Contrast in Design

Here we have a menu interface from a game called Age of Pirates 2. There is contrast in this interface in the fact that there is a menu in the middle of the screen over a detailed look of the theme of pirates and ruined ships at sea. The words "Load Game" are notably brighter than the others perhaps denoting that it is selected at the moment. The symbolic icon of the game stands out as an item completely separate from the background as is with the words and lettering of the menu. With the menu slightly more to the left than center, there is a bit of sharpening going on allowing users to see more of what the game has to offer in terms of its graphics or theme to the right as well as choosing what selection is desired. Also, in the background, we can see skies that are quite clear and blue higher up although lower and in the distance you see a darkening, attributing to the theme of entering into a pirate's world. Although it was unexpected to see such clear skies, it has a good feel to it probably because it sets a mood.

image from: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/oleman/Puzzel6.jpg

Shown is an image of an option menu interface for a game called Fireteam. This is an example of an interface that uses little contrast and where it does use contrast, it fails to use it in a way that serves a good purpose in design. This interface has contrast in color between the brown boxy features and the blue background however it lacks contrast in shape and has just a few textures in juxtaposition of each other. Each of tProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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box shaped features are exactly alike differing only in the text within them. In addition, the font sizes of "SOUND" and "REMAP KEYS" are significantly greater in size than the others causing a point of focus that seems unnecessary. I actually was expecting to see options within the boxes but realized later that this is the options menu, this was likely at fault to the texture of the word option matching that of the blue background.

image from: http://www.silverthornedesign.com/images/FTI_03.jpg