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I can't enjoy Assasin's Creed because of its awful HUD

S

SuperÑ

OptionN, ShiftN
I was watching some gameplay of the recently announced Rogue, and it is bothering me to no end. It actually prevents me from playing the games.

Just take a look at it.

xmhN9m5.jpg


First thing you notice is how cluttered everything is. There are markers on top of the enemies (damn you, Battlefield 'doritos'), some objective sphere pointing the location of something, then the minimap, button prompts, life bar, weapon indicator and objectives list. And every goddamn thing is written lower case with a futuristic font.

I know im nitpicking but i really hate the font, it doensn't belong to the Assasin's Creed universe, it doesn't fit. And Ubisoft has been using it since the dreadful AC1.

Sorry for the rant. But I really want to enjoy Assasin's Creed from 2 to Unity and I cant stand these design choices. No HUD all the way.
 
P

Psychopath

Banned
SuperÑ;125181491 said:
I was watching some gameplay of the recently announced Rogue, and it is bothering me to no end. It actually prevents me from playing the games.

Just take a look at it.

xmhN9m5.jpg


First thing you notice is how cluttered everything is. There are markers on top of the enemies (damn you, Battlefield 'doritos'), some objective sphere pointing the location of something, then the minimap, button prompts, life bar, weapon indicator and objectives list. And every goddamn thing is written lower case with a futuristic font.

I know im nitpicking but i really hate the font, it doensn't belong to the Assasin's Creed universe, it doesn't fit. And Ubisoft has been using it since the dreadful AC1.

Sorry for the rant. But I really want to enjoy Assasin's Creed from 2 to Unity and I cant stand these design choices. No HUD all the way.
Click to expand...

Isn't it possible to disable the entire HUD?
 
O

Oni Jazar

Member
Turn it all off.

I've been playing that way since Assassin's Cred 1 and it's much better that way.

You'll be amazed at how gorgeous the game is when the crap UI is out of the way.
 
J

Jito

Banned
You can turn off all the HUD and the HUD looks much more stream lined in Unity from what I've seen.
 
S

SuperÑ

OptionN, ShiftN
vareon said:
Isn't that supposed to be the Animus HUD anyway so that's why it looks futuristic?
Click to expand...

It still does't fit.

Is the game still playable with the HUD disabled? Or does it become too difficult? I didn't know they gave the option. Props to Ubi for acknowledging their awful choice of font.
 
B

benny_a

extra source of jiggaflops
I always disable the full HUD except for the QTE stuff, because that is unfortunately needed.

SuperÑ;125182208 said:
It still does't fit.

Is the game still playable with the HUD disabled? Or does it become too difficult? I didn't know they gave the option. Props to Ubi for acknowledging their awful choice of font.
Click to expand...
I've played through 3 with the HUD disabled (except aforementioned QTE) but in AC4 I had to enable the mini map from time to time because information from the mission was on the minimap only.
 
R

Ryu Elessar

Member
I played through all of Black Flag with the UI completely off, and just ran the iPad app to see the map and set way-points. It actually works really well, I hope they continue to create the companion apps with the realtime maps for the future games.
 
Z

ZeroX03

Banned
Customize / disable your HUD, as everyon else pointed out.

I know im nitpicking but i really hate the font, it doensn't belong to the Assasin's Creed universe, it doesn't fit.
Click to expand...

The Assassin's Creeds games are (modern) sci fi. They're using futuristic technology, the font makes perfect sense.
 
R

Renpatsu

Member
Without being so harsh I'm of a similar disposition when it comes to the Assassin's Creed UI. For folks who've customised their UI can they post any examples that have improved it?
 
A

Arttemis

Member
I HAVE to disable 75% of the HUD when I play these games. I enjoyed playing the very first game with the minimap and health bars disabled for increased immersion, but this series has taken the entire UI to new depths of worst in history. AC3 and 4 have the most obtrusive and offensive overlay I've seen in recent memory.

