Video game timeline (Zelda+Sonic)

Evaluation Of Prototype Inventory

Feedback Interface

Health Wheel

The health wheel is included so that it can display the player’s health. I didn't want to use a health bar as I wanted to keep the interface compact.

When the health wheel is full, the entire wheel is green, this is because green is a cool and calm colour. I want to let the player feel relaxed when their health is full. However when their health wheel reaches fifty percent, all the pieces of the wheel turn orange. Orange is a neutral colour which should alert the player that something is wrong. When the wheel reaches twenty five percent it will turn red and glow. Because red is a colour that represents danger, the player will become alerted and will seek out refuge so that they can figure out how to recuperate.

Experience Ring

Around the health wheel is the experience ring. I included this so that the player can view their progress. It also gives the player a sort of sub mission, something to work towards whilst they work through to the actual goal in the game. Experience is represented by the colour blue. Blue is a relaxing, cool and calm colour. The colour in this doesn't change as the players experience grows; the reason I've designed it like this is so that psychology of the ring is just constant. It brings the player on edge when they are about to reach a new level, and they crave it when they don't quite make it.

Equipped Item

I decided to use this in the feedback interface so that it would keep the user informed as to what item is equipped at all times. I wanted to design it so that the user didn't have an excuse if they didn't know what inventory item was equipped. It contains information that is relative to the user.

Resource Meter

I included this feature so that the player has a clear and consistent view of the amount of resources they can use. I didn't include a number system as I thought it would distract the player from the game.

Once the resource meter lowers to twenty five percent the meter begins to glow red. This is to indicate to the player that they have low resources. I chose red because humans unconsciously refer the colour red to an emergency or danger.

Map and Compass

I included this so that the player had a clear view of their situation, where they are and what their goal is.

I grouped the map and compass together in the bottom left of the feedback interface instead of placing it around the players status wheels and bars so that the screen didn't become over complicated. The player will be less distracted this way.

The map is blandly coloured (blacks, greys) ant the objective and player cursors are displayed as red and the route (if the player decides to use this) is yellow. Against the black and grey tones of the map, red and yellow will really stand out in the player’s peripheral vision.

Inventory/Menu

Avatar

I included this so that the user can see their equipped apparel and the effects that have been implemented by them. I included this instead of just highlighting equipped items so that it would be more pleasing to use and look at.

The player can click on the avatar to open a window full of apparel that they have recovered. They can equip and can also throw these items away if they wish. When the player clicks the item, the game will automatically equip the item to the player’s avatar. I didn't want to implement a feature where the menu asks if the player is sure, as I thought this would be frustrating for the player, if they wish to un-equip the item they have to just simply click it again, or equip another piece of apparel that registers to the same body part.

The player can also see the items they have equipped and the enhancements around the avatar. So that the player doesn't have to question what effects are active.

Players Status Wheels and Bars

I have kept the inventory compact and within it, the player can view everything that can be seen on the feedback interface. I included this so that the player could view their status in a calm and quiet environment. This way they can grasp an understanding on what they need to do in order to progress in the game.

Inventory

This window will show the inventory items that the player has collected so that they can view their progress and see what item they can use depending on their situation.

I split the inventory and quest window apart because the inventory would have become cluttered and frustrating to navigate. Separating the items obtained from the progression that the player has made seemed like the logical decision.

When the player equips an item by accident they can immediately un-equip it by clicking it again. The menu doesn't ask questions to prevent an error that the player might have made because I decided that this would become too tedious.

Items equipped will be highlighted to let the viewer understand that they have the item equipped. The game responds with a 'click' sound when the item has been activated.

Quest Log

The quest log displays the 'quest' items that the player has collected, and the progress that they have made. This is a compact system that the user can turn to when they haven't played the game for a while. If they cannot remember what point they were up to, they can recollect what they did last in the quest window and figure out their next move.

I grouped these items together for the fact that the player doesn't use 'quest' items freely. The quest items are objects that the player can't progress in the game without.