Game HUDs

[operative x]

How do you think game HUDs should be made for today’s games? Do you think they should go all-out-and-fancy Like Deus ex: Invisible War? Or just enough stuff on the screen to play the game like Half-life, and counter strike? Or should there be nothing? Instead of having a red bar, they could use effects to tell you your life. For example when your about to die there could be motion blur and the players hands will start to shake a lot to signal that he has very low life left. For weapons, the player will have to start to memorize the clip capacity and how much is left in the clip. This could develop the players weapons skills and replace traditional RPG skill systems too. So, what do you think?!??!?!?!

[Agent_Embryo]

It's a good idea, and there should be an option to have eighter a minimal "realistic" HUD or a fancy one. Network games should be limited to using only one type, ie everyone uses the same type of HUD.

[Ruahrc]

I like the idea of having to memorize the amount of ammo left in your clip- that would add a lot of realism and strategy to a game.

The no-health bar idea sounds good but could have problems of inaccuracy (thinking you've got decent health but really you have very little) unless it was implemented very skillfully. The lack of many senses in video games (touch, smell, etc) limits the methods in which the game can inform the player of the environment they're in- and a lot of the times visual means are what is needed to quickly and accurately convey information about things like health, objectives, and navigation to the player.

Ruahrc

[tony_j15]

The problem is we are limited to sight and sound for info. I like the idea of having to count your bullets, that is real. One of these days we will have holo rooms to play CS in, with full body suits to give you all senses. But for now, most games do OK.

[thePh@r@oh]

i think a combonation of a simple HUD and what you mentioned would be good because sometimes i forget to look at my HUD to check my health. if the character would do something like what you mentioned it would trigger me to check my health

[Telexen]

I do think you could take it away pretty much.

I remember playing Goldeneye 007 on Nintendo 64...if I recall right, the only thing they gave you on the hud was ammo (unless you pressed Start, in which case you got all the other crap)

I could have shut off the ammo display and been fine because after killing an enemy, and the area I was in being clear I reloaded myself anyway.

[operative x]

Originally posted by Ruahrc
The no-health bar idea sounds good but could have problems of inaccuracy (thinking you've got decent health but really you have very little) unless it was implemented very skillfully.

Yeah if done right it could very handy, because you woun't be focused on the HUD and checking the health and ammo. If it were done there probably would be different levels of effects. Level 1 would be 100% health everything would be normal. Then when it hits level 2 at 50% you will start to notice a very small amount of slower movement and inaccuracy. At level 3 would be at 30% the characters hands will start to shake and when he turns motion blur will kick in. Then level 4 20% the hands will shake even more with tons of motion blur . Level 5 10% the hands will shake even more with tons of motion blur and all the sounds in the game will be slightly muffled. So as these levels go down you'll start to see that your character is loosing lots of health instead of looking at numbers or bars.