What makes a Heads Up Display (HUD) a good feature in a game

A Heads-Up Display (HUD) is a crucial element in modern video games, providing players with essential information that enhances their gameplay experience. A well-designed HUD seamlessly integrates into the game world, offering clear and concise data without overwhelming the player. Effective HUDs balance aesthetics with functionality, ensuring that vital information is easily accessible at a glance. For example, a health bar that is both visually appealing and clearly indicates the player's condition is essential for survival-based games.



Beyond basic information such as health and ammo, a good HUD can also provide contextual cues that aid players in making informed decisions. For instance, a minimap that highlights objectives or enemy positions can significantly improve a player's strategic thinking. Additionally, HUD elements can be dynamically adjusted to suit different playstyles or game modes. For example, a stealth-focused game might prioritize a HUD that displays noise levels or enemy detection ranges, while a fast-paced action game might focus on displaying cooldowns for abilities.

Ultimately, a well-executed HUD is an invisible yet indispensable tool that can elevate a game from good to great. By providing players with the information they need without distracting from the core gameplay experience, HUDs can enhance immersion, improve decision-making, and contribute to a more satisfying gaming experience.

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NEW LEVEL ACHIEVED: I visited the Rovio Studios in Helsinki (Finland)

July was a month full of good stuff! I started my second post-doctoral research in my new academic house, PUC (São Paulo). I’m studying the acquisition of digital goods and social belongings using the game Marvel Snap as the main subject.

For the project’s kickoff, I traveled to Europe to achieve some missions. First, I was talking with some specialists from Paneurópska Vysoká Škola (Bratislava) about my project’s theme. And, to complete this first step, I’ve already interviewed some people for the initial clues of my project.

However, the second mission achieved was an epic win: last week I visited Rovio Studios in Helsinki. Of course you know Rovio, it’s the studio behind the Angry Birds game. My Brazilian friend Cenildon Muradi (a.k.a. Thunder) works in the studio and made this visit possible.











The place is awesome and, of course, ludic. But, I want to highlight that spending one day in Rovio Studios was a master class of game design, business models, and marketing.

I’m returning to Brazil full of ideas to write in my project. I’ll post news very soon here.

Keep following!

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Jenova Chen's nugget of wisdom on game design

Today I want to share a brief quote from Jenova Chen, from ThatGameCompany.Jenova Chen is known for creating games that focus on emotional experiences rather than traditional competition. His work has been critically acclaimed and has helped shape the video game industry's approach to storytelling and emotional engagement - and, this is one phrase from him that I use a lot in my game designing classes:

"The purpose of a game is not to win. It's to experience emotions."

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Source: Interview with Kill Screen Magazine.

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Using AI for game balancing

Since last year, AI has become a more integrated part of my daily life. It's inevitable, and we need to learn how to utilize these technologies effectively, making them our allies in the development process. While I'm not a proponent of using AI to solely generate game ideas, I believe it holds immense potential for game balancing.



Let me share an example from a card game I'm currently developing. It uses trick-taking mechanics with a food theme. The AI I'm working with is Google's Gemini (formerly Bard). Here are some prompts and commands I've found valuable in this project:

1. Gauging AI Knowledge: I began by assessing Gemini's knowledge of trick-taking mechanics. I asked, "How familiar are you with trick-taking mechanics in card games?" The response was positive, and the AI provided several examples within this category.

2. Visualizing Game Mechanics: To help the AI understand the gameplay flow, I shared a sequence of images depicting the activity loop of each round, presented in a comic book format. I phrased it like this: "I'd like to show you a sequence of my game in comic panels. Can you tell me if you understand how a round works?"

3. Asking Specific Questions: Instead of open-ended prompts, I focused on specific goals. For example, regarding card distribution, I asked: "Based on the core mechanics I've shown you, can you suggest a better way to distribute cards in my game to create a balanced experience for players?"

It's important to remember that AI isn't a magic solution. The first suggestion Gemini provided needed some refinement. However, through further prompts and iterations, I arrived at a more viable structure for my game.

Next Steps: The next step is to create a simple prototype for initial beta testing. Player feedback will be crucial for further refinement.

Overall, AI presents a powerful tool that can assist with various aspects of game development, including balancing, code, narrative, and concept ideas.

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Some notes on my recent reading in game design

Last week, I completed reading The Game Designer's Playlist: Innovative Games Every Game Designer Needs to Play by Zack Hiwiller. This book proved to be particularly engaging due to its innovative "playlist" approach. The format functions as a comprehensive compendium, showcasing the rich variety within the field of gaming.

I have extracted two key points from the book that I intend to utilise in a future article. These points are outlined below.

The element that separates games from other art forms is its requirement of audience participation. No game exists in a bubble distinct from its consumption by players. Although more traditional media need to consider the social and cultural framework in which the media will be consumed and interpreted, game authors also have to consider how the consumers will interact with the media itself. Authors generally are not concerned with how quickly the reader reads; musicians don’t generally concern themselves with the specs of the listener’s stereo. But game designers need to consider the actual act of playing as an element of their art. It is in the act of playing itself that games are uniquely qualified to deliver meaning. P.69

 

As we discussed in the previous chapter, one of the features of games that positions them in a different space from its more static media brethren is that the interactive nature of games opens the doors to new rhetorical and aesthetic effects stemming from that interactivity. A game can be beautiful aesthetically, but it can also be beautiful in how its systems function. P.86

We remain steadfast in our dedication to expanding our knowledge and expertise in this field. 🎮 🎲 😀

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Source: HIWILLER, Zack. The game designer’s playlist: innovative games every game designer needs to play. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2019.

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VVVVVV a masterclass in level design

I'm reading the book "Game Designer's Playlist, The: Innovative Games Every Game Designer Needs to Play". During the reading, I had the opportunity to rememeber a great game from the 2010: VVVVVV. VVVVVV is a platforming game with the absence of a jumping mechanic. Instead of jumping, the player can at any time flip the y-direction of gravity, causing the character to fall upward instead of downward. Check the full gameplay below. This is an epic example of how to use game mechanics in a creative way:



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From ancient games to modern mathematics: the birth of probability theory

The seeds of probability theory were sown in the fertile ground of games of chance. Archaeological evidence suggests that dice and other rudimentary games employing randomness date back to ancient civilizations, possibly even predating written records. Early references to such games can be found in historical and mythological accounts, hinting at their deep integration into various cultures.



It was the desire to quantify the uncertainty inherent in these games that spurred the development of probabilistic concepts. A pivotal moment occurred in the 17th century when a gambling dispute between French mathematicians ignited a correspondence that laid the groundwork for modern probability theory. This exchange, primarily between Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat, addressed the fair division of stakes in an interrupted game, prompting them to formalize ideas of expected value and chance outcomes.

Following these initial explorations, mathematicians like Christiaan Huygens built upon this foundation, establishing frameworks for analyzing games of chance and laying the groundwork for the wider application of probability in various scientific disciplines. The journey from rudimentary games to sophisticated mathematical concepts highlights the enduring human fascination with both chance and the quest to understand it.

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Source: JOHNSON, Steven. How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World. New York: Riverhead Books, 2016.

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