The future of the HUD in Unturned

Unturned II U4 Discussion
21

Yeah, thats why it would be customisable

1 Like
22

unpopular opinion: no ammo counter at all

1 Like
23

you mean like in tarkov?

24

Okay, so I’ve got a HUD that will match the blocky style of Unturned, the way ammo counters show individual cartridges in Unturned II, and how Nelson said he doesn’t want to include separate food and water statuses unless he can think of a way to make them different from eachother in some way.

HUD
HUD1114×176 3.27 KB

5 Likes
25

In my opinion, even with HUD customization the default HUD should still be a good HUD that can apply to a majority of the player base (just like how “normal difficulty” should appeal to most players).

Not what I meant. The image was funny though.

That would be considered part of the game’s general aesthetic and feel. If anything, people making HUDs should take that into consideration (although there’s also already posts that have suggested changes to it, too).

Very much relevant, although I didn’t specifically mention it in the post you’re replying to. A lot of people are just slapping things together without actually considering U4 (with its animated ammo counter, potential vitamin system, potential fatigue system, etc.).

EDIT: Ofc., it’s also means assuming what features will and will (fatigue/vitamins) not be in the game, which is why it wasn’t worth mentioning. (end edit)

To clarify, here’s what I meant:

  • Most concepts look like they didn’t actually consider the game they’d be implemented for.

  • Most concepts look jarringly out of place. Part of this is because they’re just a concept, but it doesn’t put up much of a convincing argument when it wasn’t designed to fit.

For example, OP’s concept looks like it was designed for the background he put it on, not Unturned II. It’s harder to critique it based on the actual layout and design of the HUD because of this.

Then there’s Eduardo Dev’s HUD concept, which I can easily evaluate based on more relevant merits and downfalls.

2 Likes
26

Probably because they were made by the same person, using the same program. Having quality image editing programs shouldn’t be a requirement to put forward an idea.

27

The first sentence was close to my point—he didn’t make it for Unturned II. He designed a background, then designed a HUD for that background. There are images of the game he can use so I can more easily give relevant feedback without being biased towards things like that.

The second sentence completely misses my point. I don’t care about the quality of the artwork. That’s not what I meant.

EDIT: I opened U4 and have paint open rn, because I want to better illustrate what I mean. I’ll edit it onto the end of my post here later, or as a new post if discussion has progressed down below). I think having a visual will help better explain what I’m talking about.

EDIT 2: Scroll down.

1 Like
28

mods. mods. mods. mods. mods. mods. mods.

29

OP designed a HUD concept, and designed the game to put it on. This detracts from the concept, as he takes away from it and the weakened relevant context hides the smaller, important details. Posts deserve a fair shake, so they need to be presented well, like all concept art should be.

I couldn’t neatly cut out OP’s original HUD elements, so I tried to accurately redo them (as close as possible). I did not redo them because I thought they were “made with a low-quality program”.

image
image1440×810 417 KB

Although I kept the resolution the same as the original post’s, I feel these are much easier to analyze and critique because I can actually see how it’d look with the rest of the game. Not in terms of art style, but just being in the game. It’s much easier to critique its design/layout.

Remade%20HUD%20flat

Yeah, some things were always going to be obvious regardless of background, like how large that compass is, and that’s due to its size and the picture’s resolution more than anything. I didn’t notice, however, that the smaller status circles are tinted, and that the north indicators (“N” and the arrow) are larger than the rest of the other directional indicators.

And then, it’s just easier to picture this in Unturned II, because it’s on a relevant background and context makes it so much easier. I could just use my noggin to imagine it in Unturned II, without a relevant background, but then you miss details when it could have literally just been a picture of Unturned.

This is simpler—it says, “Here I am, in Unturned II. Do I look good? What can we take away from me, for future posts?”

Feedback

@AtleSt

Here’s more feedback from me on your original design:

Compass

It’s been said a lot, but the compass is too big. That being said, the N-E-S-W characters are all way too flimsy looking due to being small and just a solid black. They’re easily lost in the background, and I’d consider white text with a black outline instead, that’s also a little bit bigger.

Additionally, I don’t think the “north” arrow can be easily differentiated from the rest. It’s larger, but it isn’t something you’d quickly notice when flashing your eyes down at the compass. The “north” indicators should probably be a different color from the rest.

But, as I’ve said in my original feedback, the compass just isn’t that important of an element. Make it a bar a the top-center or bottom-center of the screen, or just do a bit smaller circle. There’s also a lot of empty space in the middle, which people probably wouldn’t fully appreciate because you’re already blocking off parts of that area with the HUD anyways. No need to be cautious about making the N-E-S-W text too big, because as it stands there’s a lot of space and the text isn’t easily readable.

Status bars

The circular status bars for oxygen/food/stamina have color to them, which is desirable, but it’s way too faint. I feel like that’s the color you’d expect from an empty bar, not a full one. I also feel like the colors chosen was just to satisfy a “R-G-B” theme rather than be representative, but it’s not that off-putting by any means.

  • Oxygen is fine with the blue-tint, although I’d still prefer white or off-white.

  • The stamina bar would probably look better with yellow.

