Episode #136 - Evolution of the HUD

Episode #136 - Evolution of the HUD

Hey there consolers,

Episode #136 of Inside The Console is coming up, scheduled to tape this weekend possibly as early as Saturday the 16th in the afternoon. As such, I figured I should put down the Guitar Hero Aerosmith and give you guys a heads-up about the topic and some questions to ponder on.

We'll be doing one of our patent-pending "Evolution Of" episodes, this time on the Heads-Up Display, or HUD for short. Chances are, you're well aware of what the term means, but just in case you've never heard of HUD in regards to gaming, it simply means the information that is always displayed on the screen to inform you of your various player stats, maps, radar, etc.

Our show will focus on the evolution of the HUD from the simple on-screen score, to much more clever implementations such as the original Turok's on-screen map or the PIP-Boy 3000, and other games that feature no HUD at all. We'll be talking about our favorites, least favorites, things we like, things we don't like, and where we think the HUD can go in the future.

Here are a few good articles to look at for this episode:
HUD on Wikipedia
Rethinking the HUD in Console Game Design

Some random questions for you all:
1. What was the first HUD that you can vividly remember as standing out to you (not necessarily in a good way) and what was it about this HUD that made you stand up and take notice?

2. What are some of your favorite and least-favorite HUDs, for whatever reason, and why do you like/hate them?

3. What do you think of the idea of HUD-less games (such as King Kong) and do you think that more games could be improved upon by having no HUD at all?

4. What's your opinion on customizable HUDs, such as the one that The Conduit is supposed to have?

Thank you all for your contributions to the show, we're looking forward to hearing from you guys on this one.

-Phil

PS: Watch the blog for something *cough* someone *cough* new, starting this Friday.