UI changes (part 1) - Life bar, Stamina bar etc

Wicked Feedback
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1

Foreword

So, with that first topic I would want to start series of topics related to UI with a perspective to continue giving feedback in new series related to other aspects of the game. I don’t have that much free time and for this reason I will be posting my feedback and suggestions in parts.

First, I like this game, like the visuals and like the idea of fusing mechanics from different games (survival, soulslike, ARPG etc.). But currently the state of these mechanics and how they work together seems little bit off and unbalanced. The game requires a lot of adjustments, and this also applies to the interface. So, lets dig in.

Main Interface (Life bar, Stamina bar etc.)

How it looks now.

Main UI (current)
Main UI (current)742×305 231 KB

How I suggest it should look like.

Main UI (fixed and cut)
Main UI (fixed and cut)822×314 269 KB

I apologize for my Paint.net skills but the point was to show the main logic behind changes. So please don’t mind alignments, colors, font size etc. Now point by point:

  1. First, I don’t think that numbers above EXP bar are really that matter. But the thing I want to address here - they take to much attention considering their low importance in comparison with HP for example. Moreover, these are the only numbers that we have near our character’s portrait. The only case where these numbers are important is in our inventory when we are using EXP flask. But for that purpose, we already have another element of the interface:
    EXP numbers (Inventory)

Possible solutions:

  • remove them entirely from the screen UI;
  • make them smaller;
  • give players an option to hide them via settings.
  • move the EXP bar to the side of the portrait (see below)
    777
  1. Unlike EXP the HP numbers would be helpful to see. During a fight it would allow us to see how much damage we can survive or what food we should use to restore HP. Nothing to add here.

Possible solutions:

  • just add the numbers :blush: You also can give us on option to hide/show it via settings
  1. Stamina bar. During fights I noticed that I’m constantly looking at my HP and Focus. And the circle bar that shows us our stamina gets lost on the screen very easily and it’s very small though.

Possible solutions:

  • add a stamina bar below our HP bar. I’m not really sure about numbers here but I think it wouldn’t hurt anybody if we had the same option to hide/show them via settings.
  1. Focus bar. The situation is pretty the same with the HP bar. Because we are constantly using this resource it would be nice to see the numbers so we could decide which rune attack to use or understand if we have enough Focus to use any attack at all.

Possible solutions:

  • the solution is the same as for HP bar - just add the numbers and give us an option to hide/show it via settings. And maybe make the bar little bit bigger (thicker).

Conclusion

As you can see, I also made some changes in the positioning of bars. From my point of view it looks more organically this way. Hope devs will like this idea. I don’t think that I’m some kind of innovator or that I designed a new UI which never has been seen before. It’s classic and classic is good, at least in this case. Feel free to leave a comment and sorry for grammatical mistakes if there are any. I’m not native :blush:

EDIT 1: added an alternative UI for the EXP bar.

8 Likes
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Focus bar is very hard to read, the difference between 100 focus and 99 focus in terms of gameplay is huge, in terms of visual representation, basically nonexistent. Definitely would like to see the numbers displayed.

2 Likes
3

number would be nice to have but HP bar should also grow and shrink size like focusbar do.

1 Like
4

The EXP bar is too big, it isn’t the main focus and due to the layout, players eyes usually drift there first. Maybe it could be better if it was a bar that filled up the closer you are to levelling up, similar to the focus bar and therefore wouldn’t take up as much room. I think they should also allow players to customise the HUD layout and allow them to remove whatever they wish. I do appreciate the HUD that’s displayed whilst fighting since then the player has everything they need in their line of sight, the only problem with this is it’s hard to read.

5

I agree. That should be by default.

1 Like
6

i would be fine to have experience bar in the menu instead

7

That’s why I said that we should be allowed to customise the HUD, some people would just prefer it in the menu.

1 Like
8

As an option I think the EXP bar could be placed somewhere around the portrait. Like this maybe:

555
555822×314 274 KB

But honestly I think removing the numbers and making the EXP bar thinner should solve the problem.

3 Likes
9

Yeah, by the side of the portrait is the perfect spot for it. I think with the example you’ve given, it’s too small and will be difficult to read, but I still understand the idea.

1 Like
10

That was a quick sketch. You got the point and that what matters :wink:

1 Like
11

What you could do is copy the focus bar and put it against the side of the portrait.

12

You mean instead of the EXP bar on the last sketch? Or as it is but closer to the portrait?

13

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I meant copy the focus bar and put it on the side of the portrait, where the EXP bar is in your sketch.

14

Oh, I get it now. But in this case it would be difficult to grow the Focus bar when you increase your focus with stats or by using rune buff.

15

I still don’t think you understand. My bad, I’ll try explain it better.

Duplicate the focus bar and put the duplicate where the current EXP bar is in your sketch. Then the colour could be changed to white to retain the original white EXP bar.

16

I like how the stamina bar is currently set up, its at the character where you’re watching the fight. It could be a little more brighter/more visible but having up top to the left is not where I’m looking.

I would add, having the health bar closer to the character (action) would be better.

17

There is two problems with the HUD that comes up when you get into a fight, it’s hard to read but also, if it’s made too bright then it will get in the way of the visibility of the actual fight. An easy solution is to make it that players can decide the opacity themselves.

18

Oooooh! You mean the disign of the bar! Like this?
777

1 Like
19

:joy: yeah, that’s exactly what I meant.

Also, to make it stand out more, it could potentially have a glow to it or atleast some kind of effect.

20

Well, the realisation (made by me) could have been better but I like the idea :slight_smile: