about HUDs

GuillaumeH · Post by **GuillaumeH** » Sat 04 Feb, 2006 2:04 pm

Here's an interesting article about HUDs : http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060 ... n_01.shtml

I think it's quite thought-provoking for us who have to struggle to make fit a lot of information into 96*64 screens. Maybe the solution of togglable HUDs is the easiest to implement. Another easy solution is to use simple grayscale to allow looking at what's behind the HUD (by displaying it every other frame)...

DJ_O · Post by **DJ_O** » Sat 04 Feb, 2006 2:18 pm

some calc games use toglable HUD, like CDI's metroid game, pretty good idea i think, altough if u are at top of the screen the HUD should move to the bottom or something like that, like ARPGCS

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Sat 04 Feb, 2006 7:19 pm

Yeah CDI has it togglable and I did it also for chips. I think it would be cool to have the HUD move around depending where you are, but I wouldn't see that feasable for chips for it would be too slow.

KermMartian · Post by **KermMartian** » Sat 04 Feb, 2006 10:32 pm

Very interesting article. It's sometimes hard to find a good user interface in even the best-programmed games.

dysfunction · Post by **dysfunction** » Sat 04 Feb, 2006 10:55 pm

*Makes BSG's UI toggleable*

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 1:21 am

dysfunction wrote:*Makes BSG's UI toggleable*

Hehe.
*wonders if metroid will have a toggable HUD*

Post by **Kozak** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 10:10 am

I know coelurus used to have strong feelings about HUDs. I am not sure if he still has them

.

I have never really had problems with HUDs. You need them in games where it is vital to know certain info continually; action games. I never made action games.

In my Startroopers (unreleased) game I only show health and that is only a line of 1*96 pixels.

coelurus · Post by **coelurus** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 10:23 am

Hmm, I remember you and I discussed HUDs a long time ago, can't recall what any of us said though

The logs are probably hidden in some of all of my backups, would be nice to get a tiny bit of info of what happened during the chats...

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 4:39 pm

OT: Kozak, why must it be unreleased!!!!

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 4:59 pm

What about RPG HUDs?

how much space should be devoted to menus and stats, and how much should be used for sprites and battle animations?

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 6:52 pm

Im RPGs I think you don't need a hud which apears while walking around, but you press the menu button and then you can see your stats. But if you mean when in battles, pokemon is a good example of how one could place a type of HUD (or look at dry eyes for the TI-83+).

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Sun 05 Feb, 2006 11:12 pm

I think the article summed it up perfectly: Decide what you need, and what you don't. If you can keep it down to the essentials, you're HUDing in the right direction.

Post by **Dwedit** » Mon 06 Feb, 2006 5:36 am

Is a score display and lives counter really distracting to anyone?

kalan_vod · Post by **kalan_vod** » Mon 06 Feb, 2006 6:04 am

coelurus · Post by **coelurus** » Mon 06 Feb, 2006 3:00 pm

As always, it depends. For instance, I'd want direct feedback info in an arcade game via a HUD, but not in an imo proper RPG (not even a stats screen, and you've heard from me why already

). An RTS is pretty much only about a HUD, but FPSs should have only tinsy bits of info (nolf is a good example).

The link should've had just a big line of text like:
"Make the HUD fit the game from the POV of the gamer."