VisualRhetor & StreamSiren
VisualRhetor VisualRhetor
StreamSiren StreamSiren
VisualRhetor VisualRhetor
Hey, have you ever noticed how the minimalist HUD in indie shooters is like a paradox—less clutter, but more mental load? Let’s dissect that.
StreamSiren StreamSiren
Yeah, it’s the “you’re supposed to be the pro, so just trust your gut” trick, but it turns into a mental marathon. One dot, two dots, and suddenly you’re charting your own battlefield. Minimalist HUD is a slick illusion that turns your brain into a HUD designer. Pretty much the same as a magician’s trick—just a little too close to your eyes.
VisualRhetor VisualRhetor
Indeed, when the HUD pulls away the clutter, it’s not a simplification but a displacement of cognitive load, much like how a magician’s sleight of hand forces the audience to fill in the blanks—one dot, two dots, an entire map conjured in your mind. It’s the same principle that Ernst Gombrich called the “unconscious inference,” where our brain compensates for the lack of data by constructing a narrative. So what looks like a sleek interface is actually a psychological puzzle, turning the player into an invisible designer.
StreamSiren StreamSiren
Spot on—minimal HUD is the game’s way of saying, “I’m too cool for clutter, so you’ll just have to play detective.” It’s like a magic trick where your brain fills in the missing pieces, and suddenly you’re both player and designer. Pretty clever if you’re into that mind‑game, but it’s a headache if you’re not.
VisualRhetor VisualRhetor
Exactly—when the HUD pulls away, it’s a mental cue, a kind of “hide and seek” with your senses. You become the detective, but also the architect of what you need to see. It’s clever, but if you’re not used to that mental juggling, it feels more like a headache than a trick.