Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Another example is the brackets which appear on selected units in RTS
games. If those brackets weren't put inside the game environment, it would
be pretty hard for a player to understand which units he is in control of at
any moment. Still, we cannot assume that the brackets are perceived by the
game units or affect the outcome of a battle.
Spatial components tend on one side to encumber the game view, as they
consist of icons and text displayed on screen and add to anything else which
is already in the player's view. On the other side, they are more than helpful;
they can be necessary to fully exploit the game mechanics of a title. Ask any
WOW player about the configurable interface of their favorite title!
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Meta
: This is the last category and it stands for all those components of an
interface which exist in the game world, so "yes" to the first question, but are
not visualized spatially in the game world, so "no" to the second question.
The blood splatters on the screen which reduces visibility for a short while in
shooters are an example of such components. Another one we would like to
mention is Samus' face reflection in the helmet in Metroid Prime, as shown
in the following figure:
The aim of such components is generally to make the game experience feel more
real and consistent for players, they are little touches that help the player sustain the
suspension of disbelief as he plays a title.
