The Ultimate SOMA Discussion Thread

~~Googolplex~~ · 09-19-2013, 06:19 PM

(09-19-2013, 04:53 PM)zico Wrote: If the new game will still be using SDL, I have no doubts 4k resolutions will be supported. Actually if you consider little things like fonts and HUD elements to have them rescale to be recognizable on every possible resolution, you are all set.

HUD elements are destroying the immersion, so I hope they will keep on games that doesn't need HUD.

**Statyk** · 09-19-2013, 07:01 PM

No one said anything about a hud and its effects on immersion, why bring that up? And if you're focusing on the hud rather than the game, you're not doing yourself any service. I have to disagree, I don't think huds affect the immersion at all. Sometimes its necessary. One of my prime examples is Halo: ODST. One of my favorite feelings of immersion ever was just walking around the city and taking in the depression ambience, the feeling of be alone, and the hud was a key part of it. You wear a helmet designed for a heads up display, and games with such things definitely are better with, than without.

Don't be so quick to judge some things, it could turn out to be something totally different from what you expected. But on topic, I'm sure we can leave these ideas out until we get some solid info on what the project will have. I'm excited to find out.

**zico** · 09-19-2013, 07:08 PM

Actually I didn't wanna bring up a fight here. I just wanted to use HUD elements as an example of something that should be considered when scaling to ridiculously high resolutions. It's nice that some HUDs actually shrink and occupy less space but if it becomes unrecognisable, it has to be scaled. Not I am not saying the new FG game should use a HUD nor I am saying it should not cause it depends heavily on the game and how the HUD is actually made. Again, it was JUST an example.

**Statyk** · 09-19-2013, 07:13 PM

Googol is a little sensitive to opinion-input, it's no problem. lol

~~Googolplex~~ · 09-19-2013, 08:57 PM

(09-19-2013, 07:13 PM)Statyk Wrote: Googol is a little sensitive to opinion-input, it's no problem. lol

Hopefully people now see that YOU are the sensitive.
HUD doesn't fit in an Amnesia game or any other by FG, it just looks ugly and would ruin the feeling. Don't affect this fact please.

**Ghieri** · 09-19-2013, 10:20 PM

(09-19-2013, 08:57 PM)Googolplex Wrote:
(09-19-2013, 07:13 PM)Statyk Wrote: Googol is a little sensitive to opinion-input, it's no problem. lol
Hopefully people now see that YOU are the sensitive.
HUD doesn't fit in an Amnesia game or any other by FG, it just looks ugly and would ruin the feeling. Don't affect this fact please.

Just proving his point right there.

Anyways, is the game set underwater, or am I imagining that?

**DavidS** · 09-20-2013, 12:04 AM

The problem with badly designed HUDs is that hey are badly designed and not that they are HUDs...

**Statyk** · 09-20-2013, 02:47 AM

(09-19-2013, 08:57 PM)Googolplex Wrote:
(09-19-2013, 07:13 PM)Statyk Wrote: Googol is a little sensitive to opinion-input, it's no problem. lol
Hopefully people now see that YOU are the sensitive.

HUD doesn't fit in an Amnesia game or any other by FG, it just looks ugly and would ruin the feeling. Don't affect this fact please.

I never said it fit in a game by Frictional, but in some cases a hud is very necessary. Perhaps let's say this sci fi game they make has someone with something similar to Google Glasses, or a helmet. A HUD is completely within reason, and if done right, may even add to the immersion, so long as it's subtle. I will have to say another great example of this was in Outlast. SPOILERS. When the camera gets broken, throughout the remainder of the game, it has a huge friggin crack in the screen/camera. This really made it feel genuine, like the thing didn't land on pillows. A HUD is necessary in cases, but of course, it may not. A HUD in TDD for example, would indeed be stupid, but it wasn't in there. I just hate to see someone say HUDs in general are unimmersive. That's blasphemous.

(09-20-2013, 12:04 AM)DavidS Wrote: The problem with badly designed HUDs is that hey are badly designed and not that they are HUDs...

This is also important. One of the things I find the most annoying in games is overuse of lens flares. Or even worse, lens flare in a third person perspective, or lens flare on a player with no glasses or helmet on. The whole reason it's called a "lens flare" is that it's a glare... On a lens. Why would someone with no lens of any sort in front of their face get a lens flare. It's a nit-pick, but am I wrong?

**DavidS** · 09-20-2013, 04:33 AM

Depends on stylistic direction I think. Silent Hill 2 utilized static noise as a transparent screen overlay . Lens flares are a easy way to beef up a "cold, technological" atmosphere. Overuse makes it cheapish though. "The amount makes the poison"

Regarding HUDs: The classic HUD isn`t as often used anymore as one might think. Sure, Action FPSes still see a lot of them and it makes sense for their gameplay, but other games find neat ways to display information on the player model or environment (Dead Space for instance). Abandoning the HUD entirely is an interesting experiment, but it all depends on the desired outcome. Fast paced games benefit from HUDs as it makes the learning curve less steep and provides information that the protagonist might now, but we don`t (I don`t know how many bullets a loaded MP5 holds, but I expect my battle hardened special operative to know). Slow paced games not so much. I like Condemned: Criminal Origins in that regard. Generally I am a fan of HUD and UI that is neatly integrated in the games world. If it fits the art direction of the game people are much more forgiving. Thing is that specialized graphic design is still not common enough in game development. It has gotten miles better during the last years though. Smile

**Statyk** · 09-20-2013, 05:40 AM

You have a point. I think one of the worst cases of flare overdose I've seen was the newest Hitman (Absolution I think) game. My friend played it and I could barely see. It was so obnoxious. Now to think of it, I never noticed how important a display was up until now. At least not THIS much.