PC Developer Discussions: Alpha 17

[The Gronk]

I don't know. I think having horde night on Monday to replace Monday Night Football is the right thing to do. Our European friends (and everyone else in the world) will think of it as Soccer Night.
/ Giving beer a reason to live since... wait... what was I talking about again?

I'd have horde night on a Sunday although with very little reason. Most our calender's have Monday as the first day and so, by logical extraction, the horde night would fall on a Sunday.

Sunday is also traditionally a day of rest with a lot of people wandering around zombified from drinking heavily the previous day.

 

[toores]

....and keep leveled loot going forever!

/preventing the universe from imploding since 1969

Too soon to be joking about this. I'm still in mourning for fog-of-war loot revealing and other great ideas that will never make it to the game.

 

[crazywildfire]

Honestly I think that the less indicators on the HUD, the better. Fewer indicators mean deeper immersion.
I don't need to know the exact value of my health or stamina. I just need to know if I am reasonably healthy, or injured.. rested or tired. Maybe there cold be 3-4 levels to describe your status.

Certainly knowing my level and xp progression isn't necessary.

Also knowing the time and day number is helpful, but not required. I would prefer a lot more, a wearable item, like a watch, that has to be found or bought, and tells you all that.

But I am all for letting players decide. Adding settings to enable and disable single HUD widgets would be sweet.

Go Zombies!

I agree. As of now it tells me everything I need to know when I need to know. The sounds I make when I get thirsty and hungry. When you get below a certain % it stays on the screen and doesn't go away so you have sound and visual on that. The same with temperature, it pops up on screen when to hot and pops up when to cold. It doesn't go away until you get back to normal. As far as lvl and xp I don't know it is just one button away from seeing it. I mean it isn't like it helps me any if I do get to the next level I have to switch screens to put points into whatever anyway and it isn't like you can do that if in the middle of a fight. Plus when you level up again it tells me at the bottom and makes a sound. I guess the sounds could be worked on but as far as everything else I'm good the way it is right now I don't need these things telling me 24/7 in my face. But that is my view and the way I like it. Some apparently don't like it so options for it is always good.

 

[Menace312]

Honestly I think that the less indicators on the HUD, the better. Fewer indicators mean deeper immersion.
I don't need to know the exact value of my health or stamina. I just need to know if I am reasonably healthy, or injured.. rested or tired. Maybe there cold be 3-4 levels to describe your status.

Certainly knowing my level and xp progression isn't necessary.

Also knowing the time and day number is helpful, but not required. I would prefer a lot more, a wearable item, like a watch, that has to be found or bought, and tells you all that.

But I am all for letting players decide. Adding settings to enable and disable single HUD widgets would be sweet.

Go Zombies!

I don't see how a "grown" or a "sigh" gives more immersion than a number on a screen?

It not like your waiting until you stomach is growling, before you know your hungry, right?

Wanting the HUD free of clutter is one thing (I don't agree with this, but I understand it), but it surely does not increase immersion!

But as you say... I'm all for letting the players decide for themselves...

And since it is relatively easy to mod the HUD, this will never be an issue.

There are already excellent HUD mods out there.

 

[Crater Creator]

EQ2 had a great interface that did exactly as I described. You could add or remove toolbars and just about every other UI feature. You could fill your screen with them if you chose. Oh, and you could move every one of them around on screen to arrange them however you wanted.

We also pulled this off when I worked on The Conduit, though the circumstances were of course different. It wasn't undertaken lightly: it was literally a 'back of the box'-level feature.

 

[Roland]

Wanting the HUD free of clutter is one thing (I don't agree with this, but I understand it), but it surely does not increase immersion!

It increases immersion for me because I do not not have such indicators hovering in front of my face in real life so removing them from being in front of my face in the game makes it come a bit closer to feeling like real life and the fewer indicators on the screen the more the immersive feeling when viewing the world.

But that's just me. If seeing status bars and digital clocks and hotbar inventory slots and upgrade and downgrade arrows and stealth eyeballs don't act as constant reminders that you are playing a video game then good for you. I'm not saying I ever forget I'm playing a video game but the the experience feels more lifelike when those displays are invisible. For me.

