E3 2015 - HUDs and GUIs
E3 2015 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) premiered a tonne of new and exciting game trailers. Here is a collection of the ones that feature HUDs and GUIs worth mentioning.
Check it out, there's some cool stuff in there.
Mass Effect 4
A very short glimpse of a gesture and touch-controlled interface and a holographic interface. Although it's a short sequence, the design elements are tight. The design uses lots of small details across a huge surface which instantly gives the interface a feeling of precision and complexity. The transitions are smooth and I like how the screen liquifies on touch.
Need for Speed
This is the in-game UI and it is sexy. There's a lot to appreciate here. Firstly I love the overall treatment of all the elements, there's a slight glow or bloom which makes everything look slightly illuminated. The elements are also ghosted onto the footage (no solid bases) but because of the strong contrast and because they're anchored into position whilst the camera is moving furiously, the UI is easily readable. The animations are purposeful and helpful, which is crucial for a racing game that demands intense focus. The checkpoint markers are also well considered and easily noticeable. I love that they've gone minimal and just used type. I'm not a fan of overt badges or icons, as it pulls the user out of the realism of the world, and reminds you that you're in a game.
Hollowpoint
This trailer features a HUD and various UI elements. The style is very technical and features lots of glitches. The distortion on the type elements and the subtle transitions are quite nice. The helmet is very interesting too, instead of a single visor it is separated so each eye features separate holographic displays.
ReCore
This features one interface and it's a holographic UI that scans the user's hand. It's a nice polygonal web-like design and I love how it protrudes out and how it sticks to the fingers as the hand leaves.
Ad1ft
This features a single space suit HUD. It's fairly minimal and symmetrical. What appealed to me was the two curved vertical lines. They are quite unusual and are instantly interesting to me. I wonder how this would be beneficial though, as humans are used to referencing straight lines. Regardless, I really love the view of space through this lens though, it feels so clean and unobstructed.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
There's a few short glimpses of UI in this clip. The main one to look out for is the x-ray vision at 1:27. The yellow and the orange elements look so graphic and is a nice contrast to the rendered visuals from the rest of the game.