Comments on: Keeping Graphical User Interface Clean (GUI) http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/04/27/keeping-graphical-user-interface-clean-gui/ I bake games. Indie style. Thu, 16 May 2013 13:23:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jake Birkett http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/04/27/keeping-graphical-user-interface-clean-gui/comment-page-1/#comment-134439 Jake Birkett Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:14:31 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=2896#comment-134439 I thin an AMMO number is important (shots left) but clips left could be visual. Perhaps it's because I'm a programmer... I thin an AMMO number is important (shots left) but clips left could be visual. Perhaps it’s because I’m a programmer…

]]> By: Juuso Hietalahti http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/04/27/keeping-graphical-user-interface-clean-gui/comment-page-1/#comment-134438 Juuso Hietalahti Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:26:10 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=2896#comment-134438 Ilya: good suggestion on that clip thing. Agree on fragging too. Ilya: good suggestion on that clip thing.

Agree on fragging too.

]]> By: Juuso Hietalahti http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/04/27/keeping-graphical-user-interface-clean-gui/comment-page-1/#comment-134437 Juuso Hietalahti Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:24:06 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=2896#comment-134437 "Showing a little picture of your weapon as if its projected in your helmet" = totally okay. Showing little picture of my weapon in top left corner all the time = (can be) annoying. :) “Showing a little picture of your weapon as if its projected in your helmet” = totally okay.

Showing little picture of my weapon in top left corner all the time = (can be) annoying.

:)

]]> By: Sargon http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/04/27/keeping-graphical-user-interface-clean-gui/comment-page-1/#comment-134436 Sargon Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:54:29 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=2896#comment-134436 I really don't think its a negative corralation between amount of text in GUI and the immersion. Modern era FPS actually make sense to add all sort of Green LCD GUI. Showing a little picture of your weapon as if its projected in your helmet. RPGs use a lot of text, and they are among the most immersive games out there. So you need to be carefull when saying more GUI means less immersivness. When I am thinking of a GUI I am thinking of its usefullness. If I got some measurement of something like 56% health in the left leg in a FPS game, will it be usefull for the player? Will he be able to watch it in the heat of the battle? How many times will he take a look at it? If he is not looking at it while in battle, maybe you can have this GUI object appear only when pressing tab? And etc... I really don’t think its a negative corralation between amount of text in GUI and the immersion.
Modern era FPS actually make sense to add all sort of Green LCD GUI.
Showing a little picture of your weapon as if its projected in your helmet.
RPGs use a lot of text, and they are among the most immersive games out there.
So you need to be carefull when saying more GUI means less immersivness.
When I am thinking of a GUI I am thinking of its usefullness.
If I got some measurement of something like 56% health in the left leg in a FPS game, will it be usefull for the player?
Will he be able to watch it in the heat of the battle?
How many times will he take a look at it?
If he is not looking at it while in battle, maybe you can have this GUI object appear only when pressing tab?
And etc…

]]> By: Ilya http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/04/27/keeping-graphical-user-interface-clean-gui/comment-page-1/#comment-134433 Ilya Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:02:15 +0000 http://www.gameproducer.net/?p=2896#comment-134433 Don't print the number 3, just draw 3 clips in a row. For a highly competitive games, number of frags is a very important information as it's the prime if not the only measure of your performance at the end of a round. You have to have it at a glance, preferably also in relation to the best of other players, like 121 (-4) meaning you have to score 4 frags to catch up with the top player. It may be even more important than ammo count, as in a fast paced game you are likely to be killed sooner than run out of bullets. When time is running out and you are almost tied with some other, you do feel more pressure than if you have an advantage or losing badly for this last minute to matter much, so it does affect the way you play. I guess it applies more to the games that you play for score, such as Crimsonland, Soldat or Tetris rather than those where the primary focus is to complete the stages to finish a story and to have the best performance in the process is not a such important objective. Anyway, you have very solid points for guns and wounds being visual effects rather than text or numbers. Don’t print the number 3, just draw 3 clips in a row.

For a highly competitive games, number of frags is a very important information as it’s the prime if not the only measure of your performance at the end of a round. You have to have it at a glance, preferably also in relation to the best of other players, like 121 (-4) meaning you have to score 4 frags to catch up with the top player. It may be even more important than ammo count, as in a fast paced game you are likely to be killed sooner than run out of bullets. When time is running out and you are almost tied with some other, you do feel more pressure than if you have an advantage or losing badly for this last minute to matter much, so it does affect the way you play. I guess it applies more to the games that you play for score, such as Crimsonland, Soldat or Tetris rather than those where the primary focus is to complete the stages to finish a story and to have the best performance in the process is not a such important objective.

Anyway, you have very solid points for guns and wounds being visual effects rather than text or numbers.

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