    • I can get the idea behind using red, because of the heart, but the health bar is also red (and right above it!). Colors should differentiate the HUD elements, and as a new player I wouldn’t even immediately know that the red circle around the compass was a health bar. Having the HUD be intuitive is good to consider.

  • Green for the nutrition system is just a bit weird to me. If it represented all of the nutrition system, and not just raw calories, then I’d be down for it.

    • For something that just cover’s U3’s “Food” status though, a brownish-orange would make more sense to me.

Also, oxygen isn’t that important of a status bar to me. Although I appreciate its inclusion, I’m not 100% sure on it being a permanently-visible status bar. Maybe if in U4 it tied into more things, such as deadzones/excursions/stamina, rather than just diving and steadying scope sway.

My opinion on a potential layout?

This has been suggested before, but it may be worth only showing the most rudimentary statuses, and hiding the rest in the inventory/status menu. But, then we’re literally burying player status information behind menus. More minor visual/audio indicators would also be helpful, if there wasn’t a permanent circle/linear bar for everything all the time.

Maybe some HUD elements could hide themselves when the player is moving? It’d be interesting to see some takes on that, but I’m not sure how you’d effectively design that to remain unobtrusive yet still provide relevant information (especially in PvE/PvP combat).

And the nutrition system! To me, that’s very hard to implement into the player’s typical HUD. It’d probably only show a generalized idea of what’s going on with your nutrition, rather than everything, although I’m not sure what “everything” should be either.

I think water & food should have separate bars, but there should still be a nutrition system.

  • Permanent HUD element for hydration.
  • Permanent HUD element for calories.
  • Inventory/status menu has a better run-down on nutrition.
  • Temporary HUD elements appear for debuffs inflicted on the player for poor nutrition.

Feedback regarding circular/linear bars has been mixed, but I’m personally fine with either, although I’d greatly appreciate an actual numerical value somewhere.

Yeah, I’m going to bet on resources not being spent on HUD customization, and any changes you make to your HUD being a mod.

|EDIT| Click to view!

Here’s an image with an alternative resolution and hands showing.

image
image1680×945 192 KB

I didn’t scale OP’s HUD for the change is resolution, so it may look a bit small. The main thing I wanted to say was that, looking at the ammo indicators, I think those should scale based on how many rounds there are (alongside with the game’s resolution).

4 Likes
30

I think the old HUD is already as compacted as it could be without being eyesoringly bad.

31

The Compass should probably be on top like in Fortnite. It rarely gets in the way and its easy to tell other people where enemies are. Only problem is it doesn’t feel like a compass in your hand, if you get what Im trying to say.

This should free up space for a large health circle in the left corner, with food, radiation and water circles to splay out beneath it. Oxygen meter should probably be replaced with a oxygen bubble card on the right with extra feedback like screen fading and sound effects when close to drowning.

I’m hoping for a more in depth cold mechanic, This would likely be shown as a circle with a degree Celsius reading. Crippled limbs sound good as well, this could be shown using the cards on the right. Though both of these are posts in themselves.

2 Likes
32

the concept was originally an animation so it was important to be able to move the camera inside a world, but i scrapped that and out of laziness i kept it the same. i should have just taken a screenshot from the start.

first of all i wanna say how much i appreciate this kind of detailed and thought trough feedback instead of just one sentence criticisms that don’t offer much insight in what to change.

  1. compass too big. yes i agree.
  2. more visible status bars, done.
  3. easier health reading, sure why not.

the first one was just a first draft, so here is my second and improved design
(im not going to make any more)

Hud%20Forum
Hud%20Forum2560×1440 652 KB

the health thing in the middle looks a bit lazy tbh but its good enough, also added radiation/sickness

3 Likes
33

Now this compass is starting to make sense.thi I really would like to see the health integrated in the red circle, just like the other status. It is way easier to see it when it is in a circle, most people won’t agree with me, but with one day you already got used to, just like a clock.

34

I see many good ideas in here but I really need a certain status every time on my hud? For example, oxygen if out of water, or stamina in 100% or disease in 100% need show that everytime when i playing??

35

I think it would be good for it to be icon based so the icon would change depending on how full it is

36

Yes.

For when holding breath while scoping in.

For when you eventually start sprinting or take a jump.

Immunity*, and yes, for when you get bit or eat rotten food.

37

You lost the point there. You don’t need it every time. If you hold your breath while scoping, then the oxygen stats would appear, same for sprinting.

38

I can agree with the oxygen bar disappearing, but when you take an energy drink/bar I’m assuming you would like to see what percentage it restores without having to sprint only for the stamina to reappear.

39

Then Nelson could just make it appear when there’s a change in the stats, so if it is decreasing or increasing, it would appear.

3 Likes
40

sirba, I think you did not understand me. I don’t think in remove these units (Oxygen, Radiation or any another like insolation if possible) my suggestion is iff 100% no appear on the screen in 99.99% appear.

Like suggestion, the game Rust your temperature or radiation level no appear every time just when it is important. things like lack of oxygen are symbolized with sound decreasing and the doll making a song than remember asphyxia.

my suggestion are: no permanent circle/linear bar for everything all the time.