussions. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/Oxygennotincluded/ (Accessed: 19 May 2025).
Leave a Reply