(1) - Everything In my HUD is in the old HUD, I didnt add anything untill File 7/8 (the arrow pointing to target off screen) Please View files 1 and 2, and you will see it is NOT “where your ships is anyways.” : /
(2) - You are correct, in addition to the colors we need the ability to control how transparent or opaque The HUD information is ( Again like in free space 2 ) so we can still see the information but not be blinded by it and have control over the color it is presented to us. In this sense however the color is even more important as you can still know what is screwed up without having to “look” at it even if its 50% transparent. (see file 7 to 8)
(3) that’s actually another thing from freespace, the arrow pointing to the target off your screen is on the edge of the screen to make it easier to lead you to the target, and gives you the distance the target is from you.
(4) huge bars? they are 3 pixels wide… please explain, are you talking transparency?
(1) - Again If you make things transparent and harder to see, having color is even more vital so you can get the information clearly without having to “look” at it (Again each bar is 3 pixels wide), and once again play “freespace2 open” once, it has all the HUD options your talking about and then some. (see files 7 and 8)
(2) - The current radar is in a position that makes you look away from combat…(unless your using a square monitor, then it is close enough to see but most use wide screen now days) Also that radar is just a placement not a “replacement”… Although a UP arrow on the radar so you can reorient yourself to game start position should still be added.
The ability to cycle radar range would also be a hug plus ( again like in free space ) I forgot that, thanks for bringing it up!
(3) - Please explain which target/beacon indicators are “horrible” think we have set on the stuff in FILE 7/8.
They are 3 pixels wide for the aim, and 5 for the beacon.
Since the game doesn’t “point you” to the OBJ and doesn’t give you an option for this basic feature like every other game. I made it so they are easy to see so you can find the OBJ by glancing around with the mouse while fighting.
(4) - How the current aim marker is better is beyond me… It is far to easy to lose said aim marker in a massive fire fight with explosions all around, I am sure we have all had that experience before, (anyone whose flown a Int or Fighter has for sure) Further, changing the Aim color wont help, if its 1 color then you will lose your AIM on that color, so you need 2 colors that are always visible even against each other.
Answers and feed back, keep em coming : )
P.S. look at 1 - 7 BEFORE you say something please -.-
“Clarity affords focus.”
-Thomas Leonard
A) Radar - i have zero problem glancing onto the radar on top right, even though if radar would be center bottom it would be a bit easier, but not much. Center top is unacceptable by me - that area is what in front of you and going to block your vision of the game
B) Changing colors of HP bars - most likely matter of taste but changing color and then making them more transparent will have same result as it is now - so what’s the point to begin with? I have no problem feeling what status of my ships is without focusing on them as is, i don’t see when i don’t have to, having different colors would bring HUD overlay from background feel to foreground for me and i would see them more often when i don’t need to, it will kill the feel of deepnes of the screen, making a focus wall in a middle of a view.
C) Target direction pointer on side of a screen - imho when you have huge xxxx wide screen monitor is bad, it is easier to find your target marker when they are done the way they are now (just add distance to perfection), it is most efficient way to have markers, only thing you can do is change shapes or colors - but why would you do that? it is good as is.
D) Current implementation of Beacon markers are very good, they are invisible as long as you are not looking for them, they have that background feel as well, so making them 3 pixel wide colorfuls brackets just bringing them to foreground of your perception - not needed at all. Again you will see and notice them every time you get them on your FOV even if you don’t need that, during dog fight or sniping or just circling around.
E) Aim marker:
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a) I don’t understand how you lose track of it (interceptor/fighter/ w.e.) (and simple change of tone/color will fix that anyways, not every tone is used in a game for special effects/objects)
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b) making it that much bigger and thicker will make it overlay on top of your target in way that you don’t actually see your target, especially when it is 6k distance and it is interceptor, with current one you can still see pretty good. I want to look and shoot at targets not at the marker.
At the end i don’t understand point of your thread - there is absolutely no need for reworking elements of a HUD at this stage of the game, no one is going to do that and it is well done anyways. Yes there are some small things that could improve it, but again, there is no urge need to do it now.
P.S. purpose of HUD is making it feel like overlay over existent objects and be persistent, be in background , be needed when needed and not distract from bigger picture,(again current one is almost perfect in this sense) The one you are making, combined changes of HP bars+Beacon markers+aim will make it so it is in front of you and everything else is in a background.
P.P.S. i am against 1st view - it will limit your FOV by a lot, putting you in a disadvantage against players with 3d view, and limiting your ability to navigate through space. when you have 1st view you haev to tie your screen to the center of your ship, and try and fly frigates like that, or try to track a target circling around it.
Basically forced 1st view will kill balance of the game
The timer is quite important for sure on the buffs/debuffs so you know whether to GTFO or stay and fight.