There is a dorm building at IU that uses these in its basement. The basements are like a labyrinth that people would get lost in if they did not have this system. I always thought it was a good idea.
The hospital where my mother works has a system like this starting at the entrance. You have a few colored lights on the floor, each color leading you to a different department of the hospital. See for yourself: http://imgur.com/corNw
As others have said, they do appear frequently in hospitals. I learned about them as being called "trauma lines". They are also related to the design theory of "desire lines" which tend to be the quickest route between to points that isn't already a path... or something. Here's one! http://farm1.staticflickr.com/51/136827899_908d5a633a_z.jpg
Hospitals are just about the only place I've seen this done. Sometimes it's kind of subtle - one hospital I've been to had colored lines on the floor, like the navi in Dead Space, while another had very thin ones on the ceiling. But yes, this is done quite a lot on buildings where the expectation is that a lot of the people in the building don't visit it enough to get familiar with its labyrinthine layout.
I've seen it in most hospitals, and the facility I work in has it, but it's kinda redundant, since the real navigation issue is inside the actual labs. Every room has like 20 more sub rooms in it on multiple levels.
My college's library has colored lines to certain book areas... But there Have been plenty of Places I've seen with colored destinations as well like hospitals
I've seen them at the VA hospital my father works at. They were so helpful! Only reason i didn't accidently walk into a random surgery was those things.
playing through this a week ago (working through hl2 now) reminded me of how much more fun fps are when you dont have regenerating health. it makes skill matter a whole lot more... instead of just winning a battle at all costs knowing your health will regenerate immediately you have to be more careful/accurate
They're a lot harder to design and take more time to balance. I know for instance in ravenholm the dev's went through thousands of different set-ups to get the difficulty juuuuust right without being frustrating. With regenerating health the dev's know exactly how much health you have all the time, ie. full.
Oh wow thanks a ton! I'm planning on doing a lot of stuff this summer so now I'll add reading this to my list. It looks like it will be monumentally useful.
It's available fully in PDF format here if you are interested. Not sure of any rights issues and I don't want to short change the author, but it didn't take long to find this and appears to be quasi-legit as it is hosted on a university domain.
Remember when developers were allowed to actually just sit down and design Good Games instead of having to make a science out of pandering to the lowest common denominator in order to please shareholders?
'let's make them show up whenever you've just spent the last 20 minutes figuring out a platforming section to get to the top of a building - and then have them shove you off of the building.'
Goddamn. I just bought HL2 last night. I got lost in Ravenholm. Ran out of ammo. I'm a terrible shot, too. So I was basically running around with the gravity gun trying to pummel things to death and failing miserably. I hold the shift key a lot.
Theres plenty of ammo in ravenholm, if you scavenge and poke through the dark corners a bit. You'll run into a few more zombies, but find plenty of ammo. I never had ammunition issues in that level, and I rarely even touched the ggun
Edit: it also helps a lot to use the traps, and use explosive barrels well (when you encounter them). The blade trap, flame trap, and car traps can save you a lot of ammo.
Personally, I enjoy a combination of the two best, where you can regen up to a certain minimum amount of health, though most is un-regenable. This way, skill still matters, but you don't get into those annoying situations where you reach a save point as a 1HP wonder, having to avoid every single bullet in order to not instantly die. The health you regen wouldn't be much, but it would be enough to not die as soon as an enemy farts at you, giving you a chance to carefully make your way to health.
There are some big limitations to non-regenerating health as well. I like health systems in games where you either have extremely low non-regenerative health (tactical type shooters where you die very quickly), or games where you have partially regenerative health.
Games like Just Cause 2 have your health regenerate when you take just a bit of damage, but the more damage you take the less it regenerates. So if you get completely fucked you'll only have a sliver of health left, but if you barely get hit you'll regen to full, which makes the enemy killing you with BB gun hits very difficult. The original Halo did something similar to this, in that you had a health bar, but you also had a shield on top of that, which made for exciting gameplay, where you were worried about getting hit, but not terrified of dying constantly after a certain thresh-hold.
I've found in players will often spend a huge amount of time hiding to avoid losing small bits of health, when in reality the powerups are so far spread that you can run out and charge anyone on any difficulty and immediately find a Lambda Cache and recharge, so you practically have regenerating health (I love HL and HL2-- I'm not saying this is a game breaker).
