MMORPGs aim to captivate players in virtual worlds. In sandbox games, one is supposed to lead a kind of second life. But do floating numbers and names, health bars, many windows, or outlines around items and monsters not interfere with that?
When looking at how some gamers play World of Warcraft with countless UI mods, one wonders whether the game world even plays a role anymore or if only the game mechanics are relevant. The Elder Scrolls Online aimed to take a different approach and presents a minimalist user interface with few windows and elements. However, the game was heavily criticized by MMO fans for this.
Is a user interface really necessary?
In contrast, for example, the upcoming single-player game Hellblade wants to do completely without a UI (User Interface). When taking damage in battles, one recognizes this by the heroine’s posture – if she is almost dead, she collapses. The same happens with enemies. They begin to bleed or limp, sway, and fall over.
No numbers indicate the damage inflicted, and there is no health bar either. Additionally, you do not target enemies that are surrounded by bright outlines. It feels natural and dangerous to fight a monster because you can never know when you have defeated it. Would this also work in an MMORPG? It would definitely create a more natural gameplay experience.
Can a UI be replaced by visual effects?
Imagine the following: When hitting a monster, one does not know how dangerous it is. You fight for your life, as you have no idea when the enemy will go down. This would bring a completely new feeling to the game. Panic, fear… will you survive the fight? But how would one recognize one’s own condition? How would healers know when to intervene? One would have to be more observant.
If a player starts to limp, their sword arm hangs limp to the side or one sees severe wounds on their body, then one should better take action. For a mage, low mana could be represented by blurred vision or a change from color to black and white.
Certain UI elements remain necessary
However, it would probably not work without any UI, unless you replace chat with headset conversations (as can be seen in the case of The Elder Scrolls Online, which does not always work well). Skills would need to be represented somehow, as well as an inventory with items. Attributes could look different again.
What if one could feel the hero’s strength value instead of seeing it? One would deal more damage, carry more, and perhaps one would also see slightly more muscle mass on the hero… The more skilled one becomes, the better one dodges and the more elegantly one jumps.
The equipment window could also be replaced by simply making the camera rotate around the hero or having the hero turn quickly, allowing a direct view of the equipment and making changes directly on the hero. Buffs and debuffs could even be visually represented by effects on the character. Regarding quests, one would have to talk to many people instead of simply looking who has an exclamation mark above their head.
Minimaps? One pulls out a map from the inventory and depending on one’s map reading skill determines one’s position on it or not. A compass could function similarly. And quests would be recorded in a book that one would also need to open. It would be more challenging but not impossible when it comes to crafting. Forging a sword would not happen via a special interface but directly at the anvil. Brewing a potion could really involve using a mortar and pestle.
Andreas says: An MMO without a UI could work, but it would require a lot of rethinking. Many MMO players value playing as effectively as possible. The floating numbers are added up to see if there is still something to optimize. Quest givers also need to be immediately recognizable to avoid wasting time. Perhaps developers should consider designing a game such that one actually does not need a UI and can fully focus on the atmosphere and immerse oneself in the experience. Optional UI elements and floating numbers, health bars, etc. could then be activated. However, that makes it difficult to maintain balancing, as those who can see health points on an opponent – especially in PvP – have a significant advantage. Despite the challenges, the idea of a game without a UI intrigues me.
