Over the last couple of weeks I worked on keyboard and controller (XBox) functionality of the main menu and the game. After a lot of trying I finally found a way to make the main menu work with joypad controls, but a new problem came up in the process .... and it's a problem that is giving me headaches.
For testing purposes I had linked each element to the number buttons on my keyboard. 1 = Void, 2 = Wind, 3 = Fire a.s.o. So when I wanted to switch from throwing fire at an enemy to throwing a water elemental, all I had to do was press the corresponding number button and BAM - the game switched it for me.
But this doesn't work with joypad controls. So right now I'm trying to figure out a non-invasive way of incorporating a basic HUD into the game, that gives players with a joypad easy access to all the different elementals and dharmapalas. I can't expect players to learn keyboard controls while wearing the Oculus Rift. This is especially important, because I need people to test my demo levels, so I can focus on better level design. And nobody can test these levels without proper controls.
I have no idea which direction to take. All I can do is rely on my own experience as a gamer and go from there. Which kind of HUD would be the most non-invasive? How much immersion am I willing to sacrifice? In how far can I use 3d Widgets?
So my next likely approach will be using 3d objects as part of the in-game HUD. But I need to find a system that isn't heavy on FPS either ... and currently all my elementals contain particle FX, which will reduce the overall framerate to 0 if the player is constantly staring at 10 of them. Not to mention the sheer annoyance and loss of immersion with an animated HUD.
Tough road ahead.
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