They really need to add a minimalistic, slightly transparant variant with smaller font, because I kinda need to know the objectives for the missions I'm on, but I sure as hell don't want that giant World of Warcraft-looking quest tracker taking up 20% of the screen.
 
Alx

Alx

Member
The HUD didn't bother me in previous episodes (at least until Istanbul), but I must admit the one in the OP isn't pretty. Have they been using that font in the later episodes ?
Anyway, if/when I get the game, I'll certainly remove some of it.

ZeroX03 said:
The Assassin's Creeds games are (modern) sci fi. They're using futuristic technology, the font makes perfect sense.
Click to expand...

That font feels more like youtube subtitles than "futuristic technology". I'm fine with scifi style and didn't expect historical handwriting, but that specific font isn't pretty. And I'm usually far from a nitpicker as far as fonts are concerned.
 
ComputerBlue

ComputerBlue

Member
Ubisoft slaughters their games with so much crap on the hud, every game is the same. Take a look at Unity at the 4:20 mark. I don't want all that crap on my screen.

Watch Dogs was just as bad, if not worse. Especially when you were being hacked by that mouse dude. Why does that crap need to keep flashing on screen? Just horrible.
 
W

Wasp

Member
I would love to disable the HUD but the problem is almost every part of it is pretty much essential for playing the game, disabling it would make the game significantly harder and more frustrating.

I just wish that they would place the HUD as far to the corners of the screen as possible instead of staying inside of the overscan safe zone.
 
Denton

Denton

Member
The fact that you can disable it does not excuse what a pathetic trainwreck their UI is.

But for example Watch Dogs had pretty good and stylish UI. I wonder how Unity will stack up.

But yeah in Black Flag I disabled what I could without making it unplayable.
 
T

TehOh

Member
This is why it sucks that Rogue isn't on Wii U.

Black Flag was awesome on Wii U because you could put the whole HUD on the gamepad and leave the screen free of that crap.
 
T

Toa TAK

Banned
<3 to the first post.

Playing with the HUD off is pretty insane, though. I like the HUD elements on because it's a reminder of the sci-fi framing story/device that brings this series together. To me, it's still pretty cool.

Except for all the needless boxes in ACIII onwards. That wasn't necessary, I feel.
 
breakfuss

breakfuss

Member
Damn, I wasn't aware you could turn it off either. Already beat Black Flag so it's whatever. I agree the shit is ridiculous though (especially at the beginning before you've had time to adjust to it).
 
C

Cragvis

Member
No HUD assassins creed is hard, but very enjoyable. You literally have to use your senses to win. Looking around you, not running around like a crazy person all the time. Using cover whenever you can find any. Its very enjoyable.

I hate the way the HUD is too, and black flag, being able to disable it is awesome.

Just leave SSI on, you actually need it once in a while.
 
F

fernoca

Member
Yeah it is well known you can turn off the HUD. Heck on the Wii U versions of III and IV you can put it on the gamepad, leaving the TV free of it while still been able to see it some other way.
 
K

Kocolino67

Member
most games have aweful huds. srsly, there should be a thread somewhere about aweful huds. most are a) immersion breaking, b) inconsequent designed (compared to the rest of the game's design), c) bad placed.

dead space was the complete opposite of a, b, & c
 
J

jimi_dini

Member
TehOh said:
This is why it sucks that Rogue isn't on Wii U.

Black Flag was awesome on Wii U because you could put the whole HUD on the gamepad and leave the screen free of that crap.
Click to expand...

Yup. This right here. I enjoyed AssCreed 3 because of that. All the shit is gone on Wii U and I even get a proper map on the gamepad.
 
K

keltickennedy

Member
I also turn off a majority of options in the HUD in Assassin's Creed games.

Life Bar - Don't need to see it cause you will rarely ever take massive amounts of damage. Just start dat killstreak. If you suck, the screen will distort to let you know your health is low.

