Is Adding Damage Indicators A Good Idea?

(Black) #1

This a reference to a feature that “quake live” has adopted.

A damage indicator would be a small number popup beside a enemy you do damage to. In other words you know how much damage you are dealt to a person from your bullets or explosives.

Numerous times I find it frustrating when I can’t see the damage your doing players and I think adding it might encourage players to get head shots as they will see they aren’t doing as much damage.

Here’s what the damage indicator looks like in quake live.

(Nail) #2

there’s already too much on the HUD adding more isn’t a great idea

(triteTongs) #3

People should be encouraged to get headshots because they are headshots. Those who aim for the head will win more.

I don’t think you need to add flashy graphics to get people to understand that.

(Daltcore) #4

I don’t think there should even be hit markers. Looking at it from a CS point of view it takes away from the skill level. At-least the difference in this game is there is no penetration (so you couldn’t spray a wall to see if someone is there) but it takes away from the skill level to an extent. I think all sort of indicators should be removed entirely. Then in TF2 it had hit sounds and damage indicators but that is more of a game aimed at a larger audience. I think it really depends where the devs want to take this game.

(Mr-Penguin) #5

This seems like a good idea. I would find it very comforting to know when I’m plinking enemies for 5 damage with an SMG at medium range, and it would make it visually easier to know if you hit somebody at range.[list]
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(Humbug) #6

it’s already there. The hit indicator gets bigger if you do more damage. correct me if i am wrong.
I think it’s fine with hitsounds and hit indicator, don’t need more info (numbers).
Can take a look at this if you want to know more detail about the weapons

(Daltcore) #7

Doesn’t the hit marker get bigger if it’s a headshot?

(vdll) #8

Perhaps it can be done like this:

a) damage values popping up on hit (just like tf2)
OR
b) damage indicator changing color depending on damage (i.e. cyan/green/orange/red)

(Gi.Am) #9

Urghs RPG/MMO damage indicators are the worst (even in RPGs/MMO).

Honestly they are uneeded in Dirty Bomb anyways you get a visual hit indicator around your crosshair everytime you do damage (or your nades or deployed weapons) (I think there is a option to make it bigger if you have a hard time seeing it).

And you have the option to enable hit sounds in the audio settings. This way you get a nice DING DING DING when you actually score a headshot.

No need for the visual clutter (and performance hit, lots of overdraw).

(vdll) #10

Whatever we are discussing, if you can switch it on/off, it’s not going to be a clutter/performance problem. Matter of preference, that’s all.

(Zenity) #11

We’ve got better, we got health bars. Together with hit sounds, that’s more than enough feedback IMO.

(vdll) #12

Thats something, but personally I’m very curious about the exact ammount of damage gun inflicts, particularly regarding long range engagements (range/damage dependancy etc).

(Daltcore) #13

Thats something, but personally I’m very curious about the exact ammount of damage gun inflicts, particularly regarding long range engagements (range/damage dependancy etc).[/quote]

This comes with experience though, I don’t think a game should be dumbed down like this it only takes away from the higher skill levels.

(benignMaster) #14

Health bars should be enough honestly. In Quake Live, you can’t see your opponents health and have to go by the sounds the opponent makes when you do damage. [left][left][/left][/left]

(vdll) #15

Those are different games, folks. If SD chooses to disclose HP of the enemy, they might as well be precise about it. Adding damage values won’t “dumb down” the game same as hit sounds or damage indicators. Killing is killing, with all the complexity tied to the process.

@Daltcore game experience will not allow you to calculate damage drop at given distance (as you shoot, not with an excel sheet), same as it won’t let you know exactly how much pellets of your shotgun landed on target. It’s a whole new kind of info, not related to skill cap.

(subtleDoll) #16

Good idea, in Battlefield Heroes there is the damage indicators.

(watsyurdeal) #17

Yes please, I’d at least like a damage counter next to my health so I can tell how much damage I’ve done to a particular player.

(vdll) #18

It certainly could help in those “how the huck didnt he die??” Situations, lol

(Szakalot) #19

what if you are firing at multiple enemies. Dinged one, naded another one, than started a fight with a third - you want three different damage counters?

(ZGToRRent) #20

It’s good as it is.