Heads Up!

[RagnarokHybrid]

Let's have a discussion about Head's-Up Displays in games. Some games, like GTA IV get a bit annoying with the amount of HUDs that show up all the time to teach you how to do things that you knew since the beginning of the game. I liked how Assassin's Creed (I've only played Brotherhood but I'm sure the first few games did this, too) made it fully customizable how your HUD looked. I played with most of the settings off with the exception of the mini-map and the weapon-selection... thing.

So, basic question: when are HUDs appropriate and when do they just get annoying and become a distraction? To what extent is it useful to combine HUDs (like Resident Evil 4, how they combined the ammo counter with the health bar) HUDs to un-clutter the screen? Or does combining HUDs complicate the game interface?

Side note: Nothing against Rockstar--they make great games but it'd be nice if they didn't assume retardation on my part. I don't need an HUD every five seconds to remind me how to play the game.

 

[oplinger]

When are HUDs appropriate? ...whenever there's information I need to know. They get distracting when they're super flashy and huge. Though them being huge isn't much of an issue with the giant resolutions we run games at, compared to how it used to be. I think they also get annoying when the game hides it's HUD, only to have it appear when information changes. It causes me to look at the part of the HUD that just popped up, and I'm pulled out of the experience sometimes.

As far as combining the HUD elements, it's useful in almost every respect, as it makes it take up less space. However it's not useful in games where the HUD disappears. Usually information you need to know gets attached to something huge that you don't really care about. Like if I pick up a small clip of handgun ammo, I don't want to see my health and how many lives I've got left.

Combining elements shouldn't really complicate anything, unless you cut down the information, so you get a series of numbers, with no indication as to what it is.

My favorite HUD of all time will always be Dead Space though. I think they had a very good idea with it, and it was executed beautifully. Or maybe CoCark Corners of the Earth, it had no HUD but still gave you all the information you needed through sounds, screen color and character movement. Both are very well done.

...I'll just go ahead and say it, I hate the hide-a-HUD. I hate it a lot.