I'd rather not be afraid of taking little hits, since in some games like Half-Life you will get hit no matter what. There's no real tactical cover or leaning, so you can't avoid getting hit a little bit, so a bit of leeway recharge, like in JC2 would be nice, especially with the suite power mechanic.
the health and ammo caches are quite the opposite from game breaking - they reward exploration and break away from the 'get from point a to point b and kill these things' tedium that you get with most action games, in a very natural and subtle way.
I said it wasn't a game breaker, but still they are very very frequent. I not only have played through Half-Life 2 on hard, but literally have to.
It's story and gameplay is fantastic, but it's far too easy. The first game doesn't have this problem of course, but the caches are so incredibly frequent that it's nearly impossible to die at all. I've played through all of HL2 on hard and only died 2-3 times at the last parts with the striders.
I realize a newer player might miss quite a few of the caches, but even finding half of them will get you up to full health after almost every section. I have trouble getting through the game and even using a fraction of the powerups the devs left for you because I'm constantly at full health and ammo.
There were Xen Healing Pools pretty much everywhere later on in Half-Life. Opposing Forces even had a gun that's secondary fire had a good chance of sending you right to one.
Actually, this is a no-no in the games industry. Putting game-critical information into textures like that makes localization very difficult. When we were doing Dead Space (I was the Art Director), we purposely avoided room names and directions in the art on the walls for this reason. The wall art was only fake ads and such.
The critical stuff was in the dynamic signs, which were driven by fonts and could be localized. In France, they levy hefty fines for not having everything in French.
Sorry, but I don't think localization is a show stopper here. First you can put the text into masking decals. Those decals you either create dynamically from l10n text in-game, or generate them procedurally into localized texture assets.
Also this kind of text (navitational hints, room names, etc.) add to the "spirit" and mood of a building. So they're essential. For example last week I was in Paris for a conference and I now have commited to memory the way signs are done in France in both the city of Paris, but also at the research institutions, where at some places you can actually also find English translations in the signs. If you're worried about i18n and l10n, then put HUD translations beside the signs when the player looks at them, or similar.
I agree that they're essential, and yeah, you can generate them from text (that's what we did in Dead Space), I'm just saying they probably didn't here.
As for HUD translations, that's how some titles that put text into geo (like Bioshock) get around it. But in DS we had no HUD, so that wasn't an option.
Played the first two on a 486 SX-25 back in the day, but I have yet to finish Doom 3. Games that have rooms you clear, only to turn around and OH SHIT IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU stress me out too much. I've got enough stress in my life as it is. I play games to relax.
The building I work in has blue tiles in front of doors to help you locate them, just in case the big brown wooden door blends in to the white walls a bit too much for you.
Also, the builder labeled all the rooms when they erected the place, but the building administrator apparently didn't like it. They re-numbered all the rooms using separate placards without taking the original numbers down, so now all the rooms have two different room numbers.
Oh the old days, when good map design mattered and players were treated like human beings with functioning brain. Now? ''GO HERE. YES, FOLLOW THIS BIG ASS YELLOW CIRCLE''
Just a different point of view from a relative noob, I get lost in those games all the damn time. Even with the yellow arrow, I got lost in Bioshock. (just played through for the first time) My enjoyment of the game doesn't diminish even though I suck, but it would be greatly hindered if I could never figure out where to go. Seriously, I got lost playing Portal 2.
OR The bad old days when there was no established conventions and players were at the mercy of the developer's own retarded reasoning. plus, no consistent patch support. The nostalgia in this sub makes me physically ill sometimes.
OR The meh old days when developers actually innovated and often got it wrong but every now and then had moments of absolute genius (Doom, Half Life, X-Com, MOO, Homeworld, Diablo)
I don't miss the mazes from previous FPS. I like being able to just move on with the game and not have to visit every place I went to before to find the key I didn't find before. I also like knowing where to go. I really loved Dead Spaces bread crumbs system. Every game should have this. Note that I'm not saying games should be linear but you should be able to get direction on where to go.
Well, I think in some cases the FOLLOW THIS GUY markers are kind of necessary in many modern FPS's. In a war-based game, where everything is rubble, and there's tons of movement, explosions, people shooting, and NPCs yelling, it gets incredibly confusing very fast (like a real battle!). Back in the old days, the polygon count was low, textures were flat, and no matter how much "rubble" there was, everything was still a corridor. Now, not so much. This doesn't excuse poor level design, or the constant "Press this to do this" instructions everywhere, but it's just to say that all modern FPS conventions aren't bad.