 

[Survager]

Suggestion: Watches as an element of atmosphere games.

https://7daystodie.com/forums/showthread.php?33767-Watches-as-an-element-of-atmosphere-games

 

[Gazz]

But that's just me. If seeing status bars and digital clocks and hotbar inventory slots and upgrade and downgrade arrows and stealth eyeballs don't act as constant reminders that you are playing a video game then good for you. I'm not saying I ever forget I'm playing a video game but the the experience feels more lifelike when those displays are invisible. For me.

If I don't see the hunger/thirst bars on screen then I don't know whether I'm hungry or thirsty ingame. As a result I feel compelled to repeatedly open the character page to find out.

So not having these bars on the main hud is less immersive.

But that's just me.

There is no logical explanation for why it is this or that way. It just is.

 

[spud42]

totally agree. hitting B all the time to see if i have to stuff more food into my face is more immersion breaking than an indicator on the screen. because when the character moans you have to look at it to figure out if its heat/cold , hunger, or thirst .

 

[beerfly]

Um, I just eat stuff before go on a walk (a habit), if things go bad, there is always something to eat. Same is with us as people ir, you don`t watch your starve clock and ..."oh yeah time for a bite".I think it is more natural as it is now.

 

[toores]

If I don't see the hunger/thirst bars on screen then I don't know whether I'm hungry or thirsty ingame. As a result I feel compelled to repeatedly open the character page to find out.So not having these bars on the main hud is less immersive.

But that's just me.

There is no logical explanation for why it is this or that way. It just is.

I agree as well.

Oh ♥♥♥♥, i will soon die of thirst is also something that doesn't happen in real life. I know when i'm thirsty. I would definitely put hunger, thirst and feels-like temp to hud.

I would rather lose clock (until you find one, and maybe even compass) and day count.

 

[caatalyst]

If I don't see the hunger/thirst bars on screen then I don't know whether I'm hungry or thirsty ingame. As a result I feel compelled to repeatedly open the character page to find out.So not having these bars on the main hud is less immersive.

But that's just me.

There is no logical explanation for why it is this or that way. It just is.

You could have them on the HUD but keep them super simplified.

What if you just had a small icon for food and water. When they are green you are full or nearly full. Orange means you are hungry (below 50%) and red means you are starving (below 25%). The hue could change subtly as gain / lose hunger or hydration. Surely we don't need anything more than that?

A percentage bar isn't even necessary for the player and it will definitely add more to the survival aspect as the player will be worrying less about numbers.

You could even do the same with the characters health.

 

[Aldranon]

I agree as well.Oh ♥♥♥♥, i will soon die of thirst is also something that happens real life. I know when i'm thirsty. I would definitely put hunger, thirst and feels like temp to hud.

I would rather lose clock (until you find one, and maybe even compass) and day count.

Surprisingly, to me at least, not using a sleeping bag or the mini-map is really scary sometimes! I have gotten lost with my fort over the next hill! I pay attention where I am now and keep looking back to see how the land looks.

I think Roland does something like that too if memory serves. That is survival, no GPS or satellite mapping to fix a blunder you make. You fix it... or you die. Love it!

 

[Darkfoxx117]

I agree as well.Oh ♥♥♥♥, i will soon die of thirst is also something that doesn't happen in real life. I know when i'm thirsty. I would definitely put hunger, thirst and feels-like temp to hud.

I would rather lose clock (until you find one, and maybe even compass) and day count.

Great suggestion there.

 

[ZombieToad]

So about this HUD and these hunger bars, I was the one recently to bring this up only to be shouted down that 'That's what the devs want and so that's the way it is.'

Or the slightly more ridiculous remark that avoids actually having a discussion under the guise of advice, yet nothing more than a 'You want it this way, no, but I want you to do it this other way, yes,' which is - mod it.

I'm very happy to see that Gazz has stood up and made the very legitimate point that having to open a bag to see if you're hungry or thirsty is immersion breaking.

I would also like to challenge Roland again while I'm here. Though I do concede Rolands point that having to eat and drink whenever increases the immersion for him, simply because, in real life you don't need to check books to know if you're hungry, Roland my old mate, my old pal, you're missing one serious point.

