Design Challenge: Hero - Page 3

toyoka · 08-07-2008, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilLlama

I was just saying that what I thought you had in mind wasn't what I had in mind. A HUD of the character's face is limited by its size and it also separates the facial expression from the context. And if it did change the amount I have in mind, the constant movement away from the main action of the game would be distracting.

If you've played Wolfenstien 3D or Doom (the old ones ofcourse), the face beside the health bar would change in expression and detail, depending on your status (ie. looks normal at 100 hp, at 50 hp, looks like a bloody mess, and at invincible has white glowing eyes).

Protector one · 08-07-2008, 08:29 AM

A major douchebag hero would be cool for a change. Something like Captain Hammer (the clueless go here).
I guess such a game would be a bit like Conker, but with less poop and swearing.

Stand back everyone, nothing here to see
Just imminent danger and in the middle of it... Me
Yes, Captain Hammer's here, hair blowing in the breeze
The day needs my saving expertise

EvilLlama · 08-07-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyoka

If you've played Wolfenstien 3D or Doom (the old ones ofcourse), the face beside the health bar would change in expression and detail, depending on your status (ie. looks normal at 100 hp, at 50 hp, looks like a bloody mess, and at invincible has white glowing eyes).

Yeah, but that's not meant to convey the character's personality, only their condition. And it for that purpose, it works well.

In the Zelda series, you can rotate the camera to see what Link's facial expression is. Occasionally he'll look to the side, blink, etc. And you can also see how is facial expressions change. I don't think this could be done effectively in an HUD. But I haven't played or heard of every game out there, so I could be very wrong.

Protector one · 08-07-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilLlama

And if [the character representation in the HUD] did change the amount I have in mind, the constant movement away from the main action of the game would be distracting.
...
Yeah, but [Doom and Wolfensteins character HUD is] not meant to convey the character's personality, only their condition. And [] for that purpose, it works well.

I fail to see how the HUD used in Doom can be effectively used to convey condition, but not feelings (especially with today's resolutions

). Would it really be that different?
The amount of distraction such a HUD provides is up to the game designers. As I recall, the character HUD in Doom was already quite lively, but it didn't distract that much. For certain types of games (e.g. with a slower pace), the HUD can be as distracting as it wants to. And really, how distracting would it even be? What kind of displays of emotion do you have in mind exactly?

toyoka · 08-07-2008, 12:42 PM

If the condition of the character (in the HUD, for example) was life-like (in other words, "real") then I don't think it would be too distracting.

EvilLlama · 08-07-2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protector one

I fail to see how the HUD used in Doom can be effectively used to convey condition, but not feelings (especially with today's resolutions

). Would it really be that different?
The amount of distraction such a HUD provides is up to the game designers. As I recall, the character HUD in Doom was already quite lively, but it didn't distract that much. For certain types of games (e.g. with a slower pace), the HUD can be as distracting as it wants to. And really, how distracting would it even be? What kind of displays of emotion do you have in mind exactly?

Sample character thought sequence:
Woah, this place is huge. How did I get here again? Dunno. Oh well. Let's see...looks like there might be an exit there, there, or...oh look a bunny! Maybe I should pet it? Ok I'll pet the bunny! Aww aren't you such a cute little bunny...gah! It bit my head! Bad bunny! BAD BUNNY! I mean...gooooood bunny...nice bunny, please don't eat me! GAHHH!!! EVIL BUNNY!!!!! ahhh! Is that a sword up there? Maybe that may help...ah! The bunny bit my thigh! Gotta get that sword, and get away from that evil bunny, now! Almost there...got it! NOW GET OFF ME YOU STUPID RABBIT!!!!

All in matter of minutes (give or take, depending on player reflexes), with minimal sound effects and dialogue. So emotions that display specific thoughts, rely on context and body language, and are more than just an angry face, essentially. What's more, the character would rarely have a set normal/neutral face. I looked up the Doom and Wolfenstein HUDs on google, and I really don't think they'd be that effective in this. Especially if the hero was not a buff warrior/lacked superpowers.

apatriarca · 08-07-2008, 03:56 PM

I love this challenge...

I'm currently thinking about the possibility to have a connection between the hero and the game world. In this way it’s possible to feel the emotion of the character simply looking at the environment.

aengelius · 08-07-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatriarca

I love this challenge...

I'm currently thinking about the possibility to have a connection between the hero and the game world. In this way it’s possible to feel the emotion of the character simply looking at the environment.

I can think of several animes who do this thing. There are many scenes where the character goes "über-strong" and you can see stones lifting and the air going up.

Maybe if you had an avatar for nature, one would naturally see the affects of his/her moods in the surroundings?

apatriarca · 08-07-2008, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aengelius

I can think of several animes who do this thing. There are many scenes where the character goes "über-strong" and you can see stones lifting and the air going up.

Maybe if you had an avatar for nature, one would naturally see the affects of his/her moods in the surroundings?

My current idea is a lot more philosophical. In my idea the world and the player are part of the same thing: when the player is dying, the environment is also dying (trees without leaves, dark and low saturated colors...), when the character is healthy the world looks healthy and so on...

The hero will also be very different from traditional heroes of the genre...

dkmooers · 08-07-2008, 06:37 PM

This sounds like an awesome idea. Having the world dynamically reflect the character's physical and mental (and spiritual?) condition could get rid of HUDs and annoying menus and other obsolete information sources. It would take a lot of thought, though... I can imagine getting into a battle, losing health quickly, seeing the surrounding flora die off, then popping a health potion or medpack or something, and seeing the flora spring back to life immediately. I bet it would be very distracting and jarring if it was done on a linear direct-relationship scale, as in, the flora completely dies when the player has zero health, and is half-alive when the player is at half health.

Maybe what's wrong in that picture is not your idea of player-reflective environment, but rather "health" itself. Maybe it's also limiting to base "health" just off one number, based on damage taken, etc.

I'm thinking that it wouldn't work well in the current generation of RPGs or action-RPGs or FPS games. The basic design philosophy behind games would probably need to be changed to fit your idea.

You mentioned "traditional heroes of the genre" -- which genre?