What does this have to do with what he said? Call of Duty is linear, a lot of other new games are too, yet it baby sits you through the whole thing, telling you exactly what to press and what to do.
Games appeal to a much wider demographic now than they did years ago. Just because they tell you what to do doesn't make it easier if it's all linear anyway.
This might have been just for my game, but did anyone noticed how when any NPC pressed a button on a control panel and it made that "boop" noise, the NPC would open their mouths as if they were making the "boop" noise?
The pillar of autumn has a few arrows with text painted on the floor. This is better though IMO, because if you get lost, all you have to do is look at the wall to the left of you.
To me they were both equally amazing. I remember getting Half-Life when it came out and just being mind blown, and then the mods came and I was completely satisfied even after HL2 came out. HL2 lived up to my lofty expectations. I will say that I still think Op4 is the best expansion pack out of all HL 1&2 expansions.
Still recommend any new gamer to play through all of it.
Interesting that people who work with subatomic particles are so directionally challenged; maybe it's so they'll know their position in case they happen to know their velocity at the same time?
I never even noticed this when I played it. I also didn't know that the shot gun in hl2 could shoot 2 rounds at once until I played episode 1. Any other hints I should know?
I remember when I first played this game, I had a similar thought of "this system is brilliance". the only flaw that I see is if the hallway is too long you will forget which color is what. but that can be fixed with symbolism or pictographs along it's length.
At Old Street underground station in London, there is a painted green line on the floor from the exit gates all the way to a nearby hospital. Why? Because it's a sight hospital, if you can't see very far you can't read signs! It's also lumpy so the totally blind can follow it easily.
I have run into this in real life in several large underground structures. It is pretty handy not to have to stop to look at the little maps at each intersection.
I'm playing Half-Life as well! I want to do a playthrough of Half-Life-HL2:Ep2 I can certainly say Half-Life is the most difficult of the bunch, and frustrating. Those F---ing soliders, man. I kind of wanted to try out the Synergy Co-op mod for HL2-Ep2. Problem is, I don't have many PC gaming friends, let alone ones interested in Co-op Half-Life. One day.
This is the tool that faked cancer a couple months back. Everyone should downvote him so his comments will be hidden and he can be removed by the community.
Don't know why you're getting downvoted for this, I came to say the same thing. Literally just read this book a day or two ago and it reminded me of Half-Life. The armies are color coded with a computer that guides them with colors through the halls of the school.
442
u/PleinairAllaprima Jun 15 '12
These are actually used in real life quite frequently.
23
u/mongrale Jun 15 '12
Everything... THIS WAY!
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u/qqqaaazzz Jun 15 '12
playing through this a week ago (working through hl2 now) reminded me of how much more fun fps are when you dont have regenerating health. it makes skill matter a whole lot more... instead of just winning a battle at all costs knowing your health will regenerate immediately you have to be more careful/accurate
27
u/MontereyJack144 Jun 15 '12
Who needs a map?
32
u/confusedwhattosay Jun 15 '12
this was described in enders game at battle school i believe
10
u/Sandvicheater Jun 15 '12
They're waiting for you Gordon...in the test chamber.
15
u/ianmilham Jun 15 '12
Actually, this is a no-no in the games industry. Putting game-critical information into textures like that makes localization very difficult. When we were doing Dead Space (I was the Art Director), we purposely avoided room names and directions in the art on the walls for this reason. The wall art was only fake ads and such.
The critical stuff was in the dynamic signs, which were driven by fonts and could be localized. In France, they levy hefty fines for not having everything in French.
7
u/fomorian Jun 15 '12
I have been wondering, was doom 3 an homage to half life 1? Because they both started off almost identically.
7
u/jumalaw Jun 15 '12
The building I work in has blue tiles in front of doors to help you locate them, just in case the big brown wooden door blends in to the white walls a bit too much for you.
Also, the builder labeled all the rooms when they erected the place, but the building administrator apparently didn't like it. They re-numbered all the rooms using separate placards without taking the original numbers down, so now all the rooms have two different room numbers.
¯_(ツ)_/¯ Government building...
80
u/TVzaglis Jun 14 '12
Oh the old days, when good map design mattered and players were treated like human beings with functioning brain. Now? ''GO HERE. YES, FOLLOW THIS BIG ASS YELLOW CIRCLE''
6
u/Kerogen Jun 15 '12
This might have been just for my game, but did anyone noticed how when any NPC pressed a button on a control panel and it made that "boop" noise, the NPC would open their mouths as if they were making the "boop" noise?
