On Screen Indicators and the HUD

[Roland]

Anabella wanted this poll and she is known for slamming fingers into pantry doors so I'm fearful enough to be compliant.

 

This topic has been talked to death but this wouldn't be a forum about a zombie game if we let death stop us from talking about issues. So....here is a poll and room to keep talking about this now completely undead topic...

 

You can vote for multiple entries.

 

THE BASICS

"The Basics" is defined as Compass, Time, Date, Health Bar, Stamina Bar, Fullness Bar, Hydration Bar, Toolbelt, XP to Next Level Bar, Crosshairs. (In other words all permanent on screen indicators that typically remain always on)

 

THE EXTRAS

"The Extras" is defined as Block HP, Text Messages from the game, Stealth Eye, Upgrade/Downgrade Arrow, Harvested Mats, Completed Crafts, Buff/De-buff pop ups, Temperature indicators, Quest Lists. (In other words all situational indicators that come and go)

 

 

Let's assume for the sake of discussion that everybody is in favor of options to make any aspect of the HUD visible or invisible and that everybody is willing to use a mod for their ideal HUD if necessary. This is about what your preferences are and why. Be respectful of other people's opinions and feel free to share your ideal setup for the in-game HUD.

[Chassit]

I voted for the basics and it looks like 100% of folks agree (out of one vote)!

[Royal Deluxe]

I dont think that this poll would work well this way

Why not simply ask for simple edits

Several answers possible

 

1 : Its fine as it is

2 : Please allow a usable Clear screen mode, i would use it

3 : Please remove Health bar

4 : Please remove Stamina bar

5 : Please add Water bar

6 : Please add Food bar

7: Please add a bar that shows players core temperature

8: Please add a bar that shows world temperature

9: Please change time to "Week: Day: "

10: I like the anounced XP bar, bring it in

11: Please no additional XP bar

 

If the poll works fine there could be a second one that ask for the other elements. I fear the way you plan to make the poll would be confusing.

 

Edit to late, poll is added ^^

[Roland]

I dont think that this pull would work well this way

 

Why not simply ask for simple edits

Several answers possible

 

1 : Its fine as it is

2 : Please allow a usable Clear screen mode, i would use it

3 : Please remove Health bar

4 : Please remove Stamina bar

5 : Please add Water bar

6 : Please add Food bar

7: Please add a bar that shows players core temperature

8: Please add a bar that shows world temperature

9: Please change time to "Week: Day: "

10: I like the anounced XP bar, bring it in

11: Please no additional XP bar

 

If the poll works fine there could be a second one that ask for the other elements. I fear the way you plan to make the poll would be confusing.

 

Every poll ever done has it's set of critics that would do it totally differently. Don't like any of the options? Then vote other and describe your ideal set up. 10 is the max limit on polls.

[Royal Deluxe]

ideal setup (in my opinion) as i stated allready in the diary

 

Left Red = health bar

Right Brown = food Bar

Center Blue to Red = world Temperature and maybe core temperature (Wandering dots on the scale)

The blues can be placed both ways but i would say Left = Stamina (so next to health) and right = Water (so next to Food)

 

And the time should be changed as on the Picture

 

XP bar is useless, its Arcade Clutter that dont fit to the game in my opinion

 

btw: i voted 2, 4 and 9

[Chassit]

ideal setup (in my opinion) as i stated allready in the diary

 

Left Red = heath bar

Right Brown = Food Bar

Center Blue to Red = world Temparature and maybe Core Temperature (Wandering Dots on the scale)

The blues can be placed both ways but i would say Left = Stamina (so next to health) and right = Water (so next to Food)

 

And the time should be changed

 

XP bar is useless, its Arcade Clutter that dont fit to the game in my opinion

 

I really like this setup. Gets all important info right there and does not use a lot of real estate.

