Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
If it is well-designed, a non-diegetic interface goes unnoticed by the players
and has no detrimental effect on their experience, as they have adapted with
time to the use of such HUDs in games.
HUDs can be very complex or very minimal, according to the complexity of
the game mechanics and what is necessary for the player to be aware of
to play the game. Tactical shooters, simulations, and RPGs tend to have
the most complex interfaces, as players are supposed to be aware of many
things to effectively play such games, while more action oriented titles tend
to require less stuff to be continually displayed on screen.
A very interesting example of a game with basically no HUD is Peter Jack-
son's King Kong, an adventure FPS with no ammo, health, or even cross-hair
displayed on screen. Aiming with no reticule and the low amount of ammo
available in the game made every fighting sequence pretty engaging and full
of tension. Think about such examples whenever you are about to decide
which components are really necessary when designing the HUD for your
user interface.
