Take it off the HUD and put it into the game.
The
most immersive way to present necessary player information is to
incorporate it directly into the game environment. In a racing game
such as Project Gotham Racing 3 (Xbox 360), the “in-car” view
during a race allows for an entirely immersive experience that also
incorporates player information (such as speed) directly into the
environment via the car dashboard. This solution is not effective for
players who prefer a different camera view, but it does show a proof of
concept: many important HUD elements can be seamlessly integrated into
the game world to enhance player immersion.
In Doom 3
(Xbox), while a player's weapon ammunition count generally shows up as
an overlay in the lower right corner of the screen, weapons like the
chaingun include the ammunition count as a readout directly on the
weapon model. When designing a futuristic FPS, there's no reason why a
developer couldn't just put an ammo count display directly on every
weapon model from the get-go.
In
a third-person game, player health and/or damage indication can be
shown in ways other than through a health meter. In many survival
horror games like Eternal Darkness (Gamecube), player
health—both physical and mental—is clearly reflected in the
player-character model's onscreen appearance and movements. This can be
accomplished through texture, animation, and even camera work. These
indicators may not seem initially to be as precise as a counter or bar,
but if players are given enough distinctive indicators, the process can
become intuitive very quickly.
Sound it out.
Another
way to convey player status info is through audio cues. This is an
often underutilized method that can either reinforce a visual cue or
offer a unique message that is not easily shown visually. For example,
in Halo (Xbox), when a player's armor loses shield protection,
an audio warning reinforces the flashing visual cue of the health
status bar. This allows a player to know he or she is in imminent
danger without having to refer to the HUD. In Project: Snowblind
(PlayStation 2), if a player dawdles instead of advancing toward the
location of an objective, non-player characters offer spoken dialogue
that encourages the player toward the objective. This information could
be conveyed in a far less subtle way—and indeed, a visual objective
guide is available if the player wishes to turn it on—but these simple
audio cues allow the player to remain fully immersed in the world the
developers have worked so hard to create.
When you absolutely, positively must have a HUD
For
many games, it may not be practical to eliminate all HUD elements
entirely. In such instances, there are still ways to maintain immersion
and simplicity while still providing important information to the
player.
Since
HUD elements are meant to convey player status information, one simple
solution is to only show an element when the player status changes. For
example, a health indicator does not generally need to be shown unless
the player is either gaining or losing health. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (Xbox) uses just such a health meter, to great effect. By the same token, God of War (PlayStation 2) features a HUD that disappears when the player is not near an enemy or performing an attack move.
Give the power to the player.
Another solution is to allow the player to control the appearance of the HUD. In Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PlayStation 2) ,
certain HUD elements disappear when player status is static; however,
the player can temporarily call up these elements by simply clicking
the left thumbstick if they are needed. In Deus Ex: Invisible War
(Xbox), players are also given unique control over the HUD: through a
sub-menu accessible during gameplay, a player can adjust the opacity of
the HUD to his or her liking. This not only allows the player to decide
how conspicuous the HUD is, but also gives HDTV gamers control over
their own destiny when it comes to burn-in.
Cut the static.
The
HUD elements that pose the most risk of burn-in are those that seldom
change, such as graphical borders. These static elements also offer the
least benefit to the player, since they are generally decorative and do
not contain information relevant to the game. Find ways to eliminate
such elements or make them dynamic; Champions: Return to Arms
(PlayStation 2), like many earlier games utilizing the Snowblind
engine, offers a good example of how a typically static element like a
level map can be made into a persistent yet ever-changing overlay.
Cycling colors or animated textures can also invigorate a lifeless HUD
while decreasing the threat of burn-in.
“Theme” isn't just about music.
One
important thing to remember for necessary HUD elements is this: the
more the HUD is themed to the game world, the less intrusive it will
appear. This goes beyond superficial visual appearance; instead of just
asking “What font looks the most science fiction-y?” ask instead “Based
on the world we've designed, what is the best way to convey this
necessary information to the player?” In Kameo: Elements of Power
(Xbox 360), when a player assumes the role of Chilla and throws ice
spears, some sort of reticle or guide is necessary for the player to
properly aim the spears. The developers, instead of just utilizing a
generic reticle overlay, came up with a cleverly themed solution that
not only adds to player immersion, but also happens to eliminate any
risk of burn-in: a reticle-shaped overlay that looks like a buildup of
clear ice on the screen; it is visible only because it refracts the
visible game world through it, and not because it contains static
elements.
Metroid Prime
(Gamecube) also offers an excellent example of a fully themed HUD.
Admittedly, it's a bit of cheat: the entire HUD can be explained away
as the readout on the inside of Samus Aran's helmet. However, the
developers embraced the theme and made it actually feel like a part of
the environment—right down to the reflection of Samus's face that
appears on the inside of the helmet during bright explosions.
The
games mentioned above offer numerous examples to show how player status
information can be presented in ways that are immersive and innovative.
There are countless other solutions; in fact, the more specific a
solution is to a particular game, the greater the odds that the
developer is offering the player a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. As
developers continue to challenge themselves to achieve more
sophisticated levels of immersion and intuitive gameplay in their
creations, they will no doubt devise equally sophisticated and unique
ways to communicate critical information to the player.
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