Creating a basic GUI
After implementing a basic pickup/collectables system, I was eager to create the foundation of the user feedback that will drive level progress. The GUI would initially consist of two fundamental elements, the user’s score and the user’s level meter.
I would consider both elements staples in arcade-style puzzle games, and needed to make sure that a floating, 3D representation of these elements would work in my level’s construct.
Thankfully, I feel the implementation is a success. The GUI aligns with the “top” of the screen, a nod to classic non-VR interfaces, while still residing within the 3D space. I retain tracking of the player’s panning to always keep the GUI in the center of the viewport, while adding a marginal reverse-tilt of the player’s pitch. This mild 3D effect is purely for aesthetics.
Animated progress
Before applying further style to the GUI in the future, a quick addition to the feedback comes from a simple interpolation of values as they change.
Both the level meter and score utilise a basic lerp from the current value to the new value during the collectable action. The score, however, will track the value difference in a float, even though it deals with integer scores, so that interpolation can nicely animate the numeric values as needed.
