HUD's

[Shard]

I'm about to start working on the HUD for my Applied Project game and I wanted to know what the common ways the forum does it.

 

 

We have a HUD layout [attached] where we will have different sprites for gun models, an ammo count and a two layer health meter (shields/health).

 

 

From what I figure we would create a plane of some sort that would always be in front of the camera and we would draw the sprites onto the plane and make it see through but I'm not a hundred percent sure how one would go about doing this.

 

 

So forum, how do you make your HUD's?

[Canardia]

You don't need any planes. Just draw the text, images, lines, or whatever 2D elements you want.

[Ending Credits]

You could draw to a texture and then use the texture to texture a sprite which you could parent to the camera. This is good for transparency.

[Flexman]

This is using the 2D method, drawing to an offscreen buffer. Draw to the buffer AFTER calling Render().

 

Look into CreateBuffer(Width, Height, BUFFER_COLOR), the buffer it returns you can use to draw using 2D commands.

 

Here's a little pseudo-code to give you an idea.

 

// save current buffer
tempBuffer = CurrentBuffer() ;

myhudbuffer = CreateBuffer(Width, Height, BUFFER_COLOR) ;
SetBuffer(myhudbuffer) ;

// We can give it a variable transparency or background colour by filling with a colour and alpha
SetColor(Vec4(red, green, blue, alpha)) ;
DrawRect(0, 0, width, height) ;

// Do lots of interesting drawing here...
// even OpengGL if it takes your fancy


// Done drawing so lets paste it at some screen co-ordinates
DrawImage(GetColorBuffer(myhudbuffer), x, y, width, height);
// restore original buffer so we don't upset anything
SetBuffer(tempBuffer) ;

 

 

That should be enough to get you going for your specific needs. You might want to assign a material to the buffer. Or use a smoothing filter. After creating the buffer...

 

material = CreateMaterial() ;
SetMaterialTexture(material, GetColorBuffer(myhudbuffer)) ;
TextureFilter(material.GetTexture(), TEXFILTER_SMOOTH) ;

 

Even use shaders on with the material too.

[macklebee]

just remember due to recent changes, the buffer you create needs to be the same size as your current buffer or you will have serious fps drop.

[Josh]

just remember due to recent changes, the buffer you create needs to be the same size as your current buffer or you will have serious fps drop.

I don't think there is anything that would cause this. I think you mean rendering with the framework commands to a different buffer.

[macklebee]

I don't think there is anything that would cause this. I think you mean rendering with the framework commands to a different buffer.

 

yes. your'e correct. disregard comment.

[Rick]

Just load the textures and use DrawImage(). It handles transparency and all the stuff you need really.

[flachdrache]

I use a helmet HUD which`s background is part of the nightvision/normalvision in its postprocess.frag. So i can colorise and fade or even fade it to zero.

 

alphaHUD

 

With that i guess ill use 3d models representing a compass, current weapon etc. - not sure about reflections on the visor because 1. dont want to obscure the players view too much 2. would better use a "complete" 3d model for such attempt and shake this model if the player got hit (atm i can shake the view within its postprocess shader).

 

Some issues i do have with my hud is like, should i go for a more cinematic look (minimal hud - fade it in on key press, enemy arrival) or the always present "simulation" kind of HUD iam using atm - the more quiet (search and destroy) moments do require the later but would look/feel plain awful in bright sunlight.

 

Another thing imho is that some huds are kind of overused - you know the kind of star track outlines HUD thing in light blue/green/orange. Maybe because it looks good.

[Gard]

but if draw with DrawImage(), it automatically draws the sprites? Or use OpenGl functions for drawing 2d images?

[Flexman]

DrawImage() is good enough for loading a texture and putting it on screen. No need to use OpenGL for that.

[Marleys Ghost]

DrawImage() is good enough for loading a texture and putting it on screen. No need to use OpenGL for that.

 

 

Unless of course you want to rotate it.

[Canardia]

You can also rotate images with OpenGL commands.

[Marleys Ghost]

You can also rotate images with OpenGL commands.

 

 

which was my point.

[Gard]

but is not heavier? Because of DirectX, as far as I know, even create 2d images (which can not rotate), is heavier than create sprites with the texture of the image...