Health Display Concept

[Springheel]

I've been giving some thought to our proposed healthbar, and decided we should abandon it. It's long, unweildy and doesn't really fit with our new lightgem.

 

Using oDDity's light-gem designs as a base, I came up with some smaller health displays that would go into the bottom left-hand corner. It takes up very little space that way. Here are three different versions. Depending on how much room we need for the weapon display, the top arm could always be removed.

 

 

I tend to favour the round one, myself. My thinking was that it be about the same size or slightly smaller than the lightgem itself, tucked away into the corner and only appearing when necessary. It would take up about this much space on the HUD:

 

 

 

As far as how it would display health, there are lots of options. It could shrink from the top, shrink from the right, shrink uniformly towards the center, or fade out to black (although that last one is too close to the lightgem working for my liking).

 

I prefer a shrink from the top, like this:

 

 

 

I know it is a bit of a departure from the classic Thief health display, but I've always perfered a minimalist HUD. What do you think?

[Macsen]

I like the new healthbar, and also prefer the round one. I was going to suggest that the round circle shrink, then start 'beating' like a heart when it's very small to warn the player. But that gif looks great, too.

[sparhawk]

That it's a departure is not the big problem. Fading is not really good as you already said it can easily be confused with the lightgem, visually. Apart from that I like that much more then this ugly health bars and they look really good. Personally I would prefer 1 or 2. Three doesn't look so good IMO.

[sparhawk]

We can also change the colour , being brighter when it's full and make it pulsating or dark after a limit, but I sure would leave it shrinking.

[god_is_my_goldfish]

The circle looks excellent spring, shrinking might not work too well though, so the way you have it currently may be the best solution

[New Horizon]

In my opinion, number two would be the way to go. It has a nice relationship with the light gem but the different orientation provides a great balance. The round one looks very nice but just doesn't flow as well. Number two just seems to fit.

 

Here is a rough mockup. I say we get the health bar ingame soon. It will look really nice in the screen shots.

[Napalm]

I don't liek the arrow from the side, maybe from the top instead?

 

I think from the top would be creeping up the screen a bit much. I removed it in the mockup to create a little less crowding for the weapons display

[Macsen]

Having studied both screenshots I prefer the circle health bar. It's small, tidy and stylish.

 

(If we wanted an extremely minimalist HUD we could combine the health bar, light gem and compass.)

[pakmannen]

I prefer the circle as well.

 

What about our non-classic lightgem though? Are we doing a separate health bar for that one or what?

[New Horizon]

Thought I would whip up a quick test so we could see what they all look like.

 

I'm kind of torn between the 1st and the 2nd photos.

[New Horizon]

I prefer the circle as well.

 

What about our non-classic lightgem though? Are we doing a separate health bar for that one or what?

I think it would be in our best interest to not do that. I think any of these designs will work nicely with both the gems. I believe it was springs intention to use the theme to tie it all together and not have to design separate everything.

[BlackThief]

I also like the round one. It' a pretty uncommon style - I haven't seen any game with a round healthbar yet, so the darkmod would be the first one

[sparhawk]

Seeing the shots from NH, I would prefer number two because it is more visible then the round one.

[Springheel]

These are meant to go with either of the two lightgems. I think I'd vote for #1, but I could easily live with #2.

[Renzatic]

I'm of the same opinion as Spring on this one. #1 I like the best, #2 I could easily live with, #3...meh.

[New Horizon]

I like the round health gem in number 1 but I think number 2 would be easier to guage when everything is weighed in.

[SneaksieDave]

I like #1, with the gif "emptying" concept (probably a bias from a few fantasy RPGs, like Ultima Underworld )

 

Edit! That is, if the health meter is to be shown at all times. I will not hesitate to admit, the vanishing health bar is one decision in T3 that I feel was good.

Edited March 13, 2005 by SneaksieDave

[Springheel]

Yeah, our plan is to have it fade out like T3, but with a key to toggle it on or off.

[Renzatic]

Just go ahead and throw both 1 & 2 in and let people decide which one they prefer. It won't require much extra coding, and the more options we have to present the better.

[Springheel]

I think it might be a little silly to provide two options that are so similar to each other. We need to be able to make SOME decisions ourselves.

 

 

A simple vote should do it.

[Ishtvan]

:lol: , 3 votes and 3 different opinions.

 

Personally I think the round one is awesome from an artistic standpoint, but compared to the bar design, for me, it would be a little too distracting (from a gameplay standpoint).

[Fingernail]

Whatever we do it'll look cool.

[sparhawk]

Spring, are these drawn concepts or real models? If models, then you can send me the vertical one in case the poll decides that we should use the round one for the official version, because I want that one more for my version.

[oDDity]

I don't like any of them (an option you didn't include)

It looks lazy just to have the lightgem coloured red and used as a health bar, and it's also too big and clunky for a health meter no matter which way you cut it.

The cloned celtic knot motif doesn't work on it either, it somehow looks unecesary and added soley as a blatentt attempt at coherence.

I have some ideas for health meters as well, but I don't think it's urgent.

Cory wants me to work out the Models and anims for the AI ATM< ad I'm getting the new player ams ready and fixing the weapon anims.

[_Atti_]

i voted for the vertical,but now i think the round one is better since precisely knownig you hp isnt really important in that game the little round design is enough to show what you need to know..