The Witcher 3 HUD and UI

[Zabanzo]

What's this for? Enemy's level shouldn't be shown, otherwise player will try to stay away from hard enemies. It looks like developers are afraid that console players may experience too many difficulties.

Could we please stop with this "console players are dumb" thing? They are the same Homo sapiens as you, the fact that they play on console doesnt make them worse at video games. Please stop this nonsense.

 

[ONLY_ONCE]

It's good to be able to see the monster level numbers, it's better to be able to turn it of when I want.

 

[Sken]

Didn't notice that level icon, not a big fan.

Hope it can be disabled, or if really required, only visible when witcher senses are activated.

 

[Vigilance.492]

It's good to be able to see the monster level numbers

This isn't an MMO, showing level numbers serves absolutely no purpose but to diminish the experience, or at least that's my view.

If I enter some brand new area, I see a troll, I get close enough to discern its level and realize I'm way too low, I run away. If you engage the enemy & fail, you don't think, "Man what a mean, powerful creature", you think, "Well duh idiot, it was a much higher level and you knew that". There's a big difference there in the "feeling" and satisfaction derived from such a situation.

Without level numbers you have no idea, so you either run away because, "Holy fuck that looks like a tough Troll" or you engage and a number of interesting outcomes can occur. A. You get demolished, you shake off your folly for engaging such a creature and you make a note to come back later when you're more powerful - this is a big part of the experience. B. You end up in a riveting, adrenaline pumping battle, and against all odds you come out triumphant. There's satisfaction, there's rewards and your triumph invigorates you to try that again in the future. C. You have a standard or easy battle, nothing special (Creature might be same or lower level).

Guess this is just the stuff we're going to have to live with though, which of course I knew was going to be a big downside to any new footage now that the game is feature locked. Unless CDPR offers lots of UI customization, I'll either have to wait for mods, or just hope when I actually get in-game it's ok and doesn't tarnish the experience that much.

 

[ONLY_ONCE]

This isn't an MMO, showing level numbers serves absolutely no purpose but to diminish the experience, or at least that's my view.

If I enter some brand new area, I see a troll, I get close enough to discern its level and realize I'm way too low, I run away. If you engage the enemy & fail, you don't think, "Man what a mean, powerful creature", you think, "Well duh idiot, it was a much higher level and you knew that". There's a big difference there in the "feeling" and satisfaction derived from such a situation.

Without level numbers you have no idea, so you either run away because, "Holy fuck that looks like a tough Troll" or you engage and a number of interesting outcomes can occur. A. You get demolished, you shake off your folly for engaging such a creature and you make a note to come back later when you're more powerful - this is a big part of the experience. B. You end up in a riveting, adrenaline pumping battle, and against all odds you come out triumphant. There's satisfaction, there's rewards and your triumph invigorates you to try that again in the future. C. You have a standard or easy battle, nothing special (Creature might be same or lower level).

Guess this is just the stuff we're going to have to live with though, which of course I knew was going to be a big downside to any new footage now that the game is feature locked. Unless CDPR offers lots of UI customization, I'll either have to wait for mods, or just hope when I actually get in-game it's ok and doesn't tarnish the experience that much.

I totally agree with you, I'm just saying it's good for people who like DAI, I am not a fan, but yeah please let us turn monster level numbers off! I don't want to see monster names, healthbars, nothing! All that shit ruins it for me, so I really fucking hope console players get the options to turn all that horrendous shit off!

 

[Geralt_of_bsas]

I don't agree that it is an improvement, sorry. And of course I don't only compare W3 with its predecessors but also with other games, especially RPGs, out there. I remember CDPR saying that they took inspiration from the Gothic series. Guess what? These game didn't even have a minimap, not even speaking about icons for herbs on it. That was how "classic" RPGs of that kind were made. I'm pretty sad that CDPR didn't take inspiration from that game but from some imho stupid modern designed games like Far Cry. Of course that's my opinion, but to me in a game like that it's all about immersion. Icons for such stuff on the minimap easily destroy immersion just for simplicity and "comfort". The point is: I'm not seeking for comfort in such a game. I'm seeking for immersion. I don't want stuff like herbs to be highlighted by pressing a button (curse DAO for that addictive button pressing crap...) and I don't want them to be shown on a minimap. I want to find them myselves, with my own eyes. I want complexity, depth, challenge and not simplicity, comfort and guidance everywhere. I want to think and find out stuff in games on my own without rubbing everything into my fact at every possible occasion. I know of course that this is against the "current trend" in gaming that tries to make everything even simpler and easier but that's my opinion and that's how I see a good RPG and a fulfilling open world game. Those modern style games are imo made for "casuals" which means for people who don't want to invest a lot of time, dedication or cleverness into a game. All they want are nice visuals and fast rewards without much effort. I really hope that CDPR is catering to those people only to a limited extend although everything I've seen so far is only increasing my fears that they've already given up on classic, challenging, immersive game (and open world) design... :/


This. The problem is that if you already have an intrusive and extensive quest marker and navigation system the motivation to design quests and logbook entries and stuff like that in a way that encourages you to just turn off the system is much lower, especially from a business/financial point of view. Why investing a lot of time and effort into a feature only few ("hardcore") people will use? It's easy to argue at this point that it's a pointless or "to be cut" feature in general...

I say it again: well done quest design doesn't need extensive quest markers or navigation...

I understand you, we actually want the same thing, what you wrote in this latest reply, however despite our disagreement, I did not go into the theme of immersion before, and well, I dont think immersion is reduced by having the icons in the minimap, as opposed to TW1 and 2's solution, in fact, considering the "hints" are in the minimap, this leaves the actual gameworld more natural and pure for immersion.

