Damage Numbers in games. I hate them

[Deleted member 2620]

All games are stat-based, but I'm often not a fan of the stats actually being displayed.

In a traditional action game where they're optional (Alien Soldier), I deeply prefer a health meter. When I see them in games I'm unfamiliar with they suggest that the game has a heavy focus on some sort of XP-based leveling system, which is generally offputting to me in action games.

I'm more accepting of them in turn-based games.

 

[evilcar]

Not only do I enjoy them, the higher the numbers the better 😍

It's really good feedback that I'm getting stronger.

 

[Mage_of_Cinder]

Well gee, sorry if I'm one of those people who find those numbers useful to wether or not my attacks are effective or not and by how much.

 

[D.Lo]

Totally agree. It's fine for turn based games on which stats are the point. But looks extremely stupid everywhere else.

Lots of RPG mechanics, like damage numbers and loot drops, tap into the same brain triggers as gambling. They're really base, unintelligent and manipulative systems.

 

[sku]

I usually find them useful for tuning my builds in RPGs and finding enemy weakspots. Easier to see changes in numbers than on a health bar. I know that in some games the numbers are ridiculously high at which point they aren't adding any more information, though.

 

[theSoularian]

I like them just fine. None of these things really take me out of the game.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Damage numbers are generally useful and in games where they aren't useful they're optional?
What are some examples of completely unnecessary and forced damage numbers?

 

[Etrian Oddity]

All games are stat-based, but I'm often not a fan of the stats actually being displayed.

In a traditional action game where they're optional (Alien Soldier), I deeply prefer a health meter. When I see them in games I'm unfamiliar with they suggest that the game has a heavy focus on some sort of XP-based leveling system, which is generally offputting to me in action games.

I'm more accepting of them in turn-based games.

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You totally read my mind. Agreed on all counts.

 

[TheMadTitan]

I like them in RPGs and that's about it.

i hate enemies with hp bars in the thousands while the game only allows me 999
just balance your game goddamnit

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The thing I love most about Star Ocean games is that they go far beyond this. You can get 10k HP easy.

 

[Duxxy3]

I think they're a bad idea because eventually the numbers will be enormous, and any sort of patch that reels back the numbers will feel like a nerf.

 

[trioptimum24601]

I'm not against them in more traditional RPGs or turn-based games, where deliberation and a little mental math often factor into the gameplay loop, but they have no place at all in predominately real-time action games. Gaudy and distracting as hell. I don't play any, but generally speaking the UI for pretty much every multiplayer action game I see these days looks like a cluttered nightmare informed by slot machine aesthetics.

 

[Pau]

I don't know if it's because my first RPG was Pokemon, but I much prefer smaller numbers with small increases than getting into the thousand plus damage range. Fire Emblem is nice like that too.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Watching your damage numbers going higher and higher triggers that dopamine effect which is why a lot of developers use them.

Click to shrink...

☝

 

[platypo]

Damage numbers and accelerated progression are everywhere because they make you addicted, they make you feel in control. People don't like abstraction. Paradoxically, abstraction is what makes video games interesting.

Gone are the days of hidden numbers/stats, exploration and discovery in action adventure games.

 

[DeliciousSunnyD!]

I agree with you OP, but I imagine most people will say that they feel the opposite. They really are ugly and distracting and for action games in particular they are just another means of inserting psychological systems to incentivize "player engagement and retention" for most titles in order to have people spending more time and more money in a product. And it works.

Destiny is nowhere near as elegantly designed as Halo, for instance, but I bet it's more "popular" in terms of "player engagement" and numerical/statistical systems feed directly into that. Players have to keep chasing those pellets.

Most people have been conditioned to the point where no longer can games be purely mechanically and visually satisfying/stimulating from an inherent nature; they have to have statistical artifices overlaid and intertwined into virtually all aspects of game design. It's why you see almost all contemporary large games inserting some level of "RPG Elements" into their game design.

Systems everywhere, and IMO it's a shame but I don't think this trend is going to reverse, unfortunately. It is only going to intensify.

 

[Nostremitus]

I like them in RPGs and that's about it.

Click to shrink...

Really helps you get a feel for weapon damage and whether or not you're getting precision hits in Destiny 2.

 

[trioptimum24601]

information isn't even that good.

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This is great. I will make a crochet of it for my den.

 

[Łazy]

As most other game details, it's not for everyone.
I like to see them as well as the enemy HP so I can plan accordingly.

But from what I'm reading here, I'm wrong and it's just a fake effect for my hormones or something.

Thanks era.

Spoiler: Hint

It actually can be very important depending on the game's mechanics.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Really helps you get a feel for weapon damage and whether or not you're getting precision hits in Destiny 2.

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The alternative is to be squinting at enemy health bars and just guessing. Its amusing seeing Halo compared to Destiny ITT
I don't even like looter shooters but its still an obvious necessity in that type of system.

 

[aerie]

Yeah, me too OP, but I also like a very clean HUD/UI. I generally turn them off whenever able. Though there are certain games where it can be difficult to calculate various character stat, skill, and equipment damages on the fly, and I might turn them back on to test a build. In most games though I find it better to just keep them off. I will say though, I'm glad we have the option for people that like that sort of feedback.

