Underwater Combat HUD – Interface Concept for a Horizon-like World
This concept explores a UI for a stealth-based underwater gameplay experience. The player takes on the role of a diver who hunts mechanized sea creatures in a hostile, unpredictable environment. The interface supports clarity, spatial awareness and moment-to-moment decisions.
A dynamic sonar-based enemy indicator communicates threat levels through intuitive icon colors (green, yellow, red). The oxygen and weapon display is positioned for quick access. A small, animated diver acts as a voice-enabled mentor to guide the player through onboarding and enemy detection.
All visual elements — icons, HUD, mini-character, and feedback effects — were hand-crafted. Sounds and animations (like bubbles appearing and bursting) are designed to enhance memorability and immersion. Players can adjust these feedback layers in the settings to suit their sensory needs.
The goal: to create a clear, engaging and atmospheric HUD that blends function with worldbuilding.
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Thoughts about the process and the production:
Portfolio:
- When presenting UI design: indicate experience and gameplay
Gameplay:
- Action, combat, adventure
- Open world + underwater world
- Random gameplay, surprise effects + various fish, shark-fish as mech
- Preparation for random gameplay (e.g., map and icons on the HUD/mini-map) + see below animated (green, yellow, red - depending on danger)
The player is the hunter, he receives all necessary weapons and items to successfully complete the hunt.
And he gets a spatial and temporal orientation aid (sonar and enemy icons).
- Icon and symbols for weapon display.
The UI has a moderator and mentor function. & small diver on the side explains everything
- animated & small diver (mentor), icons, life bars, sonar (navigation - orientation)
how impressive? what characteristics?
- clarity / comprehensibility
- memorability: different senses (visual, audio, animation - appear, while, disappear)
appearance: blubb sound effect + visual O2 bubble with Explanation text
during: voice-over or funny effect
disappearance: bubble bursts sound effect + O2 bubble and text disappears
player gets the opportunity to adjust this in the options.
Content determination:
1. simpler and more intuitive
2. graphics more appealing/attractive (less technical formalities)
UI, icons, and graphics easier to understand
Player task
- Hunt down enemies
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The Icons, Scribbles, HUD, Effects, Re-Design, Mini-diver, Textures and more is self-made.