Weapon bar - Nope. I know what weapons I have selected when I tap the d-pad and it pops up briefly.

Mission brief - GET OUT OF HERE. Pretty much follow the dots to your main objectives.

Profile meter - No thank you. Noises will sound and icons will trigger above guards if you are in a area you aren't suppose to be and you will know you have to start sneaking.

The only thing I keep on is the mini map if I am collecting things. But I will even turn that off.


I would rather the OP started a thread how you actually can't disable that god awful white boarder around characters. THAT sucks.
 
D

Dinosur

Member
The biggest problem is the only way to disable that Uplay wi-fi logo lookin' icon in the bottom left is to turn off the map also. It glows solid white when you're online.

I had that fucking thing retentioned into my new VT60 for almost two months from playing Black Flag last year.

Like others have said, everything else is stupid fluff and easily turned off, especially the hp bar, button map, and equipped weapons.
 
E

Empty

Member
yeah its unbearable busy, just like the whole game design.

the first game is actually really interesting if you turn off the hud, it re-contextualizes a lot of the games much critiqued design. with the others it's just nice to wander around the cities, admire the scenery and details that the artists put in.
 
Wolfe

Wolfe

Member
TehOh said:
This is why it sucks that Rogue isn't on Wii U.

Black Flag was awesome on Wii U because you could put the whole HUD on the gamepad and leave the screen free of that crap.
Click to expand...

As someone currently playing through Unity this sounds awesome and is one of the exact reasons I love the 3DS.

air jordans for dogs said:
keep it secret keep it safe
Click to expand...

Oh you.

GavinUK86 said:
luckily, the entire ui can be toggled on/off in ac games.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's definitely nice, my only issue is that they don't explain anywhere what each option pertains to within the HUD itself. Some are easy or self explanatory but some I have no idea lol. Oh well, I turned mine to "light" in the options menu to try it out after reading this thread, only the HUD elements that pertain to the world remain and all of the on screen stuff such as health/ammo/minimap are gone.

I wouldn't recommend doing that unless you were a bit familiar with the gameplay I guess. It's easy enough to open up the map whenever I want to make a location I'm heading but not seeing health or enemies on the minimap is something else heh.
 
E

Erevador

Member
Lots of beating up on the thread starter, but even though it can be turned off, must players like to play with some kind of hud. The fact that Assassin's Creed's is so unwieldy and inelegant is a valid criticism even if you can turn it off.
 
TGO

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
The OP is wrong, the HUD changes with animus updates, Abstergo has a different Hud but recently it hasn't changed much thou.
Probably because they haven't updated the animus at Abstergo lol.
But yes it a overhaul.
 
B

Bedlam

Member
Erevador said:
Lots of beating up on the thread starter, but even though it can be turned off, must players like to play with some kind of hud. The fact that Assassin's Creed's is so unwieldy and inelegant is a valid criticism even if you can turn it off.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

The real solution to that messy HUD would be a better HUD that is not as overbearing and intrusive, not turning it off and thereby potentially missing crucial information because you can never know whether these games are designed with the HUD in mind.
 
1

10k

Banned
Wolfe said:
As someone currently playing through Unity this sounds awesome and is one of the exact reasons I love the 3DS.



Oh you.



Yeah that's definitely nice, my only issue is that they don't explain anywhere what each option pertains to within the HUD itself. Some are easy or self explanatory but some I have no idea lol. Oh well, I turned mine to "light" in the options menu to try it out after reading this thread, only the HUD elements that pertain to the world remain and all of the on screen stuff such as health/ammo/minimap are gone.

I wouldn't recommend doing that unless you were a bit familiar with the gameplay I guess. It's easy enough to open up the map whenever I want to make a location I'm heading but not seeing health or enemies on the minimap is something else heh.
Click to expand...
Whoa. Necro bump.
 
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