Level Up.pdf

186 LEVEL 8 Sign Language—HUD and Icon Design
Displaying icons along the bottom of
the screen works well too, as long as
you watch out for clipping that can
occur if a player is using a monitor or
TV screen that isn ’ t calibrated for your
game. Assume at least 50% of your
audience has a crappy television set;
heck, even gamers with excellent HD
LCD rear projection sets still can get
clipped images on the sides of their
screen. Get that information as close
to the safe frame as possible (and
always offer screen calibration options).
If you are going to use the right, left,
and bottom of the screen, be careful
of the “ bracketing effect ” that
happens — this will make your game
screen seem smaller and
claustrophobic. I ’ ve seen some RTS
screens so filled with HUD elements,
it felt like I was looking out of a mail
slot!
If you are going to have lots of icons
on screen, why not consider letting
the player choose which ones they
want and prioritize where they should go. This way, the player can choose
what they feel are the most important icons for them. Just make sure you
don ’ t give them the option to obstruct the main gameplay field.
Some icons open up other screens, like inventory lists. Make sure the player
has a quick way to get back to the game. You may want to consider
allowing the player to pause the game so he/she doesn ’ t get bushwhacked
by an enemy while they are trying to find their +6 rod of killing. Of course,
you could be like the designers of Dead Space and intentionally allow
enemies to attack while your character is rooting around in their holographic
space backpack for another air canister. According to interviews with the
team, this was an intentional choice: they wanted the player to not be able
to rely on the “ gamey ” mechanic of the world freezing (as happens in, say,
Resident Evil) while looking for inventory items. It really conveys the sense of
dread as necromorphs are bearing down on you when you realize that you
just don ’ t have time for a break.
When you are dealing with interface, there is one very important rule I
never, ever try to break. Pencils out?