But anyway its kind of pointless to keep arguing about it, we both want something that almost surely wasnt and wont be in the game, and I personally am a bit happy with the subtle changes to the already disappointing state of TW1 and 2 in this aspect, its hard to appreciate the lesser evil, but its all I got in the end :/

Oh and I believe the Gothic inspiration was in terms of open world implementation, how progression goes, enemy leveling and that kind of stuff, not about virtual interfaces. Don't get too discouraged about the HUD in general though, its one of the simpler aspects to mod, and considering the brutal popularity of TW3, I seriously bet we will have a modded HUD faster than one week after release. At least its something.

 

[dragonbird]

To quote someone else...

Could we please stop with this "console players are dumb" thing?

Yes please. Posts have been deleted.

 

[EliHarel]

This isn't an MMO, showing level numbers serves absolutely no purpose but to diminish the experience, or at least that's my view.

If I enter some brand new area, I see a troll, I get close enough to discern its level and realize I'm way too low, I run away. If you engage the enemy & fail, you don't think, "Man what a mean, powerful creature", you think, "Well duh idiot, it was a much higher level and you knew that". There's a big difference there in the "feeling" and satisfaction derived from such a situation.

Without level numbers you have no idea, so you either run away because, "Holy fuck that looks like a tough Troll" or you engage and a number of interesting outcomes can occur. A. You get demolished, you shake off your folly for engaging such a creature and you make a note to come back later when you're more powerful - this is a big part of the experience. B. You end up in a riveting, adrenaline pumping battle, and against all odds you come out triumphant. There's satisfaction, there's rewards and your triumph invigorates you to try that again in the future. C. You have a standard or easy battle, nothing special (Creature might be same or lower level).

Guess this is just the stuff we're going to have to live with though, which of course I knew was going to be a big downside to any new footage now that the game is feature locked. Unless CDPR offers lots of UI customization, I'll either have to wait for mods, or just hope when I actually get in-game it's ok and doesn't tarnish the experience that much.

Yep.

I don't like the display of levels. I try not to throw around 'hand holding' at every minor thing, but there are more and more of these minor things that I can't shake off the feeling. Ledges being highlighted, your quest target such as Johnny being marked on the minimap, herbs too, now monster levels - the last being the worst, in my opinion. I'm getting the feeling that CDPR are trying as much as they can to make sure you either never miss a thing, or won't make a mistake. These things are starting to pile together, and I'm growing uneasy.

I don't want to impose on others restrictions I enjoy, so what I'm hoping for at this point is vast customization. I'll probably on occasion turn some of them on myself, really, say if I'm walking around for 20 minutes and can't find the person I need. Or when I'm just in a lazy mood to begin with. But as it stands, without being able to turn these things off, the game is encouraging me to be on auto-pilot. I'm not required to be active in finding Johnny, I just need to go after the marker. I don't need to keep my eyes opened for herbs and their description, I just need to see when something pops up on my minimap. I don't need to study monsters and deduce somehow, by what the world tells me and how books compare them to other creatures, whether I can take them on or not - I just note the number.

At this point I wonder whether "We don't like stupid games" is an attitude limited to the story, not the mechanics. These small things make the experience very simple and easy, and they're only the things we know about.

 

[En-en]

Level display is definitely big NO for me. Instead of judging enemys by looks(RAAWR I AM A BIG SCARY BEAR) , bestiary and actual fight you look at this boring numbers. Worst part it creates disquisting grindy MMO vibe. Absolutely HATED it in DA:I

 

[Marcin Momot]

Regarding the HUD, you will be able to change the size of the icons/fonts as well as hide certain/all elements. Hope this answers some of the questions

 

[Zabanzo]

Regarding the HUD, you will be able to change the size of icons as well as hide certain/all elements. Hope this answers some of the questions

Thats great news.

 

[arkhenon]

That is really great news. Thanks for taking the time to come here and clarify that Marcin! It must be hectic there today after all.

 

[Marcin Momot]

That is really great news. Thanks for taking the time to come here and clarify that Marcin! It must be hectic there today after all.

No problem. We're here for you guys

It's busy but we've been holding it down so far. Just a few more hours until the previews start dropping along with some new gameplay.

 

[frynse]

Regarding the HUD, you will be able to change the size of the icons/fonts as well as hide certain/all elements. Hope this answers some of the questions

Thank you, based Marcin.

 

[Sken]

Regarding the HUD, you will be able to change the size of the icons/fonts as well as hide certain/all elements. Hope this answers some of the questions

MyMan360, awesome news!

 

[wichat]

Regarding the HUD, you will be able to change the size of the icons/fonts as well as hide certain/all elements. Hope this answers some of the questions

Great. I'm awared that some gamers with vision problems asked for a sort of solution for their limitations. I'm sure this will help their a lot to enjoying the game.

Thanks

 

[MkTama]

No problem. We're here for you guys

It's busy but we've been holding it down so far. Just a few more hours until the previews start dropping along with some new gameplay.

And a few more MONTHS before release sadly
But keep up with the great work :thumbsup:

 

[wichat]

No problem. We're here for you guys

It's busy but we've been holding it down so far. Just a few more hours until the previews start dropping along with some new gameplay.

BTW... will we still have the 502 gate problem this evening when we'll try to connect with the forum in ruxh hour?

 

[Marcin Momot]

BTW... will we still have the 502 gate problem this evening when we'll try to connect with the forum in ruxh hour?

Everything should be fine. We apologize for what happened on Friday

 

[wichat]

Nice! Thanks a meowlot