A Few HUD Suggestions
Hebacheba
Join Date: 2009-06-19 Member: 67872Members
Join Date: 2009-06-19 Member: 67872Members
For the alien HUD, I'd like to see a few things:
1. A large, visual health bar where you can quickly see an approximation of the amount of health and energy you have left. It needs to have a large amount of contrast between the bar marking how much you have left and the area showing how much is empty so that it can be easily determined with peripheral vision whether or not you should run away.
2. Coupled with the above suggestion, a small numerical value showing the amount of health and energy. This would allow a skilled player to calculate, for example, how many more shotgun shots they could live through to determine whether or not getting out of the vent is worth the risk.
3. A way to distinguish between yours and another gorge's buildings on the map, and there needs to be a way to demolish your own buildings.
As for the marine HUD:
1. Also a large, visual health bar but split into two representing armor and health. Also, there should be a visual bar (maybe where the energy bar is on the alien HUD) giving a quick way to get a general idea of how much ammo you have left in both in and out of your gun.
2. Numerical values like above corresponding to armor, health, etc.
3. A way to zoom the minimap in and out. Personally, I found the minimap in NS1 covering too small of a section of the map to be useful.
4. A simplified HUD for most of the time, but access to a lot of information about your team, the map, your guns' status, etc. only a button press or two away.
For both of them, I'd like to strongly suggest that there should be no text other than the important numbers. Text only creates visual clutter, and any new player is going to quickly figure out what each bar and number corresponds to.
I'll probably edit this post later and add some more stuff. That's all I can think of for now.
EDIT 1: Added some stuff. If I ever get around to it, I'll draw up what I think would make a good HUD.
EDIT 2: Added a good suggestion from NeoSniper.
1. A large, visual health bar where you can quickly see an approximation of the amount of health and energy you have left. It needs to have a large amount of contrast between the bar marking how much you have left and the area showing how much is empty so that it can be easily determined with peripheral vision whether or not you should run away.
2. Coupled with the above suggestion, a small numerical value showing the amount of health and energy. This would allow a skilled player to calculate, for example, how many more shotgun shots they could live through to determine whether or not getting out of the vent is worth the risk.
3. A way to distinguish between yours and another gorge's buildings on the map, and there needs to be a way to demolish your own buildings.
As for the marine HUD:
1. Also a large, visual health bar but split into two representing armor and health. Also, there should be a visual bar (maybe where the energy bar is on the alien HUD) giving a quick way to get a general idea of how much ammo you have left in both in and out of your gun.
2. Numerical values like above corresponding to armor, health, etc.
3. A way to zoom the minimap in and out. Personally, I found the minimap in NS1 covering too small of a section of the map to be useful.
4. A simplified HUD for most of the time, but access to a lot of information about your team, the map, your guns' status, etc. only a button press or two away.
For both of them, I'd like to strongly suggest that there should be no text other than the important numbers. Text only creates visual clutter, and any new player is going to quickly figure out what each bar and number corresponds to.
I'll probably edit this post later and add some more stuff. That's all I can think of for now.
EDIT 1: Added some stuff. If I ever get around to it, I'll draw up what I think would make a good HUD.
EDIT 2: Added a good suggestion from NeoSniper.
Comments
3) I'm guessing that when you look at a building it should give you its basic info. Type of structure, how built it, and health (at least in bar form like gorges see in NS1).
I'd like the HUD to be very immersive.
On the marine side it should feel that you are viewing and actual HUD inside your Visor/Helmet or holograms in front of your eyes. Also I'd like the hud to switch between minimal to full data at the pulse of a button. When that button is pressed all sorts of info can swing it from all sides (remember the Starcraft menus?).
-the status of your squadmates should be visible
-Larger map
-Info on all you inventory and ammo counts
-and so on...
In minimal mode you only see you life bar/number plus a small map overview. Current ammo should be on the weapon model. As number or otherwise.
Maybe each menu can be individualy toggle like in Supreme Commander. Maybe the extended view key should just bring up a mouse cursor so that you can interact with the menus.
On the marine side it should feel that you are viewing and actual HUD inside your Visor/Helmet or holograms in front of your eyes.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It'd be nice if they could pull off both, but, in my opinion, functionality should have priority over immersion in an online FPS.
<!--quoteo(post=1725906:date=Sep 2 2009, 08:56 AM:name=NeoSniper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NeoSniper @ Sep 2 2009, 08:56 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1725906"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also I'd like the hud to switch between minimal to full data at the pulse of a button. When that button is pressed all sorts of info can swing it from all sides (remember the Starcraft menus?).
-the status of your squadmates should be visible
-Larger map
-Info on all you inventory and ammo counts
-and so on...
In minimal mode you only see you life bar/number plus a small map overview. Current ammo should be on the weapon model. As number or otherwise.
Maybe each menu can be individualy toggle like in Supreme Commander. Maybe the extended view key should just bring up a mouse cursor so that you can interact with the menus.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'd personally prefer it if all of these menus just came up individually with the press of a button, much like NS1, but I do agree there should be a way to have a simplified "combat HUD" and then a way to get access to all of that information when you're in a lull. I'll edit the OP with that.
With that said I wouldn't mind a visual healthbar.
As for "immersive" HUD, do not want. Make it the best HUD ever, not the most immersive HUD ever.
Yes, definately. If your fade makes that snarl noise after a shotgun shell you and your attacker know you have to get out f their fast. And it's practically instinctive.