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[Dr.Electro]

I am working on a Hack'N'Sash game, where you can upgrade your equipment with additional features like extra damage, critical attack damage, armor etc. BUT i dont want to use numbers because i think in my case its kind of repetitive - like always 10%/20%/30% etc.

Here is a screenshot of the current layout of the Upgrade UI - its kind of a forge.



The first upgrade is copper (eg. 10%), the 2nd is silver (20%) and so on .. Always. Oh.. Dont get confused with the inconsistent upgrade types of the mockup.

So whats your opinion about that?

[CesarD8]

I personally think that having numbers is ok. I like to have some tangible and precise way to measure the upgrade so even if you have 10,20,30, etc. you have the benefit that the player knows exactly what his stats are. If your only concern is the repetitive nature of your upgrades, don't worry most players won't mind.

[PappaWayne]

It really depends on the amount of upgrades you want available and the extent of your creativity. The binding of Isaac is a good example of this where it has around 300(?) ish items and a lot of them have different physical effects, e.g. One item makes the player push enemies back on contact, another makes your weapon set enemies on fire etc etc. obviously you would have to adapt these to your game style and they would be a lot of work but I think that style of upgrade system can be interesting.

[BarelyHuman]

For certain games I think it can be beneficial to know the exact numbers of stats, but in your case I really wouldn't bother. I think a lot of games relay to much info to players and it's just unneccary information to process.

[oodavid]

I lie the way CRAWL does it, there's stats presented at the time of update (ie, this item adds 10% to this stat) but the rest of the time it's just a visual representation without the numbers.

[rhill]

I could go either way. If you can keep it visually innocuous, like it doesn't end up looking like a spreadsheet, then players who don't care can ignore it but it's there for players into min-maxing.

On the other hand, maybe knowing the order is all they need. Gold is better than silver is better than bronze.

[Whiteclaws]

Maybe two swords for +2 and 3 for +3 etc

[rhill]

Hmm. Yeah, if they don't know what math you're doing under the hood with these numbers, it's not necessarily any better saying it's 100 armour, 110 armour, 121 armour, rather than 1 armour, 2 armour, 3 armour.

[Dr.Electro]

@all: Thanks for all your input!

@CesarD8: Yeah you are right.. maybe a lot of players of that genre would think so.

@PappaWayne: There are not as much upgrades, but there are upgrades which are only available to certain gear types (not represented by the mockup) - like critical attack, attack damage, and a unique effect depending on the current equipped gear set.

@BarelyHuman, @rhill: That was my initial idea.. keep it simple and readable.


I added stats nums to the upgrades. But i am struggeling to put the nums also in the forged upgrades (the miniatures)

With:


Without: (imho better readability of the upgrade icon)


To clarify (because of the inconsistent mockup) the upgrade Process in detail: all upgrades start with Bronce. Once you pick Critical Attack (Bronce), Critical Attack (Silver) is available and after upgrade to Silver Critical Attack Gold is available. The others stay Bronce. If you then choose for e.g. Attack Damage (Bronce) the previous installed upgrade (Critical Attack Silver) gets replaced and Attack Damage (Silver) is available, while available upgrade Critical Attack switches back from Gold to Bronce.

What do you think?
Btw. should i put the stats nums in the center or bottom of the upgrades?

I also have a devlog.

[DerangedMind]

I find the overlay takes away from the art of your images... Have you thought about putting the numbers some place else? Below, above... maybe as an extension to the text below? e.g., Critical Strike (+10%)

[Netsu]

I think +X% notes aren't very helpful without context. Does the armor +15 upgrade means I have 15 armor instead of 0? Or does it upgrade my armor from 1000 to 1015? What does the armor do?
Is the critical attack stat bonus damage or chance for a critical? What is the base chance/damage? How much damage will be deflected if I take the +5% upgrade?

I would give each upgrade a short and self-explanatory title, so that additional info in the icon is not necessary, for example:

Critical chance 10% (bronze)
Critical chance 20% (silver)
Critical chance 30% (gold)

10% of damage reflected (bronze)
20% of damage reflected (silver)
30% of damage reflected (gold)

Damage reduction 10% (bronze)
Damage reduction 20% (silver)
Damage reduction 30% (gold)

[DerangedMind]

I think +X% notes aren't very helpful without context. Does the armor +15 upgrade means I have 15 armor instead of 0? Or does it upgrade my armor from 1000 to 1015?

I realized the problem with my solution after I posted it. Your solution This looks like a far more elegant way to solve this problem.

[Dr.Electro]

@Netsu: yeah i agree..

However - i tested the current upgrade mechanics - and it sucked! 
I have another idea with kind of a unique mini tech tree per gear item but i have some other UI stuff to work on.
I will post another update once i finished that .. i could also need some crits for the skills/sets and chest pick screens posted in my my devlog.

Thanks! Alex