GDEV20-07-VirtualInterface.pdf

Virtual Interface Transparency and Invisibility Lecture Time! Virtual Interface: Transparency A Nod to Information Design: Position is Everything Exponential Growth: Exciting for the Player, Dangerous for the Developer Virtual Interface Conceptual layer that exists betw...

Virtual Interface Transparency and Invisibility Lecture Time! Virtual Interface: Transparency A Nod to Information Design: Position is Everything Exponential Growth: Exciting for the Player, Dangerous for the Developer Virtual Interface Conceptual layer that exists between the physical devices used and the game world Virtual Interface etc. Virtual Interface The virtual interface contains things like: Virtual menus (where players make selections) Information display (score, life, damage dealt, etc.) Visible area of the game world (game camera) Virtual Interface Virtual interfaces amplify the power and control a player has in the game world … if done correctly! Evaluate using the “discernable” criterion of meaningful play, and you will notice that good virtual interfaces score much higher Transparency A transparent interface does not refer to a change in the HUD's opacity Interface here also applies to the physical interface (which includes mapping of buttons to game actions) Transparency You want your interface to be “invisible”: A transparent interface allows players to do what they want and find what they need to know... Within the game’s rules, of course... and is also simple enough that players will be able to use it without consciously thinking about it Preferably with minimal practice Transparency “Invisible” interface, continued: It should be intuitive Customization of controls – good or bad? It should work well in all situations Success = players will be immersed in the game world Failure = immersion-breaking moments Virtual Interfaces Vary Look at gameplay screenshots/videos of various game genres and check: Placement of information (what info is placed where) Presentation of information (numbers, text, bars, maps, etc.) What is happening at the center of the screen (not limited to HUD components) Pace of the game (turn-based or real-time) Resident Evil 5 Life indicator changes color if it drops below certain threshold amounts HUD is designed to take up as little space as possible https://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-1042112 Dead Space 2 HUD is actually part of the viewable game world Compared to RE5, information is (arguably) better-placed https://www.gamespot.com/images/1300-1606533 Case Study: Projectiles (program demo) How do we know projectiles hit something? We see through a camera, not through our avatar's eyes (yes, even in first-person perspective) Numbers, Numbers Some games reward players for their time and effort by empowering their avatars In MMORPGs, this means epic lootz better equipment and powerful abilities DPS is usually used to measure performance For tanks, there's EHP For healers, there's HPS, HPM, and overhealing Numbers, Numbers MMORPGs are notorious for being time sinks Why is it in an MMORPG developer's best interest to keep players playing for as long as possible? How does an MMORPG achieve this? Key Points Upgrades and challenges, especially from new content, need to be exciting Part of the excitement is the incentive; how is this achieved? What is wrong with the alternative? A minor upgrade is still an upgrade, right? Key Points Numbers, specifically integers or whole numbers, in a computer game can only go so high Programmers know one reason, but that's not what we're looking for right now Because even without those limitations, very large numbers must be presented in an easy-to-digest format Key Points Game-wide nerfing will still negatively affect player experience If players woke up one day with only 10% of their money, most of them would feel annoyed... even if the price of everything was cut by 90% Drugstore in Another World, episode 1 Case Study: Life Remaining Remember: Discernability! Obviously, font is too small! Case Study: Life Remaining Not so bad with small numbers... Case Study: Life Remaining Primary issue: Some people can't read very fast Case Study: Life Remaining Secondary issue: Do you really need to know exact life remaining when you need to make decisions quickly? Case Study: Life Remaining Even if you do end up approximating the numbers, text is boring Case Study: Life Remaining You can always put the exact amount in a menu, in the bar itself, or in a mouse-over tooltip for those who want that information And now your graphics artists can get creative! But Hasn’t All This Been Done Already? Don’t underestimate the power of hindsight for both novice AND veteran game designers! Up next: LT#1 Then: Math Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song, episode 12