[Roland]

If the main screen has to have the day and time then instead of Week # Day #, it should just be Sunday - Saturday and Time. A watch would show the day of the week and the time and not some counter for time passed. Days played could be shown on the character or scoreboard screen. If the Blood Moon horde happens every Saturday then we will have all the info we need from the day of the week shown and it is more natural. Plus, the difficulty of the horde night is no longer tied to what week it is anyway.

[Roland]

I voted for:

 

#3: Because if we have to have a HUD then I think it would be cool to progress to the compass and time rather than getting it for free from the start.

 

#5: Because if they change nothing else I would want them to remove the block HP and the fat ugly upgrade/downgrade arrow that appears when you are destroying or upgrading a block. I despise those graphic pop-ups.

 

#6: Because it would be better than nothing and (IMO) represents superior game design to not have any permanent HUD indicators on screen...

 

#7: Because this is my preferred method of playing. Only in-game visual and audio cues to know my status. It truly is awesome and could be more so if the developers decided to go all in and thus be forced to improve and add more in-game cues.

 

#9: More focus on xp driven gameplay is exactly the opposite of what this game needs. I am very against this indicator being always visible during gameplay.

[unholyjoe]

i prefer to have minimal obstruction on my screen. i bought a 27" wide screen for more viewing area and i prefer it to stay that way. perfectly ok with options to add or subtract because not everyone wants or enjoys the same.

 

best HUD i have seen was when i played WOW and utilized a mod that let us put anything we wanted in a dedicated area (my case was bottom of screen) and everything i wanted to see was in it and above it was the real-estate for playing with nothing getting in the way.

[icehot]

If the main screen has to have the day and time then instead of Week # Day #, it should just be Sunday - Saturday and Time. A watch would show the day of the week and the time and not some counter for time passed. Days played could be shown on the character or scoreboard screen. If the Blood Moon horde happens every Saturday then we will have all the info we need from the day of the week shown and it is more natural. Plus, the difficulty of the horde night is no longer tied to what week it is anyway.

 

I agree, a watch would be cool, most watches these days can show a compass, time and date etc so it's fine to not be on the screen, just look at ur watch when u want to know something like that.

[Royal Deluxe]

If the main screen has to have the day and time then instead of Week # Day #, it should just be Sunday - Saturday and Time. A watch would show the day of the week and the time and not some counter for time passed. Days played could be shown on the character or scoreboard screen. If the Blood Moon horde happens every Saturday then we will have all the info we need from the day of the week shown and it is more natural. Plus, the difficulty of the horde night is no longer tied to what week it is anyway.

 

 

Something like this would be good too.

Monday - Time

 

But before you find a Watch instead of the time there is only the time of day readable

Like

Monday - Early Morning

 

The exact Date could be on the Scoreboard only, like you said

[The-Walking-Dad]

Guess who voted for in-game cues only?

 

He has two thumbs. And he's me.

[A Nice Cup of Tea]

I went for both #2 and "Other".

 

Here's my custom HUD:

 

 

You may recognise bits adapted from other people's HUDs.

 

It's got level and experience above the toolbelt (I guess that for A17 I can lose the experience because it already has it there). It's got body temp, food, and water with the health and stamina. And it's got elevation, ambient temp, deaths, and kills. But none of it is (at least to me) intrusive.

 

I wouldn't mind #3 for single-player, having to find the compass and a watch, but for multiplayer it would be a pain for us all to be wandering around unable to find each other - so I'd want at least the compass to be on by default in multiplayer games.

[Roland]

I went for both #2 and "Other".

 

Here's my custom HUD:

 

 

You may recognise bits adapted from other people's HUDs.

 

It's got level and experience above the toolbelt (I guess that for A17 I can lose the experience because it already has it there). It's got body temp, food, and water with the health and stamina. And it's got elevation, ambient temp, deaths, and kills. But none of it is (at least to me) intrusive.

 

I wouldn't mind #3 for single-player, having to find the compass and a watch, but for multiplayer it would be a pain for us all to be wandering around unable to find each other - so I'd want at least the compass to be on by default in multiplayer games.

 

You could always use the map and shared waypoints to find each other if #3 became a reality.