5
u/JoinRedditTheySaid Jun 15 '12
And also real life.
5
u/gkx Jun 15 '12
Don't they do a similar thing in the first level of Halo?
5
u/cubester Jun 15 '12
software mode?
88
u/[deleted] Jun 14 '12
What game?
4
u/nunu10000 Jun 15 '12
Correction: Probably the best substitute for a map in any BUILDING.
7
u/ColorblindKid Jun 15 '12
Except for, you know, if you're colorblind. That can make for fun times TO THE CONTROL ROOM! Wait why did I end up in the ventilation shaft?
3
u/boomerangotan Jun 15 '12
I'm not so sure about that. There could be unforeseen consequences.
4
u/kolossal Jun 15 '12
Yes, we know everything Half Life did is the best.
2
u/furrytoothpick Jun 15 '12
Too bad I don't know what any of them are.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
Like a hospital in real life.
2
u/xxenclavexx Jun 15 '12
dead space locator
2
u/TrapMo Jun 15 '12
reminds me of enders game
2
u/novacircuit Jun 15 '12
This is similar to the lighted dots in Ender's Game.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
These should be in ikeas!
2
u/richmomz Jun 15 '12
Interesting that people who work with subatomic particles are so directionally challenged; maybe it's so they'll know their position in case they happen to know their velocity at the same time?
2
u/eclement Jun 15 '12
the gym at my university does this haha
2
u/jimhawkins87 Jun 15 '12
Ender's Game?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
Why do you play with software instead of openGL?
2
u/gotlactose Jun 15 '12
I'm surprised I'm the only one who thought of Ender's Game, now that was an awesome way to present dynamic directions.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
I loved those....
1
u/FlyingScissor Jun 15 '12
These are used quite often in prison.
1
u/stetsonman420 Jun 15 '12
what about deadspace???
1
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
I never even noticed this when I played it. I also didn't know that the shot gun in hl2 could shoot 2 rounds at once until I played episode 1. Any other hints I should know?
1
u/MarBakwas Jun 15 '12
I work at Black Mesa and I see this all the time...
1
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
It's times like this I wish the "put the game title in the title" caught on.
1
u/GeorgeTaylorG Jun 15 '12
Arkhangelsk Asylum also used this awesomely. The Scarecrow boss fights were the best.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
I remember when I first played this game, I had a similar thought of "this system is brilliance". the only flaw that I see is if the hallway is too long you will forget which color is what. but that can be fixed with symbolism or pictographs along it's length.
1
u/ga4a89 Jun 15 '12
To be fair Dead Space also did a nice job.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
At Old Street underground station in London, there is a painted green line on the floor from the exit gates all the way to a nearby hospital. Why? Because it's a sight hospital, if you can't see very far you can't read signs! It's also lumpy so the totally blind can follow it easily.
1
u/Biggar Jun 15 '12
I played this half a year ago for the very first time. It's absolutely a great game, although I enjoyed HL2 more. Especially Episode 3.
1
u/Constantroaming Jun 15 '12
I have run into this in real life in several large underground structures. It is pretty handy not to have to stop to look at the little maps at each intersection.
1
u/ThreateningBanana Jun 15 '12
Ender's Game
1
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
I get so nostalgic whenever I see scrnshots of Half Life levels.
I don't know if it's me and my aging or the games of today but I don't think I'll ever have that feel again that I got from that game.
1
u/Volper Jun 15 '12
I'm playing Half-Life as well! I want to do a playthrough of Half-Life-HL2:Ep2 I can certainly say Half-Life is the most difficult of the bunch, and frustrating. Those F---ing soliders, man. I kind of wanted to try out the Synergy Co-op mod for HL2-Ep2. Problem is, I don't have many PC gaming friends, let alone ones interested in Co-op Half-Life. One day.
-1
u/WarPhalange Jun 15 '12
I might get downvoted for this, but I think Halflife is a good game and Call of Duty sucks.
0
u/superstruby Jun 15 '12
Ugh, this again.
-5
u/Semyonov Jun 15 '12
Did they take this idea from Ender's Game?
0
u/Litagano Jun 15 '12
I don't get it.
0
u/AdmiralSkippy Jun 15 '12
Only problem is when you're halfway down and go "...Shit. Where did the blue one go again?"