Health bars

[Albebro]

Re: Health bars

It would be very short-sighted of Blizzard not to include various display options for the health bars (as Jedouard suggested). Hopefully they realize this. If not, I'm sure enough people can make a stink that it will become an option after later patches.

 

[TheWhetherMan]

Re: Health bars

Players should have several options. I don't like having vital info at opposite edges of the screen, so I'd go with the bar floating near the target.

 

[Cable]

Re: Health bars

I'm a big fan of the new health bars. And my adoration for them was enforced not even a day ago. I was playing Diablo II, fighting Diablo with my Assassin -- glanced up to check his health while changing a skill -- glanced back at the action only to realize I was being killed by his lightning death mega attack (or whatever it's called). Had the life bar been above Diablo himself, my Assassin wouldn't of had a near death experience.

I'd also hope that they (Blizzard) would include a "see all" option to display all the health bars of all the monsters on screen. If assigned to a shortcut, would be nice to quickly see everyone's health in the middle of battle, and not just who you were targeting.

 

[SlechtWeerBeer]

Re: Health bars

I'm a big fan of the new health bars. And my adoration for them was enforced not even a day ago. I was playing Diablo II, fighting Diablo with my Assassin -- glanced up to check his health while changing a skill -- glanced back at the action only to realize I was being killed by his lightning death mega attack (or whatever it's called). Had the life bar been above Diablo himself, my Assassin wouldn't of had a near death experience.

How many TVs do you use as a screen?
I can see both Diablo and the life bar just fine on a 1680*1050 resolution and 800*600 game settings.

 

[Krugar]

Re: Health bars

Another possible good place for the monsters health bar would probably be the lower screen next to the remaining UI elements. No?

I mean, if I was asked between an hover health bar and a fixed one like in D2, I'd take the fixed one any day. I prefer my game screen to be as clean as possible. Health bars are ugly things that have no place on top of admirable monsters and scenery. And when they start moving around with the monster, my immediate thought is "ugh!".

I'd rather have them fixed. But I always thought they'd be a perfect complement to the UI at the bottom of the screen, since that is also where our own health bars are.

 

[Cable]

Re: Health bars

How many TVs do you use as a screen?

Aha. Funny. Not really. I do understand the situation is hard to comprehend with such a minimal field of action, so to elaborate...

I can see both Diablo and the life bar just fine on a 1680*1050 resolution and 800*600 game settings.

I'll clarify my situation so no one else gets confused. Diablo wasn't completely on my screen. He wasn't in the middle of my screen raining down death on my character. He was chasing a shadow and I was chasing him. Was Diablo on my screen? Yes. Was he fully visible? No. Glancing at his health, while changing to a more suitable melee skill set, I failed to realize Diablo turned on me in only a reaction's worth of time. I switched to my defensive gear while taking evasive maneuvers -- and found myself running at about 5% health with no shadow. A few potions later and a shadow recast, and I'm back at Diablo. Based on how Diablo 3's life bar system works, I would have been looking at Diablo and his health the entire time completely avoiding the situation.

Sometimes people get caught off guard like that, not just by Diablo either. It doesn't happen all the time, but the new health bar system should allow such situations to go unheard of. Thus, it has my vote.

 

[Felix]

Re: Health bars

Personally I can't stand games where you got all this involving and atmospheric graphics, and then when you move your mouse it turns into a modern day fighterplane HUD.

WoW ended up like this too, you never looked at the game but only at mathematical data the game was visualising.

No thx, minimalistic gameplay all the way. That's also were the skill is at.

 

[blikst]

Re: Health bars

Personally I can't stand games where you got all this involving and atmospheric graphics, and then when you move your mouse it turns into a modern day fighterplane HUD.

WoW ended up like this too, you never looked at the game but only at mathematical data the game was visualising.

No thx, minimalistic gameplay all the way. That's also were the skill is at.

I think only the most necessary information should be visable on the screen. I agree with Cable on the health bar. It's definately better than in D2. As for other thing like we have seen I could do without, like the damage showing.

 

[Akse]

Re: Health bars

The new health bar will be better for the fast pace of the gameplay with bigger resolutions than in D2. It would be difficult to keep focus in the action and try to look at the health bar that is 800 pixels away from the action.

While moving your sight to up the monster that you have the mouse on have moved and thers another target or what not.. This even happens in d2 sometimes.

 

[Risingred]

Re: Health bars

Personally I can't stand games where you got all this involving and atmospheric graphics, and then when you move your mouse it turns into a modern day fighterplane HUD.

I'm with Felix. Although, I do like how the boss health bars stay at the top of the screen, even if they aren't targeted. I like that a lot, actually, and I would want an option to hide all the bars except for the boss bars.

 

[Fox VII]

Re: Health bars

To quote Bashiok's latest forum post:

I think we essentially agree with you. The floaty 'above creature' health bars raised a few different concerns and they've since been changed. Health bars for uniques and bosses are displayed at the top, and health bars for everything else are displayed at the bottom (both stationary). It works well, it's all out of the way but still accessible if needed and more importantly you can keep an eye on boss/unique health as well as any lesser minions you happen to be fighting.

:smug: I'm happy with this! I hope we can disable the bottom bar, which will pretain to the easy enemies.

 

[GuardianHadriel]

Re: Health bars

My prayers got answered!!!

 

[Kentalicious]

Re: Health bars

dont you think people will have addons for that... or do you think they wont support that?

 

[Akse]

Re: Health bars

I dont think blizzard will support UI modifications for D3..

 

[Romak]

Re: Health bars

I don't think there will be different UI adds either. In WoW it was okay, because the freaking UI takes 75% of the screen, another 20% of the screen is floating numbers and the rest is for an actual 'picture' of what's going on, usually consists of blast effects from you and the rest of your raid team, lol.

In diablo they're trying to make the 'ideal' UI that is both small and convinient.

 

[captain]

Re: Health bars

its good that thier tweeking this little stuff. maybe ther getting clost to a release

 

[Akse]

Re: Health bars

its good that thier tweeking this little stuff. maybe ther getting clost to a release

Hhoho not close I think!

When they announce that beta will start in about ½ years ... after beta has ended we can expect about ½ waiting time.. depending how much they need to fix and balance the game.

 

[Starving_Poet]

Re: Health bars

we still have a good 15 months left

 

[sreda]

Re: Health bars

I was hoping they would keep the health bars on screen like on the demo, where the monsters you attack have their health bars show up.

 

[Mad Mantis]

Re: Health bars

I was hoping they would keep the health bars on screen like on the demo, where the monsters you attack have their health bars show up.

While I like this change to the health bars I'm hoping that Blizz will implement a toggle whether you want them off-screen or on-screen. As a gamer I want options not something defined for me.