Since I'm currently working on an outlining effect, I wanted to collect some thoughts, and possibly do a Poll.
Right now, I'm implementing a small highlight around Items in the world that the Player is currently looking at, when within range (~10m?). To improve user experience, I want to only do enough highlighting to be useful to the player, but not to be annoyingly cluttered/persistent or detract from the environment (Example: If in a dark cave, brightly highlighting any enemy, through a wall, and within 20 meters of the Player takes away from the setting IMO).
There are a few ways to implement highlights, but for a fantasy RPG, I don't think it would be appropriate to go full-blown CoD and highlight Players or Objectives 1km away behind buildings or a hill. So I put a few concepts down:
Objects: Usable Doors, Chests, Corpses, Switches, etc. These should always be highlighted when looking directly at them and in close range.
Items: Always highlight items while looking directly at them and in range. Or should items always be highlighted (or glow) when within range, even when not looking at them? Maybe a color indicating the rarity or type? (blue = ice mod, yellow = lightning mod, etc.) This might be particularly useful with small items, like Rings. Keep in mind Items will also be accompanied by a hover box with item details.
Objectives: Personally, I'm not a fan of leading the Player directly to Quest Objectives. I'd rather just have dialogue/hints related to a Quest recorded in Journal or something that can be referenced, but I know the norm lately is to use a HUD Compass with icons, a map/minimap hint, or just drawing a big bright icon (with distance) right on the HUD.
Players: Right now my idea is to have NO indicators on Players until low-ish on health, and then have a highlight that changes color based on current health, but does a floating, static Health bar just make more sense? Should I highlight friendly, visible Players in range or not? Maybe this is just a toggled option in Gameplay Settings. Maybe go Left 4 Dead-style and highlight Players (in the same Party) that are under attack, through walls, regardless of distance.
NPCs/Enemies: Never highlight. Maybe highlight when looking directly at them in close range (especially NPCs)? I'm also leaning toward mimicking MS:C in not displaying Health (and/or Mana) without equipping certain items.
Thoughts?
Right now, I'm implementing a small highlight around Items in the world that the Player is currently looking at, when within range (~10m?). To improve user experience, I want to only do enough highlighting to be useful to the player, but not to be annoyingly cluttered/persistent or detract from the environment (Example: If in a dark cave, brightly highlighting any enemy, through a wall, and within 20 meters of the Player takes away from the setting IMO).
There are a few ways to implement highlights, but for a fantasy RPG, I don't think it would be appropriate to go full-blown CoD and highlight Players or Objectives 1km away behind buildings or a hill. So I put a few concepts down:
Objects: Usable Doors, Chests, Corpses, Switches, etc. These should always be highlighted when looking directly at them and in close range.
Items: Always highlight items while looking directly at them and in range. Or should items always be highlighted (or glow) when within range, even when not looking at them? Maybe a color indicating the rarity or type? (blue = ice mod, yellow = lightning mod, etc.) This might be particularly useful with small items, like Rings. Keep in mind Items will also be accompanied by a hover box with item details.
Objectives: Personally, I'm not a fan of leading the Player directly to Quest Objectives. I'd rather just have dialogue/hints related to a Quest recorded in Journal or something that can be referenced, but I know the norm lately is to use a HUD Compass with icons, a map/minimap hint, or just drawing a big bright icon (with distance) right on the HUD.
Players: Right now my idea is to have NO indicators on Players until low-ish on health, and then have a highlight that changes color based on current health, but does a floating, static Health bar just make more sense? Should I highlight friendly, visible Players in range or not? Maybe this is just a toggled option in Gameplay Settings. Maybe go Left 4 Dead-style and highlight Players (in the same Party) that are under attack, through walls, regardless of distance.
NPCs/Enemies: Never highlight. Maybe highlight when looking directly at them in close range (especially NPCs)? I'm also leaning toward mimicking MS:C in not displaying Health (and/or Mana) without equipping certain items.
Thoughts?
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