Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
spatial Relationships
There are a number of ways to classify interface types. For example, interfaces
can be diegetic or not non-diegetic:
Diegetic interface
This unique interface is incorporated in the world in which
the gamer is playing. As the player moves around the world, they may encoun-
ter things to interact with, in the environment or on the character, and these
are diegetic. This type of interface lets players immerse themselves more fully
in the world of the game they're playing.
non-diegetic interface
This is the most common type of interface players
encounter in games. The interface is seen and heard by the player, but it isn't
part of the game world. For example, in a racing game, the player may see a
steering wheel or speedometer on the screen that shows what is happening
to them and their vehicle in the race, but the display isn't part of the actual
race going on in the game world. A HUD is an example of a non-diegetic
interface.
Figure 6.4 shows a terrific example of a diegetic interface from the survival
game
Dead Space 2
,
which is a third-person shooter. The game, developed by
Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts (EA), doesn't use any HUDs
at all.
FiGuRe 6.4
I n
Dead Space 2
, you can see the player in the foreground wearing his
unique suit. The dashed blue bar down the back indicates health, and the circular one on the
right shoulder indicates the stasis meter.
