Comments on: The Split/Second HUD http://inglorio.us/2009/12/10/split-second/ on video game UI & UX Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:47:04 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Lucas http://inglorio.us/2009/12/10/split-second/comment-page-1/#comment-2122 Lucas Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:22:34 +0000 http://inglorio.us/?p=1088#comment-2122 The HUD does look pretty slick, and the comparison to <cite>Dead Space</cite> is apt. Black Rock seems to have realized that the small amount of space behind the vehicle is close to the action, but out of the way of things the player will have to attend and react to during play. Good thinking. The way the HUD reacts to player movement, flickers, and etc. reminds me of <cite>Metroid Prime</cite>. While few games may seem to have HUDs with the same variety and quality of reactions to the game world as <cite>Prime</cite> and <cite>Split/Second</cite>, I'd argue that (much more common) flickering and blood spatters are just as much part of the HUD as the health bars, and are ways in which interfaces become part of the game world. Perhaps this aspect of interfaces is not so rare as it is under-appreciated or overlooked. The HUD does look pretty slick, and the comparison to Dead Space is apt. Black Rock seems to have realized that the small amount of space behind the vehicle is close to the action, but out of the way of things the player will have to attend and react to during play. Good thinking.

The way the HUD reacts to player movement, flickers, and etc. reminds me of Metroid Prime. While few games may seem to have HUDs with the same variety and quality of reactions to the game world as Prime and Split/Second, I’d argue that (much more common) flickering and blood spatters are just as much part of the HUD as the health bars, and are ways in which interfaces become part of the game world. Perhaps this aspect of interfaces is not so rare as it is under-appreciated or overlooked.

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