[Guppycur]

Option #rolandsucksatmaking polls

 

...just the crap I would feel if I was in the game world, so hunger/thirst/stamina/health, all other crap should be earned. Stats should never be shown, anywhere, ever.

 

...but this is what I rock with.

 

[JaxTeller718]

Option #rolandsucksatmaking polls

 

...just the crap I would feel if I was in the game world, so hunger/thirst/stamina/health, all other crap should be earned. Stats should never be shown, anywhere, ever.

 

...but this is what I rock with.

 

 

Damn I miss that UI style

[KingSlayerGM]

I think that many people lack the imagination to understand the potential of something they never tried.

[hiigaran]

I want this.

http://guidesmedia.ign.com/guides/039148/jolie_molie/basic_0001_590.jpg

Press a button and you see the gear that you need to see. A compass for example.or notes with the missions..

HP bar replaced by blurry visiَn when goes down

Stamina replaced with slow swing animations and tired sounds..

Less precise data do you have.. more atention to the sounds or events arround you. It's the escence of surviving.

Sorry for the inglish

[Royal Deluxe]

I think that many people lack the imagination to understand the potential of something they never tried.

 

Depends, in >90% of all cases things that i estimated as bad have been worse when i tried them.

But i am sure that i dont represent many people ^^

[toores]

If the main screen has to have the day and time then instead of Week # Day #, it should just be Sunday - Saturday and Time. A watch would show the day of the week and the time and not some counter for time passed. Days played could be shown on the character or scoreboard screen. If the Blood Moon horde happens every Saturday then we will have all the info we need from the day of the week shown and it is more natural. Plus, the difficulty of the horde night is no longer tied to what week it is anyway.

 

Sunday bloody sunday

[toores]

I would also like having "hud options". Turn every single element on/off separately.

If TFP add finding watch and compass (which would be awesome) the they will appear after finding them - or will appear on the menus after finding them if the hud elements are turned off.

 

Edit:

I would go (like Guppycur said) with the stuff you feel. I would add though that i feel temperature as well.

 

Of course xp bar in not needed, but some might play the game for other reasons..

 

And as far as harvesting numbers go, they are useful only as long as we have broken system that you will get more resources with lower tools because you can hit more times..

 

Oh, and i personally would remove the "zombies start/stop running" sound from the game.

 

And while thinking about it, i wouldn't mind only hunger and thirst icon (no bar) as long as it wouldn't appear so late as 25%. If it would go 50% almost transparent to 0% opaque i'd be happy. (honey should only have curing effect - you can't consume it with full hunger and you can't see if you're full...)

[Jedo]

I really like Royal's HUD, but in-game toggles for everything would be fine. The toggle bit is important in case you change your mind.

[Menace312]

The Extras! All the way...

 

Can't have to much information... ever...

The only thing that limits the onscreen HUD for me, is when I can no longer see the actual game (oversold it for the effect ).

[Mytheos]

Every poll ever done has it's set of critics that would do it totally differently. Don't like any of the options? Then vote other and describe your ideal set up. 10 is the max limit on polls.

 

Honestly the poll isnt very well setup, its not a situation of being a "critic".

 

( A poll is a tool, not a painting, its simply good or not by how well it works )

 

You need to separate and make clear the choices, and you are lumping things together and making it confusing.

 

The way he suggested is much more clear and will give a more accurate result.

 

 

You essentially want to know, do you like it as is and feel no changes need to be made?

 

IF changes need to be made, which ones?

 

If you need to make a single poll for the "always on" elements like HP/Stamina/Tool bar, and then another for the situational things like Block Health/Upgrade/Downgrade it would be more clear and accurate.

[RestInPieces]

The thread may have been ressurected but it's still relevant (and I didn't get to vote).

 

While I would like as fewer things as possible in the HUD, it's way more annoying to have to open a menu to check on vital info. Here's a nice HUD btw from "The Forest", contains a lot of info, depicted nicely in a small space.