 

[retroman]

Completely agree with the OP. It looks ugly so I always turn that stuff off.

 

[Tathanen]

Immersion is a lie. Damage numbers are great in games where it takes a lot of hits to kill a thing.

 

[Burly]

Nah, everything should have damage numbers.

If I'm baking a loaf of bread in a game, I want that dough to have an HP bar that takes heat damage from the oven.

 

[Jacobson]

I like big numbers and I cannot lie.

 

[UCBooties]

Damage Numbers in games. I love them.

 

[Syril]

Play a Monster Hunter game (you can turn off the numbers if you play World.

 

[Rendering...]

I like watching my weapons do a lot of damage. The numbers should always be toggleable though.

 

[Torian]

There hasn't been a single game where I didn't like them.
Making them go up is so satisfying to me...

 

[mutantmagnet]

:p


Not reading a lot of suggestions on how it could be done differently. I would hope everyone remembers Deadspace but not every visual design is appropriate with its mechanics at damage feedback so new ideas would be interesting to hear.

 

[Mr.Branding]

Lifebars > Numbers

 

[Minotaur]

I dont give a shit about immersion. Give me information, please.

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What, this is weird. I hadn't noticed I posted in here already.

 

[Sylmaron]

I thought I was the only one. When possible I switch it off.

 

[Crayon]

Disgaea brings the numbers.

 

[Valcrist]

What about damage numbers in threads?

9999!

 

[pswii60]

I don't like unnecessary damage numbers. Albeit they're not immersion ruining in Gears because they're not in the campaign (and pretty sure you can turn them off anyway?)

But then I think of games like PSO where the numbers really helped provide an indication of your impact in combat, and it's cool seeing the numbers increase as you level up.

 

[Rubblatus]

Oh man, no. Damage numbers in FPS/third person action games are one of my favorite UI trends in recent memory. Understanding that damage falloff exists when you're too far with a given ranged weapon is one thing. Being able to convey the exact difference in damage between being in, slightly or fully out of range so you can make the correct decisions in an engagement is another.

 

[hussien-11]

I love them.

 

[Braag]

I usually turn them off as they distract me more than anything.

 

[Andri]

I love them.
Its a great tool to know how much my character progressed, when i go from doing 1-2 dmg early game, to hitting the 9999* dmg cap late game.
Bonus love if there is a perk/option/secret unlock that lifts the cap.

 

[Tokyo_Funk]

A few years ago, I recall Cliffy B talking about the future of shooters and he said something to the lines of RPG mechanics and stats. He was absolutely right, even though he wasn't really a part of this future.

Me personally, I am indifferent about stat numbers, but I wish there was another way to represent it, like bullets bouncing off,sparks or something else. Some sort of visual indication that you're putting in the damage without the need for numbers.

 

[Spence]

I love em for the feedback they provide and in most games you can turn it off if you don't like it.

 

[Deleted member 40102]

Lol what are you talking about... literally one of the best thing in rpg games for me.

I was lately thinking if they add an option to turn off/on damage numbers in overwatch it would be so usefull for me to figure out the fastest way to take down opponents or heal an ally.

 

[JahIthBer]

I agree with this, i remember Diablo 3's Blizzcon build didn't let you turn off the massive numbers that spammed the screen every time you hit an enemy & someone at the Q&A said can we turn it off & the devs didn't understand why, like immersion doesn't matter, not every game needs to be arcadey number spam like COD.

 

[modiz]

they are distracting me from the actual game and fill the screen with a bunch of data i dont really need.

 

[Leo-Tyrant]

Its the first thing I disable in all games that show it. Mainly RPGs.

I had to get used to some games that did not have the option to remove them but...always felt they just destroyed the general scene (magical numbers on top of an enemy?)

Whats the point of having better graphics if we are going to throw shit on top?

Even in racing games (tags on top of the other cars, menu elements on the UI, etc) I disable everything.

 

[HitMissYeah]

Damage numbers in games. I love them.

 

[Bold One]

I love them.

I hope TLOU 2 has them.

 

[aspiegamer]

I can see it being weird in shooters where you dump endless bullets into stuff, but in RPGs they're vital feedback on both your player progression and effectiveness of attacks on targets. "That attack looks like it took like 10 pixels off its HP bar, and maybe this other attack did 15 if I squint at the screen?" is no good.

Damage Numbers in games. I love them.

Click to shrink...

Disgaea damage numbers are seriously the best freaking thing ever. They're dramatically satisfying, too, given it can take dozens (or hundreds) of hours of effort to build characters up enough to do stuff that nuts. Then, as a crazy twist, they actually offer postgame bosses that have that much HP.

 

[Crow Pudding]

It's putting a lot of numbers everywhere or work in a solid system without any actual number or health bar or damage info, so you can only know how damage are doing based in the animations of the target, scars, wounds, deep breath, etc.

 

[Lyng]

Any game where optimization/improvement of stats is a core part of gameplay, more statistical information will almost always be better.
They should be optional though.