The document discusses the design and functionality of user interfaces (UIs) in various game genres, emphasizing the importance of strategic placement and minimalism to enhance player experience. It contrasts first-person and third-person perspectives, outlines common interface elements such as health and ammo indicators, and critiques both good and bad design aspects using examples from multiple games. The role of interfaces in managing gameplay and maintaining player immersion is highlighted, along with references for further reading on interface evolution and human interaction in gaming.

1. Interfaces Chris Castaldi

2. An Interface is? Display of progress Map information Objectives Information Health Ammo Map information Feedback Blinking health bar means your dying

3. A little Optics Low Resolution of the Eye Long Side View Peripheral vision Interfaces should always go on the edges away from our central vision

4. The First Person Center of your view is always where your gun will shoot. Targeting recital. Health and ammo almost always on opposite sides. To alert you of one or the other going low. Interface is Minimal. Don’t want to get things in the way Should also be semitransparent.

5. System Shock II

6. First Person notes Where to put things? Health on the left and ammo on the right. Players who play FPS’s expect things to be in the same place. Maps Top of the screen out of the way of your target. Inventory/Weapon Choices Toggled, either approaching from the sides or on top.

7. 3 rd Person Many games are done in the 3 rd person because it creates the illusion of Peripheral Vision. It also creates the movie feel being that you see yourself doing the actions. 3 rd person usually required Targeting so you know what you are aiming at.

9. God view perspective God view games usually deal with managing lots of objects/units Sims Warcraft III Most all of them have a clear distinction between management and action . Also usually have the biggest interface of all.

11. Homeworld

12. Types of Interface Buttons ~ What will the F4 do now? What is available and what do I need to press. These buttons are mutable each one can mean something different. Management ~ How do I manage groups of things? Group Movement / Composition Raid Interfaces Inventory (Items can be considered a type of unit) Targeting ~ Who am I looking at? Current (Target) Health/other pool of target

13. Types of Interface (cont) Info ~ How much do you have? Current Weapon Ammo Health Inventory Textual ~ What is he saying and who is he? Usually seen mostly in MMOs or RPGs Chat Dialog Nameplates Navigation ~ Where am I? Compass Minimaps World Maps X Marks the spot

15. What makes an Interface bad? Chunky Contains to much information Unresponsive Contains to little information What makes an interface stick out? Bad typography Fonts are important! Poor Color Choices Incorrect style

16. Looking at Eudemons Online (The Bad) Font Square not rounded like the other font is. Two different fonts used In different families Too much going on Text overload Lack of Targeting

18. Looking at Eudemons Online (The Good) Buttons Buttons animated making it a bit more excitable Responsive Unit frames “ Pretty” with the subjection of the font Numbers are also pretty.

19. How important of a role does the interface really play? Reality Cue: Examples: Out of Air while underwater Entering a Irritated Area Cooldowns for powers/spells That your dying…. Meta knowledge A good interfaces breaks reality while maintaining disbelief.

20. Further Reading. Off With Their HUDs! http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060203/wilson_01.shtml Evolution of the Interface. http://www.xyzzynews.com/xyzzy.7f.html What Games Teach us about human interaction. http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2001/4/15/503/20814

21. Games Used: System Shock 2 by Irrational Games Neverwinter Nights by Bioware Warcraft 3 by Blizzard Homeworld 2 by Sierra Eudemons Online by TQ Entertainment