Marathon UX Audit & UI Redesign

Screen The redesigned landing screen before a run. Prepare, factions, codex, map, contracts, party state, currency, and search are all in the same view.

Decision The runner and the blue hangar stay as the visual anchor, while useful pieces move into clear zones: navigation on the left, live pressure on the right, actions along the bottom.

Fix Players can understand the run, fix blockers, and search without bouncing through separate menus.

Screen A quick information card for the selected map, showing threat, location, and a short description from the lobby.

Decision It opens beside the map tile instead of taking over the screen, so the player understands it as extra context, not a new page.

Fix Players can check what they are about to queue into without leaving the prepare flow or guessing from a map name alone.

Screen A compact loadout card that shows the active shell, weapons, core gear, and rough value directly from the hub.

Decision It uses the same card language as the full inventory, just tightened into a small overlay.

Fix It removes the small but constant back-and-forth of checking gear before every search.

Screen A mode card for ranked or timed activity states, paired with the active map tile.

Decision The timer and active state sit on top because they change the decision. The image stays below so it still feels tied to the destination.

Fix Players know what queue is active and how urgent it is before they hit search.

Screen A visible party stack that shows teammates and their selection pressure cards while staying on the main screen.

Decision The cards stay bright and vertical on the right because they are run blockers, not background info.

Fix The player can see who is ready, who is missing requirements, and what is stopping the party from searching.

Screen An expanded contract card that shows objectives and progress without opening the full contracts page.

Decision It expands near the pressure stack, so the player can connect the warning to the exact task causing it.

Fix Players stop treating contract cards as vague alerts. They can read the blocker and act on it from the same place.

Screen A small map switcher that opens from the active map tile and lists the available destinations.

Decision The map list stays inside the tile footprint, so it feels like a dropdown with weight instead of a separate screen.

Fix Map swapping becomes part of prep, not another detour before matchmaking.

Screen A focused profile panel with banner art, name, account IDs, join/invite actions, and safety options.

Decision The background blurs instead of disappearing, and the profile uses a split image/info layout so it still feels tied to the lobby.

Fix Checking or inviting someone no longer feels like opening a separate social app inside the game.

Screen A right-side drawer for crew, Marathon connections, Bungie connections, and offline friends.

Decision It slides in over the lobby and keeps status groups stacked vertically, which makes scanning faster than a full-page friends screen.

Fix Party management becomes a quick side action, not something that breaks the flow of preparing for a run.

Screen A single working space for the equipped loadout, backpack, shell slots, character, and vault.

Decision The screen is split by task: current build on the left, character and slot targets in the middle, stored gear on the right.

Fix The original separated Loadout and Vault, so players had to remember items between screens.

Screen The main inventory state with equipped weapons and backpack on the left, the runner in the center, and the vault grid on the right.

Decision The left side answers what am I carrying, the right side answers what do I own, and the center keeps shell changes connected to the body.

Fix Players can prep a build without opening separate pages just to understand what is equipped versus stored.

Screen A hover panel for a selected weapon, with stats, attached parts, value, and available actions.

Decision The card opens beside the item grid instead of replacing the screen, keeping the vault context visible.

Fix It cuts down tooltip hunting and lets players inspect items without losing track of where the item came from.

Screen A side-by-side comparison state for two weapons, with matching stat rows and attachment previews.

Decision The comparison gets its own dark center panel so both items get equal weight while the inventory stays visible behind it.

Fix The player does not have to memorize numbers from one hover to the next. The decision can happen on-screen.

Screen A shell browser with large character art, a left-side roster, rarity markers, and a right panel for abilities and traits.

Decision The shell gets the stage because it is both gameplay and identity. The ability panel stays separate so players can read the kit without fighting the artwork.

Fix Shell choice becomes understandable before equipping. Players can read role, personality, and function in one place.

Screen A detailed shell view for skin, source, style, and flavor text.

Decision It is built more like a poster than a list: big preview first, readable lore panel second, equip/source actions kept close to the name.

Fix Cosmetics stop being tiny thumbnails. Players can judge the full look and understand where it came from without opening another menu.