The human body has indications when food or water is low, the brain, stomach and the kidneys for example as well as many other processes involved in feedback regulate our systems so that we are made aware of being hungry or thirsty, full and hydrated, and this game is not real life.

Just as we don't need to be told we are hungry, the character shouldnt, and in real life this hunger and thirst is manifested in the awareness, so in game it should be in the HUD. You wouldn't need to open your diary or check a mobile app or look at your bio page to know when you're hungry, and that complements Gazz's point.

How you get this in the HUD is a different story.

I would suggest instead of lengthy linear bars, have four little icons with circular bars around them that deplete over time. Extremely minimalist, very convenient, and a nice reimplementation of what I personally think was a great Pimp addition to 7D.

 

[beerfly]

Adding thirst/hunger bars I think will make eating a bit like a mechanical process - "its 40%, lets eat a meat stew cuz it fills me with 60% and thats most efficient" (just wierd example) .

If we add these to hud, maybe something like a bad effect have to appear if you eat too much often for example. This will prevent too exessive eating if someone wants to gain HP or wellness. Just like being drunk but with food.

 

[caatalyst]

Man how cool would it be if you had to manually record days gone by? You could scratch them into the walls haha!

Would be terrifying if you lost your record it couldn't remember...

 

[stallionsden]

So about this HUD and these hunger bars, I was the one recently to bring this up only to be shouted down that 'That's what the devs want and so that's the way it is.'
Or the slightly more ridiculous remark that avoids actually having a discussion under the guise of advice, yet nothing more than a 'You want it this way, no, but I want you to do it this other way, yes,' which is - mod it.

I'm very happy to see that Gazz has stood up and made the very legitimate point that having to open a bag to see if you're hungry or thirsty is immersion breaking.

I would also like to challenge Roland again while I'm here. Though I do concede Rolands point that having to eat and drink whenever increases the immersion for him, simply because, in real life you don't need to check books to know if you're hungry, Roland my old mate, my old pal, you're missing one serious point.

The human body has indications when food or water is low, the brain, stomach and the kidneys for example as well as many other processes involved in feedback regulate our systems so that we are made aware of being hungry or thirsty, full and hydrated, and this game is not real life.

Just as we don't need to be told we are hungry, the character shouldnt, and in real life this hunger and thirst is manifested in the awareness, so in game it should be in the HUD. You wouldn't need to open your diary or check a mobile app or look at your bio page to know when you're hungry, and that complements Gazz's point.

How you get this in the HUD is a different story.

I would suggest instead of lengthy linear bars, have four little icons with circular bars around them that deplete over time. Extremely minimalist, very convenient, and a nice reimplementation of what I personally think was a great Pimp addition to 7D.

you so miss the point every time you post....

The hud has been brought up heaps of times lol your nothing above anything. However the others have made actual discussions without ridiculous claims or ridiculous rants.

MM has stated several times the food and water isnt coming back and if you want it the mod section has a heap of them.

you stated "Or the slightly more ridiculous remark that avoids actually having a discussion under the guise of advice, yet nothing more than a 'You want it this way, no, but I want you to do it this other way, yes,' which is - mod it."

lol get it thru your head MM isnt putting the food and water back. so if you want the H.U.D with food and water you WILL have to get one from the mod section all done for you and easy to install for even the not so bright.

Nothing wrong with someone saying to you if you dont like something mod it. It is in most games that are released these days the ability to mod something so that you get what you want in a game. (Which is why a game developer puts the ability to mod the game into the game) Whereas the devs make a game the WHOLE community as a default can play. but ,mostly how the DEV team wants the game to be.

your game style is going to differ from the next person and that persons game style is gonna differ again.

So suck it up dive into the modding section grab the H.U.D you like (there are heaps out there) and quit complaining about a thing that isnt gonna make it back lol... Your posts are like a broken record.........

 

[beerfly]

Man how cool would it be if you had to manually record days gone by? You could scratch them into the walls haha!
Would be terrifying if you lost your record it couldn't remember...

There will be "not again" moments. Lots f them.

 

[Demonoid74]

Man how cool would it be if you had to manually record days gone by? You could scratch them into the walls haha!
Would be terrifying if you lost your record it couldn't remember...

The zombies or bandits smash the wall you were keeping track of days with...then you are lost!